We need need a physical activity to stimulate their minds, grow focus, and build confidence! Kendama will teach lessons to create champions in class and beyond!!
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. McConnell's classroom raised $1,175
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.
About My Students
Teens are motivated by challenges and need to learn to persevere to reach their goals! By using an active and exciting game from Japan, called Kendama, we can get off our screens and have fun playing with friends. We are team of Kendama players and want to expand our circle with this cool project!
Do you remember when you first learned a new skill? Riding a bike, throwing a curve ball, popping an ollie, doing a french braid, whatever? Do you remember how that felt? Kendama is a game that allows students to feel that sense of accomplishment and self-confidence regularly. The game requires students to develop concentration, hand-eye coordination, and most of all stick-to-it-iveness/perseverance. Students will learn not to give up and to keep trying to do what they set their mind to. We will also become part of a community of teens living an active and positive lifestyle. We will be gaining cultural capital too, connecting us to Kendama players around the globe! Kendama teaches you that you can accomplish what you set your mind to...a skill that will serve us students well in our classes and throughout our lives.
This project will give us kids a chance to play, but learn at the same time. We will build concentration and focus that will result in increased academic achievement. We will have fun and build positive social bonds through a cultural experience and a healthy pastime. Kendama will be a gateway for students in our low-income community to explore other cultures and grow as self-confident individuals and members of an active community. This project has potential that is wholly positive and far reaching. Finally, we will develop leadership skills by growing our group on campus and organize tournaments and events with other schools. In Kendama you have to keep trying until you get it....
In Their Own Words
We want to build a community of active Kendama players on our campus. This is a very fun game that teens can enjoy that teaches you not to quit. In my school lots of kids get down when they can't do things in heir classes like Reading or Math, but if they keep trying they will get it. That's the sort of reason for our Kendama project, to show kids not to give up on something because they can do it if they keep trying. Plus,Kendama is really fun for us to be active and not just stare at Instagram.
We will be leaders because we will have students sign up to join our team and we will teach them the game and model how to do different tricks. We will organize a way for players to "earn" their own Kendama by coming to practice each day. This will show they are determined and dependable which is good character. Also, we will be leaders by holding tournaments to give players a chance to show their skills and feel the rush of competition and pressure to perform. We will learn about kids from Japan.
In middle school it is hard to fit in sometimes. There are not that many kids who have something fun to do at lunch and sometimes they end up getting in trouble or fights and things. But we know how fun and addicting playing Kendama is and we want more people to have the experience playing which makes you better at concentrating and working hard to accomplish your goals. Kendama seems simple but it let's you get creative and use your mind and body in a fun way, kind of like skating.
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
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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 Mr. McConnell and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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