My students need these standard shop tools so they can design and build sets for their plays.
$1,113 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
The school's theatre program is made up of a diverse group of students of varying abilities in a struggling Title I school district. These students have a desire to create authentic and meaningful theatrical works, but are often limited by the resources and facilities available to them.
These students commit hundreds of hours outside of the regular school day to creating high quality theatre that reflects their diverse community and experiences.
They are driven and dedicated and have overcome enormous obstacles, both personal and as a program. Most of the students come from economically disadvantaged households and have only previously seen theatre on the television, if at all. Despite this, they come to school, show up on weekends, and work at home to make sure their performances are the best they can be. Unfortunately, they have no access to the tools necessary to build sets, and, in fact, have for the past few years worked without even having a permanent performance space. This has not discouraged them. Instead, they have actively embraced these challenges.
In an effort to realize their dreams, these students have been willing to do anything. They only need the tools to make them come true.
My Project
Our students want to build and create their own worlds. These materials will allow our students to engage authentically in the design, building, and construction of sets for the school's theatre program. The students have for years had grand dreams of what their plays could be, but have found themselves limited by a lack of resources and facilities. Most recently, the construction our school has undergone has led to the disposal of all of our pre-existing stock set pieces. The students now find themselves without a way to replace these materials or create new ones.
With these tools, students will learn and utilize the technology necessary to create the quality sets they have imagined for years.
The tools listed are the basic items, including screws, saws, and hammers, necessary for the design and construction of platforms and flats, which are the standard building blocks of set design. I want the students to be able to engage authentically in the entire process of technical theatre, and with these tools they will be able to do that. They will be able to set up their own scenic design shop, where they will, with the tools provided draft their own sets, measure and cut the materials, and construct the final set pieces. Additionally, these are the same building tools used in the professional worlds of both theatre and construction, so by gaining familiarity with the tools, the students will be better prepared for careers in these fields.
My students want the technical elements of their plays to match the energy and devotion they put into them, but have been limited by a lack of basic construction tools. If we had the tools on this list, I know that they would be capable of designing and building the sets that they dream of.
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 Mr. Warner and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
