Loring School Irish Dance Team
Donation protected
"I like our Irish Dance team because we are like a rainbow!" Maaliyah remarked as she watched a more typical dance team full of Irish heritage. My dancers are first-generation Americans from Mexico, Thailand, Laos and Cote d'Ivoire. They are African-American and Caucasian. They are mixed race children. Some are from high-poverty homes and dangerous neighborhoods where they are afraid to ride their bikes. They spend a lot of time indoors. Some are educator's kids or from more middle class homes.
I have the privilege of being their Language Arts teacher at my urban Minneapolis elementary school. I started Irish dance when I was 38 (!) and fell in love with it. I showed my students a few moves, and six years later, we are a full-fledged team of hugely diverse 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. We even have kids returning from previous years to keep on dancing! These kids are enthusiastic, bright young people who are so excited to learn Irish dance.
I have been funding this team on my own salary and by some generous donations from friends for years, and it has grown so much that I'm out of my league. I need help to keep this program running as it has been thus far. The things that I purchased or that were donated are wearing out fast and we are in desparate need of a number of things.
UNIFORMS and SHOES:
Boys' Shoes - $30 each - We need about 5 of these.
Hardshoes - $150 each - We need three of these really quickly and at least five others eventually.
BUSES:
We need buses for two different trips. Each trip is about $250 for the bus.
COMPETITION TRIP TO CANADA!
We are planning a big trip to Canada for a competition in May of 2018 (it's the closest competition to us!) and each child will need just under $450 to go. That will take care of their transportation, food, lodging, competition registration and snacks on our trip.
The north side of Minneapolis is a community of strong, fiercely loyal residents who struggle with the challenges of poverty, either personally or in close proximity. Some of my students live on streets with drive-bys and drugs. Some live in shelters. And then there are some who live a 'typical' middle class life, although the neighborhood remains tough. Some have never worn something that costs as much as these uniforms will cost, and they feel like a million bucks when they put them on.
Our team fosters persistance, pride, encouragement, teamwork and confidence in a group of students who may have never felt these things before. It is powerful to watch them grow over the year into confident performers who learn to knit themselves together with others. The cameras and the tissues the parents pull out during their children's performances tell me that they are as proud as I am.
If you've read this far, thank you. Your donations will go to a bunch of kids who would greatly appreciate, as would I. Thank you for your consideration.
I have the privilege of being their Language Arts teacher at my urban Minneapolis elementary school. I started Irish dance when I was 38 (!) and fell in love with it. I showed my students a few moves, and six years later, we are a full-fledged team of hugely diverse 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. We even have kids returning from previous years to keep on dancing! These kids are enthusiastic, bright young people who are so excited to learn Irish dance.
I have been funding this team on my own salary and by some generous donations from friends for years, and it has grown so much that I'm out of my league. I need help to keep this program running as it has been thus far. The things that I purchased or that were donated are wearing out fast and we are in desparate need of a number of things.
UNIFORMS and SHOES:
Boys' Shoes - $30 each - We need about 5 of these.
Hardshoes - $150 each - We need three of these really quickly and at least five others eventually.
BUSES:
We need buses for two different trips. Each trip is about $250 for the bus.
COMPETITION TRIP TO CANADA!
We are planning a big trip to Canada for a competition in May of 2018 (it's the closest competition to us!) and each child will need just under $450 to go. That will take care of their transportation, food, lodging, competition registration and snacks on our trip.
The north side of Minneapolis is a community of strong, fiercely loyal residents who struggle with the challenges of poverty, either personally or in close proximity. Some of my students live on streets with drive-bys and drugs. Some live in shelters. And then there are some who live a 'typical' middle class life, although the neighborhood remains tough. Some have never worn something that costs as much as these uniforms will cost, and they feel like a million bucks when they put them on.
Our team fosters persistance, pride, encouragement, teamwork and confidence in a group of students who may have never felt these things before. It is powerful to watch them grow over the year into confident performers who learn to knit themselves together with others. The cameras and the tissues the parents pull out during their children's performances tell me that they are as proud as I am.
If you've read this far, thank you. Your donations will go to a bunch of kids who would greatly appreciate, as would I. Thank you for your consideration.
Organizer
Michele Deline Hartnett
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN
