My students need 25 copies of both "Emma" by Jane Austen and "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde, with 10 SparkNotes Literature Guides for each and an audio copy of "Emma".
$385 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating 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.
I teach a variety of subjects at my school. These include: English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Technology and Acting. At this point I am the Drama Director at the Middle School. We have a 7th and 8th Grade Drama elective and an after-school acting class. Our school is located in Oklahoma and our funding is severely limited since we are a Charter School.
The demographics of our school is varied. The majority is of a Hispanic Background, with African Americans as a close second. The rest of the school varies with Caucasian, Asian, Vietnamese, and Polish. Over 70% of our students are on free or reduced lunch and money is tight in their family units. Thus, the reason for seeking other creative avenues to raise funds for the materials we need. They hunger to be successful in many areas of their lives and have big dreams of being first to graduate from college!
Show stopping acting has been a viable outlet for our students. They show us everyday that they want to be a success and that they can break out of the shell that has been created for them. Through acting, they can be who they dream they want to be and they can talk like someone else! Not only is there a creative outlet but they learn without even realizing it!
Our obstacle is pure and simple...our students come from poor or impoverish families and funds are severely limited! We have big dreams, both the students and the teachers, and believe that those dreams can come true with hard work and stamina.
We are in our third year of performing in front of live audiences...these students have shown incredible determination, rehearsing almost every day after school and giving up their Saturdays.
The best testament to the program is that students not only want the after-school program, but they are requested an elective in the 7th and 8th grades, and received them! I would say that this is a high need and request if we are going to truly support their art!
I am requesting books and audio CDs to compliment the two plays that we will be performing this year. I think it is very important for them to learn the classics and I look forward to incorporating literature and English into my class. What better way to learn about today by looking at the past. It will give them an opportunity to visulize their character in the author's mind. I not only believe that this will benefit the actors, but it will be a tool for my stage crew. It not only takes actors but a crew to hold a successful show.
Drama/Acting is growing field and equipping these students now will greatly help them in the future. Many will be able to receive scholarships for their craft if they are prepared now, as middle school students! As many do not see college as an obtainable goal, due to finances, letting them know now that it is possible is the greatest gift we can give them! Scholarships are available in all outlets of drama; it is important to state that many of my students are not only talented in acting or stagecraft but have high academic standards and this will help them have their pick of any school. I also let them know that even though they may seek a scholarship in drama and will participate in drama activities in college, that need not be their major or career choice! This is great because many know the struggles they might have in pursuing acting and it also may not be their first choice. I just want to get them into college and see it acquirable and not a dream!
These books are just one more way to fuel them through their performances, giving them valuable insights to be a star! We want to start them young, I have started with sixth grade and tried to build a small foundation. I believe the audio will greatly help our second language learners who are struggling to understand the use and context of English words! I have seen so much improvement when you read along with them!
Why donate? Drama is a way for students to be someone they are not; and many need this outlet to help keep them on the right track! Enrollment for 7th and 8th Drama is hugely popular this year. They have seen the performances from the after-school drama and now want to try it themselves. Which is awesome because not only would we have two opportunities to teach, but we would be developing a greater and diverse pool of students for each of our plays! I want them in college any way I can and if drama is the avenue then great, I will take what I can get for these students to have future success and achieve their dream!
My students need these books and audio CD to better understand the characters they are playing. They need the Sparknotes to guide them through complex situations in the books. I am excited to do this project this year and see if it can be used in the years to come, which I am positive they will!
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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. Massey and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.