We have a bustling and vibrant media center where students are constantly collaborating on projects. There's movement and activity throughout the day. Unfortunately, our heavy wooden library chairs often get in the way. Hokki stools are a better option to help active learners focus.
We are a Title 1 magnet middle school with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
We are located in the inner city, so many of our students live in subsidized housing. 70% of our students are on free or reduced price lunch. Our students come from all over the county and represent all races and ethnicities. Since many of our students are low-income, school and public libraries are essential places for them to learn and work on projects. Our library is an environment of constant activity, collaboration and learning, and is an essential hub for all our students.
We have a highly kinesthetic student population. About 28% of our students have an exceptional student education plan, and 63 students have a specific learning disability. For many of these students, movement is essential to focus. These students are constantly moving and love hands-on projects. Sitting still in a hard wooden chair is like torture for these kids.
My Project
School libraries are no longer the hushed, vaults of books that we remember. They are now active, bustling environments where collaboration and learning are constantly taking place. Our students will be the first to tell you that the library is not quiet. We have been working on creating a Makerspace in the library for students were they can work on creative, STEM-based projects both for classes and on their own.
Unfortunately, our wooden library chairs were not designed for the kinds of activity we have in our library today. They are constantly in the way and getting pushed to the side.
The Hokki stools we are requesting will allow our students to move and activate their muscles while working on projects in the library. This gives them a bit of exercise while keeping their brains active and stimulated. The stools will allow our students to lean, fidget, and rearrange seating with ease. With these Hokki stools, our students will be able to collaborate comfortably and actively.
Encouraging our students to embrace their creativity, collaborate, and think critically about real world problems is a huge part of our library mission.
We have designed a library that promotes collaboration, but we need better seating options to address the changing ways in which students are using this space. By adding Hokki stools to our library, our students will be able to focus more on learning, and less on how uncomfortable they are, and their bodies and brains will be more active.
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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 Mrs. Rendina and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
