P.S. 243 - Weeksville, Brooklyn
Success In Bedford-Stuyvesant
The Weeksville School: CFK's First Trust
P.S. 243, also known as The Weeksville School, is located in Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, New York. The school teaches children from kindergarten to sixth grade and is funded primarily by the New York Board of Education. Change for Kids originally heard of P.S. 243 back in 1994 when they met one of the kindergarten teachers, Lara Steensland. Lara's budget for the entire 1993-1994 school year, provided by the New York Board of Education, was $171.00 or $6.85 per student. From this money, Lara was expected to buy classroom supplies, teaching materials, books and visual aids, and to provide health and nutritional education.
In May 1997, The Weeksville trust, CFK's first trust, was awarded to the entire kindergarten class (consisting of 4 classrooms and 120 students). Through our contribution, these classes receive supplies each year that range from paper to draw on, paint to paint with, books to read, learning games, science kits, audio tapes, and more. Supplies cost as little as $4.00 for crayon sets, illustrating that even the smallest amount of "change," when used intelligently and efficiently, can make a significant impact on a child's education.