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This teacher needs your help!

Mr. Thomas from Philadelphia, PA is requesting supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mr. Thomas is requesting
Student-led project

Living Like John Bartram The Botanist in Philadelphia

We need materials to enhance our gardening experience at Bartram High School. We want to begin a composting program to enrich our gardens from refuse in the cafeteria.

FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Thomas's classroom raised $558

This project is fully funded

About My Students

There are many gardeners in our Bartram Horticulture Society. They include Simeon, Frank, Alexander, Alvis, Kayla and Haleem. They value the earth and the potential to grow produce for themselves as well as the community. They want to enhance the process with our own compost produced from food items.

The project idea came from our most recent meeting of the Bartram Horticulture Society. We purchase items from local businesses to help our flowers, vegetables and fruits to blossom and flourish. Rather than using items made in factories filled with chemicals and other items, the students voted to start a composting program at our school and include the usage of worms to enrich our garden soil. They have begun to create flyers, posters and perform skits to promote the effort to compost. My students have already begun a recycle and reuse program in the cafeteria, so the composting effort is an offshoot of recycling plan. In this manner, my students feel they are making a better future for their community, the environment and the Earth itself. These future farmers are dedicated to the gardens outside of Bartram High School. They take pride that our school is named after the famous Philadelphia botanist, John Bartram, who completed many experiments and grew many species of plants.

With the gardens as a catalyst for learning, my students will learn many valuable lessons through the usage of math, science and STEM technology concepts. First, the students have had to examine the gardens through the lens of a math teacher with a review of plant growth measurements, spacing between plants, analysis of plant depth and area of garden beds necessary to sustain a certain amount of plants. Next, science concepts such as photosynthesis, pollination, the effects of weather conditions on plants, the amount of microorganisms in soil and analysis of soil conditions around the school. STEM technology included reviewing strategies about garden conditions and how to get the optimal conditions for gardens in our area, utensils to be utilized to help speed plant growth and research about growing plants in an organic manner without increasing the carbon footprint in our world. Finally, the gardens have brought many young adults together as leaders and stewards of the Earth.

In Their Own Words

My name is Simeon, and I am the leader of the Bartram Horticulture Society. We have added twelve garden beds this year for a total of sixteen. We want to use compost we receive from food in the cafeteria. A lot of food is thrown away, so the compost pile will get high quickly. We also want to use the worms to help make our soil better in the gardens. I really want to make my world a better one, but it is not easy in the city. Our group wants to make the world a greener place for our children.

My teacher, Mr.T, helps us only if there is a very difficult situation or an emergency. He expects us to do the research, thinking and manual work for our gardens. He is happy when we take pride in ourselves and our school. I like being the leader of the group. It help me make decisions which will make my school a better place. This is important because many people think our school is terrible. It is not great, but I hope to make it a good school. We must be responsible for our school.

The project is important because we have nothing to look forward to at our school. They have cut most electives and they are cutting teachers too. It makes it boring when there are no fun activities at school. Working in the garden is hard, but it gets us outside the school, and we laugh, play, but most of all, work hard in our gardens. This is our place to sit, relax and talk about the future. One student said it was a "sanctuary". I looked that up in the dictionary. It really is a sanctuary.

Mr. Thomas Bartram High School 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 directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Philadelphia, PA 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

200 students impacted 3donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Carolina EcoKits: Solid Waste Management (with prepaid coupon) • Carolina Biological Supply Company $132.97 1 $132.97
Worm Composter Classroom Kit • Carolina Biological Supply Company $109.35 1 $109.35
Composter, Schoolyard Gourmet • Carolina Biological Supply Company $134.77 1 $134.77
Rapitest Soil Test Kit • Carolina Biological Supply Company $20.92 1 $20.92

Materials cost

$398.01

Vendor shipping charges

 $39.80

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$5.97

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$473.78

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$83.61

Total project goal

$557.39

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $557.39

2 Donors

-$278.69

Donations toward project cost

-$236.89

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$41.80

match offer

-$278.69

Match offer toward project cost

-$236.89

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$41.80

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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