Past projects 3
A Book in Every Hand!
Funded Jan 19, 2024I cannot thank you each enough for contributing to this project. I can't believe we were able to get a class set of these books so quickly! My colleagues and I are tremendously grateful and our students have truly enjoyed the book.
Three of our classes are preparing to start the book in another week, right after we finish "Romeo and Juliet." Part way through, I realized how beautifully "Long Way Down" will pair with the Shakespeare play. As you probably remember from your own high school days (!), there are several characters in Romeo and Juliet who are quick to fight, so it mimics what happens in the book and raises the same questions: Is violence ever really worth its cost?
In today's environment, and in a community that has lost more than 160 teens to violence in the last 6 years, we really NEED books like "Long Way Down," which address issues our students face every day, presented using language and settings that feel REAL to them. I know "Long Way Down" will be a memorable read: I hope it also will provide memorable lessons that the students will carry with them as they grow and face increasingly challenging situations and find themselves making difficult choices.
Thank you for helping us truly change lives here at Thomas Jefferson High School.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kaddouri
All American Boys for the Great American Classroom!
Funded Oct 16, 2023I can't thank you enough for your support of my project to bring a new book into the classroom. You can see that the students LOVE Jason Reynolds!
I asked the students if various scenarios sounded familiar, and Reynolds is clearly right on the money. He talks about issues that are getting my students truly engaged in reading - they want to know what's going to happen to these characters because they can relate to them. Reynolds characters go through so many of the same issues my students face in their communities every day.
Having this book, I feel certain, will change a few minds about reading. Will they put down their phones and pick up a book EVERY time? Probably not. But do they now see that some books really talk to THEM, are written FOR them, and can help them see situations (and maybe their lives) in new ways? Absolutely!
And you made it all possible. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kaddouri
This classroom project was brought to life by The Peterson Family and 2 other donors.Help My Kiddos Get the Supplies They Need!
Funded Aug 29, 2023Thank you again for your generous contributions to help us fit-out our classroom with new supplies! We've put them to good use, with my 10th graders illustrating character traits and my 9th graders illustrating their own hero's journey (see photos). It was great to see them recognize that they're super-heroes, too, as they colored in their journeys.
We'll be doing even more as we go through Romeo & Juliet (kids are going to make album covers and newspapers and comic strips) and our poetry unit - and hopefully we'll have some fun (but educational!) activities around the holidays.
I can't thank you enough for helping these kids get the resources they need to let their creativity shine and to find new ways to dig into learning. You really have made a difference!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kaddouri