Teachers often have to reach into their own pockets to finance classroom supplies, but one teacher in Kingston, Massachusetts, has reached out online to some Bay State celebrities for financial support.
"There’s not always a ton of money to go around to bring new material into the classroom," said technology teacher Shawn Avery. "A lot of times teachers go out and are buying materials on their own."
Now, thanks to Avery and generous celebrities, students in a third grade class in Kingston Intermediate School have innovative technology at their fingertips.
"It’s awesome, I mean we get to use 3D, we get to go in the VR," said student Michael Reiche.
Whadaya say @SteveCarell @bjnovak @mindykaling @ChrisEvans @BenAffleck @ConanOBrien ? Make some noise for schools in MA today?@DonorsChoose https://t.co/I3IB3OGvQd
— John Krasinski (@johnkrasinski) March 29, 2017
wicked good idea @johnkrasinski! @DonorsChoose #bestschoolday https://t.co/uIIf5BVNsD
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) March 29, 2017
"I think the technology is really cool because I’ve never seen something like it," added student Bryn Lally.
Through Donors Choose, teachers like Avery can request help funding school projects or purchasing supplies that would otherwise be unattainable.
For an annual #BestSchoolDay initiative on Wednesday, Donors Choose matches every donation made to teachers. It prompted Avery to reach out on Twitter to actor and Newton, Massachusetts, native John Krasinski for help late Tuesday.
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"I just sent a tweet out to him saying is there anything we can do to rally some support," Avery recalled.
Krasinski not only responded, but asked some of his famous friends from Massachusetts for help too.
Those famous friends, including Cambridge native Mindy Kaling, answered the call.
"Just to see the support and see that even though they have so much going on in their own lives, that they can still take the time to try and rally for communities that they grew up in," said Avery.
Over the past five years, Avery says he has gotten about $70,000 in funding through Donors Choose which has allowed him to purchase iPads, Chromebooks, drones and 3D printers for his classroom.