Worthy Cause Countdown: This Girls’ Soccer Team In North Carolina Needs $481 For Jerseys [UPDATED]

Image via Brogden Middle School

NOTE FROM THE EDITORS: THIS GOAL HAS BEEN MET! BUT YOU CAN GIVE TO ANOTHER WORTHY CAUSE HERE.

From December 14 through December 25, GOOD Sports will feature the worthiest school athletic programs in need of funding.

As the ISS (in-school suspension) instructor at Brogden Middle School in Durham, North Carolina, Carla Kirkland helps students manage academic, behavioral, and emotional problems. She’s also the girls' soccer coach. From her perspective, the two jobs go hand in hand.

They're not ‘bad kids.’ They just need to be dealt with creatively. That's one reason it's so important for them to play team sports. They need to be able to be a part of a group that will instill in them a sense of respect and a healthy dose of self-esteem. They get this by playing team sports here at school. Through playing on a team, they earn respect and find value.

Unfortunately Brogden has a “nonexistent” athletic department budget, Kirkland writes on DonorsChoose.org. It doesn’t help that the Durham School Board cut $15 million from the district’s budget in April, part of a nationwide trend of educational austerity.

Heading into the new season, Kirkland started an online campaign to raise money for the soccer program, which hasn’t replaced its shorts, socks, balls, pinnies, or any other equipment in five years.

By donating to my project, you'll give my students a heightened sense of school pride, self-confidence, and a desire to be a leader. They will be able to act like a leader both on and off the field. People will look up to them and listen to them because of their awesome abilities. Please help me help my students!

The team needs $851 for new jersey kits and gear, and they’re only $481 from the target. You have 21 days left to help. You can donate here.