Past projects 31
Library Pride Lunch!
Funded May 12, 2023Thank you for supporting our annual library Pride lunch party. Students and staff members enjoyed themselves immensely.
There was music, snacks (Skittles, rainbow brownies, Starburst, chips, and Capri Sun drinks), many swag giveaway items, and lots of fun.
Students and staff who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community felt reaffirmed and supported by their peers; others who are allies enjoyed the chance to celebrate their friends.
On behalf of my students, my deepest thanks because this event would not have been possible without your support and assistance.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and 7 other donors.Pride at the Library!
Funded May 20, 2023Thank you for supporting our annual library Pride lunch party. Students and staff members enjoyed themselves immensely.
There was music, snacks (Skittles, rainbow brownies, Starburst, chips, and Capri Sun drinks), many swag giveaway items, and lots of fun.
Students and staff who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community felt reaffirmed and supported by their peers; others who are allies enjoyed the chance to celebrate their friends.
On behalf of my students, my deepest thanks because this event would not have been possible without your support and assistance.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and one other donor.Two Screens for Remote Teaching
Funded Mar 9, 2021Thank you so much for helping me to get a second monitor. This second monitor will be an invaluable help in being able to make visual contact while teaching live classes, holding online club sessions, and meeting online with students and families. I truly appreciate your support and generosity.
Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
Ch-Check It Out!
Funded Apr 21, 2018Thank you for supporting our library. In August, our campus library renovations began; the final walkthrough for the renovation is set in the next couple of weeks. After the final walkthrough is complete, there are 288 boxes and 6 book carts to be returned to the library, reshelved, and arranged.
Once the library reopens, the laptop and desk will be used to enable students to consult the library catalog; place books on hold; and foment greater student independence within the library. Thank you for helping to develop a library culture within our campus school communities!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
This classroom project was brought to life by Verizon and 4 other donors.Fun and Games for All!
Funded Jul 11, 2019Libraries are about sharing culture and information. Gaming is a form of culture that often requires sharing – there are so many games that cannot be fully experienced without another player.
Games are good for teenagers' growing brains and foster important life skills like socialization, theory of mind and systems literacy.
Games have been around for as long as human culture has. Lehman Campus Library's students come from countries around the world that have a variety of games that are less common in the United States. Though our library had a decent game selection, we were missing a number of internationally popular games like Ludo and Carrom. This project helped to make students who are new to the country feel more comfortable in their new home and gave them a way to connect with their peers to make new friends.
Thank you for supporting our library and my students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 5 other donors.Graphic Novels for Readers
Funded Feb 26, 2019Unfortunately due to scheduling conflicts and circumstances beyond either of our control, Mr. Wimberly was unable to visit Lehman Campus Library to speak with students. However, Mr. Wimberly did donate a number of high-interest graphic novels, comics, and other books in a variety of languages which students immediately borrowed from the library.
Every student who had signed up for Mr. Wimberly's visit received a copy of the book, "Black History in Its Own Words" to add to their personal collection. This beautifully illustrated book highlights a number of significant figures from the Black diaspora and offers enough detail to pique readers' interest to learn more about their lives and work.
According to Donalyn Miller, the author of "Game Changer!: Book Access for All Kids," a National Trust Survey showed 'a strong connection between students' book ownership and their reading ability and motivation.' Having access to their own collection of books at home helps students to create a reading identity. According to Miller, young people who own books read more frequently and for longer periods of time; are more interested in reading; read more diversely; and have more post-education success.
Though it was disappointing that the visit could not happen, students were delighted to receive a brand-new beautiful hardcover book and learn more about histories that are often overlooked.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
It's Poppin' at the Library!
Funded Dec 11, 2019Thank you for supporting the library, Anime Club, and my students. Having a “real” popcorn machine will help us serve snacks more efficiently during club meetings, movie screenings, and other special events while not leaving active teenagers hungry after school before they head home. I greatly appreciate your generosity and kindness!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
Anime Club Creates Community!
Funded May 6, 2019Thank you for supporting Lehman Campus Library's Anime Club. Last Wednesday was our 5th meeting for the year and already 70 different students from 4 of the 7 schools on campus have attended. We've added a new reading-related literacy tie-in where each week one student highlights a manga series they love and recommends it to Anime Club attendees.
Anime Club meets after school from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. By this time, students are getting hungry and tired so being able to offer popular snacks and drinks has been a game-changer in terms of increasing student participation and enabling Anime Club members to focus on the Anime-of-the-week rather than grumbling, hungry stomachs.
A student shared that he has made friends with other students he previously didn't know because of Anime Club and pointed out that it brings students together around a shared interest. Thank you for helping our club grow!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 5 other donors.Read It and Create!
Funded Oct 17, 2018On Friday 1/11, Mark Oshiro visited with approximately 140 students from 6 campus schools; 190 were invited, but due to finals some students were not able to attend. The author spoke about his experiences growing up in a tiny town as a gay Mexican transracial adoptee in a family that he later found out was less-than-tolerant when his mother kicked him out at 16 because he was not straight. Despite these odds, he ended up as the valedictorian of his high school; in part, due to the support of a principal who provided financial support and a sports coach who helped him with housing.
He went onto college where because of a change in statewide grant funding, he lost his housing scholarship after three years. Without family support, he was forced to drop-out and become homeless for a second time in his early 20's. He persisted, working odd jobs and eventually channeling his passions into a successful writing career: through journalism, blogging and now writing fiction.
Students asked questions about creative writing, activism advice, the characters in the novel, careers in both the music and publishing industries, and suggestions for additional reading. Overall there was a positive student response: one school's Social Justice Club has invited Mark back for another visit, and he has promised to send a box of Advance Copies of his second novel for students to read before the book is published.
Librarians from New York Public Library also attended the event to provide students with fine-free library cards and share information about upcoming events. The event was made that much more special because students had their own copies of Mr. Oshiro's book to have personalized by the author, which they can now cherish forever.
On their behalf, I thank you so much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Arts Funder and 6 other donors.Books, Books, and More Books!
Funded Apr 21, 2018The numbers speak for themselves. Since I started working at this school, students have checked out over 15,000 books. This represents a statistically significant improvement in student independent reading and library access over previous years. Without the availability of high-interest books that appeal to students, this would quite literally not be possible.
Providing students with interesting books, especially the titles the students themselves have requested, has been a game-changer to our library and to our campus as a whole. Thank you for your support of this project and helping to bring great reading material to Bronx students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Gavin