Hello,

My name is Abi Wirbel and I want to turn my multicultural classroom into a place for creativity, inspiration, learning and community.

- How this Started -

I'm getting my Masters in Secondary Subject (Middle and High School) Education. As part of my degree, I've been studying the relationship between classroom environment and student success. I wanted to know how the layout of a room, the way a space is set up, and the things included (or excluded) in it can change the way we learn.

As it turns out, spacial environment can have a HUGE impact on student success - for instance, students in classrooms with natural light perform up to 25% better in reading comprehension than students in windowless rooms.

By 2050, the number of students who are bilingual or bicultural will amount to half of the US learner population. As learners, these kids are more perceptive to their environment than their monolinguistic peers, and experience greater gains in understanding from the ability to collaborate with other students.

Despite these truths, our ELL (English Language Learner) classrooms are consistently underfunded and reliant on out-of-date classroom materials and equipment to support any learning, but especially multicultural learning.

- My Goal -

is to alter that reality, at least for the ELL students at Boulder High School. I have spent the semester working with these students and their marvelous teachers to design a space that will support development of the vital skills for any 21st century student — especially those without regular access to personal laptops.

We spent the past two weeks cleaning out the refuse of a past century: outdated texts, worn out workbooks, and an impressive collection of VHS tapes featuring educational experts from 50 years ago.

With a student body that fluctuates from 15 to 35 students in a given semester, we will certainly make use of all the extra space that the ancient metal filing cabinets and disused Windows desktop computers were taking up.

In their place, we hope to create a classroom that works for and with the students who use it. Tables for collaboration and group work, a bookshelf with shelving that doesn’t collapse under weight, a fan or two for some airflow in our windowless room, and perhaps, if we're very lucky, a few digital learning stations where kids can develop indispensable technological literacy.

That's where You come in:

to help us reach our goal of raising $4,000 towards basic classroom furniture and supplies: a bookshelf with sturdy shelves, some pre-loved tables and chairs, a few decorations and furnishings, and perhaps even 2-3 computer work spaces.

The standard price for furnishing a single classroom with brand new supplies costs between 15 and 20k – but what we lack in funds we’ll make up for with creativity. Any funds we have left over will go into a ‘diminishing supply reserve’ to restock things like expo markers, pens and notebooks, tape, paper, etc.

In our current political climate, immigrant students have never felt less secure or less welcome. With your help, I want to show these students that we value them as learners and as members of our community by providing them with the learning space to help them succeed in the United States in the 21st century.

The research is in, and it aligns with everything God and your Grandma ever told you: When we help each other, we all do better. Or, in the words of Henry Ford, "If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself."