Imagine walking into a middle school Media Center and seeing students sharing ideas around a whiteboard table, colorful dry erase markers creating canvases of intellect and inspiration. Some students may be standing, some may be balanced and focused on fitness balls, and others may have pulled up a standard chair from which to work. Other students may be sharing self-written memoirs or biographies with peers while sitting comfortably on yoga mats, easing anxiety about public speaking. Still others may be diving wholeheartedly into other worlds through books after entering a welcoming learning environment that fits their needs as active youth. 

Gravelly Hill Middle School is located in Efland, NC, a rural town classified as high in poverty. Our educators are dedicated to providing our students with the best educational advantage that we can provide - and we appreciate your contribution to helping us create a learning environment that allows us to best serve our students.

We are seeking to transform our Media Center from a place of isolated reading to a vibrant and colorful, student-led space where our students can collaborate with one another on educational ventures. Our teachers, along with student input, have determined that re-designing our learning space is one effective way we can accomplish our goal. We are confident that our students would benefit from collaborating with peers on white board tables, where together they can jot ideas, create lists, illustrate designs, and more. 

Additionally, we recognize the importance of movement and its scientifically-backed connection to active learning. Many of our students demonstrate the need for movement in order to be their most successful self in school. We would like to supplement hard-backed, wooden chairs with yoga mats and fitness balls to create seating options that meet the needs of each student. 

Thank you in advance for considering Gravelly Hill Middle School students when making your decision to contribute to a project that connects educators, students, and global citizens like yourself. Through whiteboard tables and active seating through yoga mats and fitness balls, we envision a Media Center that has been designed for collaboration, active learning, and meeting the holistic needs of our student population. 

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