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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Tillis from Saint Louis, MO is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Ms. Tillis's classroom raised $265

For the Love of Reading: Creating a Comfortable Reading Space

My students need 4 colorful bean bag chairs.

Classroom photo
Ms. Tillis Long International Middle School
Saint Louis, MO Grades 6-8

Comfort, colors, and serenity are three things that will greatly improve the reading levels and love of literature for all of my students. I am the educational leader of 85 sixth graders in a high-need community. The student population of my school is very culturally diverse - 60% are English language learners, 25% are African American, and 15% are Caucasian. This makes for a very exciting and unique learning environment. Unfortunately, my students (who should be reading at a 6th grade level) are reading at a mid-3rd grade level on average. One student is still reading on a first grade level. One of the Big Goals in my classroom is to ensure that every student grows 1.5 years as readers.

After our first four units on effective reading strategies, fiction vs. nonfiction, short stories, and poetry, we will be having a 2 week unit called "For the Love of Reading." Every day the students will come in and spend a majority of the period reading a book on their independent reading levels. This will be extremely beneficial for the students because they will be able to read at a level that will help them grow as readers. Additionally, they will read books that they choose for themselves. The unit will both improve their reading level and instill in them the joy of reading for pleasure. One thing that will make this unit much more enjoyable and much better received is the addition of bean bag chairs. My classroom is rather cold and lacking in supplies. It is not welcoming, and the students are unmotivated to read for more than 15 minutes straight in their cold and stiff chairs.

The presence of a few colorful bean bag chairs will liven up the environment and encourage students to relax and read. Students will more successfully build up their reading stamina if they are comfortable and relaxed. Equally as important is the fact that this donation will help me prove to my students that people out there support their reading stamina and their ability to improve their reading levels. The "For the Love of Reading" unit will be a great deal more successful with the donation of these bean bag chairs.

Imagine the difference it will make to my students when I am able to tell them that people around the country support them as readers. Your donation will help make this reading unit a great success and will immensely improve the overall reading and learning environment of my classroom. Imagine the smile on my students' faces when they sprawl out on a bean bag chair and finish reading and enjoying their first chapter book ever.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

85 students impacted 5 donors
Ms. Tillis Long International Middle School Grades 6-8

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Saint Louis, MO View local requests

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

85 students impacted 5donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Large Bean Bag Chair Light Blue Denim • Lab Safety Supply, Inc. dba Highsmith Inc $44.83 2 $89.66
Large Bean Bag Chair Dark Blue Denim • Lab Safety Supply, Inc. dba Highsmith Inc $44.83 1 $44.83
Large Bean Bag Chair Red Denim • Lab Safety Supply, Inc. dba Highsmith Inc $44.83 1 $44.83

Materials cost

$179.32

Vendor shipping charges

 $17.93

Sales tax

 $7.59

3rd party payment processing fee

$2.69

Fulfillment labor & materials

$9.00

Total project cost

$216.53

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$47.53

Total project goal

$264.06

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $264.06

4 Donors

-$256.13

Donations toward project cost

-$216.53

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$39.60

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$7.93

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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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. Tillis and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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