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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Ellis from Jamaica Plain, MA is requesting technology through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Ellis is requesting

Bringing Books to Life

My students need 6 MP3 players and 5 headphones to be able to listen to books independently to build word recognition skills, reading behaviors, and a love of books!

  • $533 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Ellis for her next project!

Help Ms. Ellis

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Ellis for her next project!

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

"To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark." — Victor Hugo, Les Miserables By the end of first grade, every child should be a reader--comfortable, resourceful, and engaged. But some children come in without a lot of exposure to books.

I teach in a tough part of Boston--we have high levels of poverty (94% free lunch), transience (children are often coming and going from the school), and ESL students (around 85%).

Our school was designated a "Turnaround School" in spring of 2010, which meant that it was under-performing too many years in a row. Now with new staff and a new principal we have two more years to show improvement in the school's data. We are already seeing improvement but there is still a lot of work to do. This year, I have a few students who are WAY behind in their experience with words and books, and I need to quickly get them caught up.

My Project

These students need more opportunities to read along with books. With these mp3 players, I can record the words to a book, and the children can follow along as it is read. This creates an independent activity for children during our literacy center block. This way, they can listen to the books as many times as they want without needing to rewind tapes or change CDs. I can record books I have read to the class, or even a book for one particular student. Once the books have been loaded on the mp3 players, the students can listen to the books independently during our literacy block. The students will be able to select a book and the matching mp3 player, and sit and listen along quietly while I teach small group reading.

The key to helping a child learn to read is providing opportunities.

Opportunities to read to themselves, be read to, and to read to others. The more avenues we provide for them, the more likely we will find the way that could light that fire. This could be that ONE thing that makes a difference to that ONE student... I can finally help them become a reader.

Ms. Ellis John F Kennedy Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

At this school, more than 50% of students are Black, Latino, and/or Native American, and more than 50% come from low-income households. Learn how your donation to this school supports a more equitable education.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Ms. Ellis

Jamaica Plain, MA View local requests

More than half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

25 students impacted 5donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Sony MDR ZX100/BLK - headphones • Best Buy $19.99 5 $99.95
SanDisk Clip Zip MP3 Player with 4GB* Solid State Memory - White • Best Buy $49.99 2 $99.98
SanDisk Clip Zip MP3 Player with 4GB* Internal Solid State Memory - Orange • Best Buy $49.99 2 $99.98
SanDisk Clip Zip MP3 Player with 4GB* Internal Solid State Memory - Blue • Best Buy $49.99 2 $99.98

Materials cost

$399.89

Vendor shipping charges

 $12.00

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$6.00

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$452.89

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$79.92

Total project goal

$532.81

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $532.81

2 Donors

-$241.41

Donations toward project cost

-$205.20

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$36.21

Matching donations from our partners

-$291.40

Match offers toward project cost

-$247.69

Match offers to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$43.71

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Ellis and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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