Books for Under Privileged Children

I'm going to read to my daughter-in-law's 2nd grade class in February during Black History month.  She chose to work in a school of under priviledged children.  Out of 25, 1 in Guatamalen, 8 are Mexican, and the rest are black. Many are unfortunately really low in their reading skills, reading at a kindergarten or first grade level while in 2nd grade. I want to provide her with a small classroom library of multicultural books within thier reading levels.

I also want to give each child book to keep called Skin Again by bell hooks & Chris Raschka. It is only in a hard cover which makes it a bit more expensive.  For 25 books from Amazon is $269.75. The rest of the money I want to use to get her a classroom library from Scholastic Book Club of multicultural books, a library of  that is about children who look like them and share stories from their cultures also, using her Scholastic book club account, because they give her points, matching the dollars "she" (YOU) spends so that she can get free books or other learning and  tools for her classroom. 

Catie is an excellent teacher, having been picked for a special program for extra training for teachers who are demonstrating exceptional teaching skills.  She was told she was given so many students who are functioning below grade level this year because she does so well with them.  The school believes in her and believes Catie can have those children reading at grade level by the end of the year. In this small way, I want to help her, and hopefully increase her student's self-esteem.

I'm going to read to her class on February the 23rd and I have to order the books before then. Amazon will get me the ones to send home with them in 2 -3 days.  The multi-cultural library through Scholastic will take 10-14 business days to arrive.

I picked February on purpose because of its focus on minorities.  These children will face racism in their lives. I want to give them this moment to believe in themselves and to see that there are other children, other people just like them and also people with different colors of skin who care about them. 

Skin Again talks about how we are all the same, do the same things, want the same things underneath our skin.

I can't afford to do this on my own, but it would mean so much to me. I know it would mean so much to her, and the children may not recognize it at that moment, but I hope when they are older, they will remember that there were at least 2 grownups who believed in them because of who they are and not because of the color of their skin.

Thank you, thank you so much for your gift.  Whatever I can raise will help with the expense and make such a huge difference on how much of this dream can become a reality. 

There are probably some really important funding projects out there, but if you support this funding project,

because of you, children will read stories of children who look like them, and

because of you, you will put a book in their hands they will not only be able to read, but that will also remind them that they matter, that they are just as important ans anyone else. 

Thank you in advance for your donation.  What a difference you will be making!.