Have you ever had that dream where you show up to a very important event - like the first day of school, an important meeting at work - and you aren't prepared? Many of my students feel that way every day, but it isn't a dream for them. Basic school supplies should not be a barrier to education!
My students are passionate, hard working, and inspiring!
I am utterly in love with each of them. Not only are they struggling through some of the most difficult times of a person's life - the time spent going through puberty, in middle school - but they are doing so with many other barriers and obstacles that other children don't have to deal with. My students do their homework in houses where there isn't a clean table to do homework on. My students borrow books from my classroom library because they can't afford to pay their library fines. My students LOVE to write, especially when they can use their imagination. My students also love to explore the world, especially now as they are becoming more mature.
I'm proud of them every day, and I'm eager to start a new school year with them! I hope to show my students that, despite the difficulties they may have endured, they are scholars at heart, and they are deserving of the same level of education as their wealthier peers.
My Project
My students read a lot and write a lot! In order to do that, at the most basic level, they need pencils and paper.
I don't want my students to ever feel like they are arriving at school without their basic supplies. I grew up in poverty myself, and I understand how stressful it can be to acquire basic school supplies. If you're worried about having three square meals a day, it's hard to find space in your heart to also worry about having a pencil for class. So, I make it a point to always provide pencils for students who need them. That way, we can skip the anxiety and discomfort of not having materials, and get straight to the learning.
My students deal with stress in ways that many grown adults couldn't imagine.
These thirteen-year-old scholars are already learning to cope with things that they should never have to cope with. In an effort to maintain their emotional health as well as nurture their intellects, I think that it is important to remove the stress of school supplies from their minds.
Education is meant to be an equalizer. And, my students truly need a few extra notebooks.
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 Ms. Eastman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
