have been teaching for 8 years and love every minute of my time with my first grade students. Teaching has become difficult due to the lack the funds needed to teach our students what they deserve to learn. I don't have the resources to give students access to various materials.

I have an amazing group of students. They come from all walks of life and make up a very diverse classroom. I teach a self-contained first grade class with English as a Second Language and Special Education children. They are enthusiastic and eager to learn, but suffer from our lack of materials. Many of the children come to school without the necessary school supplies to have a successful year.

Young students need a strong start in school starting in Kindergarten with the appropriate supplies they can have that jump start to be successful in school the rest of their lives. In city public schools teachers are often buying classroom necessities such as paper towel, toilet paper, soap, and hand sanitizer. This leaves little in the teachers’ budget to buy other essentials such as folders, notebooks, and pencils. Please help me give each student starting school in my classroom the same opportunity to excel in school.