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
It was a struggling student who introduced me to this book and its series, Bluford High. She had been in and out of foster homes(one of them mine), residential treatment centers, and the juvenile justice system. She was excited that she had finally found a book that she was willing and able to read.
This young woman is now 19 and still has yet to complete her high school education.
She often volunteers where I teach and speaks to my current Special Education students about how difficult the 'real world' is unless they do their best in school right now. They listen to her because she looks and talks like they do. She's got poverty-stricken, drug-abusing, recidivist parents. She knows what they are going through with the often conflicting demands of home and school life. Since I can't have this young woman come to our school every day, I would like to have her bestow them all with their own copy of "Brothers In Arms" by Paul Langan and Ben Alirez. This book is consistently the most popular book with my students because the plot has intense rising action by page 9 with the drive-by shooting death of the protagonist's young brother. The characters' conflicts resonate strongly with our students, and the concise length of the book makes them feel successful when they finish.
My Project
While it may not be possible due to the end of the school year being so close to give each 6th grade student their own personal copy to have in time for the summer, I would like to present it to them when they return as 7th graders. That would be a great example to set for the incoming 6th graders to see all the 7th graders getting excited about receiving a book. Our campus has just become an AVID National Demonstration School, which is a tremendous honor since there are only 118 schools with this status. Our students are 95% Economically Disadvantaged, 40% Limited English Proficient, 25% Mobile, and 64% At-Risk. They need constant support from their teachers and mentors to make the successful choices that will provide them with their dreams' fulfillment. Providing them with books in their homes is crucial to their literacy. It's so rewarding to have both successful and struggling students ask me for a copy of "Brothers In Arms" and then see both groups enjoying and sharing the book!
I would love to show the young woman who first introduced me to the book series that she made a positive difference to many others just like her.
If she could present the students with the initial book that finally turned her on to reading, the mutual benefits for them all would be tremendous. I want my students who claim they don't like to read to know they just haven't found the right book yet. And finishing one good book will lead to another, as there are 18 (and counting) books in the series!
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
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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. Santellana and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
