Our students come to us from varied socioeconomic groups and backgrounds, many from places of trauma. We serve as a learning space for more than state mandated objectives; for our displaced families and refugees from the Middle East and Asia we are a place where they learn how to retain their strong cultural connections to their home country while developing an affinity for local customs and social mores. We are the place where they learn how to belong again, to feel acceptance. We strive for each of them to feel they have equal footing while in their second home, our school.
My Project
As an in-district charter school in Austin ISD, our school has the ability to bring our students opportunities to grow academically, culturally, and emotionally. In addition to our extremely cool native Austinites, we are lucky enough to serve as the school home to refugees and asylees from around the world. Our diverse population strives to enrich ourselves and our community. This year we want to bring our students together by providing a school-wide drum circle.
Drum therapy has been instrumental in helping a sampling of our students combat the effects of traumatizing events, and we would like to provide its benefits to all of our population.
Research shows that drum circles promote a sense of community through a renewed connectedness to self and others, reduce anxiety and stress, and help participants release the weight of emotional trauma.
Beginning our new school year with this activity will allow our 525+ students to feel more at ease from day one. But we will not stop there! The hope is to be able to provide continuous after school opportunities for students with increased interest, as well as to have another school-wide event during our spring festival to further our sense of community.
We are raising funds to bring in a drum leader with enough drums for everyone to participate. We would like to have our first drum circle on October 18, 2019. The initial circle will cost $4.50 per student which comes to $2,365 total. We have grant money to cover $3 per student, so we just need to raise $790! Any donation will help us enhance our students' emotional well-being for the rest of their lives.
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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.
