Our school currently has almost 400 students that attend, unfortunately we have a high transiency rate, with students coming and going frequently throughout the school year. We have a diverse population of learners, representing a wide range of nationalities. Our students face many barriers the most prevalent being that 84% of our students are categorized as High Needs and 79% are Economically Disadvantaged as defined by the State of Massachusetts. Many of our students struggle daily to overcome some type of trauma at home before they even walk through the school doors.
Based on these statistics many people may think, " With those odds how are those kids ever going to make it?
It's our students' resilience and persistence in the face of these obstacles that sets the apart from other students. They know when they step through the school doors that they are safe. Safe to learn, to try new things and to work together. This is where the magic happens, the, "Aha!" moments. This is where our students get to see, try and experience new things that they may not have been able to before. They are lifted up as a person, a student, not just a statistic.
My Project
With the Cricut Maker you can cut wood, leather, heat transfer vinyl, vinyl, magnet, and many other materials. The possibilities are endless! The Cricut Bundle allows us to start with necessary tools and some supplies to get us started. The Cricut Easy Press is a heat press which allows you affix your heat transfer vinyl to anything you want (t-shirts, blankets, even wood!)
With these items students will not only get a chance to learn a "cutting edge machine" (hehe) but also will have the opportunity to sell the items they make in order to raise money for their class to go on trips, see shows etc.
It will allow them to learn to price goods that they make, including the cost of materials and how to tell if they have made a profit, making it a relevant math lesson as well. We can do all of these things and have fun!
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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. Harvey and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
