DonorsChoose.org is changing my life as an art teacher which means donorschoose.org is also changing your student’s life. Whoa! That’s deep!

What is DonorsChoose.org? Here’s what the website says,

“DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need.

Public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests range from pencils for a poetry writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class.

Then, you can browse project requests and give any amount to the one that inspires you. Once a project reaches its funding goal, we deliver the materials to the school.

You’ll get photos of your project taking place, a thank-you letter from the teacher, and a cost report showing how each dollar was spent. If you give over $50, you’ll also receive hand-written thank-you letters from the students.

At DonorsChoose.org, you can give as little as $1 and get the same level of choice, transparency, and feedback that is traditionally reserved for someone who gives millions.We call it citizen philanthropy.”

Just recently, I posted a project asking for legit carving tools and rubber stamps for a unit on block printing  and relief sculpture. Due to the limited supply budget, the money allotted to the art studio is usually spent on essentials, such as paper and dry media. The supplies that I asked for on donorschoose.org are ones that serve to advance and authenticate your child’s art education. As an artist myself, I never had experience carving linoleum blocks for relief prints until I was in graduate school. Your child will be exposed to this form of art making in the 4th grade! Thank you donorschoose.

It took just two days , TWO, for someone to fund my $200.00 supply list! The best part about it– $150.00 of that donation came from an absolute stranger!!

A block-printed Frida thinks that’s awesome!

Last night I posted a second, larger, project to support the blossoming ceramics program at Maury. I am asking for terracotta clay and authentic potter’s glazes. With these supplies, I hope to kick off a grand unit on the history, tradition, and creation of face jugs–from Africa to the American South. Check out this in depth video to learn more about exactly why I am so personally fascinated with face jugs.

If you would like to make a donation to the art studio and more specifically, our quest for ceramic supplies, follow this link to my donorschoose page. Thanks in advance and I can’t wait to begin creation on these intriguing and imaginative ugly jugs!