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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Padilla from Opa Locka, FL is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Padilla is requesting

We Need Characters Who Look Like Us!

My students need books with diverse characters who look more like them!

  • $380 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

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

Help Ms. Padilla

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

My Students

"The more that you read, the more that you know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go!" -Dr. Seuss

This year, I have the pleasure of teaching second graders at a low-income, inner-city school.

Our goal as a school is to create a college-bound culture starting at a young age. We work to provide our children with a rigorous, high-quality education from the first day of kindergarten all the way through their schooling experience. We have goals for the year that the students are excited about, but they have so many things stacked against them.

Outside of school, my students see and experience things that no child ever should. However, in spite of this, they come to school excited to learn and ready to try anything. They have big goals for the year, including getting on-level when it comes to math and reading. I want to create a classroom environment for them that is welcoming, engaging, and exciting. We have a lot of obstacles to overcome, but my students are ready to take on the challenge. We believe we can do it with the right resources.

My Project

Every year, I have the pleasure of teaching a diverse group of students from many different backgrounds. This year, there are several countries represented in my classroom, and my students speak a variety of languages.

Think about what books are most popular for students right now.

Harry Potter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants... These are great books that the students love, but they all have one thing in common. The protagonists are all white males. This is not representative of my classroom. I want to give my students characters who look like them. I want to include books with heroes who are male AND female, characters of color who come from a variety of places. I don't want my students to stop reading the books they already love, but instead, I want them to find other books to love as well.

These books will allow my students to see characters who are more like them as they read. They can see that there are female heroes. They can read about young black males and females in chapter books. They can read fairy tales with characters who look like them.

Ms. Padilla Beacon College Preparatory Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

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. Padilla

Opa Locka, FL View local requests

More than three‑quarters 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

80 students impacted 3donors

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

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Rapunzel • Amazon Business $13.99 1 $13.99
Poems for the Smart, Spunky, and Sensational Black Girl • Amazon Business $12.99 1 $12.99
She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World • Amazon Business $12.36 1 $12.36
Malala's Magic Pencil • Amazon Business $12.35 1 $12.35
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History • Amazon Business $11.68 1 $11.68
Oddity • Amazon Business $11.48 1 $11.48
I'm a Pretty Little Black Girl! (I'm a Girl! Collection) • Amazon Business $10.28 1 $10.28
The Gumazing Gum Girl!, Book 2 Gum Luck (A Gum Girl Novel) • Amazon Business $10.14 1 $10.14
Jupiter Storm • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
June Peters, You Will Change The World One Day • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Emi's Curly Coily, Cotton Candy Hair • Amazon Business $8.99 1 $8.99
The Princess and the Pea • Amazon Business $6.99 1 $6.99
The Twelve Dancing Princesses • Amazon Business $6.99 1 $6.99
Dancing in the Wings • Amazon Business $6.74 1 $6.74
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Episode 4: Attack of the Swamp Thing (Volume 4) • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Episode 2: The Ladek Invasion (Volume 2) • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Episode 1: The Quest for Screen Time (Volume 1) • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Jala and the Wolves • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Episode 5: Mission Star-Power (Volume 5) • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Absolutely Alfie and the Worst Best Sleepover • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Absolutely Alfie and the First Week Friends • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Absolutely Alfie and the Furry, Purry Secret • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
EllRay Jakes Is Magic • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Ellray Jakes Walks the Plank (EllRay Jakes, Book 3) • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
The Gumazing Gum Girl!, Book 1 Chews Your Destiny (A Gum Girl Novel) • Amazon Business $5.51 1 $5.51
Ellray Jakes the Dragon Slayer • Amazon Business $5.45 1 $5.45
Nikki and Deja: The Newsy News Newsletter: Nikki and Deja, Book Three • Amazon Business $5.39 1 $5.39
Nikki and Deja: Nikki and Deja, Book One • Amazon Business $5.15 1 $5.15
EllRay Jakes Is Not a Chicken • Amazon Business $5.09 1 $5.09
Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix-Up • Amazon Business $5.08 1 $5.08
Miami Jackson Makes the Play (A Stepping Stone Book) • Amazon Business $4.99 1 $4.99
Miami Gets It Straight (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)) • Amazon Business $4.53 1 $4.53
Nikki and Deja: Substitute Trouble (Nikki & Deja) • Amazon Business $4.47 1 $4.47
Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up • Amazon Business $4.34 1 $4.34
Keena Ford and the Field Trip Mix-Up • Amazon Business $4.34 1 $4.34
EllRay Jakes Is a Rock Star • Amazon Business $4.30 1 $4.30
EllRay Jakes Rocks the Holidays! • Amazon Business $4.11 1 $4.11
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Episode 3: Muffin Wars (Volume 3) • Amazon Business $4.06 1 $4.06
EllRay Jakes and the Beanstalk • Amazon Business $3.29 1 $3.29
EllRay Jakes Stands Tall • Amazon Business $3.29 1 $3.29
EllRay Jakes the Recess King! • Amazon Business $3.29 1 $3.29
Miami Jackson Sees It Through (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)) • Amazon Business $3.18 1 $3.18
Nikki and Deja: Election Madness (Nikki & Deja) • Amazon Business $3.13 1 $3.13

Materials cost

$287.85

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$4.32

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$322.17

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$56.85

Total project goal

$379.02

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $379.02

3 Donors

-$374.61

Donations toward project cost

-$322.17

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$52.44

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. Padilla and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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