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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Swoboda from Springfield, MA is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Swoboda is requesting

Students Cannot Live Without Books: Help Build Our Library

My students need engaging books to create a high-interest library for our 2nd year school.

  • $2,434 goal

This project expired on November 19, 2012.

This project expired on November 19, 2012.

Classroom photo
Ms. Swoboda John F Kennedy Academy
Springfield, MA Grades 9-12

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

Rita Mae Brown, a contemporary American author, once said, "When I got my library card, that's when my life began." Our school is in its second year of existence and is in dire need of a library: help our students' lives begin!

Our school was founded with the notion of bringing a high-performing high school to the most under-served district of our city in order to help students of low socioeconomic status make it to and through college.

As our school is just beginning, we currently do not have a sufficient library of young adult novels for our students to read. Last year, the average reading level of our incoming 9th graders was between 5th and 6th grade. It is critical that our students have engaging literature on their level in order to progress their reading growth to the point where they will be on grade level by the time they leave high school.

My Project

After surveying our students from last year and seeing success with these books, it is integral that our new 9th grade class comes into school with a strong library in place to begin the year with an emphasis on reading. Last year, our students declared in the beginning of the year that they hated reading, but throughout the year we found that these novels changed that. Our students last year loved these books and have begun to become avid readers because of them. However, without a library, these books were in short supply and many students did not have the chance to enjoy them. This year, we want these books to be in a library for all of our students to check out and enjoy for themselves not only now but also in future years. Help us build our school's library with engaging, relatable novels that will inspire students to become readers, which will change the trajectory of their lives by eliminating their current reading deficiencies.

Funding this project will help build a library so that every student that attends our high school can develop a love of reading and "begin their life." Currently, our students' low reading levels almost guarantee that they will not be successful in high school and college, but if they are able to develop a love of reading now, they will be able to begin a life that is on the path to college.

Help our students get the library that they want and deserve: one filled with high-interest literature.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

120 students impacted
Ms. Swoboda John F Kennedy Academy Grades 9-12

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Springfield, MA 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

120 students impacted

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Pushin'' • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Tyrell • AKJ Books $6.65 2 $13.30
Kendra Coe Booth • AKJ Books $6.65 2 $13.30
Orca Soundings Collection • AKJ Books $508.05 2 $1,016.10
The Meltdown - Drama High Series: Super Edition • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Girl Like Me Ni-Ni Simone • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
If I Was Your Girl Ni-Ni Simone • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
City of Bones • AKJ Books $8.13 2 $16.26
Shortie Like Mine • AKJ Books $18.72 2 $37.44
Teenage Love Affair Ni-Ni Simone • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
The Break-Up Diaries • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Upgrade U • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Amulet: The Stonekeeper (Amulet Series #1) Kazu Kibuishi • AKJ Books $8.13 2 $16.26
The Stonekeeper''s Curse (Amulet Series #2) Kazu Kibuishi • AKJ Books $9.61 2 $19.22
The Cloud Searchers (Amulet Series #3) Kazu Kibuishi • AKJ Books $9.61 2 $19.22
Amulet 4 • AKJ Books $9.61 2 $19.22
Scott Pilgrim''s Precious Little Boxset • AKJ Books $64.80 2 $129.60
Naruto, Volume 1 (Library Edition) Masashi Kishimoto, Masash • AKJ Books $11.83 2 $23.66
Bleach, Volume 1 Tite Kubo, Tite Kubo (Illustrator) • AKJ Books $5.88 2 $11.76
Bang! • AKJ Books $5.91 2 $11.82
Begging for Change • AKJ Books $5.91 2 $11.82
Money Hungry • AKJ Books $5.91 2 $11.82
The Skin I''m In • AKJ Books $5.91 2 $11.82
Who Am I Without Him? • AKJ Books $5.91 2 $11.82
Cold As Ice • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Courtin'' Jayd • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Culture Clash • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Frenemies • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Holidaze • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Hustlin'' • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Jayd''s Legacy • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Keep It Movin'' • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Lady J • AKJ Books $7.36 2 $14.72
Autobiography of My Dead Brother • AKJ Books $6.65 2 $13.30
Monster • AKJ Books $6.65 2 $13.30
First Part Last, The • AKJ Books $5.17 2 $10.34
Burned • AKJ Books $8.13 2 $16.26
CRANK: Crank and Glass Ellen Hopkins • AKJ Books $14.79 2 $29.58
Fallout Ellen Hopkins • AKJ Books $14.05 2 $28.10
Flirtin'' with the Monster: Your Favorite Authors on Ellen Ho • AKJ Books $9.58 2 $19.16
Betrayed • AKJ Books $6.62 2 $13.24
Burned (House of Night Series #7) P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast • AKJ Books $13.31 2 $26.62
City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments Series #2) Cassandra C • AKJ Books $8.13 2 $16.26
City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments Series #3) Cassandra C • AKJ Books $8.13 2 $16.26
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (HC) • AKJ Books $10.32 2 $20.64
Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Ugly Truth • AKJ Books $10.32 2 $20.64
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (HC) • AKJ Books $10.32 2 $20.64
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules • AKJ Books $10.32 2 $20.64
Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) • AKJ Books $10.32 2 $20.64
Fade (Wake Trilogy Series #2) Lisa McMann • AKJ Books $6.65 2 $13.30
Gone (Wake Trilogy Series #3) Lisa McMann • AKJ Books $12.57 2 $25.14
Percy Jackson and The Olympians Boxed Set • AKJ Books $14.79 2 $29.58

Materials cost

$2,003.60

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$30.05

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$2,068.65

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$365.06

Total project goal

$2,433.71

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. Swoboda and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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