My students need sturdy, inexpensive storage shelving for STEM materials, their books and their maker space materials.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. H.'s classroom raised $1,000
This project is fully funded
My Students
All of the students at my school are eligible for free breakfast and lunch. My school has a tradition of being a neighborhood school, but it is now a school in transition. 18.4% of the families now receive Supplemental Social Security Income or Public Assistance. Our student population is racially and ethnically diverse. Over 20% are in ELL and/or Indian Education or SPED programs. We have students from Somalia, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, , as well as Natives from rural Alaska. My students can't afford field trips. School is everything for them.
I have the pleasure of teaching library skills to a wonderful group of K-sixth graders who are trying very hard to learn everything they can under less than ideal circumstances.
My students want to expand their horizons, but they struggle with the special needs and the English language. Many of my kids are the children of deployed military personnel. Their school is urban and old, and the materials in their school library are out-of-date. The public library that was across the street closed a decade ago. This means my kids have limited access to books, technology and library materials.
My Project
I am requesting two sturdy metal shelving units begin to revitalize the library and organize STEM, maker space materials and science books. The library my students use is over 40 years old and needs many things but we are going to start with shelving which is essential to house the new books from DonorsChoose projects that were supported by Tom's of Maine. These new book shelves will help overcome some very real barriers my students face. Right now, my students cannot find anything because I have to put books on top of shelves. The books are out of order and frankly, the library looks messy and uninviting. New shelves would highlight the new books in our library and in turn create interest and excitement in doing research about environmental issues and reading about current events.
My students are trying to become readers, researchers and writers but are handicapped because they do not have a library where science materials are organized, inviting and easily accessible.
The report School Libraries At Work (Scholastic, 2006) stated that the school library is critical to every student's learning experience. Libraries must provide equal learning opportunities to all students, regardless of the socioeconomic level of the community. This grant will help level the learning field by making books accessible to all my students especially those with special needs.
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
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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. H. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.