Hey Mister Can You Spare a Dime?

I've sent a request for donations to support my AP Statistics course to many of my more, um, salary-enhanced friends, and have been very pleasantly surprised at the positive response. In addition, my brilliant daughter one of my brilliant daughters recommended I request that recent graduates who no longer had a use for their graphic display calculators (GDCs) send them to me, who has an urgent need for them.

I've gotten $550 and 4 GDCs so far, and pledges for another $100 and 3 GDCs. I've given one of the executives where I used to work a proposal to have my class run an analysis for him; I've asked for about  $3,000 in equipment. For various reasons, I think it's extremely likely he'd agree to do the project.

There's a part of me that doesn't want to beg my friends for money, but there's a bigger part that really wants my kids to have a chance to do well on the AP exam. Without money for calculators, stats programs and teacher training, there's not much hope. Moreover, I've been really impressed with the generosity of many people. I know that this is the definition of charity, but there's really nothing in it for them to give this money to the school -- they're doing it because I asked. I'm humbled, and grateful.