Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Michael Pisacreta had three projects funded totaling more than $38,000. This includes 16 pianos, and classroom sets of ukuleles and guitars for GBMS.
Teachers often have to pay for classroom decorations, prizes, equipment, and other supplies out of their own pockets. Most teachers are happy to buy small treats, prizes, or some decorations for their class, but for major additions, they seek other funding sources.
Donors Choose is a great site where teachers can explain an idea for a project and sometimes a person or organization may decide to fund part or all of that project. Obviously, smaller projects have a much likelier chance of getting funded than huge projects.
Guinyard-Butler Middle School’s Michael Pisacreta is no stranger to Donors Choose. Starting in 2012, “Mr. P”, as he is known by his students, has had 26 projects funded. Most of these projects have been in the $300 to $700 range. They have been for anything from basic music supplies to more expensive instruments. Many of the projects are funded anonymously, but Mr. P’s donors have also included Bill Gates and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. His biggest project was for about $3,000. That all changed this past week.
Pisacreta had three projects totaling over $38,000 totally funded last week. Mr. P and Guinyard-Butler Middle School will be receiving 16 pianos, 20 ukuleles, guitars and lots of guitar accessories and storage. These donations will really help provide more GBMS students a better opportunity to explore creating music in their music classes.
If you are not familiar with Donors Choose, teachers submit projects for funding. After the project gets totally funded by an organization, an individual, or by many donations, the Donors Choose team facilitates the ordering and making sure the items being funded actually go to where they are meant to go. They also reveal all costs involved, so donors can be assured that what they give goes for what it was intended.
After each project has been funded, Mr. P always writes a note of appreciation to the donors. On a smaller project, he explains why these donations are so important, especially in our area. After getting a project funded to help students get new reeds and cleaning materials that some families might not be able to afford, he said, “I know it seems like a small thing, but to some of my families, it's one less financial burden to worry about. Your help is very appreciated.”
In our area, so many small expenses put together with the high price of instruments might discourage a family from pursuing music education.
Great job, Michael Pisacreta! I have a feeling that this will not be his last project funded.
If you would like to help local teachers in need, go to donorschoose.org. You can fund a whole project or just make a small donation towards the project of your choice. Lots of small donations add up to help get big projects funded.
