Ms. Willis' Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 17

• Safe and Sound

  Funded Aug 30, 2024

  Thanks to your generosity my students now have a safe place to store their journals.

  The two 9-cube cubbie shelves and plastic bins to store their journals have helped bring order to our classroom. Now every class has an assigned cubbie and storage bin for their journals. Their journals are kept safe and sound until they're ready to write again.

  My students have stated that they appreciate having a special place to keep their writing. It really is the little things that help a classroom community run smoothly.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

• Color Me Calm

  Funded Aug 12, 2024

  The Color Me Calm project was our most meaningful project to date. I watched so many of my high school students relax and virtually melt into their coloring books.

  Given the option to color, journal, or read picture books about emotions allowed my students to find a way to relax their shoulders and exhale for as long as it takes to color, journal, or read a picture book.

  My students look forward to finishing up their assignments and getting to choose from one of the many beautiful coloring books you helped to provide. This project really helped my students reach a moment of inner peace.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

  This classroom project was brought to life by Michael Jordan and The Jordan Brand and one other donor.

• Read Banned Books

  Funded Aug 9, 2022

  My students learned so much about the banning of books prior to our project being filled and they were incredibly excited to actual read and explore books that haave been banned and some that are still banned in some states.

  While reading banned books, my students discussed in small groups why the books might be banned and who might've banned them and if they agreed with the ban.

  Student responded to writing prompts about the books they chose to read and incorporated their own thoughts on the banning of the book.

  We are all very grateful for the many opportunities to learn and grow that these books through your donations have provided for us.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 5 other donors.

• Food for Thought

  Funded May 17, 2024

  With this project we were able to start the school year off strong with fully stocked snack drawers and refreshing drinks! My students were able to ease right into the new school year with satisfied bellies thanks to everyone who donated to this project.

  As the school year progressed, students knew exactly where to go if they missed breakfast or didn't care for what was being served for lunch. Students would use my classroom menu to help guide them in making quick and easy choices for their favorite snacks to satisfy their hunger for just a little while.

  We are at the point again where our snack tubs have been depleted and we recognize just how grateful we are to you all.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

  This classroom project was brought to life by Michael Jordan and The Jordan Brand and 9 other donors.

• Snack Attack

  Funded Jan 16, 2024

  My students get so excited to see the boxes coming into the classroom! They know their favorite snacks are in stock. Students know if they are hungry when they get off the bus, throughout the day, and on their way back to the bus at the end of the day that they can always ask for a snack with no strings attached! Having snacks accessible and ready for my students means the world to me, because I don't have to worry about them being hungry and unable to focus. This project has made such a big impact on my students!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

• Tees for Royalty

  Funded Dec 21, 2023

  Our "tees for royalty" project is a huge hit here at school. All of the teachers at our school wear their t-shirts to our girls' group meetings and it gives the girls something to look forward to when they see us wearing our shirts. Our meetings consist of time to eat and fellowship, a time to reflect and journal, a lesson on belonging or uplifting others, and a time for games and prizes. When girls come to their last meeting before going back from their placement with us, they are given a t-shirt that reads "Empowered Women Empower Women" to remind them to always try to lift others up.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

• Brown Girl Sisterhood Book Club

  Funded Dec 10, 2023

  This project was by far, my favorite project ever funded. Because of this project, every girl at our school was given a copy of Alice Walker's The Color Purple, along with a journal, a bookmark, and a purple pen.

  The teachers at my school came together to read and discuss Walker's awarding winning novel with our girls' group book club.

  We read, we laughed, we cried, and we shared our big feelings with one another.

  We even came together as a group to take them to see The Color Purple musical when it came out in theaters.

  Our students benefited from this opportunity and because closer because of it.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

  This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 10 other donors.

• Alan Gratz Is Where It's At!

  Funded May 6, 2022

  My students read Refugee by Alan Gratz and fell in love with his writing style. He took us on a journey through different points in history where we were witnesses peeking in through a window to watch historical events unfold.

  This project gave us the chance to read more of Alan Gratz's work, such as, Allies and Ground Zero. We read the titles from this project in small groups called literature circles.

  Ultimately, some students asked to read the books from the other lit. circle groups because his work is so compelling. We are still using his books in my classroom with new students and they are also finding his writing to be irresistible.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

  This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 12 other donors.

• Winning With Award-Winning Books

  Funded Apr 7, 2022

  This project really helped my students to appreciate the different ways authors teach us lessons through their writing. We focused on theme when we read Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward and her approach to issues like poverty, hunger, family, and safety. We looked at the point of view for each narrator and asked ourselves what lessons are we to learn from this character?

  Sometimes I read aloud to my students, other times, they wanted to take the book to continue reading on their own, and sometimes we listened to the audiobook to get the full effect of the different points of view.

  Students are always allowed to check out books from our classroom library, and I noticed students discussing the different medals on book covers and observed them look up what medals were given for and overheard them talking about why certain books received awards. Students even started commenting on books without awards and saying which awards they thought those books should have. This project definitely impacted my students.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Willis

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose community & an Anonymous Partner and 11 other donors.