Congratulations to the Teachers who Earned Supplies for your classroom and your school.
Tina Blalock
Lula Elementary School
Lula, GA
As a kindergarten teacher, I try to provide my students with hands-on learning that will engage their
minds and make learning more enjoyable. Over the years, I have stocked my classroom with an abundance
of manipulatives that have been purchased from my own pocket. Am I complaining? No. I love my job and
I want my students to have the best educational experience that they can possibly have in my classroom!
Unfortunately, it is a lot easier for me financially to purchase the small items that I need for my
lessons and not so easy to purchase the larger items that I would love to see in my classroom.
If I could afford to purchase these larger materials, I would love to make my kindergarten classroom
more technology savvy by providing my students with materials such as a video camera, headphones, a
DVD player, a small television, and other supportive materials that are needed. Just imagine being
able to record a student on a DVD reading their very first book or that precious first story from writer’s
workshop during their kindergarten year. These are special memories that could not only be provided to the
parents at the end of the school year, but would be placed within the reading center for all other students
to enjoy! In the past, I have recorded students reading books or the stories that they write using a tape
recorder and placed these in the listening center. That should be the kindergarten of the past and the present
should contain a classroom library of stories read by students on DVD. I would incorporate the above
named materials into my reading center by creating a class library of DVD stories read by the students and
replacing the tape recorder with the small television, DVD player, and headphones. Students would have access
to these materials and be taught how to utilize them in order to not only listen and follow along to stories
being read, but watch their fellow classmates performing this magnificent task! At the end of the school year,
I would provide each parent with their child’s story collection. As a parent, I would have loved to have seen
my two boys read their very first story to their classmates, but unfortunately I was not granted that opportunity
as a mom. However with this wonderful opportunity presented by Wal-Mart, this dream could become reality for
every parent who allows me the honor of being the very first person to inspire their child educationally!
Thank you Wal-Mart for providing me with the opportunity to dream big for my students and share this vision
with you. I will keep my fingers crossed that this dream will become the reality for my students, but if not…I
know that other lucky students are being provided with a special opportunity by you and this is all that really
matters—providing for the children of tomorrow!
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Jessica White
Searcy McRae Elementary
Searcy, AR
Every day that I step into my second grade classroom, I am greeted by the bright smiles, enthusiastic spirits, and curious minds of my students.
I consider myself blessed to have such an important responsibility-I am a teacher. One life at a time, I am challenged to provide hope,
knowledge, and love to students who might not otherwise receive it. As I begin my third year of teaching, my goal is to immerse students
in interactive and engaging science and social studies activities this year. Unfortunately, I lack the physical resources to properly
teach and get my students excited about these two areas, outside of worksheets and textbooks. From a science standpoint, I want to provide
enriching experiences involving the environment, life cycles, all about animals, weather, the properties of matter, and conduct mind-blowing
science experiments with my students. With this knowledge, my students can better our world in the future by becoming aware of their own
ecological footprint and the fact that they can make a difference. In the area of social studies, my students need authentic experiences
regarding the governmental system, the responsibilities of being a good citizen, democracy, geography, and equality among humans. In order
to mold my students into responsible citizens, they must first understand social studies.
My personal teaching philosophy is that each
child is important and deserves the right to a quality education, regardless of gender, race, economic standing, or language. I have found
that it is particularly difficult to engage some students in math and literacy but they LOVE science and social studies. I want to reach
these kids! If I can make learning fun, they will become motivated to learn. Hands-on exploration and experiences help create active learners.
If I were to become a finalist, I would use the generous funds to provide active science centers in my classroom. They would include physical
materials surrounding scientific topics, related picture books, and all of the materials needed to conduct science experiments, such as student
microscopes, safety gear, and other supplies. In the area of social studies, I want to provide authentic experiences and reenactments of times
that Americans have gone through. This includes conducting pioneer days, mock elections, and researching the life and times of people in different
areas of the world. I want to bring in guest speakers and take the students on field trips such as museums and parks that are history-based. The
key to this is that it would be free to my students. Some of my students have never been outside of the central Arkansas area and they have no
connection to what is going on around our country and world. Second graders are entitled to learn about this wonderful nation and the landmarks
we call home. My goal is simple: I want to engage my students in the often forgotten areas of science and social studies. With the valuable hands-on
resources, I can change the way my students see their world and their responsibility in it. Thanks!!
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Cheryl Simon
Ethel Young Elementary
Houston, TX
My name is Cheryl Simon, a Kindergarten teacher at Young Elementary School for 14 years. I travel 80
miles a day with great anticipation of the day’s planned activities. Ethel Moseley Young, located in
the heart of a historic part of Houston, Texas, is the original black school for a community known as
Sunnyside. This community has taken many turns in the last fifty years, going from a proud community
with little frame houses and manicured lawns to an inner city community known for its crime, drugs,
and urban squalor. In the heart of this community sits Young Elementary, a part of the Houston
Independent School District. The school's enrollment last year was about 400 students, of which
97% were eligible for free or reduced lunch. Those teachers who choose this place of labor are full
of hope and belief in the students who sprout from this community. Our school has family characteristics.
Faculty members embrace the challenges of educating students who come to us with smiling faces and
sparkling hopes of accomplishing the American Dream. With limited parent involvement and very little
support beyond the doors of the school, some of my students have never been beyond the neighborhood’s
perimeter. Many begin their academic journey without the basics of a stable nurturing home environment.
They may not come to kindergarten knowing their alphabet or being able to count to ten. They may come
with the nagging doubts of whether there will be food for dinner or if they will have shoes that fit.
Theirs is not the typical little five-year-old experience of Sesame Street, Dora, and Blues Clues.
They don’t always come knowing their home address because it changes too often. Sometimes mother
should still be in public school herself.
Yet, they are our future. They are the doctors, lawyers,
nurses, bus drivers, and workers of tomorrow. If they fail, they become the sound bits of the six
o’clock news, the underemployed who must rely on public assistance to survive, or the ones who find
other less desirable ways of achieving their American Dream. My dream is to close that gap, using
every means and teaching technique available to give each child an even start. If I had a magic wand,
I would equip my room with a SmartBoard to bring virtual tours to students sitting on the floor crowded
around one computer screen. I would have a bank of computers in my room where those eager minds would
have access to the adventures of technology and the world beyond the only one they know. With a wave
of that wand, I would line one wall with V-Techs to help students practice reading skills at their own
pace. If Wal-Mart would place that wand in my hand, my smiling kindergarten faces would have the
technology to expand their grasp and breach the gap between their today and their American Dream of
tomorrow. And yes, my students and I would be truly grateful.
Sincerely, C. Gail Simon
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Cara Gebhard
Highlands Intermediate
Pearl City, HI
What does it take to bring about "CHANGE" into the classrooms? Hope... Energy... Enthusiasm...
Courage... Intelligence... Desire... Passion... Dedication... Compassion... Determination...
Love!!! As the team counselor, I represent a group of teachers who embody the meaning of these
words. Together, we are determined to educate our "average" students and help them to realize
their dreams of getting a college education. Our middle-school team is made up of an English, a
math, a science and a social studies teacher. It is supported by a counselor and a special needs
teacher. Our team would like to encourage our middle-school students to plan for their future and
get them to "believe" that college is a possibility. In most middle-schools, career and post-secondary
education is not a priority or part of the norm. However, our team will foster a "new" culture amongst
our students that makes obtaining a college education a real possibility and making it "hip" to
pursue their academic goals. As a team, we will make a concerted effort to explore a variety of
careers and colleges via college/career resources, guest speakers, internet research and field
trips. We will provide students with an opportunity to create a career and college portfolio, which
they can continue to develop at the high-school level. We will begin the process of infusing a
college-going culture into our classrooms (e.g. college banners, college/career resources). We will
demystify the intimidating college experience by teaching students solid strategies needed to be
successful in college (e.g. note-taking, study skills, team building/collaboration skills,
reading/writing strategies, communication/inquiry skills, etc.,). We want to make learning meaningful!
Our team is scheduled to work with students who have the "potential" to go to college, but who
need a lot of support (e.g. socio-economic, tutorial, guidance/extra listening ear and love). The
team adults will provide a strong support network for our students, as well as to educate them on
the tools and strategies that will enable them to be competitive at the high-school and college
levels. Our students will require basic resources and technology to conduct themselves as
college-bound students. They will need back-packs, multiple tablets for note-taking, calculators,
and supply pouches with pens, pencils, and highlighters. They will need access to multiple
classroom laptops with WiFi connectivity to conduct responsible career/college research and
flash-drives to store their information. Many of our students may not have all the necessary
resources (e.g. basic supplies, computer/internet access) that are needed to make this program
successful. These resources will go a long way in exciting our students about our program and
making college not just a dream, but a possiblity Although it is our first year together, we have
the knowledge and determination to make this program happen for our students. It is also our
greatest hope that our efforts will be contagious and that our "new" college-going culture will
infect the entire school community. How cool would it be if all middle-school kids knew that
college wasn't just a dream, but a possibility???
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Jan Creasey
Alta Loma Junior High
Alta Loma, CA
Junior High students have hearts the size of the moon. Junior high students are energetic,
giving, enthusiastic, warm, and generous. They want to be involved with their friends, to
gather and share and create. They live to give. Currently, there are no resources on the Alta
Loma Junior High campus where students can gather to learn to sew, a very useful, practical,
but seemingly forgotten skill. How could Wal-Mart help to change this? Wal-Mart’s “Write to
Improve the Classroom” school supply funds would be used to start a School Sewing Center.
Sewing machines, cutting boards and scissors, and irons and ironing boards would be purchased.
Parents and community businesses would donate the fabric. Students would give of their creativity
and time! Alta Loma Junior High, with Wal-Mart’s help to fund the Sewing Center, could provide
an opportunity for students to learn to sew and learn the importance of reaching out to others.
Many organizations dedicated to helping children in need could benefit from the students’ handiwork.
For example, Project Linus provides blankets to seriously ill children who are hospitalized.
The Craft Hope Project, whose motto is "Seeds of Hope, one stitch at a time", serves the Casa
Bernabe Orphanage in Nicaragua, which accepts quilts, blankets, dolls, clean handkerchiefs,
and pillowcases for their children. Alta Loma students will have the chance to research these
and other organizations, deciding which would best benefit from their gifts of love.
How will the money be spent? 15 Sewing machines ($150 ea): $ 2250, 15 Rotary cutters and mats
($60 ea): $900, 15 Pair Sewing Scissors ($20 ea): $300, 5 Irons and Ironing Boards ($40 ea):
$200. $3650 Sewing machines. Scissors. Ironing boards. These might not be among the first things
you think of when "school supplies" are mentioned; however, they could be! The life skills that
students learn by planning and completing a sewing project are just that-- life-long-skills. Our
schools could provide opportunities that develop life-long-skills, and Wal-Mart's support for a
Sewing Center at Alta Loma Junior High would do this. Thank you so much for your time and
consideration.
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Bridget Rodriguez
Flowery Branch High School
Flowery Branch, GA
Piqued interest. Curiosity. Active involvement. Relevance. A student’s desire to engage.
Anticipation of what is to come. These are all things technology holds for our students. These
are also all things that encourage learning: life-long learning. We are no longer in the 20th
Century. The days of sitting, listening, and all day note taking are gone. Active engagement is
what we, as 21st Century teachers, need to spark students’ interests in the classroom. We need
to feed the students’ desire for connection to the world outside of the classroom with technology
in the classroom (other than their cell phones that they get into trouble with for using them
during the school day). Interactive white boards and individual hand-held, electronic writing
pads are capable of that monumental feat. The changes that I would like to see in my classroom,
with Wal-Mart’s help, are the addition of an interactive white board and a hand-held interactive
writing tablet at each student’s desk.
My (2007-2008) research into this exact idea for my Master of Education, Secondary English
Language Arts degree completely backed up my longing to provide these for my students.
Unfortunately, school and personal budget restraints have prevented me from bringing my
research results to fruition. An interactive white board lets the students manipulate the
computer with their fingers, on a "projection screen", for the whole room to see. I would
use the interactive white board technology to assist students in understanding a writer's
mind set by doing time-line, class research "on the spot" for all to see. So, one student at
the interactive white board could look up "London in the 1500s", and all of the students in
the room would receive the benefit of the research. I feel this tool could also be an
"idea generator". One idea almost always leads to another. The interactive white board could
also be used for researching items or concepts unfamiliar to the class. I have found, through
reading novels with my classes, students do not always understand concepts that some consider
a part of their everyday life. The interactive white board, combined with the power and usefulness
of the internet, will have my students vying to be the one using the interactive white board each
day, or, in other words, actively learning each day. On a different level, I could use the
interactive writing tablets for students to be held accountable individually, but while still
enjoying the technology for which they yearn. Questions posed to a class sometimes have multiple
correct answers. If their answers were recorded electronically, all possible aspects could be
discussed, and off-track answers could be tweaked to correct, on-track answers. Students could
guide each other to the correct path with this tool. Please consider allowing my students to
benefit from Wal-Mart's well-known, generous philanthropy. If my students are lucky enough to
receive this grant of mind-opening technology, Wal-Mart will leave yet another indelible mark
of the love of learning, not only for this school year, but for years to come.
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Sharon McIlwain
I. B. Tigrett Middle School
Jackson, TN
About my school: we are 50+ years old, we have no air conditioning in the gym and some
bathrooms, while 88% of our students are on free or reduced lunch. Your grant offer appealed
to me specifically in regards to a program we began last year. If you are not familiar with
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) please allow me to tell you a little about
it. It is designed to help under-achieving students, (often the first family member to attend
college, traditionally underserved in college) view college as a real possibility for them. We
ask interested students to commit to an AVID elective course (study skills, organizational
skills, writing, inquiry, collaboration, and reading are highly stressed) foregoing art or
music, and we additionally enroll them in rigorous or advanced courses. We believe that given
the extra attention they need, they WILL succeed. They commit to two hours of study each night,
attending a 4-year college or university, maintaining an AVID binder, keeping a calendar, and
taking Cornell notes, just to name a few. When we began this program, we were told we would
have a budget for AVID to hire college tutors two days a week and also to use for the needs of
these students. We want to expose them to college life through field trips and guest speakers.
Budget cuts rendered us $0.00. We held a small fund-raiser and took a trip to a college, went
on an overnight retreat to the Tennessee River, provided a framed certificate and thank you
cards for each guest speaker, and sent 225 Christmas cards to our military. No funds remain!
I do not want to ask our students to get excited about something and then WE drop the ball
on them! What could we do with $4,000.00? Make a life-changing difference that is for sure!!!
First, I would want to get your normal school supplies for students in two AVID classes.
(binders, pencil pouches, highlighters, sticky notes, white-out and various other supplies)
Perhaps we would be able to pay for some college tutors. Maybe, we could expose our students
to more colleges through field trips, college banners and t-shirts. I would also hope for
some small token, with our school name on it, to go to our guest speakers as a special
thank-you for their time and investment in our students. It is often difficult for 7th and
8th graders to see what awaits them five or six years down the road. As we left Union
University this past year, one of my AVID students hugged me and said. "Thank you for the
life-changing experience!" That is what it was to them! In this time of financial drowning
in our society, will you be their life-preserver? Can you help out in this area that seems
so small, but can make such a BIG difference in their lives? Thank you for all you do to
support education!
Sincerely,
Sharon McIlwain
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Dawn Cottman
Samuel P. Massie ES
Forestville, MD
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! With looming school budget cuts, large classroom sizes, and a variety of
learning styles, every classroom presents its fair share of challenges. Having taught in
Prince Georges and the District of Columbia Public School Systems, I am aware of the unique
community of learners that varies in not only abilities, but also in learning styles. My
role as a teacher is to give the tools with which to cultivate their own gardens of knowledge.
I currently teach Kindergarten in the Prince Georges County Public School System, which is a
mere fifteen minute bus ride to the White House, but what feels like a world away. Our school
system has undergone tremendous consolidation efforts, causing us to lose teachers, shift
school boundary lines, and experience monetary cuts within our schools. The scholars that
my school serves lack some of the basic supplies that they need to be successful. Over the
last three years, I have purchased countless uniforms, backpacks, pencils, and crayons to
say the least. I have supplied lunch money, fieldtrip money, and rides to and from school.
I have not done this alone. My colleagues also see the need in their classrooms and have
done the same for their scholars. My Kindergarteners should be afforded the same abundance
of supplies that wealthier school systems have. I want them to have an abundance of paint to
spark their creativity; pencils, crayons, scissors, and glue to complete daily assignments,
and clean uniforms to boost their self-worth. I want my scholars to walk into our school,
their safe haven, and know that they can leave their outside worries behind. I want my 5 and
6-year old scholars to have six hours of peace, love, and fulfillment, while learning the
basic skills they will need in order to have successful educational careers.
I yearn for the day that I can put unlimited supplies in a basket, without the worries of
them running out. I want all of these things because in a little over a decade the same kids
that I want the best for now will be college students, members of the workforce, mothers,
fathers, and neighbors in a world that they must learn to thrive in. I want them to know
that regardless of what they have gone through and will go through, someone took the time
to think about them when they couldn’t fight for themselves. My ultimate hope is that this
will give them the drive to fight for someone else. With the world becoming such a diverse
place, I want my students to be able to communicate with others and understand that different
does not mean better or worse than. I want my students to be able to develop their whole
being-mentally, physically, and emotionally. I want all of these things, not only because
the alternative is too costly, but also because they deserve no less.
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Cindy Lee
C.C. Snell Middle School
Bayard, NM
C.C. Snell Middle School is located in Bayard, NM. It is situated in the midst of a copper mining
industry that has had many shut downs and layoffs the past few years. The declining copper market
has caused a drop in enrollment and cuts in funding. The administration has tried hard not to
reduce staff or student programs but has had to make some cuts because the money simply isn’t
there. The student population is predominately Hispanic with a some Anglo and Native American
students. One hundred percent of the students receive free breakfast and lunch. The school was
placed on a list of the schools in New Mexico that were in most need of building repairs. With
state funding and bond elections, the school was remodeled and the building itself is beautiful
and has lifted the spirits of the students and staff. However, there were some difficulties that
arose from the remodeling. These are especially evident in the Science Lab. The plumbing and
floor were redone in the lab and the walls were painted and that was the extent of the improvements.
Before the remodeling, the school had limited equipment and supplies to use for science experiments
and investigations. There were only seven or eight very old and mismatched lab stools.
The teachers make do with what was there and conducted good science activities with supplies
brought from home. There were hopes that the remodeling would include stools and equipment. This
was not the case and in fact during the construction, all of the old mismatched stools disappeared
along with any other equipment as poor as it may have been. Anything that was put in storage was
taken leaving the school with nothing for the science lab. Now the school has a repainted science
lab with adequate plumbing and electricity but absolutely nothing else except for microscopes
which survived because they were not stored during the construction. There are no lab stools,
no test tubes, beakers or anything else with which to conduct experiments. The money that each
teacher gets for supplies annually is $300.00. This is the same for every teacher regardless of
the content area. This year, the teachers were told to turn in the supply orders but there may
not be enough money in the budget to order them. The very nature of a good science curriculum
requires more resources so the teacher has to come up with other ways to get the things that
are needed for student learning. Science education is critical to student learning and the
future of our country. Having an environment in the classroom that is conducive to inspiring
students to want to learn science is essential. Having a lab that has equipment, supplies and
lab stools will help tremendously as teachers try to provide the best instruction possible.
Please consider this situation as one that could be helped by the funding available from Wal-Mart.
The community, the students and the staff will be most grateful for any assistance.
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Meghan Blackburn
George I Pair Elementary
West Columbia, SC
I used to hate school and was frustrated I didn't even see the point in coming. I had so much
trouble just staying seated in those hard uncomfortable chairs, and then I had to pay attention
for hours to stuff I did not even understand. But that has all changed now. I have a new teacher,
Mrs. Blackburn that comes in and helps me with my work. She also has all kinds of cool things
in her room for us to work with. The best is a Nintendo Wii! She has a small group in the morning
that gets to come in and play before school. She says it is to help us get some extra energy out
and focus us for the day. I think it is just FUN! In her classroom she also has this great
interactive white board called a SMART board. Anytime I touch a word I do not know it can read
it to me and if I still do not understand the word it can show me a picture. We also get to
play cool games on it to help us with our reading and math. She also video records us reading
once a week with a Flip Ultra. At first I really did not like this, but now we have been doing
it a few months it is really cool to see how well I am reading now. Another favorite spot in
her classroom is where she has these big pillows and we can earn time to go and relax and listen
to her collection of audio books. I like the audio books because I can listen to all the same
books my friends are reading even though I can't read them myself, yet. Mrs. Blackburn also helps
me in my other classes. She has gotten me this cool chair that is a rubber ball and it lets me
move a little more, plus I have not been called down for wiggling to much since I got it. I
also borrow a visual timer that helps me stay on task in other classrooms. I am amazed at how
these new things have turned me into the kid who like school!
Above is what I would imagine some of my students at George I Pair writing by winter break.
I am the resource teacher at George I Pair Elementary and I work with students with mild to
moderate disabilities including learning disabilities, ADHD, autism and behavioral disorders.
George I Pair is also a Title One school with a 92% free and reduce lunch rate, meaning our
school's population is considered high poverty. This includes the majority of the students I
service. Having more materials like the ones mentioned above would not only increase the
hands on learning in the resource room, but would allow my students access to technologies
they do not normally have available to them outside of school.
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Amy Metcalf
Cactus Shadows High School
Cave Creek, AZ
I teach Dual-Enrollment English, in an exciting program that allows motivated students to
save hundreds of dollars by earning college credit at the SAME TIME as they earn High School
credit. My students, for example, will earn 6 hours of COLLEGE credit for taking ENH 242-242
(Survey of American Lit) their junior year, instead of regular English 11. Students who did
not necessarily see college in their future change their minds when they find they've already
earned college credit. They discover they can do college work, meet the challenge, do it well,
and suddenly, new horizons are at their fingertips! But there's a catch. It isn't a watered
down program. It's real college material, taught by highly-qualified and talented teachers,
teachers with proven track records of success and with Master's degrees in their subject,
but ones who know how to teach to high school minds. Therefore, the program demands the use
of a quality college text. Budget crunches have kept us from buying new English texts since
1997 (usual replacement is 7 years), and what we have are high school level. There are
simply NO FUNDS foreseeable to buy the requisite college texts. After our 1 year exemption,
I cannot continue to use what we have, and this wonderful opportunity dies, strictly from a
lack of suitable texts. Remember the adage "For the want of a nail..."
People often help little kids. They're less likely to help high school students. And all
too often, the gifted and hard working are slighted the most, because those in charge
say "they'll learn anyway." Yes, they'll learn something- you can't stop their wonderful,
inquiring minds. But no, they won't stretch themselves, challenge themselves, realize
their capabilities. Yet these are tomorrow's movers and shakers, IF given a chance to get
ahead with this remarkable opportunity. Please- I just need the texts. I'll take it from
there. I'm REALLY good at what I do. My kids WILL succeed. And we, all of us, will be the
winners when America's future is well educated. So- I don't need markers. I don't need
desks. I don't need laptops, though I'd sell my soul to have them for my kids. What I need
is TEXTBOOKS. College level text books. Full of the great literature of America, the
primary source material, the stuff that has inspired great minds to think great thoughts
about the issues that never grow old- such as how a nation, how a society, how an
individual- strives for greatness. Essays and works that examine how a healthy society
provides for its most vulnerable. How a nation tests its beliefs. And, most important,
the cultural literacy that is critical for our citizenry to share if we as Americans are
to continue to prosper. Thank you for your consideration.
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Linda Winfree
Baconton Community Charter School
Baconton, GA
My classroom door opens, and Ashley pokes her head inside. A sweet, slightly sheepish smile
lights her face. "Ms. Winfree, I need a really good book." I laugh and point toward the
bookshelves lining one wall. "You know where to look." "But I need you to help me find one!"
I join Ashley at the shelves, hoping to find a really good book she hasn't read yet. The
shelves are crammed with books - some donated, some purchased by me, some inherited from
other teachers. Many of the paperbacks, the high-interest ones, are tattered and taped
back together. Others, like the dusty hardback copy of Aristotle's Poetics, sit untouched.
Think about it: if you're sixteen, what would you rather read? Walter Dean Myers's novel
about a teenager on trial for murder or a tome on dramatic theory by a long-dead scholar?
Luckily, on this day, I could help Ashley choose a great book to read, but as she skipped
on to her next class, I cringed a little inside. Honestly, I was running out of "really
good books" for her to read. Considering that I teach approximately one hundred students
daily and one of my major goals as an educator is to create lifelong readers, I know my
classroom library is sadly lacking. At Baconton Community Charter School, thrift and
excellence go hand-in-hand.
Our funding per student is lower than that of traditional public schools; however, we
provide a challenging, effective educational experience. As a teacher, I can work around
outdated technology or limited amounts of copy paper. Where do I feel the financial pinch
the most? Providing my students with high-quality, high-interest reading material for their
independent reading choices. Four thousand dollars equals hundreds of books. Novels about
vampires, sports, soldiers, and everyday teenagers. Non-fiction volumes on nature, science,
math and issues impacting my students' lives. The key to creating lifelong interest in
reading is exposing students to books they want to read, books that lead them to the next
book and the next one. Books that open up the world beyond the rural, economically depressed
county where these students live. With education budgets suffering massive cuts, money will
be severely limited. Unfortunately, that translates into books for independent reading
being classified as a "luxury" rather than a necessity. Being able to renew and expand
my aging classroom library would go far beyond the four walls of my classroom. Ashley,
like many students who came to my class looking for that "next great read," wasn't even
enrolled in my class. All of them are avid readers who have long since pillaged our school's
small media center collection. Hundreds of new books would enrich our school in ways I can
only dream of and ensure there's not a day when I have to turn Ashley or any other student
away with no "really good book" in hand.
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Kristi Summit
Southwestern Middle and High School
Hanover, IN
“Mrs. Summit, I could not get any school supplies this year because mom had to use all the money we had to get the power turned back on...,” "Mrs. Summit, we got thrown out of our house two nights ago and all my stuff was left there...," "Mrs. Summit, I could not get the poster done for the project because we have no water at home and mom does not have any money for the markers and stuff..." These may seem like farfetched excuses, but for me, these are very real. I am a teacher in a low-income school system. These are not excuses; these are the everyday lives of my students. School supplies are not high on the list of needs for my students. Every day items such as food, utilities, and housing are the most important for day to day survival. Basic school supplies are a luxury many of my students cannot afford. I am a teacher for students with learning disabilities and emotional concerns. My students enter my room at a disadvantage to start. They have come to middle school behind their peers and without much parental support. Many feel ashamed of where they live and how they dress. For most, my classroom is the only place they can find success or even a friendly face. I try to make their time at school happy and stress free. I am not only concerned about how they do in my room, I try to help them be successful in all classes. Our school system is like the thousands of people and business who are struggling to make it in today's economy. We have limited funds and even less supplies. Basic paper, pencils, markers, poster board, and pens are hard to come by. Tape and glue are items that must be shared or purchased by the teacher. I personally spend hundreds of dollars a year trying to help my students be successful. I know some may want computers and such, but for me, my students need the basics. A house cannot be built without a foundation, the basic support of the home, school supplies are the foundation for a successful student.
If awarded the money, I will use it not only for my classroom, but to help my students in all of their classes. Every student will be given the chance to have the basic supplies which gives them the support and the knowledge they can be successful. My school can use the money to help not only the special education students, but all students. In today's economy, everyone must be willing to help out. The old saying goes, "It takes a village to raise a child" I agree. This money will give our village a foundation to help build successful students, who are truly the future. Please help me build strong minds who in turn will build a strong tomorrow. Words alone cannot express what your support will mean.
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Rebecca Remsburg
Walkersville Middle School
Walkersville, MD
W.B. Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire,” which articulates my philosophy of education. As a teacher, I want to light the fire of my students so that they willingly seek to learn about the world around them. How can this be done? Unlike the ease of igniting fire with kerosene, the development of an inner fire for learning requires choice, contemporary literature, and personal meaning, which is especially true of the middle school child. At Walkersville Middle School, this is a challenge because there are no funds available to supply classrooms with contemporary materials, fiction or non-fiction. Our books are decades outdated and are falling apart. Without a rich, multi-cultural experience through reading, how will my students succeed? How can I kindle the flames of learning without literature to which they can relate? “In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future.” (-Eric Hoffer) With Walmart’s help, our school would be able to better prepare our students to kindle the flames that lead to life-long learning and cultural competency.
By supplying our school with classroom sets of multi-cultural novels and non-fiction literature, our students would be able to find more personal meaning in the texts, which makes reading a more relevant and pleasant experience. Access to multiple multi-cultural texts allows students to build cultural competency and make connections to characters as role models. The class sets would also allow for choice and tiered lessons to individualize instruction to the students needs, strengths, and preferences which will not only increase the students current skill set, but build a love of literacy and increase the likelihood of the student becoming a life-long learner. The notebooks are needed for students to interact with the text, the teacher and each other. Interactive notebooks increase comprehension, personalize the learning and provide students with documents of their growth over the course of the year. As valuable as these notebooks are, in today’s economy it is unfair to ask parents to purchase extra notebooks and our school, like the parents, have limited funding. Walmart’s support would definitely impact our student learning. Lastly, our school is need of large, poster-size post its. These allow students to showcase their work, knowledge and strengths. In addition, teachers are able to use them to bring classes to consensus, determine what students have learned from the lesson, uncover student misconceptions, and to serve as catalysts for classroom discussion. Please, help us light the fire of learning in the minds of students at Walkersville Middle School.
Rebecca Remsburg
Walkersville Middle School
Walkersville, MD 21793
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Mitzi Scott
Briarmeadow Charter School
Houston, TX
Ask a child to list essential supplies for education and you'll hear about crayons, pencils, paper, and yes, computers. At Briarmeadow Charter School in Houston, Texas, a dedicated staff puts many resources to work in the grand scheme of education, and with success. This year, a new program steps boldly into the mix, and while the faculty list will name Mitzi Scott as teacher of Music, the plan is to teach PASSION. Despite the overwhelming evidence that arts education profoundly affects learners, and that the very structures of neural development are enhanced by engagement in the very abstract realm of sound/space/time, an alarming number of schools neglect music education at all levels. In Houston, there are magnet schools for music, into which a student can audition and where a faculty of musicians offers a curriculum rich in specific skills. For the rest of the student population, music is a thin cracker in the bakery of learning. Briarmeadow Charter School embraces the concept that singing, playing and moving to music elevates more than a mood. In Texas, the highest SAT scores belong to choir, band, and orchestra students.
No fan of standardized testing as we know it, I do agree that long and short term memory, as well as the facility to access that stored data, benefit from musical training. Even more important is the knowledge that emotional state is critical to the intake of data, and secure connections attained in an atmosphere of challenge balanced with a safe and secure learning environment are transferable! (Math teachers know this!) The brain creates and discerns patterns, and in music, those patterns exist in the entrainment of the beat AND the terrain of melody AND the anticipation of the next possible diversion. All of this occurs in the present moment, armed with experience of other moments and constant predictive behaviors. Holy Chocolate Chip Cookie, Batman! Does it get better than that? Music is physical. Music is intellectual. Music is social (another 500 words). Music is above all, the bridge to esthetic development. High order thinking is the norm in music, and the reward. Because Briarmeadow is not a "music" school, we will not attempt the standard orchestral training. Our choice is to teach World Music, the music of the peoples. So far, we have African Drums, Guitars, Recorders, and a recently donated Indonesian Anklung orchestra. It is our hope to build a foundation of singing - the first and most important instrument of self. We add melody reading with recorders, theory and chords with guitar and rhythm reading with drums. These are the essential elements of music literacy. And, when we can read it, we can write it. One supposes that you will receive many requests for pencils and paper, as well you should. Please consider this alternate path to semiotic behavior - attachment of symbols to meaningful reality. That's literacy. That's music among the people. That's civilization. That's my passion.
Thank you,
Mitzi Scott
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Lindsey Serve
Harrisburg Pike Community School
Columbus, OH
My name is Lindsey Servé and I am a teacher at Harrisburg Pike Community School. Our school is situated on the west side of Columbus, Ohio in a low-income area with an especially needy student population. Many of my colleagues and I have witnessed firsthand the harsh realities that so many of our students face. School staff has spent countless hours walking the neighborhoods where our students reside to attract students to our school - to find more children to serve. We frequent local stores, swimming pools, community parks, recreation centers, and sometimes welfare offices. The search yields a unique perspective. As middle-class, college-educated professionals, we often experience culture-shock. We have seen families living in homes that appeared vacant. Boarded windows, no utility services, and overgrown vegetation stun us, yet our students see them as commonplace. Five, six, sometimes more children share one dirty mattress on the floor. Children entertain themselves roaming the streets of their neighborhoods, making toys out of found objects - plywood, rusty nails, even trash are all treasures to them. One family enrolled at our school weeks after immigrating to the United States. We contacted the parents when the two boys began to miss school frequently in late fall, and found out that they lacked transportation, and it was now too cold to walk. After we linked these parents with another family for transportation, we discovered that this family had no gas or water service. Our school began collecting funds to help this family secure utilities, and we purchased holiday gifts for the boys. After the holidays, we discovered that one family at our school was moving without any vehicles; they were walking. Several staff members met at the family's home to help them re-locate. Five children under the age of ten were carrying grocery bags and pushing baby strollers filled with their possessions to their new home, approximately two miles away.
In spite of these chilling experiences, we at Harrisburg Pike Community School strive to provide a haven for our students. We are an Imagine school; our motto is "Learning Communities of Achievement and Hope." Our staff yearns to create a safe, dynamic educational environment where our students can forget their unfortunate circumstances and concentrate solely on learning. We want to provide hope. As a community school in Ohio, we operate solely on state funding. Harrisburg Pike Community School does not receive local tax dollars, therefore we sometimes lack the supplies and equipment to create the hope-filled environment that our students so desperately need and deserve. In light of our experiences in our students' communities, we understand that expecting supplies or equipment from families is unrealistic. Many of our students' families struggle to provide essentials; providing school supplies often proves nearly impossible. Still, we understand the needs of our students and the urgency to fulfill them. That is why we are asking Wal-mart for help; we hope that Wal-mart can provide for our school what our school has provided for our students - hope.
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Anita Holmes
Anderson Elementary
North Pole, AK
MY CLASSROOM
American journalist Hodding Carter put it so elegantly; “There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One is roots; the other, wings.” Mornings my classroom serves a rambunctious group of special needs three year olds; afternoons, an equally-remarkable set of four year olds. Elsa (all names are changed) is a beautiful brunette with selective mutism. Adam was born with Down’s Syndrome. Aaron and Daniel struggle mightily with Autism. Max, at the tender age of 3 1/2, has already learned to act out violently from a physically abusive home environment.
These students, and the challenges they were born with, or into, are a representative sampling of the dozens my program will ultimately work with. We have a window of opportunity to help these children—whose roots have in one way or another already been terribly stunted—while they are very young, to send out new shoots that will in turn, encourage growth of stronger roots. Roots that will benefit them well the rest of their lives. Only six months old, my classroom was born of an escalating need in our community to provide effective behavioral and academic interventions for preschool children at-risk. What materials we have in the classroom are discards from other teachers, yard sale finds, and a long set of shelves I made from salvaged lumber. (And boy do they attest to my bad carpentry skills!) It would be wonderful to have available to our preschoolers adequate materials—in terms of furniture, technology, and hands-on manipulatives—to facilitate their learning; to help those roots grow.
DETAIL BACK-TO-SCHOOL NEEDS & WAYS MATERIALS WILL BE USED THROUGHOUT SCHOOL YEAR *A butcher paper table to accommodate 12 children: for multiple daily uses including academics, art, and discovery learning activities. *A waist-height “sand box:” for multiple needs including tactile issues, creative moderate motor activities, therapy, and geometry! *Professionally-made shelving: safe, attractive shelving to make the most of a small classroom for storage needs *Basket storage system for supplies: a safe, attractive means of adequately sorting, and storing supplies *Set of Thomas the Train trains and table with track: 2/3 of my students are boys; this play set is enticing to even the most reticent student. It invites creativity, employment of appropriate social skills with peers, small motor development, cooperation, sharing, a segue into reading activities, etc. *6 Laptop computers: computers are, for better or worse, a way of life. Providing these preschoolers with bi-weekly activities centered on practice reinforcement opportunities for reading/writing/math concepts the students are working on is a perfect blend of extended learning combined with fun and computer tech.
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Kathryn Mellette
North Hall Middle School
Gainesville, GA
My goal for the 2009-2010 school year is to interest and prepare my eighth grade students to participate in collaborative real life problem solving by using Geographical Information technology. The all consuming motivation behind my teaching is that my students will have the tools and the interest to prepare for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Not only do I want them to be comfortable with using technology, I want them to know how to analyze content and incorporate data in solving real life problems. I plan to use the Garmin GPS receivers to collect data for various group projects such as watershed protection, stream quality monitoring, mapping, and even fun geocaching.
The students will collaborate in groups to solve real life problems in NE Georgia area and will improve their communication skills; teach them how to access, collect and integrate data; to solve problems and create solutions; and, most importantly share knowledge that will improve life for others. This will enhance learning in ALL subject areas. The students can actually help other grade levels and departments, such as mapping the cross country course for our school’s team, making maps for the spring sports programs, working with the NHMS Green Team ( a group of parents, teachers, students and community leaders) to help make recycling and resource conservation feasible for our school and community. The opportunities are endless. My students will have the ability to create solutions and raise public awareness of environmental issues as well as provide useful and helpful information to our community. Ultimately my goal is to collaborate with schools in other parts of the world-working on a common problem (for example: water quality, rainfall, climate change) collecting, and sharing data that helps us to connect globally. Imagine how my students may affect, not only North Hall Middle school, but the world.
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Lynn Farr
Martin Elementary
Flowery Branch, GA
Ask for the sky, say please and pray. You never know what Walmart might say. The 21st century class is upon us—it’s LOUD! Mobile, text, blog, twitter in the cloud. How can I prepare for this electronic explosion? The children are ready; texting thumbs and typing fingers in motion. My bags of tricks are all out-dated. My textbooks are old, no use and faded. What tools in my bag will I require to succeed? Uhmmmm…let’s see what the kids and I need. Ask for the sky, say please and pray. You never know what Walmart might say. It’s all online and sent through a screen, I need it printed out to refer to or I’ll scream! A printer with ink that never runs out. One that makes copies for the class, no doubt! Color? What? The cost per copy is far too high. But just imagine, a pie chart in color…OH MY! Ask for the sky, say please and pray. You never know what Walmart might say. If I could print with no restrictions or rules, Then cases of paper would be my next request for the school. White, pink, blue, all colors will be a hit! No more sharing of copies or shrinking the print to make it fit. Ask for the sky, say please and pray. You never know what Walmart might say. Basic needs at school are sometimes never met. I wish I had enough for ALL students to be set. Simple tools like crayons, paper and pens, Kids wouldn’t have to be without or borrow from friends. Ask for the sky, say please and pray. You never know what Walmart might say. Technology! Technology! So much to store. How about memory sticks for each child galore! No more erasing to fit the last bite, Each child could have a jump drive with no end in sight! Ask for the sky, say please and pray. If Walmart answered this prayer, this is what I would say… Now we can print, color and bold. Each child has a copy of their own to hold. Supplies for those in need are met. Kids will have their own, no reason to fret. The students can be creative, imaginative and more, When their work can be kept safe on drives and be stored. Ask for the sky, say please and pray. You never know what Walmart might say.
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Melissa Galvan
Abraham Lincoln Elementary
Pomona, CA
To Whom It May Concern: Every school day I am blessed to walk into my classroom and be charged with educating my students. I try my best to lead by example and learn as much as I can, show my students my love for them and learning, and hopefully, in turn, inspire them to love learning. As it has become apparent in these economically challenging times, we have to make due with what we have. We still have a lot to be thankful for: our families, friends, freedom, and our minds. I try to teach my students that if they believe, they will achieve! And no matter what is happening in the economy, they have the ability to control how successful they are in their lives. For some of them the idea that they can control their success is hard to believe. Many of the families at my school struggle in the best of times. Therefore, the problems with California's budget cuts and increasing jobless rates only intensify the extreme hardships that many of them already face. As a child coming from hardship myself, school was my "soft place to fall." No matter what was going on at home, I was able to come to school and throw myself into my studies. I was able to overcome difficulties, and I strive to inspire them to do the same. I was lucky enough to have great, enthusiastic teachers growing up, and as I see it, my students are lucky enough to have me. Someone that truly cares about them and would like to help them become successful life-long learners.
Having the following materials to help enrich the lives and learning of my students would
be a blessed gift:
Organizational:
- 34 1" binders
- 34 sets of binder dividers
- 34 pencil boxes
- 34 three-pronged, pocket folders (poly)
- sheet covers
Technological:
- 1 or 2 basic laptops for checkout to students to take home.
- 10 2GB flash drives to check out to students
- 2 laptop bags/cases
- blank cds and dvds for students to burn their projects onto
- printer ink(black and color)
- computer microphone for students to add voiceovers to imovies, etc...
- 1 or 2 digital cameras
- sd card(s) for cameras
General supplies:
- colored pencils
- electric pencil sharpener
- printer/copy paper
- water colors
- several backpacks (for students that are not able to secure one)
Other:
- Educational board/card games for rainy days
- P.E. equipment such as: hula hoops, dodgeball, baskettballs, volleyball, volleyball net,
soccer ball, orange cones, jump ropes, ball pump, excercise mat(s), stop watches, etc...
Thank you for your consideration, and more importantly, the opportunity to even apply
for this contest. Your gifts will truly change the lives of many children. God bless you all!
Sincerely,
Ms. Melissa Galvan
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