Teachers know firsthand that the #FirstDayofSchool sets the tone for a student's entire year. It all comes down to what's in their backpacks and on classroom shelves. 93% of teachers say that when students have exactly what they need from day one, learning gets a lot easier. Reading comprehension goes up. Math class becomes a joy. Pencils, crayons, classroom snacks, a new rug to sit on—tangible supplies are just the beginning. What follows is creativity, confidence, and possibility.
Click play to follow three students as they start a new year of learning.
We asked JJ, Mic, and Beckham to tell us what they hope to learn and the kind of person they want to be when the school year ends.
JJ, 6th Grade
Meet JJ, an aspiring athlete who can't wait for friends, fun, and scoring touchdowns in 6th grade this year!
How would your best friends describe you? My best friends would describe me as goofy, funny, and playful.
What makes you feel confident? Football. Like I'm confident that I’m going to win.
What are you hoping to achieve this year? I want to get better at Math. And still beat everyone in football.
Mic, 10th grade
Meet Mic, a passionate artist who never forgets to make sure their fellow students can express themselves, too!
Can you describe yourself as an artist right now? I'm still kind of figuring it out, but I consider myself more of a painter. I really like to paint with oil. I think it's such a beautiful medium.
What's one thing every student deserves? I think every student deserves to have a chance to learn how to express themselves, and to have access to the supplies they need to go further into that. A lot of the time, students are scared to try or are scared to learn new things because they feel they don't have the right support. And I think everyone deserves that support, whether it be friends, teachers, or new supplies.
What's something in your backpack that you always bring with you? My pencil case. I feel like that's essential to any student. And sometimes kids don't have pencils with them. It's kind of a mess. But I always need a pencil. And if a friend needs a pencil, I'm always willing to help out and give one to them.
Beckham, Kindergarten
Meet Beckham, future chef/footballer/teacher and all around bestie with a backpack full of Beyblades!
What are you excited about this year? It's my first day of school! I'm excited to meet my new teacher and some new friends. But I hope I see my school friends like, see them around sometimes.
What are you gonna do this year? This year, I'm becoming someone that can write things on his own.
Make an actual difference in a student's life – right now.
When you support a classroom project on DonorsChoose, your donations go directly to young learners. What a student has on day one shapes how their whole school year unfolds. iThere's never been a better time to support students. Full backpacks. Successful students. Bright futures. Discover the change you want to make, today.
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