Fourth grade students are truly the most amazing age I have had the pleasure of working around as a teacher. They are kind, compassionate, eager to learn, hysterical, emotional, loving, resilient, and so much more. It's hard to really put into words the amount of respect I have for these children.
No matter where you live, children need to have a place they can enter everyday that provides them stability, love, and acceptance.
I live and work in a small, rural town. In this town there is a mix between socioeconomic groups. What people don't realize is, is that even children from "small town USA" still have their own problems and stresses. They have divorced parents, they've had to move around, they have endured the loss of a parent or sibling, they may have been removed from their home and put into the foster system, etc. These disturbances in their lives, can cause them to not be able to learn at their highest potential.
My Project
Providing my students with healthy snacks will make a huge impact on their learning. I know this to be true because I have spent countless hours researching and working with various therapists to help my two adoptive children. Two years ago, my husband and I adopted our two foster children who were severely abused and neglected. The trauma they endured has required us to learn a lot about brain development and the importance of a loving environment, as well as proper nutrition. Until I became a mommy, I had no idea nutrition played such a key role in a child’s all-around development.
Janet Renee, MS, RD, a medical dietitian said, "Children need a steady supply of nutrients to fuel their bodies and brains so that they grow and develop properly.” Once I began learning these facts about nutrition and development, I started bringing snacks into the classroom on a weekly basis for my students to eat throughout the day.
My policy is, my students can visit the snack closet whenever they feel hungry. No child should ever have to sit through an entire day with an empty belly. Having healthy snacks throughout the school day, will allow my students to do their absolute best because they will be fueling their brains and bodies.
A mini refrigerator will allow us to have fresh fruit and yogurt readily available in our classroom. A study published in the journal Medicine in 2016 found that children perform better in school when they are provided with healthy snacks like fruit. My job is so much more than just being a teacher. I want my students to have their needs met at all levels. They may not have the nutrition they so desperately need at home, but at least I know they are getting at school.
GoGo squeeZ Applesauce on the Go, Apple Apple, 3.2 Ounce Portable BPA-Free Pouches, Gluten-Free, 72 Total Pouches (6 Boxes with 12 Pouches Each)
• Amazon Business
$38.52
5
$192.60
RCA RFR321-FR320/8 IGLOO Mini Refrigerator, 3.2 Cu Ft Fridge, Stainless Steel
• Amazon Business
$139.35
1
$139.35
Dole Fruit Bowls, Pineapple Tidbits in 100% Juice, 4 Cups (Pack of 24)
• Amazon Business
$22.80
5
$114.00
Materials cost
$445.95
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$6.69
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$482.64
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$85.17
Total project goal
$567.81
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$567.81
2 Donors
-$567.81
Donations toward project cost
-$482.64
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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 Mrs. Heitman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
