It's already September and that means school is back in session for all. With so many people in my life affected by school systems, from my mother in law who is a teacher, to my nieces and nephews who attend elementary school, and friends who have school aged kids, I'm constantly hearing about different schools and how their funding has been cut. It's sad to realize that our future and our children's future depends on funds that are currently limited... and with the realization that certain types of learners aren't having their needs met because a school district can't afford the items needed for classrooms, I'm just devastated.


So when I heard Orkin and DonorChoose.org partnered up for the Start with Science initiative I was ecstatic, to say the least. This initiative supports science education and helps teachers bring their classroom projects to life! With so many amazing teachers in the United States, it's easy to see why Orkin would want to help them out and spread awareness so that students can get the items their classrooms so greatly need. Actually, Orkin has donated over $325,000 to fund 1,400+ projects for more than 123,000 U.S. public school students! I love that they aren't just handing out the usual cheesy textbooks and expecting students to teach themselves, they are using their influence to promote STEM activities which help foster a hands-on classroom approach that entices children to learn and most of the classrooms they've donated funds to are classrooms in need!

Speaking of classrooms in need, I was able to recently donate $250 to a classroom that I felt compelled to help out. I decided to go with Ms. Papillon's classroom in St. Petersburg, Florida after reading through a ton of requests. I decided to help out her classroom after learning she has a classroom full of diverse and curious learners that need additional accommodations in reading, writing, and math and many don't have access to the needed technology in their homes! I felt like it was imperative that they are able to access the technology while at school and wanted to do my part to help them out.

Instead of hoping for something good to happen, Ms. Papillon is requesting twenty-five Kindle Fire tablets for her kids, to help provide a one-on-one technology experience for each child student in the classroom, creating a fully integrated technology environment - something her classroom greatly needs! With the small donation I was able to make towards her request, her students will now be able to research, explore, create, and collaborate in a new way, while also developing skills for a 21st century learner.

Instead of just talking about rocks and learning about geology via a lecture, they can now "travel the world" with their tablets and learn science hands-on while also building their technology skills. While learning math in the traditional sense is tough for most kids, learning while playing a game on their tablet could be life-changing... I know when I finally took a math course via a computer in college, it changed the way I was able to work the problems and actually helped me understand. It's interesting how different students learn in different ways and I'm glad I was able to help change the way Ms. Papillon's classroom is functioning.

I'm so excited I was able to help out a classroom in my community with something they greatly need. If only I could help every classroom in my community... and I think we all feel that way. While it's not possible to help every student in every classroom, today I'm offering YOU the chance to help out a classroom in need as well. Click here to pick your favorite project to donate to and then enter to win a $50 giveaway so that you can donate to that project with the giveaway tools form below!