This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
Children who are physically active on a regular basis are more likely to be successful academically, socially, and personally. In order to best help us reach our physical fitness goals, we need many items of equipment, but have a very limited budget.
The population at my school is fairly impoverished, and many of the students have been termed "at risk," which means they are more likely to drop out of school before completion and get involved in criminal activity because of their socioeconomic status and unstable home lives.
Many of them are immigrants or refugees, some of them are struggling to learn English and adapt to a foreign culture. They are full of energy and love to come to school because it is a safe place for them. As a Physical Education teacher, I feel that it is my job to educate them on the ways they can keep themselves healthy inside and outside of school. I am always trying to find activities that could become lifelong hobbies for them. If they are involved in sports or athletics, they are less likely to drop out in later years and they are more likely to become the people they have the great potential to be.
My Project
Yoga is a sport that not only builds strength in your physical body, but it builds you mental capabilities as well. It promotes strength, concentration, and flexibility. It is something that everyone in a class can do because it is an individual activity. I believe that few or none of the students at my school have been exposed to yoga in the past, and bringing into their lives would be a great thing. With the yoga mats I am requesting, the students can learn new techniques and skills which can be brought home to their families. The gym floor is very hard and the mats will provide proper support and cushioning so the poses can be done correctly and without injury. Yoga has also been proven to assist in academic performance because it refocuses the mind and increases circulation. I think that this would benefit the children in all classes. I also can use the mats for other games and skills with the children, such as tag games, obstacle courses, fitness circuit training, and gymnastics.
This project is important because it has the potential to change the lives of children for the better.
I teach 630 children a week that can all benefit from using these mats. P.E. is a class that is not only about having fun, but about educating children on how to stay healthy into adulthood and beyond. With the growing epidemic of childhood obesity and the rising health problems in America, now is the time to educate our future Americans before it is too late.
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 Ms. Burns and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
