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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Dowding from Flushing, NY is requesting technology through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Dowding is requesting

Documenting Our Lives: A Photographic Journey

My students need a camera and batteries to learn the basics of photography that will allow them to document their lives and create a story visually allowing the to grow artistically.

  • $711 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

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

Help Ms. Dowding

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Dowding 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

The power of photography is that it not only captures a moment but tells a story. Teaching recent immigrants who are English Language Learners, my students find their voice through images. While we have been using cellphones, this would allow us to learn the basics of professional photography.

My high school students are all recent immigrants to the United States.

As a group, although they come from dozens of countries and speak over a dozen languages, they all have a common mission: to learn English while completing the same high school requirements as native English speakers. To overcome this daunting task, we use a collaborative, project-based, interdisciplinary, and content-rich environment in all classes. All teachers are both content and English teachers. In my photography class, I use a hands-on activities approach to encourage the use of English in all of its forms - reading, writing, listening, and speaking. All this is done in the incredibly fun way of photography. Students get to explore their worlds in another form- visually- and then use those photographs to tell stories, share experiences, critique their work, and grow in visual literacy. My students work to create projects of their own- like college art students- as well as experience NYC on field trips.

My Project

Over the past year I had 60 students all elect to be in my beginning and advanced photography class. Only 10 students had cameras of their own and basic ones at that. I had three of my own cameras that I lent out but it still meant a lot of sharing and missed opportunities. Some students used their cellphone cameras which can create beautiful but simple images. This camera would open a whole new world of photography to these students. It is a camera that allows students to shoot manually as well as automatically and would allow them to learn how to work with apertures and f-stops. It means they can learn how to photograph people differently and learn how photography is essentially painting with light. Since a lot of our work is done through field trips around NYC as well as in the classroom, students will test out different techniques in a realistic manner.

Photography opened up my world as a high school student.

I was not an English Language Learner but I was a shy kid who was not sure how to make my voice heard. I was able to find my voice through photography and show my world. Now, I watch my students gain confidence and skills didn't know they had through photography exploring the world in their unique ways and original points of view. It is amazing really and inspiring. A way to feel a part of the world and an important part of it.

Ms. Dowding Flushing International High School Grades 9-12

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. Dowding

Flushing, NY View local requests

Nearly all 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

100 students impacted 15donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
PHOTO/COMMODITIES DIGITAL CAMERAS DIGITAL CAMERAS 9051018 • Best Buy $499.99 1 $499.99
PHOTO/COMMODITIES DIGITAL CAMERA ACCY CAMERA BATTERIES 8349049 • Best Buy $62.99 1 $62.99

Materials cost

$562.98

Vendor shipping charges

 $12.00

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$8.44

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$618.42

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$92.41

Total project goal

$710.83

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $710.83

13 Donors

-$705.15

Donations toward project cost

-$618.42

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$86.73

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$5.68

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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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. Dowding and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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