Mrs. Hilton's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 15

• Novels Needed!

  Funded Mar 29, 2016

  Thank you for funding this grant! Because of your generosity, the grant provided texts for all of my students. Many of them were not able to purchase the novel, and they were sharing books with their classmates. Having their own copies of the novel allowed many of them to read ahead and re-read chapters that were appealing to them.

  This classic novel is not limited to the students just this past year. I will be using this novel again this coming school year, but there is a catch! My enrollment has doubled for this coming year. As intimidating as this may be, I know that having resources for less fortunate students is one of the main reasons I am seeing an increase in enrollment.

  Having the support of my classroom from the community, both physical and virtual, is vital to the success of my students. The funding of this project will continue to inspire reading and challenge thinking. I am so very grateful for your support!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hilton

• Get Tuned In!

  Funded Aug 28, 2016

  Thank you for your support of my grant, which purchased a smart TV for my classroom. It has been a wonderful resource for both students and me.

  I have been using the TV in many ways this year that do not involve watching videos! We have used the smart TV to give presentations, mirroring screens from the students' portable devices or my iPad. Students have been able to show their written work and interact with editing; they have played their original movie trailers, prezis, and animated creations simply by connecting to the television. Too, I am able to use this resource with my USB drive!

  What is most exciting is what is happening at the end of January: we will be pairing a web camera with my smart TV to Skype with a best selling author. Students will have the opportunity to discuss world issues brought up in the novelist's work, ask questions about the culture, and interact academically with a well-known public figure.

  Your donations have made all of these activities possible! I am extremely grateful for your support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hilton

• Be the Light!

  Funded Aug 11, 2016

  Thank you so much for supporting my grant, placing novels in the hands of my students. Since the course is an elective, we do not have any resources provided for us other than what I have purchased. When the books arrived the day before school started, I promptly unpacked them and placed them in a locked cabinet, knowing that I would begin my year with this novel.

  Students came in to the first day of class expecting to read short stories and news articles since we have little access to novels by North Carolina writers. They were extremely surprised that we would actually have a novel to read! We began this school year by discussing issues facing teenagers today, which is one of the central issues found in the novel this grant supported. Each day's reading assignment paved the way for complicated conversations that teenagers do not want to have: facing bullying/peer pressure, handling disagreements with their parents, feeling lost as they finish their high school careers. These complicated conversations gave students the confidence they need to handle the situations they are facing in their last year of high school.

  Having this classroom set of novels has been so much more than reading a story. The issues the novel brings to the forefront resonates with students and allows them to explore their own thoughts and feelings in a way that is conducive to their personal growth. I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to help these young people feel more secure in who they are and who they can become.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hilton

• Bare Book Closet Seeks New Novels

  Funded Dec 28, 2015

  Dear Donors,

  I cannot begin to tell you just how much of a difference these two sets of novels have made in my classroom and with my course enrollment. Thank you!

  It has been amazing to see my students fall in love with the stories these novels present. Students used the novels as springboards for literary analysis on their Advanced Placement exam in May, and many, many students continued to talk about the characters as if they are intimate friends.

  I waited to complete this thank you package until the beginning of the school year for one major reason: enrollment. Last school year, I only had 58 students who took my AP Literature course, many of whom could not afford to purchase the supplementary materials. This school year, I have over 120 students enrolled and all of them will have access to the novels this grant provided. I firmly believe that having access to the materials has made a huge impact on the accessibility of this course for disadvantaged students.

  As we begin a new school year, I want to thank you for your kindness and generosity. Your donations made a huge difference in the lives of my students!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hilton

• Techy Teacher Needs Technology!

  Funded Aug 25, 2015

  Thank you for your generous donations that purchased the necessary technology for my classroom. The donations purchased an Amazon Echo, which is much like Siri on an Apple device only it syncs with Amazon.com and with wireless devices. Since it arrived, I have had so much fun learning to use it, sharing it with my students, and teaching my colleagues how it functions in the classroom.

  We are using the Echo as a "live" search engine, audio book, and presentation station. I have been able to sync the device with my iPad and am able to access our online textbook, which has audio and video options, which we previously were unable to do given the paucity of technology available to us. As a result, students are not only hearing what they are reading, but they are also playing interactive games, engaging in formative assessments, and engaging in thoughtful discussions. The Echo also allows students to use their smart phones and our LCD projector to give presentations. What has been most exciting is watching students marvel at how easily they can show their work without having to save it to a portable drive, plug it in, and hope that compatibility is not an issue. Student presentations and engagement have dramatically increased in quality since we began using the Echo.

  I cannot thank you enough for the difference that you have made in my students' lives by giving them access to technology that is improving their quality of education.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hilton

• Improve Literacy to Bridge the Gap!

  Funded Aug 21, 2015

  Thank you simply is not enough. Your generous donations that funded reading materials for my classroom are motivating students, encouraging them to read. In the short six weeks we have been in school, my students have read many, many of the novels purchased with the grant money. In fact, they are asking for more and more time in class to read silently. On more occasions than I can count, students have asked to bring their choice of book home with them or for more in class time. What is truly exciting about this is seeing the students actually reading outside of class! Then, they are discussing their books with their friends, even those students who are not in my class!

  Also, our new principal has noted just how much student achievement is tied to reading, and he is asking for my students to present their Silent Sustained Reading program to the entire staff. Over the next few months, we hope to implement reading for pleasure into all of the classrooms on this campus.

  The success of this program is all because of each of you. My students and I are so very grateful for your generosity and support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hilton