I am a fourth year teacher in a K to 8 urban, public school. We serve a student population that is 98% African American and 2% Anglo-American. 86.3% of the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, and about 10% receive Special Education Services.
I myself am a Special Education Teacher, providing Learning Support services to students in grades 4 through 8. It is a high needs area of instruction in a high needs school.
Our students' educational experience is enriched by after school activities. I am very involved in such programs - I founded our school's Volleyball Club and want to see it continue into the future.
Our volleyball club includes students ranging from 3rd to 8th grade, of all skill levels. From beginners who are joining for the first time to many returning athletes who have played volleyball before, we have a great variety of students: all of them are enthusiastic.
When I started my volleyball club three years ago, kind donors such as yourself helped fund our initial collection of volleyballs and pumps. Over the few years that our club has been in existence, we have put some wear and tear on the balls and several have sprung leaks. We also had a net, supplied by the school, which was very tattered. At the start of the school year, when we went looking for it, the net was gone, which makes playing real games of volleyball very difficult.
I've asked my students what it is they like about volleyball. They tell me they like the opportunity to run around. They enjoy the chance to get some energy out, after spending all day in the classroom. They also like having somewhere to go after school, where they can learn the skills for a sport they previously were not exposed to. Volleyball club is a safe and structured place for them to go after school, especially nice in an urban neighborhood like ours. As for the sport itself, it's a fun game for them to play, but we are running out of usable supplies, and the number of people wanting to join the club is always growing. To meet these needs, I need more balls and an actual net, so we can play real games.
We need a practice net, since we don't have one at the school. We also need a few more volleyballs, and some coaching equipment, like a canvas bag to hold the supplies. With these resources, we can accommodate more students, and the children will be able to scrimmage each other, using the net and new practice balls.
It will benefit my students because through volleyball they will learn about sportsmanship and friendly competition. It will give them an outlet for their energy, and even aggression. One of my students, who joined this year - who is known as a rambunctious trouble maker during the school day - said he likes to see how far he can hit the ball, and to try to find how long he and his fellow club members can keep the ball of the ground. These little games they play would pale in comparison to actually being able to use a net for some healthy competition. Many of my students are new to the club and have never played a real volleyball game. You could make this possible for them. And you would give them a safe and fun place to go after school.
Your kindness and generosity will ensure the continuation of our fantastic volleyball club. Already popular with the students, it will become even better with your help. My children would greatly appreciate the supplies you would be donating. It would be so much fun. It would also promote healthy activities for my students, after being pent up at school all day, where PE is a rarity, since our gym doubles as our cafeteria. You would be helping to build up the extracurricular program at our school, in an area where such things - especially ones as popular as volleyball club - are, at times, hard to come by.
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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 Ms. Harrison and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.