Help me give my students self-confidence to become proficient readers! Literacy is the kryptonite to the school-to-prison pipeline! Literacy has the potential to change the trajectory of their lives through advancement and opportunity!
I'm a teacher at our alternative high school. I am passionate about fostering an environment that promotes literacy. There are deep connections between illiteracy and incarceration. We work with a high percentage of students who are at-risk and statistically are in the school-to-prison pipeline.
Some alarming statistics: (posted on literacymidsouth.org):
* 85 % of all juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally low-literate.
* High school dropouts are 3.5 times more likely than high school graduates to be arrested in their lifetime.
* 70% of all incarcerated adults cannot read at a fourth-grade level.
The Department of Justice states "The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure."
I want to furnish our reading space with the lounge futon and lounge chairs to create an inviting space for students to come and read. I also want to add hi lo books to promote a love for reading.
I want to foster reading through community service opportunities for our students. I would like to build weekly reading outreach field trips for students to visit senior communities and elementary schools. Students can also access audio-recording devices to record themselves reading books to upload to a secured online platform. This platform could be made accessible to children who may have incarcerated parents to foster connection.
Literacy can break the cycle of generational poverty and incarceration. It builds confidence and promotes a healthy self-image. We have a responsibility to make literacy a high priority that is available to everyone. Thank you for your time and consideration in supporting this cause!
More than half of 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 Mrs. Kimberly Bender and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
