Mrs. Kersbergen's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 33

• Keeping up with the Cleanliness

  Funded Nov 6, 2016

  Hi my name is Kathleen and I'm a senior. During my time here, I've loved the experiences that I have been able to have and feel very lucky to have been able to do so. Growing up in this community, I've been able to meet so many nice and caring people from all walks of life. One of the reasons I wanted to help with this project is because I have become aware of many kids at my school not always having the necessary supplies and items that other kids are very fortunate to have. The items that I feel are constantly out of reach are hygiene products. These products, which are necessary to the well-being of an individual, are often so expensive for people to buy all the time. I hope that with these products being made available in our school at either the nurse's or physical education teachers' offices, students will be supplied with the products they need. Thank you for funding this project.

  These resources are very important to every individual as keeping up with your hygiene is way to stay healthy. I know personally I always feel better and fresher when I feel clean and use the necessary items to help me do that.

  We packed all the string bags and backpacks with many of the essential items used for keeping clean. We separated our different bags into 3 different categories as older teenage boys, older teenage girls, and younger kids in the elementary schools. The bags had some of the same products such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, tissues, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, body wash/soap, nail filer, and Chap Stick. Then in the older girl's bags we included razors, tampons, pads, and liners. In the older boy's bags we also included shaving razors. We plan to get more shampoo and conditioner because we have a lot left over of the other products and plan to add hair ties into the bags as well. We will deliver these kits before the Christmas break. We plan to make more kits in the spring with the extra supplies.

  I have learned so much from this project. There is so much that goes into staying healthy and clean and all these items add up quickly. I saw after school how teamwork really makes a difference as we put together about a 150 bags total in about an hour. And finally, I have seen yet again just how kind people are to donate their money to important causes such as this one and I am so grateful to everyone who helped make this happen. Because of the donors, kids in the Geneva School systems will have necessary products that they need. I also learned what a great organization Donors Choose is – thank you for funding this project.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

  This classroom project was brought to life by Ashoka & Think It Up Supporters and 12 other donors.

• The Walking Dead for Nightmare Literature

  Funded Mar 9, 2016

  I have never taught a graphic novel before and I was a little reluctant. My job is to get the kids to read novels and discuss themes, not read comics and look at pictures (or so I thought). I needed something to get 12th grade co-taught class engaged and thinking. They are all obsessed with zombies and The Walking Dead. So, I stepped outside my comfort zone and gave a graphic novel a chance.

  Boy, was I surprised! None of my kids have read The Walking Dead and very few had read a graphic novel before. They fell in love with this book immediately. Even the kids who never do homework were reading this book outside of class. Sure, they wanted to discuss the gory pictures, but they also wanted to discuss the plot, theme and the differences between the show and the book. It was amazing. We had them role-play different characters to see how making different decisions would change the outcome of the story (many of them chose to be bold and got eaten by zombies).

  I am very glad I also added on the Compendiums so they could keep reading the series. I currently have a wait list of about 5 kids for each of the compendiums. Students stop by my room during their study halls and lunch periods to discuss what they are reading. I am so glad I took a chance on a graphic novel. I am even more happy that you took a chance on my idea and my kids. You have taught me to trust my instincts and think outside the box to get kids engaged.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

• Teen Ink for Aspiring Writers

  Funded Dec 21, 2015

  This has been an invaluable resource for my Creative Writing class. Each month, Teen Ink magazine has a different theme. I plan my lessons around those themes. Some days, I give my students prompts to write on. Other days, I assign them a section of the magazine to read through to get ideas to write about.

  At first, my students were a little skeptical about the magazines. They thought they would be boring. Some even said, "I bet it's all old people writing about being a teenager." It took a little convincing to get them to look through the magazines, but once they did, they didn't want to put them down. The kids enjoyed reading what other kids their age are writing. They really enjoyed the artwork and poetry sections. I loved watching one of them find a cool article and pressuring their classmates to read it so they could discuss and debate different topics. The college issue helped some of my kids explore colleges away from home without actually leaving home. This issue definitely helped alleviate some of the stress of applying for college and getting ready to leave home for the first time. My kids read that other kids across the States were having the same feelings and going through the same issues. They realized they weren't alone.

  These magazines helped me to make my classroom a more student-centered educational experience. Instead of me always having to give them ideas to write about, they used these magazines to discover their own muses. It has been an amazing process to watch these teenagers bloom into young writers. Thank you for giving us this opportunity.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

  This classroom project was brought to life by American InterContinental University and one other donor.

• Unwind to Increase Interest and Literacy

  Funded Mar 9, 2016

  Many of my students are not motivated to read and write. This presents a huge challenge, especially in a 12th grade English class. I needed to find a book that the kids could relate to and want to read and write about. UnWind by Neal Shusterman was that perfect book. It takes place in a post WWIII America where the war was fought over abortion rights. The two sides compromised by making abortion illegal, BUT parents can elect to have their child Unwound after the age of 13 up until the child's 18th birthday. UnWinding is full body organ donation. The majority of the kids sent to be Unwound are juvenile delinquents and children that no one wants.

  Of course, this struck a nerve with my students. What teenager doesn't bend the rules to see what they can get away with? What teenager has never felt unwanted at some point? This book made them think deeper about their own choices and where they would fall into this book. It also lead to heated debates about abortion rights and organ donation. The most heated debate we had was on the rights of government to make and enforce such brutal and life-changing laws on a society.

  It was truly amazing to see my students open up and discuss real world issues that hit very close to home. They became engaged readers instead of passively absorbing the information and forgetting it. Many wanted to continue reading the other books in the series to see how these issues were resolved, if they were resolved. I am so very grateful that you provided us with a class set of the 1st book and 5 copies of each of the following books. These texts had a huge impact on the excitement and motivation levels in my classroom. I can truly say this was an eye opening learning experience for everyone involved.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

• Teen Ink for Aspiring Writers

  Funded Dec 21, 2014

  Thank you so much for donating monthly Teen Ink magazine to my classroom. My students were excited every month when they came in the mail. I had kids fighting over who was going to go down to the mail room to pick them up for me.

  These magazines are crucial to my kids success. They are creative and the ideas from these magazines helped them focus their ideas. These magazines are written by teens and for teens. They contain short stories, poems, pictures and every other creative endeavor imaginable. My students found role models and inspiration between the pages every month.

  This year, we ended up publishing our own classroom book of poetry. Next year, I hope my students will submit their work to Teen Ink. It would be so exciting to see their hard-work in print for other teens to read and gain inspiration from.

  Thank you again for giving my kids this amazing resource!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

• One of These Kids Could be the Next Stephen King!

  Funded Sep 13, 2014

  Thank you for giving us the money to purchase On Writing by Stephen King for my Creative Writing class. My students look up to Stephen King and it was awesome to be able to get them to read his manual on how to be a good writer. He is truly and inspiration to my class.

  Stephen King says the number one thing a person has to do to be a good reader is to read a lot and write a lot. Most of my kids did not understand that. Most of them resisted reading everything. And asking them to proofread, edit and rewrite their rough draft is like asking them to cut their own arm off without anesthesia. They loudly protest and complain about reading and rewriting. Through reading On Writing, they heard a highly successful celebrity writer tell them that they need to read a lot, write a lot and especially proofread in order to be a successful writer.

  This book has made a huge difference in my class. Students actually want to read it because it offers advice from someone whom they look up to. When they resist proofreading, all I have to say is, "What would Stephen King say?" And they hang their heads and get to writing. Participation and engagement in class has increased tenfold.

  Thank you for helping my students be successful writers. This book is a great resource for motivating and teaching people of all ages how to write well. I will be using this resource for many years to come. Thank you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

• The Testing: A Book for Reluctant Readers

  Funded Apr 1, 2014

  Thank you so much for these books. I decided to use them with my English 11 summer school class because they arrived too late in the regular school year to be able to do this book justice.

  At first, these students were reluctant. Summer school students are usually the reluctant and disengaged students. But once we got into the book, many of them asked to take the book home so they could read ahead! They loved this book and I caught many of them talking about it in the hallway between classes. This book is the first in a trilogy. A few students have gone to the public library to pick up the next book. I am so excited that they love this book as much as I do.

  In the fall, I am going to teach this book to my Creative Writing students as an example of dystopian literature. I know they will love it, too. I hope that this sparks the same desire to read more of the trilogy that it did in my summer school students. I am also going to challenge them to write their own dystopian short stories and poems.

  Without your generosity, this would not have been possible. Thank you for getting a great book into reluctant readers' hands. Thank you for reigniting their love of reading!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

• "Teen Ink" for Creative Writing

  Funded Jan 15, 2014

  My students got so excited when the first edition of Teen Ink arrived in my room in February. It was the love issue. The boys groaned, but the girls snatched it right up. After cohercing the boys to open the magazine up, they each found stories that they could relate to. The boys really enjoyed the Review and Non-Fiction sections. The girls loved the Fiction and the Poetry sections. Everyone was drawn in by the art work and pictures.

  Every month, a new edition arrives. Everyone gets excited when they walk in and see it on the front desk. My classroom is never as silent as on that 1st day of the month when they get to read through the magazine. When someone finds an exciting picture or article, he/she interupts the entire class to point it out. Then, there is a ruffling of papers as everyone rushes to find the page # so they can read and discuss. Sometimes they talk about how believable (or unbelievable) the article is. Sometimes they talk about how they have experienced something similar. And sometimes they talk about how that article relates to something going on at school, in their family or in society.

  This magazine has helped my students be more aware of what other teens are going through and what possibilities may lie ahead for them. They take charge of their reading and learning by finding articles that are interesting to them, reading them and discussing the ideas with their classmates. I am seeing a love of reading blooming inside each and every one of them.

  This month, we are going to use the April College edition to help them prepare to apply to colleges. We are going to read the articles to begin to make a checklist of what they need to do to get into college and be successful there. It is one thing for their teachers and counselors to tell them what they need to do, but it is more real if they hear about it from other teens. On top of using the Teen Ink April edition, we will also have some real college students coming in to talk with the kids about college and career readiness.

  Thank you for these magazines. I have seen a change in my students. They actually enjoy reading and discussing the issues put forth by people their own age. Now that they have come to love the magazines, I am going to push them even more and have them write their own stories. Hopefully their reluctance to write is diminished just as their reluctance to read was!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

• Creative Writing and "The Other Wes Moore"

  Funded Nov 19, 2013

  My students absolutely loved The Other Wes Moore. They were intrigued to learn about two people of the same age with the same name from the same city that ended up leading very different lives. Of course, we all know that two people who are the same age can live in the same city and have the same names. We see that all the time in our little city high school. But we never think about how different those people can become from each other.

  My students and I read this book and discussed the similarities and differences between these two people. We discussed their early lives and how that impacted who they became. We looked at choices these men made and how that impacted their futures. We even looked at the make op of their families and the society in which they were raised.

  The most important part came when we looked at how this book related to our own lives. How are we similar and/or different from these men? How does our upbringing, society and choices affect out futures. This book helped to drive home the fact that the choices we make today affect us for the rest of our lives. I have seen my students start to make better choices; choices that will lead them to college and successful careers. I have seen them pause during a discussion about a different book and say, "If that person had made a better choice, he could have ended up like the successful Wes Moore."

  Thank you for helping us get these great books. They have positively impacted my students in many ways. They now thing more deeply when making serious decisions. They are making better choices that will impact their futures. They are thinking more critically. And they are actually working harder to get into college. Thank you for helping instill these skills in my students. They may not realize it yet, but you have given them the gift of a life time!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

• Creative Writing And "American Chillers"

  Funded Oct 7, 2013

  The ancient proverb says it takes a village to raise a child. I believe it takes a village to educate a child. That is evident by the outpouring of support on this awesome website. Ten of you came together to help me educate my students. Without this site, that may have never been possible.

  Thank you for your belief in education. And thank you for your generosity. Your support has put great books into the hands of struggling and reluctant readers. You are helping to instill a love of reading and learning in our youth.

  My students loved these books. Although they won't admit it, they had fun choosing which scary story to read. At first they were reluctant to read and share with their partner, but they quickly warmed up. They went from complaining that this stupid, to having fun reading and talking about the local urban legends that the author eloquently spun into a scary story. These books were easily incorporated into the Common Core Standards for reading and speaking. The kids had to base their conversations in the text by using text-based responses.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Kersbergen

  This classroom project was brought to life by Elsa and David and 7 other donors.