According to the National Literacy Trust, one-third of young people in the U.S. aged 9 to 18 say they don't see themselves in the books they read and wish more works featured characters like them. This is especially true for my 8th-grade English students.
I'm asking for your support to help revitalize our classroom library with books that celebrate diversity and echo my students' bilingual and multifaceted lives.
Nestled in a community of contrasts, these young, vibrant minds face economic challenges that often leave them feeling unseen and unheard. My mission? To transform our classroom library into a beacon of hope and inspiration, where every book is a mirror reflecting their own experiences.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a beautiful and thought-provoking story about a young Mexican-American girl inspired by the author's own experiences growing up in a working-class Latin-American neighborhood in Chicago.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez is a coming-of-age novel that explores themes of cultural identity, family, and the search for self through the lens of a first-generation American daughter of Mexican immigrants.
Books like these will not just fill the classroom shelves; they will fill my students' lives with cultural insight and personal triumph, offering a window into lives like theirs that are brimming with dreams, challenges, and the search for identity.
Any additional funds that exceed my goal will directly support essential classroom supplies, which I often fund out of pocket.
Join me in achieving this goal and investing in a future where every student can see themselves in the stories surrounding them and feel empowered to achieve their dreams. Your support is the key to unlocking their potential and fostering a community of resilient, lifelong learners.
More than a third 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
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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 Mrs. Lawson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
