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"Hi there and thank you for taking the time to read about this special project!!
I teach in a class AA high school with about a 50% poverty rate. Our incoming class of freshmen is quite high and we typically will lose many students who choose to drop out of high school. We have established a new...
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"Hi there and thank you for taking the time to read about this special project!!
I teach in a class AA high school with about a 50% poverty rate. Our incoming class of freshmen is quite high and we typically will lose many students who choose to drop out of high school. We have established a new program at our high school to encourage new students to find success in high school and to continue on with college.
Our program is called Link Crew (established by the Boomerang Project). Through this program we have 80 Junior and Senior students who have been trained to serve as mentors to Freshmen students. Therefore, each incoming Freshmen student is assigned to a Link Leader, their upperclass mentor. Our student leaders have trained for many hours this summer, ran a wonderful freshmen orientation, and truly believe that they can make a difference!!!
This program is in our second year and we have already had tremendous impact on our school! However, we have found one of our biggest obstacles is maintaining regular contact with our leaders. After all... our leaders tend to be our busiest students. We are in the process of building up some wonderful communication tools, but we need some help.
Many times, individual leaders need notification specifically for them about one of their freshmen students (called a "Link Alert"). I recently received an older mailbox unit that has 100 mailbox slots in it that will be great for Leader contact and sharing important info. The problem with the unit is that the labeling has gotten quite ugly. The box names will only last one year and we are looking for a temporary labeling solution. We decided to use large binder clips that we can place a label on, place on the end of the box, and then very easily move them as leaders change. This will work perfectly and is a very clean and inexpensive solution!
We also ask that leaders log their contact times with students so that we can track activity. We have decided to use flexible binders for the logs so that they will fit in the mailboxes. And... they are reusable!
These ideas will work WONDERFULLY, but with 80+ students, it can become quite pricey to get it all set up. This is where we have decided to place our plea for help.
Our students have done a great deal of volunteer work and have been fundraising. This program, however, has many ongoing costs that we cover and this particular situation is a one-time need.
Community support is very much appreciated and our leaders will be thrilled to find this new easy form of communication. We are VERY thankful for your consideration of this request. Thanks so much for reading!
I am in need of flexible binders for leaders to use to log student contacts. Also... to label an old mailbox unit, I am looking for large binder clips, so that I can change the box lables as my leaders change each year.
HIDE
Feb 4, 2010
Dear Shawn Gauthier, Ken, Melissa Z, David, Christopher, Linda, nicole and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
Thank you very much for your gracious donations to help bring our project to life. The students at our school have been working very hard to establish an organized leadership program on a meager budget and the materials purchased here are really helping to get things into place.
Thanks to your donations, each of our junior/senior student leaders now has a binder containing information and schedules for each freshmen student in the mentor program. The flexible binders purchased fit perfectly inside the mailbox unit slots making them very easy to access. Also, each slot is now labeled clearly with a binder clip so our leaders have no problem finding their materials. It is amazing what a huge difference that simple materials like clips and binders can make to helping a program run smoothly.
With education budgets at an all time low, community support for teachers is very important and very much appreciated. I thank you very much for taking the time to learn of my project and extending your support. Your generosity will help our group work to make a significant impact on the students in our school. With gratitude,
Mrs. A.
Mrs. A. sent this note after the project was fully funded:
Dec 7, 2009
Dear Shawn Gauthier, Ken, Melissa Z, David, Christopher, Linda, nicole and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
Thanks so much to each of you who contributed to making this project request become a reality. It is wonderfully encouraging to see an outreach of support for a program that has become so dear to my heart in our school.
By providing these organizational materials to each of our student Link Leaders, we will be able to manage and grow our program with ease. Communication with our leaders in our building is fundamental to the success of this program, and these materials will contribute toward making that happen.
Link Crew has had such wonderful success in our building already in only its second year. I'm so excited to see how much more we can do with our program as we get organized. Thanks again so much for your generosity! With gratitude,
Mrs. A.
Region:
Michigan
Where is the classroom located?
Submitted:
Sep 15, 2009
| Expires:
Dec 15, 2009
Additional Details
Level:
Grades 9-12
Teacher's funded projects:
1
Thank-you punctuality:
N/A
Reviewed the project essay and sent follow-up questions if needed.
Liza Y. (volunteer)
on Sep 18, 2009
Verified the cost of the requested supplies and posted this project.
Scott C. (associate)
on Sep 18, 2009
"I helped because I'm a strong believer in Performing Arts education."
Shawn Gauthier
from brooklyn, NY
gave
in support of shawnshawn's 'stache
on Nov 30, 2009
"Thanks so much for your support! Your donation will truly help to get us on our way! We appreciate it!!"
The teacher Mrs. A.
on Nov 30, 2009
"I donated because the project will bring important learning opportunities to the classroom."
Ken
from California
gave
in support of shawnshawn's 'stache
on Dec 1, 2009
"Thanks so much, Ken, for your help! I'm very excited to see that we may actually see this project become a reality! We truly appreciat it!!"
The teacher Mrs. A.
on Dec 2, 2009
"I gave to this project because Shawn grew a ridiculous mustache! Oh, and education is our most valuable asset as a society."
Christopher
from Grand Rapids, MI
gave
in support of shawnshawn's 'stache
on Dec 3, 2009
"Thank you Christopher and thank you Shawn!! It is such a joy to see community support for education and for this project!"
The teacher Mrs. A.
on Dec 4, 2009
"i gave because i'm inspired by josh and his stubbly mustache - and i'm happy to support this important project. "
Chris
from Brooklyn, NY
gave
in support of shawnshawn's 'stache
on Dec 5, 2009
"I donated because I am not affraid of Shawn's mustache power!"
nicole
from Brooklyn, NY
gave
in support of shawnshawn's 'stache
on Dec 5, 2009
"Thank you David, Chris, and Nicole!!! Your donations will support the success of our program at our school!! Your generosity is appreciated!"
The teacher Mrs. A.
on Dec 6, 2009
"I gave to this project because I secretly adore collecting office supplies and the subsequent thrill of mise en place. It's the little things, no?"
Melissa Z
from Brooklyn, NY
gave
in support of shawnshawn's 'stache
on Dec 7, 2009
"My own classroom works better when I have what I need. I hope this helps you out. Have a wonderful holiday season."
Linda
from New Lenox, IL
gave
on Dec 7, 2009
"We provided DonorsChoose.org with matching funds for projects that improve college readiness. We believe that when all people in the United States have the opportunity to develop their talents, our society thrives."
gave
on Dec 7, 2009
Project fully funded!
Happy news
on Dec 7, 2009
"The little things make a HUGE difference, Melissa!! Thanks so much for your donation and refreshing humor!"
The teacher Mrs. A.
on Dec 7, 2009
"The little things make a HUGE difference, Melissa! Thanks so much for your donation and refreshing humor!"
The teacher Mrs. A.
on Dec 7, 2009
"Thank you for the support from a fellow teacher, Linda! Much agreed - organization makes it all flow better. I'm so excited that this is really going to happen now. Thanks again to all!!"
The teacher Mrs. A.
on Dec 7, 2009
The teacher Mrs. A.
on Dec 7, 2009
Purchased the supplies for Mrs. A.'s classroom and notified the school principal of delivery.
Jenni D. (staff member)
on Jan 4, 2010
The teacher Mrs. A.
6 days ago
The teacher Mrs. A.
4 days ago
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