Help Fund Ms. Botiz’ Classroom

About Me

Hello, my name is Kayli Botiz and I’m a high school social studies teacher in the Acres Homes community of Houston, Texas. This upcoming school year I will be going into my third year of teaching 11th & 12th grade history. These past two school years my students & I have won numerous academic achievement awards including being voted the Quarter 4 MVP twice. I teach one of the few subjects that is state (STAAR) tested and was successfully able to achieve a 100% U.S. History STAAR pass rate this past school year. I am asking for help in raising enough funds to decorate my classroom, purchase student engagement prizes, and support project-based learning activities.

Why

As many may know, teaching in the United States is one of the most underpaid professions. Teachers within my district do not receive a stipend or any form of funds for the sole purpose of decorating a classroom. At the beginning of each school year we are given a small cart with 2 expo markers, an eraser, door stopper, stapler, and hole puncher. We oftentimes find ourselves going out of pocket to ensure our students have the materials necessary to succeed. Not only does a non-decorated classroom with few classroom materials leave students less likely to feel comfortable enough to engage, it also has the potential of negatively impacting that teachers evaluation. During my first year of teaching in 2019 I found myself spending at least $100 every two weeks to purchase waters, snacks, and decorations for my classroom.

As a teacher of multiple subjects including Advanced Placement U.S. History, on-level U.S. History, and Special Topics (Latin-American & African-American studies) it is imperative that students learn in an environment that is creative, engaging, and welcoming. One of the surest ways to do so (outside of ensuring that I enter the classroom everyday with a warm & welcoming energy) is to create a physical space that reflects this kind of environment. Though I had a very successful school year in the midst of COVID-19 without this support, I’d like to ensure that the group of students I’ll be attaining this upcoming school year enter a learning environment that feels safe, sacred, and distinguished academically, physically, and emotionally.

What I Plan to Purchase

• Bean bag
• Carpet
• Aromatherapy diffuser + essential oils
• Declaration of Independence (poster)
• U.S. Constitution (poster)
• U.S. Amendments (poster or decor cards)
• U.S. Presidents (poster)
• U.S. map (poster)
• Mini-Library novels: The Miseducation of the Negro, A People’s History of the United States, An Autobiography of Malcolm X, The New Jim Crow, The Souls of Black Folk, Princeton Review AP US History, + more
• Post-It notes
• Post-It Easal Pad (2 per quarter)
• Poster boards (20 per semester)
• Individual white boards (30)
• Dry erasers
• Scissors
• 3-ring binders (30 - for students unable to purchase one themselves)
• Masking tape
• Expo markers
• #2 Pencils
• Black/blue pens
• Crayola markers
• Highlighters
• Bottled waters (one 24ct pack every 2 weeks)
• Snacks including chips, fruit cups, & candy (purchased every 2 weeks)
• Pizza/donut parties (1 per quarter for the highest achieving class period in each subject)
• + any additional supplies needed to decorate the room

Contact Information

If you would like more information about how to support my classroom please feel free to reach out via GoFundMe or personally. For privacy concerns I will not be able to share my personal phone number or my campus location.

I plan to update this post at least once a month with receipts and images of the items I have purchased to ease any concerns of a misuse of funds. I will not begin purchasing supplies until August 2nd.