You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Coltrane from Portsmouth, VA is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Coltrane is requesting

Are You A Monster?

My school library needs 24 copies of "Monster" and the audio book.

  • $300 goal

This project expired on December 2, 2009.

This project expired on December 2, 2009.

Classroom photo
Ms. Coltrane Cradock Middle School
Portsmouth, VA Grades 6-8

Greetings, I am a 7th Grade English teacher in a urban low income middle school. We service a community of high-need. Our school has not become accredited since its opening. I have just completed my first year at this school and I have witnessed the lack of interest to read. So, I introduced my class to an African American Author by the name of Walter Dean Myers.

One of our janitors mistakenly threw away a set of 24 books of Monster by Walter Dean Meyers. My students enjoyed the troubles of the 16 year black male who was on trial for murder. They could relate, but the literary elements they were learning...well...it had them doing just that... learning! It prepared them for the test that we focus so much on. And our scores soared!

Needless to say, I feel responsible for our library's great loss although I didn't throw them away personally. Besides, I am the teacher on record with the books and the audio that really hurt our library. It is one of two sets that we were able to purchase in the past three years. Sadly, our students next year will lose out since they will not be replaced: there is simply no funding to update the library.

We need your help! Our library is desperately dull and out dated. There are few class sets without Monster, there are even less books. These books will present the seventh graders to enjoy the same story my students did last year and maintain or increase student success!

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

Never Before Funded 60 students impacted
Ms. Coltrane Cradock Middle School Grades 6-8

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Portsmouth, VA View local requests

Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

Never Before Funded 60 students impacted

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Coltrane is requesting.

See our finances

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

You can start a project with the same resources being requested here!

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Monster Walter Dean Myers, Read by Full Cast, Read by Full Cast Staff • Barnes and Noble $17.95 1 $17.95
Monster Walter Dean Myers, Christopher A. Myers (Illustrator), Christopher Myers (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $8.09 24 $194.16

Materials cost

$212.11

Vendor shipping charges

 $21.21

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$3.18

Fulfillment labor & materials

$9.00

Total project cost

$246.00

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$54.00

Total project goal

$300.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

View complete list Show less

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Coltrane and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":false,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"VA","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":3,"name":"Middle School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":300,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/-/290356/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":60,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Coltrane","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"-827516615","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":0.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"photosPublished":false,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"Portsmouth","teachersOnPage":[372113],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":false,"proposalId":290356,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":34903,"schoolName":"Cradock Middle School","authorIds":{"372113":{"owner":"Ms. Coltrane","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":0.0,"proposalsOnPage":[290356],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherHasProfilePhoto":false,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":23,"teacherChallengeId":82255,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":[],"teacherId":372113,"schoolCounty":"Portsmouth City","fullyFunded":false,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"VA","name":"Virginia"}}