Teachers are finding new ways to meet their classroom needs. Many dig into their own pockets, but now there's an alternative.
"I think it depends on the activity and what else is going on. Deep down we are excited, but when it's all piled on at one time, then it gets a little stressful," said Vicky Zblewski, a fourth-grade teacher.
It can be hard to keep things interesting in the classroom, especially when funds are tight.
"We usually teach with whatever we can get and this is one of the first opportunities we're just saying 'I want this very specifically' and they can get that very specifically," said Tyler Swick, a music teacher in the Clark County School District.
Sites like Donors Choose and GoFundMe are becoming a teacher favorite. You can ask for classroom supplies and anyone online can donate: friends, family, but also parents and large corporations.
"If I don't have the crowd funding or I'm not able to get a Donors Choose project, I end up buying the projects myself," said Zblewski.
Some teachers have gotten thousands of dollars.
"I'll stop when they make me stop because there's no reason to stop. I know my friends might get tired of seeing them on Facebook, but other than that I'll gladly keep going," said Swick.
CCSD has no problem with teachers using donation sites. The district even has its own version of crowd funding. It's called Support-a-School.
