Cents in Action: A Dream Deferred, A Plan Hatched
For this week’s 'Cents in Action' post we have the pleasure of sharing a narrative from Jason Mcgee, a teacher at Turner High School in Kansas City, Kansas. Mr. McGee's fundraising page has raised over $1,500 for the new Club of Rock at Turner High School!
Among other things, I teach Economics, American Government, and American History at Turner High School in Kansas City, Ks. At the beginning of every year, I ask my students to write a little about who they are, and what they want to do after high school. This year one of my student’s responses shocked me: she wants to become a “rock star.” A long-time musician myself, I had similar aspirations in high school, so her response resonated with me. When I plied her about this intriguing response, she said that she wanted to play drums—yet she had no drum set, no money for them, nor lessons. I polled other students about this situation, and I heard similar tales of woe. Their stories inspired me to start a rock n’ roll club at my high school.
The Turner High School Club of Rock is a place where kids can play, create, and practice music in a supportive and friendly environment. Thanks to PledgeCents: I now have the funds to buy guitars, drums, microphones, and other supplies to help make my future rock stars’ dreams come true.
Through PlegeCents I received funding quicker than I ever believed possible. On the day that my cause went live, I received a message from PledgeCents informing me that I had been selected to participate in a contest in which I could win money for my cause from an anonymous donor. Although I did not win the contest, the excitement generated by the competition inspired a massive outpouring of love and support from my family, my friends, and the family of my friends. Within 48 hours, my cause went from zero dollars to $1,509, and a few weeks later I received a check from PledgeCents.
Here is a picture of me holding that check (Note the genuine excitement on my face!)
The flexible nature of PledgeCents funding gives educators control over their purchases. I had heard of other crowdfunding sites, but I really like the freedom that the PledgeCents platform offers. Case in point: I knew that I need a place to store my musical equipment, so I used some of my funds to buy materials to build a rolling storage cabinet, one that met my specific needs.
Another great thing about PledgeCents funding is that it gives educators the ability to shop around. Purchasing equipment—from the venders and suppliers that I choose—at the best prices, which means that I can preserve my club’s precious financial resources. Recently, I purchased two new guitars, strings, and other supplies on Black Friday—at a steep discount.
PledgeCents exceeded all of my expectations. I received my much needed funding—quickly. That funding empowered me to buy the specific, specialized things that I needed for my cause. And through PledgeCents, I was able to save money by selecting my own vendors, controlling what I buy, and determining when I do it. I highly recommend PledgeCents to any educator who wants to help others, and make the world a better place—one student, one cause at a time. Thank you, PledgeCents!
*Jason was not compensated for this post.
If you have any questions, email us at info@pledgecents.com.
