Our classes are comprised of an amazing and unique group of individuals. They are all juniors in an American Studies English class. The surrounding community is described as micro-urban, and we love our little city, but it isn't without it's problems. Currently, our school district is struggling more because of the Illinois budget impasse that has disallowed funding for many projects. About 75% of students qualify for free-or-reduced lunch, and teachers are used to spending their personal money to provide our students with snacks, school supplies, and other classroom materials.
My Project
Our American Studies English class serves approximately 200 11th graders at our school. We try to read diverse, representative texts that will prepare our students for college and life beyond high school. Since over 50% of the students in this class are African American, we would love to include another work by an African American author. August Wilson's _Fences_ shows proud Black characters grappling within the context of American history. This is a complex text that will increase students' abilities to analyze difficult literature. _Fences_ discusses both Civil-War reconstruction and the precursors of the Civil Rights Movement, which fits into the American Studies English course sequence.
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 Ms. Koritz and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
