Today We Give Back to the Future

"The past few months have been filled with positivity, collaboration, and a bright outlook on the future," said no one recently.

Despite the divisions that emerged in our country this year, there's one source of hope and inspiration we can always turn to: teachers.

In the face of uncertainty, teachers show our children the way forward.  I've been amazed by the resourcefulness of the teachers on DonorsChoose.org as they've helped their students navigate the past several months.

In Colorado, Ms. Shaver is taking her high schoolers to see state government in action by visiting with legislators to see the lawmaking process up close. When they return to their home community, they’ll all complete a service learning project to put what they’ve learned into practice.

Ms. Greene in South Carolina is building a library that celebrates her elementary students’ racial and socioeconomic differences, so that the very first words they learn to read convey inclusion, tolerance, and compassion.

Meanwhile, Ms. Moorman’s Washington, D.C., students are creating documentaries of their experience tracing the path of the Civil Rights Movement in the South, using their interviews with community leaders along with classroom research to make their own statements about social justice.

And many more teachers are seeking support to bring these same types of lessons to their students.

This #GivingTuesday and throughout the giving season, I hope you'll give back to our future, whether it's reading to a child, seeking an opportunity to be a mentor, or helping a teacher bring learning to life in the classroom. Brighter tomorrows will only be possible if we invest in our children today.