This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
My students attend a Transformation Zone/Title 1 school in South St. Petersburg, Florida. Their school is now a neighborhood school that was once the lowest-performing school in Florida and was labeled as a "Failure Factory" in a national news report. Students and staff are proving all the labels wrong with the work they are doing. All of my students are very vulnerable and at-risk to crime, dropping out, and exposure to traumatic experiences. My students are a part of a dance group I created, Cultural Expressions.
The dance group was created to connect 5th-grade girls to their self-identity and allow them an outlet to express themselves in a healthy way.
This dance group allows the girls to perform in the community and gain a sense of pride and belonging in a world where they are often misunderstood.
My Project
Dance classes are very expensive for my students and through my dance group, my girls are able to experience what it is like to learn new moves, practice as a team, and perform in front of a crowd. These are life skills and confidence-building opportunities my girls wouldn't experience otherwise.
Being able to have leotards, tights, and ballet shoes will allow my girls to see themselves as actual ballerinas.
These costumes are very expensive, especially for 12 girls, and there are no funds to cover this purchase. My girls don't usually see women who look like them dancing ballet. Allowing my girls to see that they can be ballerinas too will open their eyes and minds, which will affect their self-identity, confidence, and value.
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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. E and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.