This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
Do you know any avid readers, someone who can finish a book in two days or less? My girls are just that, even more so! One girl had already passed the 100-book mark before our winter break. No way am I able to keep up with their voracious reading habits, especially since the library is penniless!
I have the most voracious and vivacious freshmen class I've seen in all my years as a librarian.
They are lovely and smart and spirited, great students and the sweetest girls. And voracious readers for sure: I hate the fact that I did not receive a penny to buy books for the library this year, so my stock answer to their queries is: "Sorry, we did not get any money this year." I know my story is not unique, but it hurts just the same. My students attend a new high school with a demanding principal and a very dedicated staff. And their success rate has truly been astounding: over 93% passing their state Regents Exam, and most students on track for graduation. Of course, the library occupies a central role in this process. The students come here when they need help with their work. But the role I cherish most is that of a reader's adviser, especially when I see a girl with a big smile on her face because she just loved that book!
My Project
So, I just would like to have more and more books! All kinds of authors, all genres, all types. Because I work in an inner city school, I want to expose my students to the world out there. And what better way to do it than through literature? Books are the gateway to life. A student who is a reader is armed for the rest of her life. No one would ever be able to pull the wool over her eyes.
Because I believe in the power of the written word; because I believe that we owe our young charges the best we can offer, until the day they are ready to deploy their wings and go into the world; and because I believe that the playing field has to be leveled so that every person has the opportunity to shine.
I am a librarian because I believe that books offer one of the most privileged way of accomplishing all that. But a library is nothing without the excitement of new (and old) books.
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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. Edwards and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.