Let School Kids Know We Still Care
Friday February 16, 2018 | Filed under:
The past 24 hours have generated personal feelings of hopelessness and confusion. How could someone take innocent souls? Why do elected officials stand by, doing nothing? What could they do to really solve the problems we face? Why can’t we pass bipartisan immigration reform that allows children to stay in the country? Or can we? What can I do, besides continue to support politicians and institutions I trust?
Tonight I happened to see a short post about a project in a Trenton, N.J. elementary school to buy 25 headphones that will help 150 English language learners (ELL). Posted the teacher: “ELLs must overcome many challenges, including limited schooling, trauma and poverty. ...My students are enthusiastic, eager to learn, and diverse in cultures and learning styles. These headphones will be able to provide my students with a wider view of our world and more success as they enter their future. ...The headphones help students become better speakers of English. It will also allow students to gain important skills for working independently and for standardized testing.”
I can’t bring back the lives lost in Florida, and I can’t get politicians to put aside their differences and deal with the issues we face. But I can do something like buy 25 headsets for non-English speaking elementary children who want to learn English, grow in their knowledge, participate in our culture and become citizens and educated voters for our future.
That particular project, with the headphones, is now funded. But there are many others that will send a message to students in our schools that we are with them, that we want them to be successful and safe, and that we are pitching in to help neighbors who are less fortunate than any of us. To choose your project, visit the website here: www.donorschoose.org.