Help me give my students the tools to engage the school community through art, with kindness messages drawn and written on their sneakers with Posca paint markers and pens.
Our school is a kindergarten through eighth-grade school servicing a diverse range of students. The demographic of our student body has changed significantly within the last four years. Additionally, students have socially and emotionally suffered from the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, they have lost many of their social development skills amidst the stay-at-home quarantine orders for students (1.65 years of staying home).
Art will be the vehicle for sharing messages of kindness and acceptance throughout our school.
The demographics of our school often create feelings of isolation and social anxiety for our students. Our demographic is 18% socioeconomically disadvantaged, 7.45 learners, 9.2% students with learning differences, 2 % homeless. The ethnicity of our student body is 3 % African-American, 1 % American Natives, 11% Asian, 1.3% Filipino, 18% Latino, 1 % Pacific Islander and 58% White. Students in the minority are faced with many social-emotional issues and concerns.
Based on student suspension rates and the "friction" between students based on race and gender, it has become a significant area that needs addressing within our school community. Our school district is committed to diversity and educational justice to facilitate our students' mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
My Project
Students missing almost two years of in-person learning has been detrimental to the social growth of our students and negatively impacted the culture of the school community. Our school is committed to diversity and educational justice for all of our students. However, students have suffered dramatically in the development of their social skills. To repair and change attitudes, we hope to develop middle school ambassadors who understand and can help teach empathy and kindness skills.
The "Kindness Club" will provide teens and tweens with the opportunity to build a positive school community that reflects empathy, compassion, and kindness.
I want students to learn to embrace problems of relevance within their world, which is one of the studio art habits of mind. Students will learn to create works that convey ideas and a feeling of personal meaning. Students will use Posca pen markers on their sneakers to create messages and art reflecting warmth and kindness. The sneakers will share messages throughout the campus that support and help create a positive school community. Students will also learn to build collective capacity and have courageous conversations that interrupt implicit and explicit racial and gender issues, as well as all inequities.
An afterschool club known as the "Kindness Club" will be the forum for discussing and learning about the acceptance of all people. The ability to discard stereotypes and bias to help create a school community of passion and empathy in which all people belong. To engage students in the process and share the message of kindness, students will create and design sneakers as their first project. The sneakers will contain messages of kindness and inclusion for all students. Materials that include paints and tape to paint the sneakers are needed to support creating art and kindness messages.
More than a third 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
19994-1019 - Uni-Posca Paint Marker - Basic Colors, Set of 16, Fine, Bullet Tip, 1.5mm
• Blick Art Materials
$40.51
5
$202.55
19994-1039 - Uni-Posca Paint Marker - Basic Colors, Set of 16, Medium Tip, 2.5 mm
• Blick Art Materials
$40.51
5
$202.55
19994-1079 - Uni-Posca Paint Marker - Basic Colors, Set of 8, X-Fine Tip, 0.7mm
• Blick Art Materials
$22.29
5
$111.45
19994-2029 - Uni-Posca Paint Marker - Black, Set of 8, Assorted Tips
• Blick Art Materials
$27.86
4
$111.44
Lichamp Masking Tape 10 Pack General Purpose Beige White Color, 0.75 inch x 55 Yards x 10 Rolls (550 Total Yards), for Painting, Home, Office, School Stationery, Arts, Crafts etc. (3004)
• Amazon Business
$14.89
6
$89.34
50 Pcs Craft Paint Brushes for Kids, Anezus Flat Paint Brushes for Kids Small Paint Brushes Bulk for Detail Painting Acrylic Children Beginners Artist
• Amazon Business
$7.99
2
$15.98
Materials cost
$733.31
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$67.10
3rd party payment processing fee
$11.00
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$841.41
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$148.48
Total project goal
$989.89
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$989.89
5 Donors
-$972.25
Donations toward project cost
-$841.41
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
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 Mrs. Sherwood and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.