Cents in Action: Midwest Vibes
Cents in Action: Guest blog post by Lisa Maloney (West Elementary School - Jefferson City, MO)
Lisa has been able to raise $1,900 with a couple of awesome classroom causes! We want to highlight her experience on PledgeCents with her raw feedback in the form of a guest post with a little Q&A action.
1. How long have you been a teacher, and what is your favorite teaching moment from your career so far?
I began my teaching career in 2000. I’ve been a fifth grade teacher at West Elementary School located in Jefferson City, Missouri since 2001. My fondest memories are the connections, collaborations, and support system my students and I develop as a class family. Each year from August to May, we learn, take risks, laugh, cry, and grow into a strong class family.
2. How much of your own money do you think you have put toward your classroom and students in any given year, and what have you spent it on?
During our year together these students become my kids! My students have different needs, interests, talents, and challenges. I try my best to purchase basic items such as jackets, socks, mittens, backpacks, etc. that are needed for my students. I always ask parental permission first before sending these purchased items home with the child. One particular year I had a group of students that were very hungry. Often times, the only food they had available to them were the meals eaten at school. I do not believe hunger should interfere with student learning and general health. I would have a daily snack available to all that needed it. I spent a lot of my personal money on cheese crackers, peanut butter, graham crackers, and pudding that year! If my students fall in love with a particular author, I will buy requested books that aren’t readily available for them via our classroom library, school library, and leveled library. I am always adding items to my grocery cart at WalMart for an upcoming science experiment, incentive, or enhancement that will compliment student learning. I give my students the gift of time. If they are performing in a skating recital, playing in a football game, etc. I try my best to attend their event. I full heartedly believe and try to practice and model the words Anne Frank once spoke, “No one has ever become poor from giving.”
3. With so many fundraising options out there, why did you choose to work with the PledgeCents team?
There are so many embedded benefits of PledgeCents. Some educational crowdfunding sites only award the project if 100% of the total is successfully raised within a set time frame. However, PledgeCents lets the teacher receive whatever monetary amount was raised (minus the small PledgeCents percentage fee). Additionally, PledgeCents is so media friendly! During the period of time a teacher’s project is live, they will run a promotion where the teacher can earn a $1 donation for every Facebook share accrued during a 24 hour period. This is an easy and effective way to spread the project need to possible investors. Furthermore, PledgeCents representatives do a phenomenal job answering questions, concerns, etc. in a timely manner! Completed projects are closed out and the project check is mailed/received quickly.
4. What did you personally do to market your cause? What worked? What didn’t work?
The most important elements of marketing your project is to believe in your project, if needed be your first monetary donor, and make others aware of your live project. I sent a parent letter home with each student explaining the PledgeCents project, how the materials will be used, the project website along with a QR code of the project. Typically I share the project along with a short description on Facebook. I have had more success marketing the project via Facebook versus the hard copy parental letter. I’ve also presented a PledgeCents project, requested, and received monetary support from our school’s PTA committee. The largest support I’ve received for a PledgeCents project has been a Spirit Night where a local restaurant donated 10% of the evening’s sales to the project. I sent home flyers with my students inviting them to patronize the restaurant on the date of the Spirit Night. I also invited family members and co-workers. It was a great opportunity to partake in a meal that I didn’t have to cook, to socialize with those supporting the event, and to earn money for the project!
5. How was your experience with PledgeCents? What did you like? Not like?
The PledgeCents team is passionate about enhancing the learning environment for students and educators*! Their positive energy, work ethic, creativity, and enticing promotions and contests make this such a rewarding and successful experience for the teacher!
6. What would be your advice to another teacher who is considering using PledgeCents?
Dive in and give PledgeCents a try! Everyday we encourage our students to take risks as a learner, now’s your opportunity! I do not think you will regret it.
7. What is the best thing about being an educator, and where do you find your inspiration?
As an educator I keep learning and growing. My continual learning and revision is accompanied with failures, setbacks, successes, discoveries, etc. I think these are important elements of learning that need to be modeled to today’s students. They are living in a world where the majority of answers are provided instantaneously (caller ID, Suri, quick Google search, etc.) However, in the educational setting learning and success often times occurs only after multiple practice opportunities, setbacks, and revisions. My inspiration comes from my family. I want to make my family members proud and I desire to be the type of teacher I want my own three young-aged children to experience. I want my children’s teacher to hold high expectations of each and every student, to be patient, nurturing, flexible yet firm, motivated, and a lifelong learner!
*Lisa was not compensated for this post.
