There's an abundance of untapped technological genius buzzing in our poverty stricken classroom. With a Flip camera my students will have the cyber-canvas they need to bring their ideas to life and explore beyond the walls of our classroom, creating documentaries they intend to share globally.
I have an advanced literature class full of brilliant, determined, ambitious seniors who inspire me everyday with their drive to succeed in the face of adversity.
Our school is labeled a low performing school, with 86% of our students receiving free or reduced lunch. There is very little money for books, technology and other basic materials. My students are creative, curious, and brimming with ideas; sadly they can't bring their intellect to life in the way they desire due to the limited resources and technology available at our school.
Regardless of all the trials and tribulations they face at home and on the streets, my kids are resilient, caring and focused on their academic goals. They are desperate to show the world how amazing they are and to learn from others too, worldwide, through video diaries they will exchange with students from other regions of the world. You will be giving them the opportunity of a lifetime, and they will pay it forward tenfold if given the chance.
My Project
A Flip camera will be an asset to my students in several ways. They are facilitating "Mix It Up Day" to encourage the student body to cross social boundaries in the cafeteria on November 9th, creating a more inclusive school environment in effect improving academics. My seniors will lead underclassmen in several mixers leading up to the main event, all designed to break down barriers and unite the student body. They will create a documentary with the Flip cam, capturing their efforts, and use it to apply for even more grants for resources like computers and books for our school.
In addition, they'll have another medium to demonstrate their understanding of literature and be able to create multimedia videos to exchange with students around the world to learn about other cultures. My students will learn essential life skills: collaborative work strategies, invaluable leadership skills, critical thinking, and independent thinking. Above all, they will become more literate to the world around them.
A Flip cam is essential to empowering my students as life-long learners who seek to improve our school community by breaking down barriers and documenting their experiences.
The "Mix It Up" documentary will be submitted widely for grants to fund class libraries and class computers for the student body. My students don't want a handout, they want a helping hand. They want to be the change in our school that will ripple for years to come. Please help them accomplish their dream--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 Ms. Donahue and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.