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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Bekas from Dolton, IL is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Mrs. Bekas's classroom raised $1,829

Our Masterpieces Need a Place to Dry!

My students need a new drying rack to put their glued and painted artwork on while it dries.

Mrs. Bekas Berger - Vandenberg Elementary School

Dolton, IL Grades 3-5

My Students

Pablo Picasso said, "Every child is an artist. The challenge is how to remain an artist once you grow up." I believe in giving my students the opportunity to experience a variety of art making activities. With around 200 children visiting my classroom each day, that goal can get very messy!

Around 400 children attend our K-5 elementary school, and they all visit the art room between two and three times per week.

Our school is located in a low-income, minority area. As is the case with most schools right now, the budget is tight and there is not a lot of money to spend on improving our arts program. I have some of the most creative and enthusiastic artists around! I am so happy to provide them with the chance to use their imaginations and talent to create such beautiful works of art. I am thankful that my school district sees the value in maintaining an arts program in our schools while we are striving to improve our reading and math test scores. I believe education in all of these areas make our students intelligent and well-rounded individuals. I am hopeful that people who agree with the importance of arts education will help us receive the resources we need.

My Project

With around 200 students visiting my art room each day, that's a lot of art projects that are being worked on! If we are using paint or glue, the students' papers need to be laid out to dry before they are stacked. With such a high volume of papers, we need a drying rack so that everyone's art has a place to dry in the room. Right now we have a drying rack that is made of wood and is many, many years old. Several of the shelves are split and broken, and I have gotten many a splinter from the wood! The shelves no longer stay elevated on their own, so when I need to keep the rack open I have to prop it with a coffee can. The shelves are very heavy and because it is so unstable, I do not let the children touch it. When students are putting their work on the rack, I have to stand next to it at all times because I am afraid for their safety. Even though I feel that having this old drying rack in the room is a safety hazard, it is such an essential tool that I cannot do without it.

We use our drying rack all the time, but we need a SAFE one!

I want my students to be able to put their work away without worrying that the shelves will fall and hurt them or that they will get splinters from touching the wood. The students LOVE making art projects and are generally very good at helping clean up the room. Having this drying rack will make our end of class procedures run much more smoothly. Please help support our arts program by donating toward our project!!

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

400 students impacted 18 donors

Project tagged as

Dolton, IL
Grades 3-5
Visual Arts
Traditional School
Other
Nearly all students from low‑income households

Mrs. Bekas Berger - Vandenberg Elementary School Grades 3-5

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.

Dolton, IL 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

400 students impacted 18donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total

A.W.T. Rack-It Lightweight All-Steel Drying Rack 40 Shelves, 30" x 46" • Nasco $1,394.95 1 $1,394.95

Materials cost			$1,394.95
Vendor shipping charges			$139.50
Sales tax			$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee			$20.92
Fulfillment labor & materials			$35.00
Total project cost			$1,590.37
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			$237.64
Total project goal			$1,828.01
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal			$1,828.01
15 Donors			-$592.53
Donations toward project cost			-$522.00
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$70.53
match offer			-$1,228.01
Match offer toward project cost			-$1,068.37
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$159.64
Excluded support for DonorsChoose			-$7.47
Still needed View calculation Hide calculation			$0.00

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

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Project Activity

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 Mrs. Bekas and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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

This teacher needs your help!

Our Masterpieces Need a Place to Dry!

My Students

My Project

Project tagged as

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

Boost your odds

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

How we calculate what's needed

Project Activity

Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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