My students are incarcerated in a juvenile jail 24 hours a day where they live in tiny cells. Many of my students come from poverty and have experienced trauma or community violence of some kind. Students have struggled with education and often come to the institution having dropped out of school. Up to fifty percent of our population is classified as special education and require services for disabilities.
Despite their often challenging circumstances, my students are resilient, brilliant youth who are working hard to transform their lives.
I am lucky enough to be their English teacher and want to give them opportunities to master tools that will help them to empower and rehabilitate themselves.
My Project
My incarcerated students have very little that make them feel a sense of self-respect in jail. The members of the female unit, who are predominantly women of color, have a particular challenge because the hair products the institution provides do not serve their particular needs.
My students need culturally appropriate products in order to enhance their self respect within an institution designed to demoralize and diminish pride.
We have funded other similar projects in the past and this has truly been helpful and the young ladies feel respected and empowered by something as small as gel. Thank you, in advance, for helping me help my students.
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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. Mercurio and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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