Donors Choose Drive for #Ferguson-area schools

Update 1: Mrs. Randoll’s writing materials has been funded!
Update 2: Ms. Peach’s string bass has been funded!
Update 3: Mrs. Baughman’s reading mat and bean bags have been funded! Just Mr. Brown’s 3D printer left to go!

Last week, Drug Monkey organized two successful Donors Choose drives (here and here) to support schools in the Ferguson, Missouri area. If you’re not familiar with it, Donors Choose is an online charity that allows you to make donations to support teacher-selected projects in (generally) economically disadvantaged public schools.

This weekend, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is providing matching funds to nearly every project on DonorsChoose.org. Since today is the last day of this “sale”, I figured it would be a great opportunity to continue what Drug Monkey started and help schools affected by the situation in Ferguson. Here are just four of the many projects I think are worth supporting:

• Mrs. Randoll at Walnut Grove Elementary School needs writing supplies:

  Many of my students enter kindergarten without even knowing how to write their name. This year I want to make writing fun and meaningful for them by allowing them to publish their own books!
  …
  The resources for this project will help my classroom because students will be able to share their thoughts and feelings daily through their writing. Publishing their writing will help engage them, create excitement for writing, and give them something they can share at home with their families.

  Learning how to write well is fundamental to how learning to communicate well, especially in this era where so much of our communication is text-based. So don’t you want to help this kindergarten class get their proper start?

• Mrs. Baughman at Johnson Wabash Elementary School needs help with her library:

  I hope that creating a fun space to read and listen to stories will get them excited about all sorts of topics and encourage them to read more. My school is in a low-income area, so not every child has a stack of books waiting for them at home.
  …
  The reading rug will provide a space for my K-2 students to come in and enjoy of fun story. Also, the bean bag chairs will provide some comfortable seating for all of my students to read independently. Currently, my library does not have any comfy seating.

  Browsing for hours at the local library and bringing home a stack of books to read was one of my favorite activities as a kid. Doing so certainly inspired my curiosity and set me down the path to my current science/engineering career. I suspect many of you have similar stories, so let’s give the kids of Johnson Wabash Elementary the same opportunity. After all, who wouldn’t like reading while sitting in a comfy bean bag?

• Ms. Peach at Lee-Hamilton Elementary School needs a string bass:
  

  My students walk into my classroom excited about learning how to play a string instrument. Some students are trying out the instruments for the very first time; others have been playing for up to 3 years (since they started violin in 3rd grade), but they all are a talented group of musicians.
  …
  Due to budget cuts, the one thing that’s missing from my orchestra is an upright string bass. I currently teach at 5 elementary schools and have only 1 bass (that is much too big for a majority of my students) available to my students to use.

  Playing the violin in orchestra was one of the great experiences of my middle and high school year. Music is a wonderful outlet for children, but an orchestra without a bass simply isn’t an orchestra. Shouldn’t we help Ms. Peach make her orchestra complete?

• Mr. Brown at Cross Keys Middle School needs a 3D printer:
  

  I teach engineering and 3D modeling to middle school students. The students love using the computer software to digitally create 3D objects, but have no way to see them in real life. It would be great to have a 3D printer so that students can “print” their designs and see them come to life.
  …
  [M]y focus is on 21st century skills (robotics, programming, 3D modeling, engineering). The students are excited about the program, and have lots of fun learning through building in my classroom.

  This is my “fun” suggestion and an opportunity I never had as a kid. Think of it as the modern replacement for woodshop—giving students an opportunity to design and build their own creations.

Of course, you are under no obligation to contribute to the projects I’ve listed. You could, for example, contribute to projects from other schools in the Ferguson area or from schools anywhere in the United States. Even if you can’t afford to give, you can help by spreading the word about Donors Choose (in general) and the generous but soon-to-expire offer from the Gates Foundation (specifically).

Thank you, Dear Readers, for all of your help!