I think we all remember high school, and how hard it could be. It's tough being a teenager, and even harder when you live in a small town where everyone knows your name, and nothing ever goes away. My students are trying to create memories to last a lifetime, but money is tight and times are hard.
We live in a small, rural area of Oregon.
The setting is breathtaking, and the people are blessed in their heritage. We are a tribal charter school, built on the reservation, steeped in culture, and rich with the blessings of our history and our love of family. We are impoverished. Over 70% of our students are eligible for the federal free lunch program. Unemployment is high, and life is difficult for many of our community members. And yet, morale in the community remains high, and we regularly celebrate the many blessings in our lives. My students are amazing! Their stories often bring a tear to my heart, and I cringe when I hear of conditions no child should endure. They need so much and ask for so little.
My Project
My students love promoting the events at our school and in our community through the art of video, but sadly we are missing a few key pieces of equipment, including a cable to tie our camera to our microphone. The microphone, microphone cable, storage drive, and digital camera requested will allow their creativity to shine as they learn the art of design and the value of marketing and promotion. The events we hold throughout the year are not just dances and carnivals. We believe in philanthropy and work with organizations in our community to help as many as we can. They will be advertising these events to help our entire school, and let their imagination run wild. When I told them I was going to ask people to give us some amazing equipment so we could have a competed video-recording setup, they were skeptical. They have faced many letdowns. I can't wait to share with them the amazing generosity of strangers.
Knowing that people believe they can create wonderful things when given the proper tools is a boost their self-confidence they will never forget!
My project is important because it deals with the heart and soul of being a teenager. Being able to promote their activities, especially the fundraisers throughout the year, is a huge measure of the success of these events.
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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. Syms and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.