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Mr. Benson from Colchester, IL is requesting instructional technology through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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From Curiosity to Creation: Empowering Young Scientists with Professional Tools

Help me give my students the tools to design, print, and showcase professional-quality scientific posters with a large-format printer—so they don’t just complete projects, but begin to see themselves as engineers, researchers, and innovators shaping their own future.

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  • $612 still needed thanks to a match offer

expires Sep 03

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Mr. Benson West Prairie Middle School
Colchester, IL Grades 6-8

My Project

Our students at West Prairie Junior/Senior High School are beginning to see themselves differently. In our rural community, opportunities in science and engineering can sometimes feel distant, but that is changing. With the addition of a new greenhouse, expanded STEM and physics materials, and increased participation in science fairs, students are becoming more curious, engaged, and willing to explore the world around them. They are asking deeper questions, designing experiments, and taking pride in their work. More importantly, they are beginning to imagine futures in science, technology, and engineering.

As this momentum builds, we are working to elevate not just what students learn, but how they share their learning.

We are preparing to host a regional science fair next spring, but the way students present their work has not yet caught up with the quality of their thinking. Many projects are still displayed on standard paper or improvised materials, limiting how polished and professional their work can feel.

A large-format poster printer would be transformative. When students see their work printed at a professional scale—clear, bold, and display-ready—it changes their perception of what they are doing. It gives their work an academic presence and signals that their ideas matter. It turns a classroom assignment into something authentic and important, building confidence, ownership, and motivation.

With access to this printer, students will create publication-style scientific posters, communicate ideas visually, and present findings with clarity and pride. It will also allow us to showcase student work throughout our school and community, reinforcing a culture where science and innovation are visible and celebrated.

Our students are starting to believe in themselves as scientists and engineers. This printer helps make that identity real.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than half of students from low‑income households

90 students impacted
Mr. Benson West Prairie Middle School Grades 6-8

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Colchester, IL View local requests

More than half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

90 students impacted

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Epson SureColor T3170 24-Inch Desktop Wireless Poster CAD Plotter Printer | PrecisionCore Printhead | All-Pigment Durable Inks • Amazon Business $995.00 1 $995.00

Materials cost

$995.00

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$14.92

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$1,039.92

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$183.52

Total project goal

$1,223.44

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,223.44

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $1,223.44

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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