My students need 66 copies of "Dreams From My Father" by Barack Obama.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. C.'s classroom raised $1,085
This project is fully funded
"I am a second-year English teacher at a high-needs school in one of the poorest neighborhoods in New York. I teach 10-12 grade in an untracked "inclusion" classroom. In some of my classes, nearly a third of my students have Individualized Educational Programs because they have been designated as special education students. In the past ten years, at least three students were killed on our campus at the hands of other students. Most of my students qualify for free lunch and live in section 8 housing ("the projects"). We are a public school with diminished resources, due to the recent budget cuts here in New York and the nation-wide recession.
This project is for our current 12th graders, many of whom were my students last year as juniors. Although they are a bright, inspiring group of young people, they are not avid readers. Most of them do not read on their own, and many look at writing as a chore. However, I stood next to them last year during Obama's inauguration and I saw the thrill of hope in their faces. When my colleague suggested that we teach his autobiography this year, I remembered that day and I knew we were on the right track.
Our students need 66 copies of "Dreams from my Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance", the autobiography of our nation's first Black president. In 12th grade we focus on writing college-level essays using multicultural literature from the 1950s to the present. Finding gripping work by writers that are part of this canon is crucial. Although many of our students' parents did not graduate from high school, we expect the majority of them to attend college. In order to make this dream a reality, we must motivate them to work hard by teaching books that are academically sound, but that get their interest. That interest was evident during the course of Obama's campaign and it is still strong now.
By donating these books to my students, you will allow them to see a dream for their lives that is dramatized in a work of literature. The right book can allow a student to see that it is possible for them to realize their dreams. To read Obama's story is a potentially life-changing opportunity for them. Please consider making a donation to this project.
Nearly all 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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