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This teacher needs your help!

Mr. Hitch from Philadelphia, PA is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mr. Hitch is requesting

Student-Centered Library

Help me give my students access to more books and a welcoming space to find and read them!

FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Hitch's classroom raised $663

This project is fully funded

My Students

Our school is in the Northwest section of Philadelphia. This is only the 5th year the school has existed and we are in the "Innovative Network", which means that we challenge the traditional model of education and try innovative new approaches to best teach and prepare our students to become critical thinkers who are passionate, curious, and lifelong learners. The school uses project-based learning and the creation of this space would certainly be in keeping with that. We are a public school but draw students from all over the city.

Last year, groups of my students were desperately craving books to read and I tried my best to continue to meet demand and interest with new options throughout the year.

They would come during lunch to see what new box of books I had and stay after school to look through and request more. Our school, like almost all in the Philadelphia School District, does not have a functioning library. Instead, English teachers are expected to have "classroom libraries" to fill that void.

Many of our students also don't have the resources at home, so it makes the potential of this library that much more meaningful and worthwhile.

My Project

As a high school English teacher in Philadelphia, I have been building up my classroom library my entire career.

In 1991, the School District of Philadelphia had 176 paid librarians, today that number has dwindled down to just 8.

Last year, some of my students were such avid readers that I had a hard time keeping up with their requests! This inspired me to get approval for a dedicated space in our school to turn into a library. This will also be maintained and run by students so the emphasis is on empowerment and engagement. This year, my creative writing class has been tasked with turning this room into a functioning and vibrant library that is student-centered and student-run. They have done research and found books that would interest students. The included list was generated by my students after they consulted with peers.

While we don't have the expertise that a librarian would, we are trying our best to fill the void for something that every school and every student should have access to.

In our discussions and preparation, we have also considered how to make this a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone. We have worked hard to procure books for early readers and will have a dedicated space where students can have a book to take home if they pledge to read it to the young readers in their life. We will also be handing out books, with an inspirational message, to new moms in the school. Additionally, we are also finding books that are in Spanish and other languages that our bilingual students speak and are adding material that can teach students sign language and braille.

Mr. Hitch Building 21 Philadelphia High School Grades 9-12

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Philadelphia, PA View local requests

Nearly all 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

150 students impacted 13donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
DIY Adjustable Bookcase, Bookshelf with 9 Book Shelves, Home Furniture Storage • Amazon Business $32.99 1 $32.99
Furinno 5-Tier Reversible Color Open Shelf Bookcase , White/Green 11055WH/GR • Amazon Business $32.83 1 $32.83
Angie Thomas 2-Book Box Set: The Hate U Give and On the Come Up • Amazon Business $27.55 1 $27.55
The To All the Boys I've Loved Before Paperback Collection: To All the Boys I've Loved Before; P.S. I Still Love You; Always and Forever, Lara Jean • Amazon Business $22.89 1 $22.89
En Llamas (Hunger Games) (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $18.89 1 $18.89
Sinsajo (Hunger Games) (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $18.89 1 $18.89
The Complete Maus • Amazon Business $17.60 1 $17.60
Becoming • Amazon Business $17.24 1 $17.24
Creative Quest • Amazon Business $15.37 1 $15.37
The Power • Amazon Business $14.97 1 $14.97
Kill Shakespeare Volume 1 • Amazon Business $14.81 1 $14.81
Cupid Painted Blind • Amazon Business $13.99 1 $13.99
You: A Novel • Amazon Business $13.81 1 $13.81
Los Juegos del Hambre (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $13.59 1 $13.59
Pillow Thoughts • Amazon Business $13.59 1 $13.59
For When She's Feeling Blue • Amazon Business $13.49 1 $13.49
Her Favorite Color Was Yellow • Amazon Business $13.49 1 $13.49
Selected Poems of Langston Hughes: A Classic Collection of Poems by a Master of American Verse (Vintage Classics) • Amazon Business $13.30 1 $13.30
I Saw You As A Flower: A Poetry Collection • Amazon Business $13.29 1 $13.29
F. Scott Fitzgerald - For What It's Worth. - 11x14 Unframed Typography Book Page Print - Makes a Great Gift Under $15 for Book Lovers • Amazon Business $12.99 1 $12.99
We Read to Know That We Are Not Alone - 11x14 Unframed Art Print - Makes a Great Gift Under $15 for Book Lovers, Libraries and Librarians • Amazon Business $12.99 1 $12.99
The Sun and Her Flowers • Amazon Business $12.74 1 $12.74
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America • Amazon Business $12.20 1 $12.20
The Writer's Block: 786 Ideas to Jump-Start Your Imagination • Amazon Business $12.19 1 $12.19
Milk and Honey • Amazon Business $11.99 1 $11.99
Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems • Amazon Business $11.69 1 $11.69
Five Feet Apart • Amazon Business $11.39 1 $11.39
The Rose That Grew From Concrete • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History • Amazon Business $9.51 1 $9.51
Does My Head Look Big In This? • Amazon Business $8.99 1 $8.99
Dear Martin • Amazon Business $8.99 1 $8.99
The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley • Amazon Business $7.99 1 $7.99
American Street • Amazon Business $7.55 1 $7.55
Speak • Amazon Business $6.99 1 $6.99
Sea of Scars • Amazon Business $6.99 1 $6.99
Macbeth (No Fear Shakespeare) • Amazon Business $5.95 1 $5.95
Hamlet (No Fear Shakespeare) • Amazon Business $5.95 1 $5.95
Romeo and Juliet (No Fear Shakespeare) • Amazon Business $5.69 1 $5.69

Materials cost

$525.35

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$7.88

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$563.23

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$99.39

Total project goal

$662.62

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $662.62

11 Donors

-$575.56

Donations toward project cost

-$520.73

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$54.83

match offer

-$50.00

Match offer toward project cost

-$42.50

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$7.50

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$37.06

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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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 Mr. Hitch and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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