Local teacher starts fundraiser to get her students necessary resources

(WTXF) - In a few weeks, another school year will end and the discussion will once again begin, particularly in low-income neighborhoods: how do we get the necessary resources to the students who need them the most?

It's an issue that impacts teachers like Penn Wood Middle School's Nicole Reale.

"I don't think that they should suffer or be penalized just because we're a district that doesn't have everything that they need," Reale explained.

Like so many schools in our area, from the outside, Penn Wood looks like just another school. Go inside and you'll find teachers like Mrs.Reale who are trying to do everything and anything to make sure their students achieve.

"I don't hesitate to go buy something if it's going to help my kids," Reale explained.

Mrs. Nicole Reale made it clear that she loves her job, and more importantly her students. She isn't attacking her district in any way but is part of a growing number of teachers online trying to raise the money to provide resources for her inner city students that are taken for granted in higher income areas.

"For most of us the reason we become a teacher is because we want to help the kids. It's almost similar to when you have your own kids. You put their needs ahead of yours," she explained.

Part of doing that is identifying technology that motivates even the most challenging students

"We just got a new program an intervention program for our struggling readers called Read 380. The kids have grown so much using this program because it engages them," Reale said.

Mrs Reale's school found the money for the basic program but couldn't afford the support that allows them to go beyond basic.

"So there's all of these that are only eBooks that we can't use, because we don't have the technology," she said.

Hopefully, with help, the kids of Mrs. Reale's class will get that chance to excel through her fundraising page.

"I feel like there's so many good people out there who may want to help that maybe I can just get it for my classroom," she explained.

The discussion about school funding and the balance between applauding teachers for raising money while still being bothered that they have to, is a discussion for another day. Today it's a look at all of the teachers who put that battle aside for a minute and put their money where their mouth is to help kids and hope we may do the same, For Goodness Sake.

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