Ask eight-year-old Valentina when she feels most confident, and her answer says a lot about what a supportive classroom can mean to a student.

“I feel most confident when I’m around my friends and my teacher because I feel like I can express myself.”

Valentina is a third grader who loves graphic novels, big chapter books and the opportunity to learn something new. She’s also proud of something she has worked hard to accomplish: improving her reading scores.

“I am proud of how I got my reading scores higher,” she shared.

Her story is a reminder that success in the classroom isn’t defined by one moment, one assignment or one test score. It grows over time when students have the opportunity to learn in an environment where they feel comfortable, encouraged and supported.

And often, a teacher is at the heart of creating that environment.

A Classroom Where Students Feel They Belong

For Valentina, one of the best parts of school is being surrounded by people who make her feel comfortable being herself. When asked what she likes most about her teacher, her answer was simple.

“What I like most about my teacher is how she’s nice and she cares about me in school.”

For a student, knowing someone cares can make a tremendous difference. A classroom isn’t only a place where students practice reading, solve math problems or complete assignments. It’s also where they build friendships, discover their interests, make mistakes, try again and begin developing confidence in who they are and what they can accomplish.

When students feel supported by their teachers and connected to their classmates, they have the freedom to focus on learning rather than worrying about whether they belong.

Valentina’s growing confidence in reading is one example of what can happen when a student has the opportunity to keep learning, practicing and believing in their abilities.

Giving Students the Tools to Discover What They Can Do

For Kids In Need Foundation (KINF), school supplies are about more than the items sitting on a classroom shelf. They’re tools students and teachers use to create moments of learning every day.

A pencil gives a student an opportunity to write down a new idea. A notebook becomes a place to practice a skill until it finally clicks. Art supplies can help a child express something they don’t yet know how to put into words. And books can introduce students to entirely new worlds.

When students have access to the supplies they need, they can participate alongside their classmates and focus on the experience of learning. That matters for students like Valentina, who already sees school as a place filled with possibilities. “My favorite thing about school is I get to learn a lot, and you also play,” she said. “You can also let out a lot of your energy.”

Her answer captures something adults can sometimes forget: for a child, school is an entire world.

It’s a place to learn and play. To make friends. To discover a favorite book. To find out you’re getting better at something that once felt difficult. And, perhaps most importantly, to have people around you who encourage you to keep going.

Every Student Deserves the Opportunity to Feel Confident

In Valentina’s school, Principal Jason Kuhlman sees supporting teachers as an essential part of supporting students.

Teachers want the best for the young people who walk into their classrooms every day. When educators have the resources and support they need, they can spend more of their time doing what they do best: building relationships, creating meaningful learning experiences and helping students recognize their own potential.

Valentina’s story shows what that impact can look like from the other side of the classroom.

It’s a third grader feeling comfortable enough to express herself.
It’s a student recognizing—and celebrating—her own progress.
It’s discovering a love for graphic novels and big chapter books.
And it’s an eight-year-old who already knows that her teacher cares about her.

Read More Teacher Stories

Join the Mission

Every day, teachers show up for their students with passion, creativity, and dedication—but too many of them are doing it without the supplies they need to create the learning environments their students deserve. No teacher should have to choose between giving their students the best education possible and paying out of pocket for basic classroom materials.

You can help change that!