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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Kitayama from Haines, AK is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Kitayama is requesting

Keeping It Light (Avoiding the Blues)

My students need 5 floor lamps during the dark winter months of Alaska, to highlight study areas and avoid "Seasonal Affective Disorder" (SADS).

  • $665 goal

This project expired on December 13, 2010.

This project expired on December 13, 2010.

Classroom photo
Ms. Kitayama Haines Elementary Middle School
Haines, AK Grades PreK-2

My Students

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is caused by your body's reaction to the lack of sunlight. Here in Alaska we've come to realize that subtle and dramatic changes in students' attitudes and abilities maybe caused by SAD.

In the winter months our students arrive and leave school in the dark.

Add to this the trend towards more video games and TV regardless of weather, and we find children with less and less exposure to sunlight. Medical professionals in Alaska voice cautions about lack of vitamin D and SADS. The majority of our student population qualifies for free and reduced lunch, indicative of families with low income. These families are also most likely to watch more TV, and in general stay indoors. Although our school building factored in the importance of lighting, we also had to consider efficient temperature control and loss of heat through windows. As a result, there are areas within our classroom that tend to be quite dim. Overhead lighting is adequate but not ideal for utilizing all areas for learning.

My Project

Acquiring more independent lighting will allow us to add light to spaces away from windows, highlight particular study areas, and create a welcoming atmosphere in the classroom. Independent lights also add flexibility to furniture arrangement which helps children's brains take on different perspectives. In teaching with brain development in mind, researchers recommend rearranging furniture every 1-2 months. Also, with independent lamps we can acquire full-spectrum light bulbs. Full spectrum lighting duplicates the visible wavelengths of sunlight at noon and uses both high clarity and balanced color phosphors. These aspects for boosting lighting in our classroom can subtly but significantly increase students' attentiveness, and brighten their attitudes for learning and life.

Symptoms of SAD include depression, daytime fatigue, weight gain, lethargy, lack of interest in normal activities, and social withdrawal.

We see varying degrees of these symptoms throughout our community, and highly suspect SAD as a cause for students' change of attitudes in the winter. Your donation to purchase lamps for our classroom will add a significant boost to students' learning potential. The first steps to learning and understanding are meeting students' physical and emotional needs.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than half of students from low‑income households

Never Before Funded 20 students impacted
Ms. Kitayama Haines Elementary Middle School Grades PreK-2

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Haines, AK View local requests

More than half of 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 20 students impacted

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
LAMP,FLOOR,ADJ27W,3WAY,BS -- Tensor Adjustable Height Floor Lamp • Quill $98.99 2 $197.98
LAMP,TORCHIERE,BS -- Ledu Torchiere Antique Brass Floor Lamp • Quill $107.99 3 $323.97

Materials cost

$521.95

Vendor shipping charges

 $5.22

Sales tax

 $7.83

3rd party payment processing fee

$7.83

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$577.83

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$86.34

Total project goal

$664.17

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

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Project Activity

Project Activity
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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. Kitayama and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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