You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

See this teacher's page

This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Utke from Maywood, CA is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Utke is requesting

The Power of Love and Friendship

Help me give my students their very own copies of Flora and Ulysses and El Deafo.

  • $328 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

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

Help Ms. Utke

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

My Students

My students attend an inner-city urban school in a densely populated city. It is one of the poorest neighborhoods in the district and all of my students live far below the poverty line.

In all other respects they are typical eight- year-olds - mischievous, hard-working, enthusiastic, kind, silly, hilarious and creative.

They are as wonderful as third graders are all over the world, but they also struggle to have things most of us take for granted - food, transportation, clothing, and books.

Many of them are learning English as a new language, and all of them are trying their best during this crazy, difficult year. When you talk with them it is hard to remember the many challenges they face, as they greet most days with a smile and great deal of motivation to learn.

My Project

For a year now my students have been digitally tethered to their Chromebooks and iPads. I am asking for a class set of Flora and Ulysses and El Deafo so that they can hold an actual book in their hands. We will be able to be build our class community as we read these stories together. We will use the books for read alouds, literature circles, class discussions, and independent reading.

Flora and Ulysses is wonderful story full of humor, suspense, and lessons about the power of love and friendship, while El Deafo is about learning that what we perceive as our greatest weakness often becomes our greatest strength.

We have had to make so many adjustments to learning during this past year. I would love them to have some real books in their hands and give them the chance to have time away from the digital screen. I want us to enjoy these books together and learn that although life is unpredictable and occasionally scary, happiness can often be found in the pages of a good book.

Ms. Utke Loma Vista Avenue Elementary School Grades 3-5

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. Utke

Maywood, CA 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

24 students impacted 4donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

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

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
El Deafo • Amazon Business $7.44 24 $178.56
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures • Amazon Business $7.69 6 $46.14

Materials cost

$224.70

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $20.56

3rd party payment processing fee

$3.37

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$278.63

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$49.17

Total project goal

$327.80

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $327.80

3 Donors

-$163.89

Donations toward project cost

-$139.31

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$24.58

match offer

-$163.91

Match offer toward project cost

-$139.32

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$24.59

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

View complete list Show less

Give the most requested basic supplies

See teacher requests

Give back to your community

Find opportunities to impact local needs by exploring a map of classroom projects near you.

See local area

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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. Utke and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"CA","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":2,"name":"Elementary School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/the-power-of-love-and-friendship/5493671/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":24,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Utke","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"-339479042","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"photosPublished":false,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"schoolCity":"Maywood","teachersOnPage":[573254],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":false,"proposalId":5493671,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"authorIds":{"573254":{"owner":"Ms. Utke","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[5493671],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp573254_272x272.jpg?width=136&height=136&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1493939818256","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":217406,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":[],"teacherId":573254,"schoolCounty":"Los Angeles","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"CA","name":"California"}}