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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Schelewitz Gerdes from Chicago, IL is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Schelewitz Gerdes is requesting

Student Journalists Need Writing Guides

My students need books to help them improve their non-fiction feature writing.

FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Schelewitz Gerdes's classroom raised $674

This project is fully funded

My Students

At the start of each journalism class, students work on their weekly news journal in order to prepare for the end of week "Week in News" or "WIN" quiz. Being up on current news and events helps to inspire students to write their own news stories for our school newspaper, The Kenwood Kaleidoscope.

My Journalism students are 7th - 12th graders.

They are honors and AP students as well as regular level and special education students. The greatest thing about this class is the diversity of students' experiences and points of view. They are curious and lively and love to interview peers and staff, they love to conduct surveys, take pictures, design and even sometimes, they love to write (especially when it's about self-selected topics!). Ours is a public school that reflects the diversity of the neighborhood. The student body as a whole is full of talented and creative kids. Many excel in the classroom, at sports and in the arts. We stand out from most public schools in our city because of our well rounded student body and dedicated staff. However, there are still needs within the public school system, so, much needed donations from Donors Choose supplement what is lacking in the school and system.

My Project

With a class set of "Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers' Guide," students will be able to read selections of professional journalists' feature writing. They will use their stories as inspiration and models for their own writing. I would love for the editorial staff of the student newspaper to each have a copy of "Letters to a Young Journalist," this book will offer them extra encouragement and inspiration as student -leaders. Lastly, one copy of "Journalism of Ideas: Brainstorming, Developing, and Selling Stories in the Digital Age" will allow me to provide more ideas and guidance about story generation and how to use student writing on blogs, websites and social media.

Having these resources will help my students become better readers and writers.

It's a big deal for each student to be able to read in class and take home their books for homework. Lastly, these books will lessen my dependence on a copy machine (that rarely is in working condition!)

Ms. Schelewitz Gerdes Kenwood Academy 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.

Chicago, IL View local requests

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

30 students impacted 4donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers' Guide from the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University • Amazon Business $13.27 30 $398.10
Letters to a Young Journalist (Art of Mentoring) • Amazon Business $9.91 10 $99.10
Journalism of Ideas: Brainstorming, Developing, and Selling Stories in the Digital Age • Amazon Business $37.35 1 $37.35

Materials cost

$534.55

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$8.02

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$572.57

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$101.04

Total project goal

$673.61

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $673.61

2 Donors

-$648.61

Donations toward project cost

-$551.32

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$97.29

match offer

-$25.00

Match offer toward project cost

-$21.25

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$3.75

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 Ms. Schelewitz Gerdes and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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