In New York City, between the 2006 and the 2010 school years, funding for arts education was slashed by a staggering eighty-five percent, just one of the countless cuts that schools across America have experienced in their budgets for the arts. Thanks to the pressure of Standardized Tests and minimum result requirements, American school systems no longer have enough room in their budgets to properly fund classes about the arts, music, and other subjects that can’t be measured with a multiple choice test.
This loss of funding is a growing problem, and pinpointing a solution has become somewhat like hitting a moving target, but the folks over at Public Supply have nailed it dead center with their collection of charitable stationery. Founded earlier this year by a group of friends that work in and around the creative industry, Public Supply’s goal was simple: to provide kids with that same access to arts education that they all had when they were growing up. To achieve this, the Public Supply team designed a series of 5 x 8 notebooks and number 2 pencils, all made right here on the East Coast, to be sold throughout the world (we saw them first at Harry’s Barber), with twenty five percent of the proceeds going directly towards funding arts education in America.
The idea was to link designers, artists, and writers with the next (and the next, and the next) generation of creatives here in the United States, because right now America leads the way when it comes to design and artistic innovation, but we need to provide our support to keep it that way. For every notebook that is sold, the Public Supply team uses the organization Donors Choose to locate a classroom with a specific need so that they are able to directly fill that funding gap for a group of students. As a way to show their customers where their money is going, each notebook is printed with a code, so that you can go online to the Public Supply website and see the exact school that was able to receive a ream of paper, or a set of watercolors, or even a zylophone thanks to your purchase.
So far, the Public Supply team has concentrated their efforts on the New York City area, funding programs across the five boroughs, but in the future they are planning to branch out to schools all across America, and possibly across the world. At a time when recognizing the problem isn’t enough, the guys behind Public Supply have found a way to bypass all the red tape, and simply help out those in need. Thanks to Public Supply and their customers all over the world, arts education in America is making a comeback. –JG
As a public school teacher, the affects of these cuts cannot truly be quantified. All people have different learning needs and abilities and children must have the opportunity to express themselves beyond their academic abilities. Not every child shines on tests, classwork, or homework – some shine on the field, others with a brush or an instrument. That shine, in any form, is integral to human development. Shout to Public Supply for creatively approaching an issue that will have a much larger impact on our society if not addressed soon.
I think the public school teacher meant “effects”
AJ, it must be nice to live in a world where no one confuses heterographs in a blog comment.
This is shaping up to be the best comments section in quite some time.
Them notebooks doe.
Oh, it also appears that the link to the Public Supply site featured above is non-functional. Here ya go: http://public-supply.com/.
At least they dont confuse proceeds with profit..and good on em for actually stating that on their website, bc that doesnt typically happen. Take the entire fiive hour energy rasperry flavor pink bottle. Their entire message depicts a product that supprts the fight against breast cancer..BUT a slight portion of their PROFIT actually goes toward the cause. So theyve thrown an entirely philanthropic message at consumers ..when really it just produces more profit for them overall, moreso than the actual donations to the org that drives you to buy it.
I applaud this effort. I shall craft a sternly-written note to the folks at Smythson encouraging them to do the same for those happy few able to afford the $50 Burkina Faso Special Notebooks they sell.
I’m backing the use of “affects” in the first comment; affects = Influence in this case.
Nope, it should be “effects,” as in “consequences” or “results.” “Affects” — used as a noun — would mean “moods” or “displayed emotions” or suchlike. Plus which, “as a public school teacher” is a dangling modifier. Whatever. No big deal.
It is indeed, effects. Thank you.
The greater lesson here is do not attempt to share anything meaningful in the comments section of a website.
The greater lesson is that education is vital. Most of this thread would not have happened had AJ not had a good instructor.
We are giving away 100% of profits and have free shipping until the end of the year! Do it for the kids.
clarification : Free shipping on domestic orders.