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

Student-Centered Library

Help me give my students access to a bookshelf filled with a variety of books, including an emphasis on inclusive material, for our library!

  • $904 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Celebrate Black Teachers and Students

This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.

My Students

Our school is in the Northwest section of Philadelphia. This is only the 6th 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 is certainly in keeping with that. We are a public school but draw students from all over the city.

Three years ago, 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 our 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, our distract had 176 paid librarians, today that number has dwindled down to a mere seven.

There are more than 200 schools in our school district.

When I started at our school, 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. The library is maintained and run by students, so the emphasis is on empowerment and engagement. Last year, my creative writing class was tasked with turning this room into a functioning and vibrant library that is student-centered and student-run. They did research, polled their peers, and found books that would interest students.

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.

This year, some of my former creative writing students have asked to work as interns for the library. 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. Additionally, we have researched to find books that are in Spanish and are adding material that can teach students to sign language and braille.

We officially opened our library this year and are excited to build off of that momentum to continue to create a meaningful space!

Mr. Hitch
Grades 9-12

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
C&AHOME Tree Bookshelf, Bamboo Wood Bookcase, 7-Tier Book Rack, Storage Rack Shelves in Living Room, Free-Standing Books Holder Organizer, Space Saver for Home, Office, Kid's Room Oak Red • Amazon Business $59.99 1 $59.99
SONGMICS 6-Cube Storage Rack, Staircase Organizer, DIY Storage Shelf, Bookcase in Living Room, Childrenxa1xafs Room, Bedroom, for Toys and Daily Necessities, Brown ULSN63Z • Amazon Business $18.69 2 $37.38
The Beautiful Creatures Complete Paperback Collection • Amazon Business $26.99 1 $26.99
Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orisha) • Amazon Business $11.99 2 $23.98
Deathless Divide • Amazon Business $17.99 1 $17.99
Learn American Sign Language • Amazon Business $17.13 1 $17.13
The Water Dancer (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel • Amazon Business $16.80 1 $16.80
All the Bright Places • Amazon Business $8.29 2 $16.58
Evelots Magazine File Holder-Organizer-Full 4" W-Labels-6 Black/6 White • Amazon Business $15.99 1 $15.99
Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir • Amazon Business $15.99 1 $15.99
Cracking the SAT with 5 Practice Tests, 2020 Edition: The Strategies, Practice, and Review You Need for the Score You Want (College Test Preparation) • Amazon Business $15.88 1 $15.88
The Conference of the Birds (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children) • Amazon Business $15.39 1 $15.39
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (National Book Award Winner) • Amazon Business $15.29 1 $15.29
Watchmen (2019 Edition) • Amazon Business $14.99 1 $14.99
Munching On The Sun • Amazon Business $14.99 1 $14.99
QuadPro Magnetic Travel Chess Set with Folding Chess Board Educational Toys for Kids and Adults • Amazon Business $13.85 1 $13.85
Internment • Amazon Business $13.79 1 $13.79
Finding Your Element: How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life • Amazon Business $13.50 1 $13.50
Scythe (1) (Arc of a Scythe) • Amazon Business $6.59 2 $13.18
Between the World and Me • Amazon Business $13.11 1 $13.11
Mil veces hasta siempre: Spanish-language edition of Turtles All the Way Down (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $12.95 1 $12.95
En el tiempo de las mariposas (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $12.91 1 $12.91
A Map of Days (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children) • Amazon Business $12.50 1 $12.50
Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal • Amazon Business $12.35 1 $12.35
American Street • Amazon Business $12.29 1 $12.29
M is for Autism • Amazon Business $12.27 1 $12.27
The Toll (3) (Arc of a Scythe) • Amazon Business $11.99 1 $11.99
Tape King Crystal Clear Premium Packing Tape Refill 6 Rolls - Ultra Clear, Heavy Duty Packaging, Shipping, Sealing Cartons • Amazon Business $11.99 1 $11.99
Hidden Bodies: (A You Novel) (2) (The You Series) • Amazon Business $11.89 1 $11.89
Me Myself & Him • Amazon Business $11.73 1 $11.73
Bajo la misma estrella / The Fault in Our Stars (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $11.69 1 $11.69
Leftovers • Amazon Business $11.69 1 $11.69
El odio que das (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $11.59 1 $11.59
The Poet X • Amazon Business $10.99 1 $10.99
One of Us Is Lying • Amazon Business $10.49 1 $10.49
Nino con el pijama de rayas, El (Letras de Bolsillo) (Spanish Edition) • Amazon Business $10.45 1 $10.45
Four: A Divergent Collection (Divergent Series Story) • Amazon Business $10.39 1 $10.39
The Girl With All the Gifts • Amazon Business $10.13 1 $10.13
Library of Souls: The Third Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children • Amazon Business $10.01 1 $10.01
Learn Braille: Uncontracted (Grade 1) & Contracted (Grade 2) • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children • Amazon Business $9.89 1 $9.89
Bridge of Clay • Amazon Business $9.87 1 $9.87
La Casa en Mango Street • Amazon Business $9.84 1 $9.84
Underground Airlines • Amazon Business $9.76 1 $9.76
How to Make Friends with the Dark • Amazon Business $9.49 1 $9.49
With the Fire on High • Amazon Business $8.99 1 $8.99
The Woman in the Window: A Novel • Amazon Business $8.50 1 $8.50
Down and Across • Amazon Business $7.69 1 $7.69
Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card • Amazon Business $7.23 1 $7.23
The Beauty That Remains • Amazon Business $6.98 1 $6.98
Thunderhead (2) (Arc of a Scythe) • Amazon Business $6.59 1 $6.59
Dear Martin • Amazon Business $5.48 1 $5.48
The Mis-Education of the Negro • Amazon Business $3.31 1 $3.31

Materials cost

$726.70

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$10.90

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$767.60

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$135.46

Total project goal

$903.06

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $903.06

2 Donors

-$301.02

Donations toward project cost

-$255.87

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$45.15

match offer

-$602.04

Match offer toward project cost

-$511.73

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$90.31

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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