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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Pirani-Mellstrom from Brooklyn, NY is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Pirani-Mellstrom is requesting

Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors

Help me give my students a new classroom library with diverse books that reflect their intersectional identities.

  • $998 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Pirani-Mellstrom for her next project!

Help Ms. Pirani-Mellstrom

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Pirani-Mellstrom 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

My students are all recent immigrants to the United States coming from over 30 different countries. Being English language learners, they build their academic English skills while continuing their academic studies. They balance multiple responsibilities including school work, sibling care, and working after school. In the midst of all of these tasks, many of my students are passionate about making their new society equitable and just for all who are here. In pursuit of learning for justice they read, debate, and collaborate to create projects that benefit both their peers and community outside of school. I am constantly inspired by them and impressed with their drive to overcome obstacles.

My Project

In the past 18 years of teaching at our public school, I have realized how much students benefit from independent and group reading at their own English level and from seeing characters that lead lives similar to theirs. Recently, I shared Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop's quote with them, "Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror" (Bishop, 1990, p. ix). Collectively they interpreted this quote and felt books reflecting a broader representation of diverse characters and backgrounds would both affirm their thoughts and experiences, as well as provide opportunities for them to see others' experiences. Their passion in discussing this quote has started me on my quest to rebuild our classroom library with books that reflect their racial, gender, social, economic, and religiously diverse identities.

My students will read, journal and participate in Socratic style discussions about the books.

These book discussions are the birthplaces for social justice projects at our school and serve as seeds for community change.

Ms. Pirani-Mellstrom Brooklyn International High School Grades 9-12

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Ms. Pirani-Mellstrom

Brooklyn, NY 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

100 students impacted 7donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Pirani-Mellstrom is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
The Hate U Give • MahoganyBooks $17.09 10 $170.90
Concrete Rose • MahoganyBooks $17.99 2 $35.98
Blackout • MahoganyBooks $17.99 2 $35.98
Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers • MahoganyBooks $17.09 2 $34.18
Enrique's Journey • AKJ Education $13.14 2 $26.28
A Thousand Splendid Suns • AKJ Education $12.41 2 $24.82
The Kite Runner (10th Anniversary) • AKJ Education $11.90 2 $23.80
New Kid • MahoganyBooks $11.69 2 $23.38
Class Act • MahoganyBooks $11.69 2 $23.38
This Book Is Anti-Racist • AKJ Education $10.94 2 $21.88
Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America (PB) • MahoganyBooks $9.89 2 $19.78
Odd One Out • MahoganyBooks $9.89 2 $19.78
Wonder • AKJ Education $9.73 2 $19.46
All American Boys • AKJ Education $9.48 2 $18.96
El Deafo • AKJ Education $9.48 2 $18.96
Pet • MahoganyBooks $8.99 2 $17.98
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon • AKJ Education $8.75 2 $17.50
When I Was Puerto Rican • AKJ Education $16.19 1 $16.19
One Crazy Summer • MahoganyBooks $7.19 2 $14.38
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People • AKJ Education $13.83 1 $13.83
Under My Hijab • AKJ Education $13.83 1 $13.83
Before the Ever After • AKJ Education $13.13 1 $13.13
A Place to Belong • AKJ Education $13.13 1 $13.13
Harbor Me • AKJ Education $13.13 1 $13.13
The Red Pencil • AKJ Education $6.56 2 $13.12
Romiette And Julio • AKJ Education $6.56 2 $13.12
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind • AKJ Education $6.56 2 $13.12
The Hill We Climb • AKJ Education $11.67 1 $11.67
Amina's Voice • AKJ Education $5.83 2 $11.66
Black Indians • AKJ Education $10.21 1 $10.21
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson • AKJ Education $5.10 2 $10.20
Brown Girl Dreaming • MahoganyBooks $9.89 1 $9.89
Some Assembly Required The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen • AKJ Education $9.48 1 $9.48
Piecing Me Together • AKJ Education $8.02 1 $8.02
The Truths We Hold • AKJ Education $8.02 1 $8.02
The Dreamer • AKJ Education $6.56 1 $6.56
Dancing Home • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay • AKJ Education $5.83 1 $5.83
Under the Ramadan Moon • AKJ Education $5.10 1 $5.10

Materials cost

$792.45

Vendor shipping charges

 $13.61

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$11.89

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$847.95

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$149.64

Total project goal

$997.59

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $997.59

5 Donors

-$496.59

Donations toward project cost

-$425.85

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$70.74

Matching donations from our partners

-$496.59

Match offers toward project cost

-$422.10

Match offers to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$74.49

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$4.41

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. Pirani-Mellstrom and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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