I teach art to Head Start through 8th grade in a high poverty public school. My students vary in their need and ability levels, special needs children are included with their grade level with the exception of one MCAT class that meets with me separately. When I first came to the school many children were performing far below their level of ability and had only been exposed to a few forms of art.
Last year my students wanted to enter a photography contest in our area, I was new to the school with little resources and was only able to borrow one digital camera from our district office. Using only two digital cameras, mine and the borrowed one, we were able to enter nearly 1/3 of our student body in the contest. Because of the short amount of time with the cameras the students did not receive the level of instruction necessary to prepare them for the competition. The contest closes 6 weeks after the start of school this year, giving just enough time to get in a full learning experience. The students love working with the digital cameras and really need more opportunity to experiment with the technology.
In order to complete the project in time for the contest our students need 4 to 5 digital cameras. The project not only allows our students time to learn photography skills, but it allows them to experiment with a new form of technology. Most of our students have not used a camera and have little exposure to computer technology.
Your help will allow my students to take their art experience outside of the classroom and apply their life experiences to their art. This creative expression is very difficult for children who are forced by their life's circumstances to be more mature than a typical child of their same age.
More than three‑quarters 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
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