You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

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

Your school email address was successfully verified.

This teacher needs your help!

Ms. O'Rourke from La Mesa, CA is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. O'Rourke is requesting

New Dance Program NEEDS Speakers and Disc Changer

My students need a functioning audio system, including a disc changer and speakers.

  • $786 goal

This project expired on July 15, 2008.

This project expired on July 15, 2008.

Classroom photo
Ms. O'Rourke Helix Charter High School
La Mesa, CA Grades 9-12

The community and students at this school are culturally and financially diverse. I am in the process of starting a dance program for 10th through 12th graders. In the past, the dance class has operated under the Physical Education department, and it is now transitioning to the Fine and Performing Arts Department. While students have done small performances in the past, I am in the process of re-vamping the program so that it can reach its full potential. The community around the school is made up of lower and middle class citizens and many of the students that attend come from surrounding areas outside of the immediate community. The high school is designated low-income because of its socio-economic diversity. Many of the students have never even walked into a dance studio or performed in front of an audience or their peers.

As a teacher, I want my students to feel a sense of pride in their dance room and their capabilities as dancers. I have a great group of dancers who have grown to love the art of dance in the past year. They are incredibly dedicated and inspiring to me every single day. While we have a stereo system and speakers that functions minimally, both are incredibly unpredictable. They constantly malfunction and shut off. I want the students to have a functioning audio system so that they can share the same sense of pride and dedication that I felt when I was in my high school dance program.

The need for a new stereo system is great in my classroom. My students perform a minimum of four performances each year in the dance room alone. They rehearse for hours upon end. We use a stereo system upwards of thirty hours per week between classes and rehearsals. The performances are held in the dance room as we create a stage in our own dance room. Having a system that is reliable is vital to the success and growth of this performing arts program. While we are constantly fundraising throughout the year, we nearly break even between the costs for costumes, equipment, lighting and staging. Not only will this benefit my students directly, but it will help out other students who use the dance room for their senior projects and other such events that require the use of a stereo system. In addition, this will reach out to my students' families and peers because they will be able to see just how hard these students have worked at their dance performances.

Your support of this program will go far beyond this generation of students. Many of my students have already spoken of returning in the future to see how the dance program has grown. They are ecstatic to have a "real" dance class and program at their school now. Many of my students would dance on the lawn outside of the dance room or on the tennis courts if I asked them to. This is just how dedicated they really are to this program. I have high expectations for my students and for myself as to how far and great this program really can be. Please consider helping out. This donation will not only benefit my students directly, but it will also provide a successful performing arts program for my future students and generations to come.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than half of students from low‑income households

150 students impacted
Ms. O'Rourke Helix Charter High School Grades 9-12

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

La Mesa, CA View local requests

More than half of 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

150 students impacted

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. O'Rourke is requesting.

See our finances

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

You can start a project with the same resources being requested here!

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Jbl Pro Control26ct 6.5" Speakers Pair • Best Buy $344.00 1 $344.00
JVC XL-MC2000BK 200-DISC CD CHANGER WIT • Best Buy $179.99 1 $179.99

Materials cost

$523.99

Vendor shipping charges

 $52.40

Sales tax

 $37.99

3rd party payment processing fee

$13.10

Fulfillment labor & materials

$17.00

Total project cost

$644.00

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$141.37

Total project goal

$785.37

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

View complete list Show less

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

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 Ms. O'Rourke and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":false,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"CA","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":4,"name":"High School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":786,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/-/141969/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":150,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. O'Rourke","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"-1184039590","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":0.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"photosPublished":false,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"La Mesa","teachersOnPage":[167169],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":false,"proposalId":141969,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":36667,"schoolName":"Helix Charter High School","authorIds":{"167169":{"owner":"Ms. O'Rourke","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":0.0,"proposalsOnPage":[141969],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherHasProfilePhoto":false,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":6,"teacherChallengeId":55323,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":[],"teacherId":167169,"schoolCounty":"San Diego","fullyFunded":false,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"CA","name":"California"}}