It’s the day before election day here in the U.S. Mostly, that means donor fatigue, annoyance at every new-email notification, growling at television and YouTube ads, and a certain amount of general anxiety. In…er, celebration? No. In recognition of the day, have a little bit of instant feel-good.
Readers from this blog have been participating in the Donors Choice science bloggers challenge. They–you–have, through large donations and small, given more than the readers of any other individual blog except Phil Plait’s Bad Astronomy. You have helped to complete 13 projects reaching almost 1,900 students. That is no small feat. Thank you.
There are other people who would like to thank you as well. Here are a few of the letters I’ve been receiving from teachers.
From Mrs. Bowles, whose students will now receive magazines full of short stories to whet their appetites for reading:
I am so grateful that your donation will enable my class to receive the Story Works magazine. The need for short reads that are high interest to build their reading skills. These magazines are an exciting new way to grab the kids’ attention. This magazines can be used in our Sr. Citizen tutoring class also. It will allow the kids to read something short and have an adult work with the comprehension skills and reinforce vocabulary in current events. You have opened a door for this class and the ability to improve their reading. Thank you so much.
With gratitude,
Mrs. B
From Mr. Wasdin, whose studentswill get to read novels of the Revolutionary War to make history come alive:
A simple “thank you” would not be enough to express my gratitude for your generosity in the funding of this project George Washington’s Socks. I firmly believe that if you teach a child to read, he/she will be forever changed. The books and other materials that you have so graciously donated will help me to reach more students and therefore create more life-long learners. I really think the use of these novels will help my students connect with the past. I can’t wait to introduce these books to my students and see how they bring the past back to life!With gratitude,
Mr. W
From Ms. Williams, whose students will be able to make math concepts concrete through hands-on learning:
Thank you all for your kind hearts and thoughtfulness in support of my classroom project Manipulating Math! The math kits will help with common core test prep as well as provide my students with the remediation tools needed to grasp difficult math concepts! Having these math kits and manipulatives will open up new doors of insightful learning of mathematics. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your support towards the educational enhancement of students’ academic progress. May God continue to bless you!With gratitude,
Ms. W
From Mrs. Hayes, whose students will learn about civil rights history while practicing technological skills:
AWESOME!! I am so excited that this project is funded. My students will be so excited to know that they will have their very own iPad to use at school. Many of them have only seen one on TV or in the stores. How exciting for them to be exposed to an excellent piece of technology!! The research they will do on the iPad will mean so much more to them since it is such an amazing piece of technology. What a fun way to learn. I can’t thank you enough for your generosity. It takes a team to teach children, and you all are definitely part of my team! Thanks again!!!!!With gratitude,
Mrs. H
That’s just a few. I’ll save more for Wednesday if we need them, after the challenge closes on Friday if we don’t. Thank you again to everyone who has participated so far this year. We literally couldn’t do this without you.
Congratulations to all who contributed to this fantastic project. I love real grassroots initiatives concentrating on fundamentals like this.