This week, unusually, we’re helping two teachers in the Northeast: one in an urban New Jersey medical-arts high school and, in memory of Denise Oliver Velez, the other in a pre-K in the South Bronx. We hope that readers who support quality public school education will help by sharing or supporting our featured projects.
The Inoculation Project is an ongoing, volunteer effort to crowdfund science, math, and literacy projects for public schools in low-income neighborhoods. As always, our conduit is DonorsChoose, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that facilitates tax-deductible donations to specific, vetted projects in public schools.
belinda ridgewood
We have a new project #2 this week, and our previous project #2 moves up here to the #1 slot!
I chose this project specifically in memory of Denise Oliver Velez. The school is in the South Bronx, a neighborhood the Young Lords were committed to helping. (It’s where Lincoln Hospital is, and if that doesn’t ring a bell, a good use of 40 minutes would be to watch Takeover, a short documentary about how the Young Lords occupied the hospital in 1970 in an effort to bring about improved conditions.)
Ms. Medina is a pre-K teacher at this South Bronx public school, and has never before been funded via DonorsChoose. She needs a variety of materials for her students, from Lego to math toys to books to a butterfly hatching kit.
PROJECT #1
Project:Â Tiny Learners, Strong Foundations
Resources:Â Help me give my students the resources they need for hands-on, creative, and meaningful learning experiences.
Economic need: A Historically Underfunded School; nearly all students from low‑income households.
Location:Â PS 1 Courtlandt School, Bronx, New York
Total:Â $395.41
Still Needed:Â $194.12
Project description by Ms. Medina:Â My students are energetic, curious, and eager to learn through hands-on experiences that help them build early academic and social skills. In our Pre-K classroom, we focus on developing foundational skills in literacy, math, creativity, and communication through engaging, developmentally appropriate activities. Many of my students benefit from visual supports, hands-on materials, and interactive learning tools that make concepts more concrete and meaningful.
I am seeking funding to provide my classroom with resources that will help bring learning to life and increase student engagement.
These materials will support small-group instruction, independent exploration, and creative play, all of which are essential for early childhood development. With these tools, my students will be able to strengthen their skills, build confidence, and grow their love for learning in a supportive and enriching environment.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
As mentioned, a butterfly hatching kit is on the request list. The Dodo does an excellent job of presenting a butterfly life cycle briefly, with beautiful footage.
Our new project #2 is an excellent suggestion from our friend Eastern Bluebird.
Dr. Williams teaches in a specialized medical-arts high school in Camden, a major city in New Jersey that is directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. His 9th-graders are just getting started, and need hands-on experience with the most basic healthcare equipment.
PROJECT #2
Project:Â From Classroom to Clinic: Hands-On Healthcare Training
Resources:Â Help me give my students Primacare DS-9199 Nurse Essentials Starter and First Aid Kits.
Economic need: A Historically Underfunded School; nearly all students from low‑income households.
Location:Â Dr Charles E Brimm Medical Arts High School, Camden, New Jersey
Total:Â $625.19
Still Needed: $347.84
Project description by Dr. Williams:Â IÂ have a unique student population that are seeking futures in healthcare. My 9th-grade students are CTE Allied Healthcare Certifications seekers here at Brimm Medical Arts. This project, From Classroom to Clinic: Hands-On Healthcare Training will provide essential diagnostic tools that allow students to practice foundational healthcare competencies such as measuring blood pressure, using a stethoscope, and performing basic patient assessments.
Many of my students are exploring healthcare careers for the first time.
Hands-on learning is critical – students retain more when they actively practice skills rather than just reading about them.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
A nurse demonstrates the proper use of an aneroid sphygmomanometer, one of the requested items.
DonorsChoose
Our project #1 from last week was completed! Thanks once again to our readers, including those who do not stop in here to mention they’ve helped!
Project #1, New Library – New Books: Ms. Donna is a librarian at an elementary school in a small Texas town southwest of Dallas/Fort Worth. The library has had some upgrades, and now it needed some new books.
She writes: Thank you so much for your generosity in funding for the expansion of our newly renovated library. It means so much to our school to see kindness from complete strangers. It will be so awesome to explain to the kids that people from around the USA helped us get new books.
Thanks again for the opportunities you have given our small town school.
DonorsChoose has developed the designation Historically Underfunded Schools to describe some schools that submit projects. They meet ANY of these criteria:
❧ At least 50% of students are Black, Latino, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multiracial
❧ At least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced price lunch
❧ At least 75% of students are students of color (Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multiracial) and the same race
❧ Rural schools where more than one third (34+%) of the students are eligible for free and reduced priced lunch
You can read more at the link about their efforts to address the longstanding inequity in education.
Internet
Founded in 2009, The Inoculation Project seeks to fund science, math, and literacy projects in public school classrooms and libraries. Our conduit is DonorsChoose, a crowdfunding charity founded in 2000 and highly rated by both Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau.
Every Sunday, we focus on helping to fund projects in neighborhood public schools where the overwhelming majority of students come from low-income households. We welcome everyone who supports public school education — no money is required!
Finally, here’s our list of successfully funded projects — our series total is 1236! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.
belinda ridgewood