December 28, 2005
Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Visits "RAFT" to Encourage
Season of Giving All Year Long to Benefit Teachers
Visits Nonprofit Teaching Supply Organization Opening Doors Soon in Sacramento
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today called on Californians to keep the season of giving alive all year round by donating to a nonprofit teaching supply organization.
O'Connell made the announcement during a visit to the site of Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) Sacramento. The soon-to-be-opened facility accepts donations of scrap materials that would have otherwise been thrown away and helps teachers turn those materials into valuable classroom tools.
"The holidays are almost over but there's still a place to give a gift that will bring dividends many times over throughout the year," O'Connell said. "RAFT offers a great way for businesses and the public to support our public schools and our teachers. This innovative program helps our public school teachers bring needed materials to their classrooms, without having to dig into their own pockets to pay for them, as so many of our teachers do. I want to encourage teachers to become aware of this new resource, and the public to know about this simple way they can give teachers a helping hand."
RAFT has been in operation for over ten years in the Silicon Valley. Its innovative program helps public school teachers bring needed materials to their classrooms without having to dig into their own pockets to pay for them. In collaboration with the Grant Joint Union High School District, RAFT Sacramento will open as a resource for local educators this summer. RAFT accepts donations of manufacturing mistakes, overruns, excess products and other materials that would have otherwise been thrown away and helps teachers turn those materials into creative hands-on projects that help students learn about science and math.
"RAFT gives teachers materials that can make learning fun and relevant to students," O'Connell said. "These kinds of projects are particularly important as we work to prepare all of our students to higher standards, to become analytical and creative thinkers, and particularly as we seek to improve achievement in science and math.
"I commend RAFT and the Grant Joint Union High School District for collaborating in a way that benefits students, businesses, and our environment," O'Connell concluded. "At a time when our schools need more community support than ever, RAFT is a great role model. I am so happy to see RAFT expand to benefit educators here in California's Sacramento region."
For more information, please visit RAFT - Resource Area for Teachers [http://www.raft.net] (Outside Source).
