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This teacher needs your help!

Mr. Ellis Stephens Leadership Class from San Jose, CA is requesting computers & tablets through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mr. Ellis Stephens Leadership Class is requesting

Illuminating Creativity: Professional Lighting for Our Student Multimedia Studio

Help me give my students the professional lighting they need to bring their creative visions to life, empowering them to tell their own stories, celebrate their identities, and build a future where their voices are seen and heard.

FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Ellis Stephens Leadership Class's classroom raised $1,498

This project is fully funded

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Project

I teach at KIPP Navigate High School in East San Jose, a Title I school serving predominantly marginalized and disenfranchised youth. My students are artists, storytellers, and visionaries who deserve access to high-quality multimedia tools to express themselves. Many face systemic barriers to resources, but in my classroom, creativity is empowerment—a way to amplify their voices, reclaim their narratives, and drive meaningful change.

At KIPP Navigate, our Compass Work—a commitment to antiracism, equity, and community-building—ensures that every student feels seen, heard, and valued, and our new multimedia class extends that mission by providing professional training in digital media production, equipping students with not just technical skills but the ability to tell their own stories, uplift their communities, and challenge the narratives that have historically erased or misrepresented them.

Beyond artistic expression, this class provides real-world career skills, equipping students with the confidence, experience, and opportunities to turn their creativity into a future filled with college scholarships, freelance work, and careers in media, film, and digital storytelling.

Right now, we are piecing together everything we can to build a student-run multimedia studio, but one critical missing piece is professional lighting. We already have one Godox AD600 Pro II through another DonorsChoose project, but to create a properly lit studio setup, we need a second one, along with light modifiers, stands, and power sources.

With the right lighting, students can:

✅ Create stunning portraits and professional videos

✅ Learn industry-level media production skills

✅ Capture school events, interviews, and community projects

✅ Build portfolios for college, internships, and careers

For students in a historically underserved community, access to high-quality equipment is more than just an educational resource—it’s a form of justice, ensuring they have the tools to bring their stories to the forefront and compete with peers from more resourced schools.

Project tagged as

San Jose, CA
Grades 9-12
Visual Arts
Racial Justice & Representation
Charter School
Computers & Tablets
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

Mr. Ellis Stephens Leadership Class KIPP Navigate College Preparatory Grades 9-12

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

Equity Focus

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

San Jose, CA View local requests

More than three‑quarters of 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

130 students impacted 4donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total

Godox AD600 Pro II Godox AD600Pro II Godox AD600PROII, One-Tap sync with X3 Trigger, 40W BiColor Modeling Led, Color Screen, 16 Color Groups Indicator, Freeze Mode, 1/1 to 1/512 in 0.1 Increment Steps • Amazon Business $899.00 1 $899.00

Godox X3-S Touchscreen TTL Wireless Flash Trigger for Sony Camera, 1/8000s HSS TTL TCM Function, Built-in Battery USB-C Charge Flash Transmitter Compatible with Sony A7IV A7C A7M4 A7R A7RIII • Amazon Business $89.00 1 $89.00

Godox Heavy Duty Aluminum Photography Light Tripod Stand for Studio Photography Lighting, Backgrounds, Monolights, Strobe Flash - 286CM, 112 Inches • Amazon Business $69.00 1 $69.00

Godox UB-105W 41.3" / 105cm Parabolic Deep Reflective Umbrella White Inner Studio Soft Light Umbrella with Withe Diffuser Cover for Photography Video Studio Shooting • Amazon Business $65.99 1 $65.99

Materials cost			$1,122.99
Vendor shipping charges			FREE
Sales tax			$102.75
3rd party payment processing fee			$16.84
Fulfillment labor & materials			$30.00
Total project cost			$1,272.58
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			$224.57
Total project goal			$1,497.15
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal			$1,497.15
2 Donors			-$690.04
Donations toward project cost			-$686.29
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$3.75
Matching donations from our partners			-$689.75
Match offers toward project cost			-$586.29
Match offers to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$103.46
Excluded support for DonorsChoose			-$117.36
Still needed View calculation Hide calculation			$0.00

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

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Project Activity

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 Mr. Ellis Stephens Leadership Class and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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Help teachers & students in your hometown this season! Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

This teacher needs your help!

Illuminating Creativity: Professional Lighting for Our Student Multimedia Studio

This project is fully funded

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

My Project

Project tagged as

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

Equity Focus

Boost your odds

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

How we calculate what's needed

Give the most requested basic supplies

Give back to your community

Project Activity

Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.