A Symbol Of Excellence: Glass Backboards Part 1

A Symbol of Excellence: Glass Backboards: Part 1 I want my students to have access to glass backboards for our school's gym. This is my second year as a physical education teacher. I inherited a gym that has old backboards without a regulation shooter's box. They are in disrepair and a new set is greatly needed. I teach physical education to over 400 students from Kindergarten through 8th Grade. One of the units I teach is basketball. I teach this unit to all 400 students. Our school is considered a low-income school with over 90% of the students receiving free or reduced lunch. 100% of the school's population is African American. Our gym at our school is used for assemblies and special events. It is the "sanctuary" of the school where students perform, find peace, enjoy and learn lessons of life through health, sports and the arts. I teach my students to always strive for excellence. When they strive to be the best, I instill in their minds to expect the best. In addition, I teach them to take care of the things that are entrusted to them. Glass backboards will be highly appreciated at our school. When students and parents come into the gym on whatever occasion it may be, they will look at the glass backboards as a symbol of excellence, hope, and that dreams can come true. Glass backboards will help my students to shoot better with a shooter's box to aim at. Furthermore, my upper grade levels will be able to take their skills to another level when they go to high school. They will be trained to shoot on what is the standard everywhere - glass backboards. Many schools have glass backboards and gyms with state of the art equipment. It hurts my heart to see my students not enjoy what other public schools have in a 10 mile radius. I started a basketball program that caters to 5th through 8th grade girls and boys. When they travel to various schools and compete with other teams,they observe the differences in the gyms. I told them to dwell on the solution and not the problem. It starts with the leader. I am the leader. I write this grant as being part of the solution. Please help fund this grant and make a difference for a life time.