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I am requesting funding for the annual trip for the Big Sister / Little Sister Mentorship program at David Ruggles Middle School 258. This year our suggested trip is attending the Broadway play The Color Purple. This experience would alter the lives of the young ladies that participate in our program. Here is a look into what we do.
I am an eighth grade English Language Arts teacher at David Ruggles Middle School 258. My school is a SURR School in our last year of redesign. The majority of our students come from the neighborhood Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, New York. They come from low income families and many of our students are in foster care. Many of our students have not been out of their neighborhood nor the borough.
Looking at the circumstances of the children I taught, I approached a group of female teachers at the school to start a mentorship program for the at risk young ladies in the building. The young man in the building had been serviced for years through a program called PROJECT MALE.
This program, Big Sister / Little Sister, was designed to provide the young ladies with an outlet to discuss issues they face. We created a curriculum and participated in lecture type workshops in which the young ladies could share their thoughts, questions, and concerns.
Each year, the young ladies participate in an outing that helps reinforce some of the topics that are discussed in our workshops. This year the perspective outing is a trip to see The Color Purple on Broadway. Usually this event is funded by the teachers that facilitate the workshops.
The play, The Color Purple was chosen because it deals with self-esteem, self-hatred, and liberation. It is reality for some of our students. It also covers themes that are part of our curriculum. This play is familiar to these young ladies and they can learn an abundance of information from it. Even more important than the content of the play, is the opportunity for these young ladies to experience a night at the theater. This is something that is not within reach for these young ladies. They will learn how to properly dress for the theater as well as theater etiquette. They will be taken out of their element and be introduced to a new world of possibilities. These young ladies hold this experience close to their hearts.
After our annual trip, we tend to see great behavioral changes in our young ladies. They begin to look at themselves in a new light. They are encouraged to step out and try new things. They also become positive members of our school community. Without this outing, our students do not get the opportunity to experience things outside of their neighborhood. It limits what we do as teachers in the classroom. We need these outside experiences to help our young ladies broaden their horizons.
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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. M. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.