Three hundred and fifty funded grants, Sixty-seven motivated teachers, and Twenty-two schools. Thousands of students in the Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools district have benefited from materials and opportunities from grants funded through Donorschoose.org.
Donorschoose.org is an on-line charity founded by a public school teacher to support public school students. Public school teachers can write grant proposals and submit them to the website. Once posted, citizens choose which grant(s) that they want to support, and then make donations to fund the grant(s). By combining the efforts of many people through the website, teachers have a better chance of receiving the materials they need for special projects.
In Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, twenty-two schools have received funding. Teachers have requested a wide variety of items for all grade levels, subjects and activities; Books, field trip expenses, computers, iPads, art supplies, musical instruments, lab equipment, classroom furniture, athletic equipment, printers, and cameras are examples of materials that teachers have obtained through the Donorschoose grants.
Joan Vick, music teacher at Baskerville Elementary and OR Pope Elementary had her first grant funded this fall.
“Because of the Donorschoose program, three Tubano drums have been purchased for the students at Baskerville and Pope,” said Vick. “Two of them were funded by the grant and one was a gift from a friend that wanted to purchase one after being made aware of the need. There is a new level of enthusiasm in my music classes and the students are really enjoying learning to play the drum. Students are now saying things like "Are we playing the drums today?" when they come to music class. When I answer with "Yes!" they give me a hug. I would encourage teachers to write grants for items they may need in their classrooms.”
All grants have a structured process of completion, accountability and documentation. Teachers never handle the funding; all materials and services are purchased and delivered directly to the classroom by Donorschoose. Teachers must document how they used the materials with their students by posting pictures to the Donorschoose website. Students and teachers write Thank You notes to the donors in a specified time frame. Donors get feedback in a visual and written format about how their donations contributed to student learning.
Rocky Mount High School has nine teachers who have received over a hundred funded grants and Winstead Avenue Elementary has thirteen teachers actively writing grants, leading the way in Nash County.
Lindsey Murray, teacher at Winstead Elementary School is also supportive of the Donorschoose program. “I love Donorschoose and I think it's amazing, said Murray. She used her grant funds to purchase books for a special reading area in her classroom. Grants have been funded for Bailey Elementary, Hubbard Elementary, Cedar Grove Elementary, Red Oak Elementary, Middlesex Elementary, O R Pope Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Benvenue Elementary, Tar River Academy, Spring Hope Elementary, Williford Elementary, Coopers Elementary, Baskerville Elementary, Nashville Elementary, Parker Middle School, Nash Central Middle School, Edwards Middle School, Southern Nash Middle School, Nash Central High School and Northern Nash High School.
Paisley Cloyd, art teacher at Rocky Mount High said Donorchoose has played a major role in several experiences for her students over the past several years.
“The success opportunities provided by Donorschoose grants have enhanced my classroom possibilities for ten years,” said Cloyd. “My latest grant will take our Art Club to the Museum of Art in Raleigh again this year. My Donorschoose homepage documents that my grants have reached over six thousand students.”
Parents and community members are encouraged to the visit Donorchoose website at www.donorschoose.org to learn more about how they can support classroom projects in NRMPS.
Donorschoose.org is an on-line charity founded by a public school teacher to support public school students. Public school teachers can write grant proposals and submit them to the website. Once posted, citizens choose which grant(s) that they want to support, and then make donations to fund the grant(s). By combining the efforts of many people through the website, teachers have a better chance of receiving the materials they need for special projects.
In Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, twenty-two schools have received funding. Teachers have requested a wide variety of items for all grade levels, subjects and activities; Books, field trip expenses, computers, iPads, art supplies, musical instruments, lab equipment, classroom furniture, athletic equipment, printers, and cameras are examples of materials that teachers have obtained through the Donorschoose grants.
Joan Vick, music teacher at Baskerville Elementary and OR Pope Elementary had her first grant funded this fall.
“Because of the Donorschoose program, three Tubano drums have been purchased for the students at Baskerville and Pope,” said Vick. “Two of them were funded by the grant and one was a gift from a friend that wanted to purchase one after being made aware of the need. There is a new level of enthusiasm in my music classes and the students are really enjoying learning to play the drum. Students are now saying things like "Are we playing the drums today?" when they come to music class. When I answer with "Yes!" they give me a hug. I would encourage teachers to write grants for items they may need in their classrooms.”
All grants have a structured process of completion, accountability and documentation. Teachers never handle the funding; all materials and services are purchased and delivered directly to the classroom by Donorschoose. Teachers must document how they used the materials with their students by posting pictures to the Donorschoose website. Students and teachers write Thank You notes to the donors in a specified time frame. Donors get feedback in a visual and written format about how their donations contributed to student learning.
Rocky Mount High School has nine teachers who have received over a hundred funded grants and Winstead Avenue Elementary has thirteen teachers actively writing grants, leading the way in Nash County.
Lindsey Murray, teacher at Winstead Elementary School is also supportive of the Donorschoose program. “I love Donorschoose and I think it's amazing, said Murray. She used her grant funds to purchase books for a special reading area in her classroom. Grants have been funded for Bailey Elementary, Hubbard Elementary, Cedar Grove Elementary, Red Oak Elementary, Middlesex Elementary, O R Pope Elementary, Fairview Elementary, Benvenue Elementary, Tar River Academy, Spring Hope Elementary, Williford Elementary, Coopers Elementary, Baskerville Elementary, Nashville Elementary, Parker Middle School, Nash Central Middle School, Edwards Middle School, Southern Nash Middle School, Nash Central High School and Northern Nash High School.
Paisley Cloyd, art teacher at Rocky Mount High said Donorchoose has played a major role in several experiences for her students over the past several years.
“The success opportunities provided by Donorschoose grants have enhanced my classroom possibilities for ten years,” said Cloyd. “My latest grant will take our Art Club to the Museum of Art in Raleigh again this year. My Donorschoose homepage documents that my grants have reached over six thousand students.”
Parents and community members are encouraged to the visit Donorchoose website at www.donorschoose.org to learn more about how they can support classroom projects in NRMPS.
