Jumpstart #GivingTuesday By Donating To Brooklyn Schools
We’re one week away from #GivingTuesday, a global day following Black Friday and Cyber Monday that focuses on giving back to the community. We can’t think of a better way to give back than helping our neighborhood schools.
Donors Choose goes right to the source. Teachers create projects for things that they need to help their students succeed – everything from basic school supplies to computers. The website approves the fundraiser, the public donates, and once their goal is achieved, the items are sent directly to the teacher.
It’s a win-win. You feel great because your donation helps kids in the neighborhood, and teachers are not forced to buy these materials with their own money.
We’ve pulled together five projects from around the borough – but don’t stop there! A quickzip code search reveals teachers in every neighborhood that could use a helping hand. Whether it’s your child’s classroom, or just a school around the corner, every student deserves the tools they need to succeed.
Here’s how you can make this #GivingTuesday one to remember, Brooklyn:
School: P.S. 163 Bath Beach (109 Bay 16 Street, Brooklyn 11214)
Project: Math doesn’t have to be that hard. Base Ten Blocks are a wonderful tool that is used to help kids develop a number sense, and visualize addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. These simple learning aids make the numbers come to life in the classroom.
“The students are eager to learn but sometimes we don’t have enough of the math tools needed for unit of study,” says math teacher Ms. Gilchrist.
Ms. Gilchrist would like each of her students to have his or her own Base Ten magnetic board so that they can investigate, learn, and enjoy math.
“Students are fascinated when they make a connection in math — it’s their ‘light bulb’ moment. When a teacher is part of that moment, you know you’ve been successful,” she added.
Goal: $147.35 remaining of $357 goal.
Ease Pre-K Learning With A Teaching Easel
School: P.S. 130 – The Parkside School (70 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn 11218)
Project: Circle time is an important element of early education. With fun songs, visuals, and poems, it’s easy to see why kids love it. Unfortunately, fun times can quickly dissolve into chaos when teachers do not have the appropriate materials.
“As a teacher to young children,” says Pre-K teacher Ms. Cruz, “it is important that I am also on the rug with my students. I do not have a teaching easel, which has made it challenging to share charts, poems and big books with my students when we are sitting on the rug.”
With a circle time easel, Ms. Cruz will be able to engage the class as a whole. Students will be able to see all of the materials – such as books, charts, and pictures – resulting in more overall interaction.
Goal: $103 remaining of $273 goal.
Help! Musicians Losing Valuable Music!
School: J.H.S. 278 Marine Park (1925 Stuart Street, Brooklyn 11229)
Project: Ripped music folders are plaguing the students at J.H.S. 278 in Marine Park, and their instructor, Ms. Phol, is spending unnecessary amounts of money to replace lost sheet music.
These talented students, who have a history of competition success, are looking to take their performance to the next level with deluxe grand concert folders.
“The students will receive new leather-bound folders that safely secure sheet music, method books, and a pencil,” explains Ms. Phol. “These items will be durable and sturdy to last many years to come.
“I prefer this particular item,” she continued, “because not only will it last, it presents beautifully on stage when the students are performing.”
Goal: $359 remaining of $659 goal.
Supplies For Speech And Language
School: P.S. 124 Silas B. Dutcher (515 4th Avenue, Brooklyn 11215)
Project: P.S. 124 teacher, Ms. S, knows that learning styles change from one kid to the next, and she wants her speech and language program to help every one of her students in the best possible way – something she can’t do with her homemade materials.
“My students are in grades K-5 with a variety of speech and language disorders,” she explained. “Some are in a special education setting and others are in a general education setting.
“Having access to tactile materials will aid in comprehension,” Ms. S continued. “In addition, it will keep them engaged and motivated. Many of them have different learning styles, and having a variety of materials will enhance their learning experience.”
Goal: $428 remaining of $428 goal.
School: Red Hook Neighborhood School (27 Huntington Street, Brooklyn 11231)
Project: Dr. Suess wrote that “the more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Unfortunately, that’s tough advice to follow when your classroom is low on reading materials.
“Every week, my students borrow at least 7 books from the classroom library to read throughout the week at home,” wrote Red Hook Neighborhood School Teacher, Mrs. Kerry. “With 21 students in my class, that means that at any given time 140+ books are checked out of the classroom library.
“Our classroom library is depleted and does not have enough leveled books – especially for my lowest-level students,” she continued. “Due to the limited funding for basic supplies in my school district, new books to supplement my classroom library are not possible.”
Goal: $116 remaining of $241 goal.
School: Ditmas Junior High School 62 (700 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn 11218)
Project: Have you ever sat in classroom chairs? They’re ridiculously uncomfortable. Imagine sitting on them for six hours a day.
“Kids are kids,” wrote Ms. Xavior, 6th grade teacher at Ditmas Junior High School 62. “They need to move and burn off energy.”
Enter chair disks and Bouncy Bands.
“The disks are good to wiggle around on and resettle for the rest of the class,” she explained. “The Bouncy Bands are a great way to burn off too much energy without having to get up and move around.”
Goal: $173 remaining of $296 goal.
Have a Donors Choose project that you’d like to share? Post the details in the comments below!