This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
We have the most caring teachers in the country teaching the most neglected students in the country, but no matter how much we care we can't always supply our students with the materials and classroom supplies they need. I teach 10th grade American Government at a college-prep charter school in an urban district. We are one of the only schools in the district that truly focuses on getting our students on the path to college. Many of our students come from families who have never had anyone attend college before. A combination of high expectations and fostering an environment where students know that we aren't going to give up on them causes students to do extraordinary things. We extend our day to keep our students off the street and make study hall mandatory so students can receive the proper individual attention they may need to achieve their goals.
My students deserve every opportunity in the world, but the difference between our students and students from wealthier districts is the access to building a physical environment that emphasizes success. Even the best teachers have a difficult time convincing students they can be somebody when their environment is so bleak. Our students can't even drink from the water fountains because they have so much lead in them. We've had to close our school before during the winter because the heat doesn't turn on and the building gets so cold that it's a danger to keep them. The classroom needs to be a place where students feel like they can succeed.
In order for my students to be successful, they need to be organized and feel like their classroom is purposeful and training them for more responsibility. My students lack a lot of basic supplies including binders and secure lockers, so holding onto supplies that teachers give them is difficult. I want to provide a space for students to place their supplies and remain organized. Many of my students get in fights after school because they wear uniforms and they get picked on, so their binders get dropped or taken. I want to have cubbies and shelving in my classroom so students can safely store their materials and they can start to train themselves in organization. Organization is a key component to being successful and creating a habit that can follow them to college. Additionally, I'm asking for a cart for an LCD projector so that I can emphasize the use of technology in the classroom, which will help my students be competitive in society after they graduate. Right now, I have to place our LCD projector on a stack of books and use boxes to balance it. Technology and organization are skills necessary for success and all my students need are the classroom supplies.
Funding this project will help train my students in the skills necessary to be successful in life and in college. Our school attitude is one of encouragement and support, but our physical environment lacks the supplies and materials that would make these goals more realistic. High school is a time to train students on how to be successful in life, but it's difficult to train students that can be competitive in our society when we don't have the access to the materials that would make that possible. Without providing the support for students in urban and under-funded districts, we are continuing the cycle of dropping out of high school or stopping our education at high school due to a lack of confidence. I want my students to leave my school with the knowledge that they have something to offer and they know exactly how to get there. Help my students see that they are not ignored. They are our future.
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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. Hall and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.