We need spray bottles, caddies, and microfiber cloths to create environmentally friendly cleaning kits for each classroom to keep our classroom environments healthy and chemical free.
Our students are passionate about learning and the environment. They are budding activists and are determined to make a difference. Last year, they participated in a voluntary book club to read and discuss Rachel Carson's book, "Silent Spring", where they learned about the impact chemicals have on our environment and health. They decided on their own that the following year they wanted to complete a project to make a difference in our community and help bring more awareness to the environment.
Starting this winter, students have met once a week to develop a goal, mission, and action plan to bring about change in the community. As their teachers, we have helped provide them with tools and resources to develop their goals and focus their efforts. Their determination and passion is inspiring.
Once they decided on their first course of action, we encouraged them to write a student-led donors choose grant. By supporting this project you will be helping our school reduce chemical exposure, but more importantly helping a strong group of students learn skills related to becoming environmental activists and effective mentors.
Our students will learn that bringing an idea to fruition involves many steps and requires persistence, problem solving and commitment. They will also learn the difficult skill of listening to each others ideas and figuring out how to represent the desires and ideas of an entire group into their final project. Letting students take the lead in this project will help them understand how to achieve outside of the classroom. Finally, funding for this project will help students achieve the first step towards a lifetime goal of helping their community and raising environmental awareness.
In Their Own Words
Our goal is to provide alternative green cleaning products to our town and surrounding area, as well as the teachers within our public schools. The teachers will be able to feel good about what they put on the desks and white boards throughout the school year. As these environmentally friendly products are used in school, the more the word will spread throughout our community.
We will learn how to carry out a long term project to work towards a goal. As we move to the high school next year, we will mentor younger students to maintain and keep project momentum in the middle school. We also strongly believe in educating the larger community about the impact chemicals have on our environment and ourselves. We will continue this mission as we move to the high school through partnering with environmental groups and STEM programming.
The project that we have been working on will greatly impact ourselves, our school, and our community. This is very important as we can lean towards safer, more user-friendly materials to clean our homes and businesses, rather than use harsh, damaging chemicals that may harm ourselves and the environment. The products include everyday household materials that are cheaper than buying products at the supermarket, and they are very easy to create and reuse. The more we educate people about the effects of chemicals on our environment, the more we can teach them that cleaning with eco-friendly materials does not have to be very complicated; that they can change the world with a simple step. The more we integrate these products into our community, the more people will use them, and we as a people can work towards the goal of having a totally green community.
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 Dr. Polizzotti and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
