This August, I will become a math teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Mound Bayou, Mississippi.  Mound Bayou has an extremely rich history, but like many other Southern rural schools, it is criminally under-funded.  Still, I am hoping to show my students the amazing possibilities the world offers those who study Mathematics.  To do that, I would like to ensure my classroom has the best possible supplies and technology so that my students have the same resources as peers anywhere else in this country.  This means I would like to purchase:

• 2 packs of whiteboard markers/chalk - $30
• A yearlong supply of rental pencils & pens for students - $10
• Tissues, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and other cleaning supplies - $25
• A yearlong supply of scrap paper, index cards, and post-its - $20
• Paper clips, staples, and binder clips - $15
• A classroom set of calculators - $75
• Yardsticks, Rulers, & Protractors - $25
• Posterboard to make posters relevant to class material as well as posters relevant student interests - $50
• Overhead $50

Here, it actually means something when you say, "Every cent counts," since students are often unable to provide their own pencils or paper.  A donation to this cause is hardly for my own benefit; rather, it is a launching pad for the future of dozens of needy children with endless potential.

Back Up Plan