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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Baldwin from San Jose, CA is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Baldwin is requesting

Don't Just Dream, Actualize!

My students need 70 copies of the book, "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho.

  • $1,161 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

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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.

"I sleep in the bed with my sister and my other sister sleeps with her husband in the living room. I use the light of a cell phone to do my homework." "My house got foreclosed, and my grandma moved in with my aunt. I have been staying at friends houses for months." "I cook for all my younger brothers and sisters, help them with their homework, and put them to bed. Then I can start my own work." "I want to go to college." "I want to go to college." "I want to go to college." Welcome to my classroom. I teach AVID 2 at one of the poorest high schools the city. AVID is a program for average students who will be the first in their families to learn the skills and the system of preparing for college. All of the students struggle, and all of them still have a vivid college dream.

Many of my students cannot afford supplies like binders or backpacks. They are all living in a neighborhood where examples of living out your dreams in the face of immediate realities like gang violence, drug use, and very little money are few and far between. Needless to say, when I said, "Raise your hand if you think you can afford the amount for the book, 'The Alchemist,'" not many hands went up. Many of the hands that did go up were hands of students that I knew had already borrowed money for things like dividers. Yet, here they were, trying to find the resources for their dreams. Getting to college is an emotional as well as a tactical mission. There is not one student who hasn't expressed to me a fear of leaving their family, letting their siblings down, or simply that perhaps college is not "meant for" them. Some are also concerned that they are "not smart enough" or that they might live a life of never achieving their ultimate goal. They, after all, will be the first that they know, and being the first is no easy feat. However, in order to do this they need to investigate their personal power to actualize their dreams.

The book, "The Alchemist," by Paulo Coelho is a book about achieving your "Personal Legend," or your personal destiny. It is about finding your legend, second-guessing yourself, falling off the path, and getting back on. Every few pages are filled with moments for students to contemplate what their personal legends are, who and what gets in the way of completing them, and how to still have faith in themselves in the face of the scary, the difficult, and the unknown. The book will be a basis for a journal that will lead to a "Personal Legend Portfolio" and writing assignment. The journal, of course is the most important piece. It is the place where students will analyze not only what they need to keep going, but who they are and how they can grow. However, without the books, there will be no journals. We need 75 copies of the book for each of these college-dreamers to highlight, underline, take notes in, and take home to read.

Your help will empower my students with an example of following their "Personal Legends." More than that, your contribution will allow them to explore their own lives without judgment, to commit to their dreams, and to believe that they will achieve them. Please help them along their path of self-determination. Allow them to believe that they can choose their futures.

Ms. Baldwin William C. Overfelt High School Grades 9-12

More about Ms. Baldwin

San Jose, CA View local requests

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

70 students impacted 17donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Alchemist Paulo Coelho, Alan R. Clarke, Alan R. Clarke (Translator) • Barnes and Noble $11.16 70 $781.20

Materials cost

$781.20

Vendor shipping charges

 $78.12

Sales tax

 $56.64

3rd party payment processing fee

$19.53

Fulfillment labor & materials

$17.00

Total project cost

$952.00

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$208.98

Total project goal

$1,160.98

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,160.98

10 Donors

-$560.00

Donations toward project cost

-$476.00

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$84.00

match offer

-$560.00

Match offer toward project cost

-$459.20

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$100.80

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$20.49

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. Baldwin and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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