Funding Education with the Blockchain, Volume 2: iPads, Books, and More!
Hi everyone,
It's been a few weeks since we wrapped up the first Volume of my education funding initiative here on Steemit, and it was an overwhelming success. Through your generosity, we were able to raise $425 for my wife's classroom. The money has been spent on books and creative seating options, and we're still waiting for some of the materials to arrive, but when we do, you'll hopefully get to see a video of my wife and me demonstrating the wobble stools!
Today, I'd like to introduce Volume 2 of this initiative because I want to keep this going and use Steemit to help other teachers and schools in my area. I did a search on DonorsChoose.org today for schools near me with open projects, and it returned several results:
iCan Learn: iPads for the classroom!
The first project is titled "iCan Learn." The project seeks funding for four iPads for a classroom in a rural area. The project ends on March 27, and at the time of posting this blog, it still needs $226 for completion. I think it's well within the realm of possibility for us to raise enough to finish out this project! Here's an excerpt from the project description by Mrs. Schrantz, an elementary teacher in Pulaski, VA:
Though my students are very different from one another, something they have in common is that they enjoy using technology in the classroom. Many of them do not have access to these resources in their homes, so I try to incorporate the use of technology very often. In our classroom, we have five student computers. These computers are used during Reading and Math rotations on almost a daily basis. This can be a challenge if the student groups are large, or if there are issues with a computer and I am not readily available to help.
Having iPads in the classroom will give all of my students the opportunity to participate in engaging activities.
There are many educational apps found on iPads that align directly with skills my students are working on in the classroom. While I am working with a small group, I can be confident my other students are focused, engaged, and getting the practice they need.
If you'd like to read the full project description and view the itemized costs for the project, you may visit the project page here.
I believe this project is worth a vote from everyone, and I'm hopeful that we can help fully fund the project soon! At current STEEM prices, we'd only need to raise around 50 STEEM to complete this project and send this classroom four brand new iPads!
This is the primary project we'll be hoping to support. If donations in excess of the $226 are made, here are a few other projects from my area that I'll consider sending the excess funds to:
Diverse Classroom Library Choices Allow All Students To Feel Relevant- Mr. Thompson, High School in Blacksburg, VA -This project seeks to connect 9th graders with books they can better identify with. The project still needs $244.
Hands-On Fun...I Mean Learning- Mrs. Dowdy, First Grade in Blacksburg, VA -This project seeks funds for hands-on learning tools such as Legos and Magna-tiles for a first grade classroom. The project still needs $459.
You may view the individual project pages by clicking on the bold lettering. I would love to be able to make donations to all of these projects, but I am going to prioritize the iPad project simply because it has the earliest deadline. I'll consider doing future posts to raise money for the other projects after this one goes live.
Thank you in advance for your donations, votes, comments, and resteems. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of students everywhere, and show them that the blockchain has the power to influence the world as we know it.
The Donation Process
All rewards from this post will be used to fund the projects above. Liquid SBD rewards will be converted to STEEM and I will contribute an amount of STEEM equal to the SP payout. The combined amount will be sent to my Coinbase LTC wallet via Blocktrades. I'll make the donation to the project in the exact amount received in USD via DonorsChoose.org. I will also document this process and provide the relevant transaction links and a screenshot of the donation confirmation email.
This process was used for Volume 1, so if you'd like to see the confirmation, check out the transparency post here.
I also accept liquid transfer donations to my wallet! Any support is greatly appreciated. I'll be upvoting comments to show my support, and I want to thank everyone in advance for helping to further education here in the United States, and specifically in Southwest Virginia.
This is incredible. Utilizing the blockchain for donation and nonprofit-based activities is the next great development I want to see on this platform. I love what you're up to, raising money for something so dear to your heart (and close to home).
What an example of the greatness that can be done on the BLOCKCHAIN!
It's been great to use Steemit for these purposes! If you're interested in seeing more fantastic non-profit efforts that the blockchain has helped fund, check out @youarehope. It's an entire charity set up on the blockchain that has helped fund all sorts of great projects around the globe!
Small projects like this are just the beginning. Thank you so much for your support.
Wow, $425 - that's awesome! Congrats. Last year, my granddaughter's 4th grade teacher gave them the option of using the large balls to sit on instead of chairs. All but one of the girls chose the balls. Apparently, it made a big difference in their attentiveness. Good luck with this effort. You've got my vote. Looking forward to the video of the wobble stools.
Hey sparklytraveler! Thanks for your support on this initiative. The creative seating options are definitely great, especially for kids who struggle to focus on their work! My wife has been able to use options like this very effectively in her classroom. I hope we'll be able to send a large donation to these projects, too.
Thanks again!
Ethan, it so warms my heart that you're using the blockchain to help the kids. They are our future. Hopefully, you're an inspiration to more people utilizing the blockchain to fund worthwhile projects dear to their hearts.
It warms the cockles of my heart. (I'm not sure what that means, but I hope it means I'm shellfish, not selfish.)
Trust me, I'm a doctor.
I've said it before and I will continue to say it. It is criminal the way education is being neglected. Our children are our most important asset. If just a little of our excessive military budget was diverted to social causes teachers like @ethandsmith's wife and many others, bless them, could spend more of their time with their charges and less time begging for what the classrooms need.
Having said that, since my help is needed I am glad to be able to give it. It's not much, but I'm not one to say "I only have a few pennies. That won't help anybody." It will help. in this case my few pennies and your few pennies and your couple of SBD and your 0.005 upvote, it all adds up to something.
Also, I would like to see this grow. Maybe another teacher in the same school as Mrs Smith, or in the next county, or clear across the country in, say, Oregon. Ethan can't do it all by himself, but if you twist his arm he might be persuaded to give you advice on how to do your own funding for your favourite teacher.
Hey, here's a thought ... I don't have many so treat it like gold ... how about a whole bunch of people supporting a whole bunch of classrooms all over the country. If you ask nicely I'm sure @sircork would let you set it up within the YouAreHOPE Foundation. Just don't tell him I sent you.
Trust me, I'm a doctor.
Thanks for your thoughts.
I think it's an effort that I would like so desperately to succeed. I know SirCork is stretched thin already with @youarehope's efforts across the globe. I've discussed it with him briefly, so I'm not sure if we can implement it there. If only I had the time, I would set up a standalone account that did all of this, but it would take a while to get it as much exposure as the posts get through my account currently.
I'll keep it in mind, though, because education is dear to my heart now that I know how much Steemit has helped my wife's classroom.
I do appreciate your vote, your contribution from minnowbooster, and the inclusion of this post in your curation project. All of these add up!
I can contribute some discord space for the cause to have a moderated channel but this sort of thing might warrant it's own full blown, on-going community of educators and students into supporting the cause here.
As far as @YouAreHOPE - well, I do often find myself of being in the quandry of too many people and causes seeking help, not enough helping to go around.
So, at the risk of sounding harsh to some people in need, I have to measure and balance how we apply our donor's funds. As the moment, on our limited budget, still looks like this: If your recipient has access to food today that is safe to eat? or can obtain some from a nearby food pantry in a wealthier economy like US, Canada, or Western Europe, then I am probably going to have to say, that our funds are still earmarked for orphans in economically destroyed regions and such like that. Those that cannot help themselves in any capacity at all.
Classrooms are very important, but at least here in the states, if a child makes it to a classroom, he got some food somewhere that day, for sure.
I know you deal with far more needy/desperate charities than this. I was not actually thinking of financial support, more under your umbrella as it were. Or with some advice from you. Your idea of a full-blown, on-going community of educators and students certainly has merit, and there, see @ethandsmith? I knew @sircork would help if I poked him right.Can we come to you for advice if we go this route? I promise to do my best to keep Ethan from bothering you too much.
Trust me, I'm a doctor.
Of course, after all, @catweasel, my man-cat-weasel...
You're a doctor.
Thanks for responding to this, @sircork! This might become a project of mine in the future if I have some more time, and I appreciate @catweasel suggesting the idea!
This is definitely something I can get behind! And thanks for pointing out the donors choose website - I didn't know that existed. That's a fantastic resource for finding good causes right in our backyards.
I'm glad you think so. Thank you for your support! And yes, Donors Choose is a great way to find local projects that you can support. Most of these teachers have exhausted all of their other funding options, so it's always a big deal to get one of these projects funded. I hope I'll be able to help support many more in the future with these initiatives.
You got my vote on this one as well. Can't wait to see you and the wife wobbling around, while sober.
Much appreciated! I can guarantee we'll be sober when we're wobbling. Going to school drunk in our county can end badly. haha
I'm excited to make a video of us using the stools. They're going to be very fun for the children! Thank you again for your support.
Very welcome, and remember my thought on how to change the education system? It could have saved 17 more this week.
Very happy to resteem this. This is such a great use of Steem blockchain :) Check your wallet for small donation. Much love - Carl
Hey Carl,
Thanks so much for your upvote, resteem, and your donation to the project! Every contribution helps, and hopefully the price of STEEM will continue to climb so we can make an even more impactful donation!
What a great initiative!
Thanks to @randomwanderings, this post was resteemed and highlighted in today's edition of The Daily Sneak.
Thank you for your efforts to create quality content!
Hey, thanks so much for featuring this post, resteeming it, and providing your vote. Also, thank you for enrolling me in basic income! I really appreciate all you've done to support my blog and this specific project. I hope to continue this initiative in the future so that more students across the US will benefit from the STEEM blockchain.
Pretty exciting! Can't wait to see the wobble stools being used! :) Ha! These sound like good projects to support. Magnatiles are pretty fun and expensive! Hopefully these teachers see great success from these additions to their classrooms! :)
Spoiler alert, some of the stools have come already, I just had trouble with the video files, so I haven't been able to upload it yet. haha they're a lot of fun, and I know the kids will love using them.
I hope I'll be able to support many projects in the future, but yes, the magnatiles look incredibly fun. Thank you for your support and your comment!
Yea! Exciting!! I bet they are fun to use...and abuse! ;) Ha!
So in awe reading about all these projects of hope, the truth is that each one of us can make a difference & that's exactly what is happening here! Thank you and wish you well with your efforts :)
Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and support this initiative! Our donation to these projects will impact so many students in the future!
In the future, @askanything will be able to upvote the questions of Steemian pupils, for the moment we are looking for ideas to fill up the account. Why not a crowd funding ?
It's definitely an idea! I'll have to check out your project and see what you've got going on. Could you give me a quick rundown? I like the idea of upvoting questions that people have. Crowdfunding has been an excellent way to raise funds on Steemit so far, as you've seen through this post and other. Perhaps I can help!