Helping Teachers Teach

As published in Atlanta INtown Paper  10/1/2010

It’s September, and school is back in session.  Often this is the season where we talk about ways to help youth who need resources to improve their educational experiences. While I think that is a vital need, I am taking a slightly different angle in this month’s column.  I am going to focus on ways to support our teachers and educators who work tirelessly to deliver our kids the best education available.

Due to budget cuts and a struggling economy, teachers are often left scrambling for adequate classroom supplies. In fact, did you know that teachers in the United States spend on average $500 out of their own pocket for classroom supplies? I’m sure those in lesser-funded schools are likely to spend even more.

For those of you who are parents and already active in PTA or who lend an extra hand in your child’s classroom, I applaud you.  Being an active parent in your child’s school is a great way to give back.  But too often there are classrooms and teachers that don’t have this support.

Luckily, there are organizations that provide an easy way for all of us to help teachers in our community. Here are two organizations that have creative and easy ways to help.

The Kids in Need Foundation is a dynamic organization with a mission to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed.  The organization does this by providing free school supplies to under-funded teachers and classrooms most in need.  What’s exciting about the Kids in Need Foundation is its recent campaign with EXPO markers.  For every package of EXPO markers sold in the U.S. this September, EXPO will donate one marker to the foundation. In addition, the company will donate up to an additional 20,000 markers for every person who “likes” EXPO on its Facebook page. It doesn’t get any easier to make a difference.   If you can’t get to the store to buy the markers, you can donate $10 by texting “SCHOOL” to 85944. To find out about more ways to help, visit www.kinf.org.

DonorChoose.org was brought to my attention a couple of weeks ago by a friend.  I went to the site and absolutely loved what I saw.  This site actually allows teachers to upload classroom needs and projects that can then be browsed by potential donors. The donors then choose the classroom project they want to help support.  It’s a great way to get involved in helping teachers, knowing exactly what your money is helping to provide.  Plus, the kids post their “thanks yous” on the site for even more reward. To learn more, visit www.donorchoose.org.

There are many ways we can come together to support all of the classrooms in our community. If nothing else, the next time you cross paths with a teacher, say thank you.  They truly give so much to our youth and deserve all the support and gratitude we are able to give them.

Pajamo Penda with UAPO Founder Brittany Merrill

     Last Sunday (hey, give a busy gal a break...its been a long week) I was so excited to catch up with my social entrepreneur pal, Brittany Merrill.  Brittany, 25, is the Founder of the Ugandan American Partnership Organization.  UAPO carries a mission to partner with indigenous ministries and communities to transform Uganda through sustainable development.

  We first met about a year ago when we were both speakers at a conference here in Atlanta.  Brittany and I shared a full day of speaking about our respective stories of giving: both how it was helping others and how much it impacted our own lives.  Though our paths, mine local, Brittany's global, have been different, our journeys have in fact been very similar. Both of us had life changing moments in college that propelled our passion to start non-profits early in our lives. And both of us relied heavily on grassroots efforts to get our projects off the ground.  I have so much respect for Brittany, and just think the world should know this gal and have the chance to be a part of the great work she and her team is doing in Uganda. 

We caught up at the annual Pajoma Penda, a music and arts festival held at Atlanta's Park Tavern to benefit UAPO. Even though the work being done is oceans away, they remain committed to their grassroots activism here in the US for successful growth.  This year's celebration was specifically to support the Mukisa Project which is a ongoing project that helps rural villages with the facilities and resources to create self-sustaining communities.  I brought along my Flip as I'm trying to work on some video skills with this blog. I'm no Ann Curry, but you gotta start somewhere.

Meet Brittany.

And here we are chatting about the the awesome projects of UAPO. It's pretty amazing stuff. (Reminder: This was a music festival, so it was hard to escape the music.)

Last but not least, I had to ask Brittany how we can GET GIVING with UAPO.  What I love about the way she has set this up is that there are ways you can help locally and globally.  Whatever fits you...and you still can see and feel the impact. 

For more information visit  www.theuapo.org

Cheers to Brittany: another Rockstar of Giving.

Giving away your birthday: Taylor Swift style

    Last week I wrote about the new trend of giving back on your brithday, and shared how Alyssa Milano was giving away her 37th birthday to raise money and awareness for a clean water initiative. 

Today is Taylor Swift's turn.  I've become a big fan of Taylor Swift's this year...and not because of the Kanye episode.  I appreciate her singing her own songs, and using lyrics that honestly represents her age.  Also, one of my best friend's brother is actually the basist in her band - and he has spoken so highly of her for several years.  Like her music or not, you have to agree she is just a really impressive young gal. 

And this is even more impressive!! Taylor just celebrated her 20th birthday.  No longer a teen, she hosted a big party in her hometown with a Christmas theme.  Even cooler than the party was that she gave $250,000 away to schools in honor of her birthday and in appreciation for the great year she has had.  The money is being used to help pay for books, supplies, even teacher's salaries.  Simply awesome!  She did have a connection to each school she gave $$ to - stating, "something I wanted to do at the end of this amazing year and especially on my birthday was give back to something I really believe in, which is education."  She goes on to share,  "the schools that I went to and the amazing people I got to learn from really turned me into who I am, and I wanted to give back."

Happy Birthday Taylor.  What an amazing year you have had and thanks for remaining humble and helping others! 

Babette's Corner: Elf Island - Gaming for Giving

Elf Island is the new online video gaming for kids that helps teach positive social and environmental values.   After spending my Saturday afternoon playing it, I have to say that I am now hooked on this empowering game.  The concept of game is that you are an elf and you set out on these missions to do good things and attempt to move up the levels after each successful good deed. 

One example is the “undersea level” where you are under water and have to destroy all of the garbage and pollution that is hurting our oceans.  Not only does this game teach young people about the benefits of social action, but it is fun as well.  Games like this are important for young children because as more and more kids spend time on their computers, it is important for them to be influenced positively. 

Fore more information please visit: http://www.elfisland.com/index.php

(I'm Babette, Kate's sidekick. Every once in a while I get to share my voice and my stories of living a charitable life.  I hope you enjoy!  For more about me, check this out...Five Questions with Babette.)

Who'd A Thunk It?...Down Economy Leads to Increase in Service

Being a part of a non-profit staff myself, I have seen the increase in volunteer interest amongst new graduates over the past months.  At Kate's Club, we've had a handful just recently come in offering to help in any way, interested in job opportunities, internships, or just to volunteer. 

Some are looking to boost their resume while the job search settles in neutral; some are rethinking that business degree altogether recognizing through their own struggle just how much need exists in our world.  Either way its providing a boost in such national programs as Teach For America, who have seen a 42% increase in teacher applications.  Its also helping smaller non-profits benefit from highly-skilled applicants that don't mind the lower pay. 

And now the national news outlets are seeing just how big of a shift this is.  Check out this article from CNN.com about how the economic downturn has led graduates to rethink the direction of their job search. 

And guess what?  Once they find that job....a lot of them are staying! Maybe the "carrot" these days isn't the six-figure salary, but seven letters instead "service".

Enjoy the article.  And check out the entire "What If: Volunteering" segment on CNN.com

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/31/national.service/index.html