Past projects 5
Hear Us, See Us
Funded Jan 19, 2022Thank you so very much for all your incredible donations! I can't believe this project was funded in less than a month. You are all so generous, especially in this trying time.
Your donations are going to help so many students. We are thrilled to get back into the theater and share art with our school and local community. You are making magic happen!
Thank you so very much.”
With gratitude,
Mx. Shields
Sew Successful!
Funded Feb 8, 2018This sewing machine came at the perfect time! We were just about to embark on a new show. We unpacked the machine and put it to use right away. First we sewed some costumes for a Shakespearian production, then began some dresses from the 1930s!
We are just about to start a student-produced showcase. There are two teams of students, and since we have this new sewing machine, that means each team can begin their stitching projects without having to sign up to use the machine!
The protective cover is a boon, especially when carrying the machine down crowded hallways.
Next week drama classes will also learn essential sewing skills. This machine means that I can demonstrate and students can follow along. Thank you so very much!”
With gratitude,
Mx. Shields
Embracing Everyone: Costumes and Set for LGBT Play
Funded Feb 24, 2014Thank you all so very, very much for donating to my school's theater program. This year we embarked on several ambitious projects, and without your support, not a single one would have been realized. First, my advanced acting students produced two shows- Freak (a play about bullying and its extreme consequences) and All of Us (an LGBT and ally show featuring stories from across the U.S.). We used the two drills and the miter saw from DonorsChoose to build two massive disappearing boxes and a 4x8 platform for Freak. We tie-dyed the DonorsChoose t-shirts for All of Us costumes. We worked with our school's peer mediation team to engage the audience in a talkback after each production. Both productions boasted a full house in our newly created black box theater (more about that later).
The audience was moved to tears by both performances, congratulating the students on tackling such important, timely issues. The kids were beaming. One of our openly gay teachers spoke about how grateful he was for students of all backgrounds to be able to come together and provide such a powerful message to the audience about acceptance and hope. One mother in the audience whose son had been bullied in elementary and middle school remarked between sobs, "I am so thankful to all of you for caring for my son and accepting him. I feel like he's finally being seen for who he is."
Our second project was to turn our classroom into a performing arts space. Several students came to school on a Saturday and spent nearly ten hours painting a giant mural around the room. All the performing arts are represented, including all the people who work behind the scenes. Our custodial staff hung retractable clotheslines so that we can hang black curtains over the whiteboards and wall posters whenever we have a performance.
Your support has allowed my students to create meaningful theatrical work that has touched countless lives. So many of the materials you helped contribute toward will be used for many years to come. Other materials, such as the t-shirts, have become precious keepsakes.
Thank you so much for helping my students create beautiful memories and connect with the community in a profound way. You are amazing!!!”
With gratitude,
Mx. Shields
This classroom project was brought to life by AT&T Foundation and 9 other donors.Seaming, Stitching, and Sewing Extravaganza!
Funded Apr 21, 2013When our materials began to arrive for our crazy sewing projects, my students couldn't believe it. The boxes kept piling up in my office and students fought over who got to open the next one! They divided everything into categories and began to organize it. One kid brought out the label maker and printed a label for EVERYTHING --- even himself!
The next stage was getting ready for our upcoming production. Several students learned how to set up the sewing machine and began winding bobbins of a rainbow of thread colors. Other students took to cutting and ripping fabric. Still others took to slicing up foamcore with our brand-new, super sharp exacto knives (which they insisted on calling scalpels. Conversation went as follows:
Student 1: Foam board.
Student 2: Here you are.
Student 1: Scalpel.
Student 2: Here, doctor.
Student 1: Making first incision near the pencil mark.
Student 2: Make sure you cut deep enough, doctor.
Student 1: A clean slice!
Student 2: Well done. Here's the next victim...)
Should I mention that one of our plays was about zombies? We also managed to paint this gigantic backdrop (12 foot by 30 foot) that we created out of canvas drop cloth and hung from grommets that students punched and pounded themselves!
Aside from this incredible after school work, students in the classroom were also cutting and stitching away. Students in my advanced acting class elected to make puppet web shows for their end-of-term project. Out came the fabric glue, googly eyes, felt sheets, and sewing machine! Their project resulted in over twenty-five puppets and four web shows. The shows are geared for children and tweens and touch on themes of bullying, friendship, relationships, and abuse.
I cannot thank you enough for your generous donations. We accomplished so much because of each of you. You not only reached the lives of my students, but the lives of the community we serve. Many of the items we ordered can be used again and again. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Oh, and I forgot to tell you that the ironing board probably got the most use of all! Students repeatedly ironed their costumes for the show. There were three boys that made it their mission to have everything pressed! And out the ironing board came at the end of the school year for our end-of-season celebration --- the kids all pressed their dresses, slacks, and shirts for our more formal ceremony...and they looked so proud.
With deep gratitude,
Lindsay Shields”
With gratitude,
Mx. Shields
Creative Costumes for Anti-Bullying Drama
Funded Mar 4, 2013Thank you so much for your donations that allowed us to obtain screen printing and other materials to make costumes for our upcoming production. This show carries the important message of anti-bullying and involves an extensive talkback with the audience afterward. This class has paired with the school's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) to mediate the talkback.
Screen printing t-shirts was an absolute success. We couldn't have pulled it off without you! As a group, students created a design, cut it out, and printed it on shirts. It took everyone's hands and creative genius! In fact, the students liked their design so much that they brought their personal warm-up gear to get screen printed.
The best thing about these supplies is that they're reusable, which means they will get used years into the future. Not only did you help us prepare for this production, but you are supporting students for years to come.”
With gratitude,
Mx. Shields