Colleges these days are looking for students who are well-rounded. My students have limited access to diverse opportunities that enrich and broaden their lives.
I work at a middle school school in a low-income neighborhood, where many cultures and languages intersect.
As I walk into the lunch room, I hear students chatting in Uzbek, Spanish, or Polish. I see students of different skin colors linked arm in arm. It's a beautiful display of unity within diversity that is not frequently found in schools across the country.
Our school is a relatively small school located in a bustling metropolis. So many of my students, though, don't seem to have ventured far beyond the boundaries of their neighborhood. Most students come from families with limited finances and hard-working, overburdened parents.
I have just started a craft club at the school that allows students to build practical skills, encourages creativity and expression, and fosters self-empowerment.
My Project
Our craft club has great ambitions. We don't simply create cute little projects from glitter and glue that remain stuck to the refrigerator only to collect dust. Instead, we hope to seek out ways to utilize previously discarded materials to create new items of beauty and use, fighting against a society that is surrounded by superfluous waste (Craft Ex. bottle cap magnets and candy wrapper necklaces). We plan to take up time honored crafting traditions that can be used to help others in need (Ex. crocheted blankets to be donated at homeless shelters). We will dabble with business strategies so as to offer trendy products that attract a broad clientele, funding our future projects (Ex. A range of products to be sold at a holiday craft fair for the school community). It is my hope that these crafting ambitions are a starting point for my students to see how they can contribute to the wider world. (SUPPLIES NEEDED: magnets, glue guns, spray paint, beads, colored paper, crochet hooks, etc)
But beyond these aspirations, we do simply enjoy being and creating together.
While we craft, conversation flows. At the middle school age, having a trusted space to take risks, challenge yourself, and engage with others is central to meaningful development and maturity. These students have started out life with so many factors against them, so to have this opportunity to express themselves and take pride in their handiwork fosters the confidence needed to face the challenges of life head on.
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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 Mrs. Mackin and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
