Ms. Belanger's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 5

• Drawing, Painting, & Printing, Oh My!

  Funded Oct 3, 2024

  My students have been busy at work preparing for our annual art show. Thanks to your donations, we have been able to create projects in various media! My 8th graders are working on pop art paintings using the watercolor paper. My 9th graders are making geometric Islamic tile drawings with the colored pencils and markers. My advanced students have made paintings on canvas panels with the paint and brushes we received.

  Next week, we will be starting a printmaking project. Students will learn to carve their own stamps and print repeated patterns. They are so excited to learn a new process!

  I cannot tell you how valuable it is to have quality materials for students to work with- not just for the work itself- but for their self-esteem and engagement. Having the materials they need makes my students feel important and valued. Knowing that folks like you are willing to invest in them and their art education is priceless.

  Thank you again for your generosity!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Belanger

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and 15 other donors.

• A Kiln Without Clay!

  Funded Sep 4, 2024

  I am so excited to share our progress with you! After years of teaching and learning in an outdated and unsafe building, I finally have the space and equipment to provide the arts education that my students deserve. We have promised our current juniors and seniors that they would have better facilities since they were 6th graders. When we finally moved in to the building this fall, we were so excited to have ceramics equipment and plenty of space to work. Our hopes were swiftly dashed by the revelation that there was no discretionary spending left for supplies.

  Because of your generosity, I have been able to make good on the promise to our students that they would eventually get to learn clay. My juniors and seniors started by making stoneware pinch pots and learning to decorate with sgraffito. We learned about relief, and practiced hand-building techniques by making nature-inspired tiles. We are currently sculpting tea pets to go with the slab mugs we will be starting next week.

  Our students are loving getting their hands dirty and learning new things, and seeing their excitement is my greatest joy as a teacher. Students are asking to stay in art class during study halls and after school to continue working on their projects. This week, a junior who has taken my class (somewhat unenthusiastically) for the past three years said to me, "I love art class this year. I like that it is so hands on." I agree.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Belanger

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and 12 other donors.

• Art Library Update: Representation Matters!

  Funded Mar 3, 2020

  It means the world to me that you have chosen to support my students and me! When my students look through our art library for their research projects, they will have plenty of new and exciting artists to discover. Hopefully, these materials will help them see themselves in the art world and inspire them to express their full selves through their work.

  Thank you so much for your generosity.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Belanger

  This classroom project was brought to life by A group of anonymous donors and 15 other donors.

• Supplies for Young Artists & Designers

  Funded Feb 16, 2018

  I am so excited to share the work my 6th and 7th graders have been doing! Thanks to your generosity, we have had an excellent term.

  Students began the semester by hand-dying papers that they then used to create sketchbooks, origami, and collages. They were able to get messy during a block-printing project, carving and printing animal designs that reflected their personalities. The prints were then made into mixed-media artist books, which are some of the most impressive pieces of the year.

  Cost and space often dictate what I am able to teach, and have a huge impact on my students' education. Thanks to you, some students got to work with acrylic on canvas for the first time ever. Having lots of cleaning supplies has made it possible to work with ceramics in our shared general education classroom. We are closing out the year working on scale drawings of iPhones with self-portraits on the screens, combining math, grid drawing, and yes, Snapchat filters.

  Thank you again for supporting my classroom. My students and I are so grateful!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Belanger

• Supplies for Young Artists and Designers!

  Funded Jan 31, 2017

  A few months ago I was running low on supplies, and a coworker suggested that I create a Donor's Choose project for my classroom. I wasn't sure what to expect- but I can tell you that I certainly didn't imagine that it would be funded in under a week. Within two weeks of setting up an account, my students were opening boxes of new, high-quality supplies for the semester. Instead of starting out their new term of art class with whatever was leftover from the beginning of the year, my students had everything they needed. They were so excited and I know they felt special.

  Our school is an International Baccalaureate pilot program, and each student is required to keep an arts journal for their middle school years. My students had new scissors and glue to construct hardcover accordion books. As part of our first assignment, we looked at lettering and line weight, and my students spent hours making detailed designs for their covers with the new markers you provided. Each student made a book that reflected their personalities and interests, and it was clear that they were very proud of their work. Our next project was inspired by Keith Haring and students used their books to take notes about his life and work and make sketches. They were asked to think of a social issue in their school, city, country, or world and to come up with symbolism relating to their chosen cause. Each student created their own poster inspired by something important to them. Some topics include bullying, climate change, gender equality, LGBTQ rights, racism, immigration, and peace. As a diverse school of mostly immigrant students, this was an amazing opportunity to discuss the concerns and hopes they have for their community and world. It was so great to show them how they can use art to create dialogue and make their voices heard.

  As a teacher at a highest-needs school I am constantly aware of inequalities in education, and it is my priority to make sure that my students feel cared for and have access to the materials they need to learn and create. You helped me provide my students with supplies for a successful unit and semester, and I am humbled by your generosity.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Belanger