Category Archives: Schools

We’re Inspired By: Will.i.am

Image courtesy of LAConfidentialMagazine.com

This week we would like to pay tribute to Will.i.am, the lead singer of the Black Eyed Peas.

Will.i.am has created the i.am.angel Foundation with the goal to “trans4m lives through education, inspiration and opportunity”. One of his big initiatives is to encourage involvement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — the STEM subjects. He believes STEM will power the economy to lift neighborhoods from poverty and argues why it is imperative to help our children pursue careers in STEM fields.

Taking it even one step further, Will.i.am has proposed STEM to become STEAM, now to integrate the Arts as well. A partnership with i.am.angel Foundation and Discovery Education has created a program called i.am.STEAM, intended to bring science, technology, engineering, art and math to K-12 classrooms around the country. He even partnered with NASA to premier his single, “Reach for the Stars (Mars Edition)” in August 2012 in an effort to inspire students to cultivate an interest in science.

On February 7th, Will.i.am hosted a benefit concert called “Transf4m” to raise money for his hometown, Boyle Heights. The i.am.boyle.heights center will be a major resource for transforming the community located in East Los Angeles. It will offer a range of programs equipped with resources to help students get into college.

Will.i.am we salute you for your initiatives to improve education in America.

Leave a reply

Interview with Catherine White, Parent Association President, High Tech High Media Arts

This week we are proud to share insights from the President of the Parent Association at High Tech High Media Arts (HTHMA), Catherine White. HTHMA focuses on a college-going culture supported through a strong liberal arts and sciences foundation. The campus serves 400 students in grades 9-12 and was founded in 2005. The project-based curriculum enables students to “do and learn.” As the Parent Association President, White has seen the kind of difference HTHMA has made in its students’ lives. She has continuously and actively showed support for HTHMA and its programs. With her role as President of the Parent Association, comes not only knowledge but also her first-hand experience in dealing with funding challenges. We had an opportunity to speak with Catherine about her role at the parent association, the difficulties of fundraising and why she feels that DonorNation is the solution.

DonorNation: What does the quality of education mean to you?

Catherine: A school provides an education when its students are learning. A school provides a quality education when its students are learning how to learn. I think of the phrase, “That’s academic.” The word “academic” makes you think of a conventional, classical education. But saying, “That’s academic,” means something that is theoretical without a practical purpose. I think you cannot call an education a quality education without having a value, i.e., a practical purpose. When a student learns how to learn, and can put that knowledge to practical purpose…I call that a quality education.

DonorNation: What is your opinion on the funding crisis facing schools today? How has it impacted High Tech Media Arts?

Catherine: I think that the funding crisis does not stem from a lack of funds, but rather from a lack of priority. California spends approximately seven times more on housing a prisoner per year than educating a child per year. I am a criminal defense attorney. I know these prisoners; they are my clients. The overwhelming majority of prisoners have a single common trait — they grew up without a quality education. I see lives wasted every day because our state does not prioritize teaching our children how to think — and especially how to think before acting with full regard to the consequences. The students in our schools today can either be our future thinkers, or my future clients. In my opinion, we need to choose education now over punishment later for lack of making educated decisions.

High Tech High Media Arts is a project-based school with brilliant teachers who think beyond the books, outside the box, beneath the oceans and into the skies. When funding is limited, our teachers are limited. It’s that simple. Why would we allow that to happen? We move mountains to get our children into HTHMA, and then tell the teachers, “Sorry, but we don’t have the money to allow you to be brilliant with our children.” I don’t think so. Not only does that defeat the entire purpose of HTHMA, but demoralizes the teachers and students. I think that we must do everything in our power — and in our pocketbooks — to ensure that our teachers’ wishes and dreams for our students come true.

DonorNation: What are the biggest challenges you face with fundraising?

Catherine: Fighting the thought that “someone else” will do it.  The parents that give their time, energy and money to fundraising efforts are a small percentage of the 100 percent participation that we need. If everyone gave — even in the smallest of ways — we would not have a fundraising problem. It takes a village, right?

DonorNation: Why did you decide to use DonorNation as a fundraising platform?


Catherine: The concept of DonorNation is brilliant. Neighbor-helping-neighbor? Come on! What better way to activate the resources of our community than to integrate our community’s individuals and businesses with the education of our community’s students? The quality of our city is the quality of our citizens. Our students are our future citizens, so why would we all not want to have a stake in that?

DonorNation: How do you feel DonorNation will help High Tech Media Arts?

Catherine: What is the downside? I mean, not only do we raise funds for the school, but we also teach the students that we are a community that puts its hope and faith in them. I don’t know a single child who doesn’t flourish when told that they matter and that they matter a great deal. That’s what DonorNation tells our children — your education matters so much that we are willing to make sure you get the best by making it part of our everyday lives. DonorNation allows us to make it our daily business to tell our students how much they matter to us. It’s not just a hope for them, it’s a reality for them.

DonorNation: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Catherine. 

Find out how schools are raising valuable funds by using our marketplace.

Leave a reply

Interview with Catherine White, Parent Association President, High Tech High Media Arts

This week we are proud to share insights from the President of the Parent Association at High Tech High Media Arts (HTHMA), Catherine White. HTHMA focuses on a college-going culture supported through a strong liberal arts and sciences foundation. The campus serves 400 students in grades 9-12 and was founded in 2005. The project-based curriculum enables students to “do and learn.” As the Parent Association President, White has seen the kind of difference HTHMA has made in its students’ lives. She has continuously and actively showed support for HTHMA and its programs. With her role as President of the Parent Association, comes not only knowledge but also her first-hand experience in dealing with funding challenges. We had an opportunity to speak with Catherine about her role at the parent association, the difficulties of fundraising and why she feels that donornation is the solution.

donornation: What does the quality of education mean to you?

Catherine: A school provides an education when its students are learning. A school provides a quality education when its students are learning how to learn. I think of the phrase, “That’s academic.” The word “academic” makes you think of a conventional, classical education. But saying, “That’s academic,” means something that is theoretical without a practical purpose. I think you cannot call an education a quality education without having a value, i.e., a practical purpose. When a student learns how to learn, and can put that knowledge to practical purpose…I call that a quality education.

donornation: What is your opinion on the funding crisis facing schools today? How has it impacted High Tech Media Arts?

Catherine: I think that the funding crisis does not stem from a lack of funds, but rather from a lack of priority. California spends approximately seven times more on housing a prisoner per year than educating a child per year. I am a criminal defense attorney. I know these prisoners; they are my clients. The overwhelming majority of prisoners have a single common trait — they grew up without a quality education. I see lives wasted every day because our state does not prioritize teaching our children how to think — and especially how to think before acting with full regard to the consequences. The students in our schools today can either be our future thinkers, or my future clients. In my opinion, we need to choose education now over punishment later for lack of making educated decisions.

High Tech High Media Arts is a project-based school with brilliant teachers who think beyond the books, outside the box, beneath the oceans and into the skies. When funding is limited, our teachers are limited. It’s that simple. Why would we allow that to happen? We move mountains to get our children into HTHMA, and then tell the teachers, “Sorry, but we don’t have the money to allow you to be brilliant with our children.” I don’t think so. Not only does that defeat the entire purpose of HTHMA, but demoralizes the teachers and students. I think that we must do everything in our power — and in our pocketbooks — to ensure that our teachers’ wishes and dreams for our students come true.

donornation: What are the biggest challenges you face with fundraising?

Catherine: Fighting the thought that “someone else” will do it.  The parents that give their time, energy and money to fundraising efforts are a small percentage of the 100 percent participation that we need. If everyone gave — even in the smallest of ways — we would not have a fundraising problem. It takes a village, right?

donornation: Why did you decide to use donornation as a fundraising platform?


Catherine: The concept of donornation is brilliant. Neighbor-helping-neighbor? Come on! What better way to activate the resources of our community than to integrate our community’s individuals and businesses with the education of our community’s students? The quality of our city is the quality of our citizens. Our students are our future citizens, so why would we all not want to have a stake in that?

donornation: How do you feel donornation will help High Tech Media Arts?

Catherine: What is the downside? I mean, not only do we raise funds for the school, but we also teach the students that we are a community that puts its hope and faith in them. I don’t know a single child who doesn’t flourish when told that they matter and that they matter a great deal. That’s what donornation tells our children — your education matters so much that we are willing to make sure you get the best by making it part of our everyday lives. donornation allows us to make it our daily business to tell our students how much they matter to us. It’s not just a hope for them, it’s a reality for them.

donornation: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Catherine. 

Find out how schools are raising valuable funds by using our marketplace.

Leave a reply

A Time to Say Thanks to our Nation’s Parents and Teachers

This Thanksgiving we salute the herculean efforts of parents and teachers dedicated to improving the quality of education in schools across our country, especially when their time and resources are so precious. Thank you for the countless volunteer hours you have committed as class parents, field trip chaperons, Board members, committee members and coaches. Thank you for taking the time to read with your kids at night and for supporting them with their class projects. Thank you for helping to make classrooms more exciting and enriching atmospheres for our children to learn in. Thank you for supporting the myriad of school fundraising campaigns. Thank you for your tireless leadership, dedication and inspiration. Without you, our schools, classrooms and students would not be where they are today.

Parents and teachers deserve even greater appreciation given that they are making these investments in time, money and energy at such a tumultuous time for American public schools. Steep cuts to education over the last number of years have had a serious impact on the quality of education in our country. Parents and teachers have been left to bridge the gaps…and they are vast.

According to a report published by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in September 2012, restoring school funding should be an urgent priority. The steep state-level K-12 spending cuts of the last several years have serious consequences for the nation:

  • State-level K-12 cuts have large consequences for local school districts. Some 44 percent of total education expenditures in the United States come from state funds (the share varies by state). Cuts at the state level mean that local school districts have to either scale back the educational services they provide, raise more local tax revenue to cover the gap, or both.
  • The cuts extended the recession and slowed the recovery. As of July 2012, local school districts had cut 328,000 jobs nationally compared with 2008. These job losses have reduced the purchasing power of workers’ families, in turn reducing overall consumption in the economy.
  • The cuts counteract and sometimes undermine education reform and more generally hinder the ability of school districts to deliver high-quality education, with long-term negative consequences for the nation’s economic competitiveness.
  • Local school districts typically have little ability to replace lost state aid on their own.
  • These cuts are occurring at a time when schools face demands from parents, employers, and civic leaders to bring greater numbers of students to higher levels of academic proficiency, in large part because workers will increasingly need higher levels of educational attainment to thrive in the workforce.
  • At a time when the nation is trying to produce workers with the skills to master new technologies and adapt to the complexities of a global economy, large cuts in funding for basic education undermine a crucial building block for future prosperity.
  • “As U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has said, “It is very difficult to improve the quality of education while losing teachers, raising class size, and eliminating after- school and summer school programs.”
Report by the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities, September 2012

As we take a closer look at the current climate of state funding we find:

  • Twenty-six states are providing less funding per student to local school districts in the new school year than they provided a year ago. 
  • Some states are beginning to restore their school funding over the past year, but those restorations are, for the most part, far from sufficient to make up for cuts in past years. 
  • School funding remains well below pre-recession levels. Thirty-five states are providing less funding per student than they did five years ago. 
  • Seventeen states have cut per-student funding by more than 10 percent from 2008 levels.
  • More than two-thirds of states — 35 of the 48 states surveyed — are providing less per-student funding for K-12 education in the current 2013 fiscal year than they did in fiscal year 2008.


These statistics are alarming; however, they also represent an opportunity. Rather than relying on government funding to ensure our children receive the quality of education they deserve, why not create a system of financing that is reliable and within our control?

donornation empowers schools, local businesses and community members with a tool that allows them to become self-sustaining. It is like the old Proverb “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” Enough of government funding cuts! We have the power to be the change. Together we can ensure every school has enough teachers, the right programs and adequate learning time so our children not only learn, but thrive.

At donornation, we share the underlying belief of our country’s teachers “every student can succeed if given the right opportunities”.


So once again, thank you to the parents and teachers who refuse to see the quality of our children’s education diminish and work tirelessly to counter-act the effects budget cuts have on our education system. We are very grateful for the difference you make each and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Leave a reply

A Time to Say Thanks to our Nation’s Parents and Teachers

This Thanksgiving we salute the herculean efforts of parents and teachers dedicated to improving the quality of education in schools across our country, especially when their time and resources are so precious. Thank you for the countless volunteer hours you have committed as class parents, field trip chaperons, Board members, committee members and coaches. Thank you for taking the time to read with your kids at night and for supporting them with their class projects. Thank you for helping to make classrooms more exciting and enriching atmospheres for our children to learn in. Thank you for supporting the myriad of school fundraising campaigns. Thank you for your tireless leadership, dedication and inspiration. Without you, our schools, classrooms and students would not be where they are today.

Parents and teachers deserve even greater appreciation given that they are making these investments in time, money and energy at such a tumultuous time for American public schools. Steep cuts to education over the last number of years have had a serious impact on the quality of education in our country. Parents and teachers have been left to bridge the gaps…and they are vast.

According to a report published by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in September 2012, restoring school funding should be an urgent priority. The steep state-level K-12 spending cuts of the last several years have serious consequences for the nation:

  • State-level K-12 cuts have large consequences for local school districts. Some 44 percent of total education expenditures in the United States come from state funds (the share varies by state). Cuts at the state level mean that local school districts have to either scale back the educational services they provide, raise more local tax revenue to cover the gap, or both.
  • The cuts extended the recession and slowed the recovery. As of July 2012, local school districts had cut 328,000 jobs nationally compared with 2008. These job losses have reduced the purchasing power of workers’ families, in turn reducing overall consumption in the economy.
  • The cuts counteract and sometimes undermine education reform and more generally hinder the ability of school districts to deliver high-quality education, with long-term negative consequences for the nation’s economic competitiveness.
  • Local school districts typically have little ability to replace lost state aid on their own.
  • These cuts are occurring at a time when schools face demands from parents, employers, and civic leaders to bring greater numbers of students to higher levels of academic proficiency, in large part because workers will increasingly need higher levels of educational attainment to thrive in the workforce.
  • At a time when the nation is trying to produce workers with the skills to master new technologies and adapt to the complexities of a global economy, large cuts in funding for basic education undermine a crucial building block for future prosperity.
  • “As U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has said, “It is very difficult to improve the quality of education while losing teachers, raising class size, and eliminating after- school and summer school programs.”
Report by the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities, September 2012

As we take a closer look at the current climate of state funding we find:

  • Twenty-six states are providing less funding per student to local school districts in the new school year than they provided a year ago. 
  • Some states are beginning to restore their school funding over the past year, but those restorations are, for the most part, far from sufficient to make up for cuts in past years. 
  • School funding remains well below pre-recession levels. Thirty-five states are providing less funding per student than they did five years ago. 
  • Seventeen states have cut per-student funding by more than 10 percent from 2008 levels.
  • More than two-thirds of states — 35 of the 48 states surveyed — are providing less per-student funding for K-12 education in the current 2013 fiscal year than they did in fiscal year 2008.


These statistics are alarming; however, they also represent an opportunity. Rather than relying on government funding to ensure our children receive the quality of education they deserve, why not create a system of financing that is reliable and within our control?

DonorNation empowers schools, local businesses and community members with a tool that allows them to become self-sustaining. It is like the old Proverb “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” Enough of government funding cuts! We have the power to be the change. Together we can ensure every school has enough teachers, the right programs and adequate learning time so our children not only learn, but thrive.

At DonorNation, we share the underlying belief of our country’s teachers “every student can succeed if given the right opportunities”.


So once again, thank you to the parents and teachers who refuse to see the quality of our children’s education diminish and work tirelessly to counter-act the effects budget cuts have on our education system. We are very grateful for the difference you make each and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Leave a reply

The New American Dream is Not About Having More, it’s About Being More

The Statue of Liberty is an iconic symbol of the American Dream 

The American Dream is a guiding belief that characterizes our nation and defines our culture. It represents a promise of possibility for all Americans living in the Land of Opportunity.

The concept was first popularized by historian James Truslow Adams in 1931 through his book Epic of America: “But there has been also the American Dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement”, regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. This vision quickly became a Dream of Abundance and set in motion a culture of consumerism over the last three-quarters of a century.

The financial crisis of 2008, caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, life savings and their homes. Like the Great Depression, it represented a failure of capitalism and shook the very foundation of the American Dream.

Suze Orman, a personal financial advisor, author, motivational speaker and TV host, recently published a book called “The Money Class: Learn to Create Your New American Dream”. In it, she argues that the old American Dream is dead. “The old American Dream was based on bigger, better, more. More house, more car, toys, all of these things. And that would’ve been an OK dream if we had the money to [pay for] those things…It was a dream that was based on financial lies. The new American Dream, there is no debt, you live below your means, within your needs. You get pleasure out of savings, as much as you do in spending.” The new American Dream is not about having more, it’s about BEING MORE.


With 82 percent of U.S. consumers affected by the economic downturn, the percentage of US citizens involved in a cause dropped from 60 percent to 53 percent between 2010 and 2012, according to the 2012 Edelman GoodPurpose Study.  Yet, for the first time ever, the U.S. was the only country to believe the responsibility of tackling society’s issues falls most heavily on the shoulders of “people like me” (35 percent) and not government (22 percent). Edelman believes “the tension of this paradox spells significant opportunity for marketers. While U.S. consumers currently have less time and money to put towards societal issues, they still feel they’re most responsible to help,” said Carol Cone, global practice chair, Business + Social Purpose, Edelman. “Brands and corporations can ease the burden for consumers by making involvement in social issues easier and more aligned with the core needs they face today: jobs, hunger, education and healthcare.”

Image source: 2012 Edelman goodpurpose Study


According to the study, purpose remains a deeply held belief around the globe that is driving consumer behavior and preference.

The Edelman GoodPurpose Study sheds light on why today’s consumers are ready to make a difference and why that means it’s time for brands to get involved and to change the way they think about doing business (if they haven’t already). Today’s consumers not only want, but expect brands to be purpose-driven. They want brands and companies to be responsible, not just responsive. “Values are the new currency; Purpose is the new paradigm.”

Image source: 2012 Edelman goodpurpose Study


The Edelman GoodPurpose Study:

As the role of social purpose in purchasing decisions has increased, purchase frequency has also intensified: 47% of global consumers buy brands that support a good cause at least monthly. In 2012, 76% of global consumers believe it is acceptable for brands to support good causes and make money at the same time.

While 87% of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on business’ interests, less than a third believe business is performing well in addressing societal issues. This performance gap is likely to drive disillusionment, disengagement and outright distrust from consumers. Edelman CEO Richard Edelman called this seismic shift an organization’s need to go beyond earning a “license to operate” to earning a “license to lead.”

Approximately half of respondents believe organizations should donate a portion of profits (51%) and products or services (50%), while 49% believe companies should be creating a product or service that helps address a societal issue. Also, 80% of global consumers believe it is important for companies to make them aware of the societal issues that they are supporting.

Image source: 2012 Edelman goodpurpose Study


Do These Ideas Resonate With You? 

Do you think it’s time to redefine the “American Dream”? Are you more inclined to make purchases depending on a brand’s purpose? Are you more prone to share such a brand with your friends? Tell us if you agree that consumers and businesses can play a significant role in addressing the issue of education.


Leave a reply