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.
My students are good kids. They love to do good deeds and are proud when they achieve. I love to see them succeed when they believed they couldn't. I love to watch them smile when they reach levels that they didn't think were possible. We would love to start a running team.
Many of our students are English language learners.
Some will be the first in their family to complete middle school. So many of them have aspirations of college, careers, and amazing dreams. The problem is, they don't all have the blueprint to get to these goals. Sometimes they feel they are capped by their current situation. By being successful in a running team, students will transfer that confidence into the classroom.
My Project
I used to coach students to run The LA Marathon. I remember a student (a few weeks after the marathon) saying he couldn't do the math in my class and throwing his pencil down. I said to him, "Remember when you didn't think you could run 26 miles?" He kind of smiled, and gave it another shot. By giving my students the opportunity to become a runner, I believe it will help them see that the only barriers in their paths are the ones in their minds. We will use the materials (uniforms and stopwatch) to give them the feel that they are real runners. With the feeling of belonging, they will have an opportunity to rise up.
My students will become a part of something larger than themselves.
They will see that they can set goals, reach them, and reach even higher. These students will then be able to transpose this limitless attitude to the rest of their lives. It will show them, "If I can do this, what can't I do?" Being a part of the running team will give these students a place to succeed, find support, and have fun.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Obillo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
