My students need composition books and pens to pour their hearts out.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Richman's classroom raised $375
This project is fully funded
My Students
At our high poverty school, my students deal with more than their share of traumas. The struggles of their families to survive and succeed are stressful. Violence is far too familiar to many. And like all teenagers, school and relationships are dramas. Reflecting in a journal empowers students.
We are in one of the most diverse zip codes in the entire United States.
Our students come from dozens of countries, speak many languages, practice various religions and strive for the American Dream. For some it seems a chimera; families have few financial resources and most parents have not been to college themselves. Yet our school, because of visionary leadership and hardworking staff, is bridging the achievement gap and opening opportunities for our students. This we do despite chronic underfunding from the state. Thanks to Donors Choose and its contributors, we have access to resources to make our students competitive.
My Project
I am asking for something very simple. I want every student to have a journal and a pen. There he or she can tell their story, explore dreams, examine relationships and struggles, and reflect on the emotions of adolescence. By doing this with a responsive adult (this teacher writes back and creates an ongoing dialog) every student who desires it can develop a meaningful relationship with a caring adult.
Students need to reflect on their lives, and they need a caring adult to respond.
In the process, while writing about those things that concern them the most, students gain fluidity with language and confidence with self-expression.
More than half of 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. Richman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.