My students need balls, balls, balls: soccer ball, volleyball, dodge ball, football! We have an empty gym and want to fill it with healthy activities so our kids are ready for academic subjects.
Every day, several classes are shuffled off to the gym as part of their educational cycle. We teachers are very frustrated because we have no balls for them to use! Can you imagine a game of football without the ball? We used a balloon once but it wasn't the same!
We are an inner city, African American based school population who would love to learn the 'rules of the game' by using proper equipment.
The gym is very ancient, doubling as a fall out shelter and we are glad to have it.......if we only had things to use in there! Many times the students just run around or sit because it is hard to have organized sports when you have nothing to play them with! These students want to compete with other schools in team sports but need to learn the games first. Usually the only way we can is if someone has a ball they bring from home. The school lacks in academic areas so providing the needs for physical fitness is far down the list when your budget keeps getting slashed. We have space to do these sports and learn the skills just not what we need for materials.
My Project
My thoughts are racing as I write this. I think of students jogging through the lower halls as they practice endurance for volleyball or basketball. I can see them shouting over the game in the gym and dodging the balls on the playground as they actually have balls to use. We could even get a soccer team going! These skills will help them learn their core subjects as well, because they will learn to work as a team which is a critical skill in science and language arts. Having organized physical activity will also tone their bodies and keep obesity levels down. This will also expend energy that will not be used for negative behavior in the classroom. All these are vital goals for today's youth. You can help our students achieve these!
Your gifts will make a dramatic difference to our entire school.
Not just one class but all grade levels will benefit from these seemingly simple things. Having a place to become healthy, practice physical skills and develop healthy habits will give them the brainpower they need to complete their academic activities. Your donation will encourage all teachers in the building as their students will be ready to learn because they have exerted positive physical energy to learn life skills.
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 Ms. Atkisson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
