You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

See this teacher's page

This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Gauci from East Palo Alto, CA is requesting classroom basics through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Gauci is requesting

Get a (Pencil) Grip!

Help me give my students PenAgain pens and triangular pencils to train little fingers and teach a love of writing.

FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Gauci's classroom raised $496

This project is fully funded

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

My students are energetic kids with a love of learning. Over 90% of my students come from low-socioeconomic families. A large percentage of them meet the definition of homeless. Their parents are struggling to pay rent and get food on the table. They are working necessary jobs for us and for their families. My kindergartners worry about their well being, and yet, they still want to explore, create, read, and write! They want to learn and grow.

During this pandemic, my students are sheltering in place with basic classroom supplies and necessities and a small number of books.

I want them to continue to be safe and stay healthy as they work hard to learn to read, learn to use technology, and at the same time learn language art, math, and science.

My Project

Teaching kindergartners to hold a pen can be difficult when they have been gripping pencils and crayons strangely for a couple of years. Their muscles have been manipulated to get the result onto paper, without thought of training the hand and fine motor muscles to hold the pen with ease. I would love to have these PenAgain pens that will help to train little fingers in the tripod grip. Students will receive these pens over the summer and start using them before even entering our classroom! These pens improve fine motor skills and prevent callouses from forming. And if kids are comfortable with the pens in their hands, they will learn to love writing!

PenAgain pens help teach our little hands to grip a pen with the tripod grip, increasing fine motor skills and the love of writing.

When they learn the tripod grip, they will be able to use the triangular pencils with minimal assistance, and eventually, their hands will hold a regular pencil naturally with the tripod grip.

Thank you for considering our little hands with your donation.

Mrs. Gauci Costano School of the Arts Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

East Palo Alto, CA View local requests

Nearly all 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

24 students impacted 2donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Mrs. Gauci is requesting.

See our finances

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

You can start a project with the same resources being requested here!

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Penagain Ergosof, Ballpoint Pen, Set of 4 Colors: Black, Silver, Red and Blue (Individually Packaged with Two Refills Per Pen) • Amazon Business $16.98 12 $203.76
PenAgain 3 Pack Pens RED BLUE GREEN or NEON GREEN (00063) • Amazon Business $6.98 10 $69.80
Maped Color'Peps Triangular Colored Pencils School, Pack of 240 (MAP832070ZV) • Staples Advantage $40.49 1 $40.49
Dixon Tri-Conderoga Triangular Black Woodcase Pencils with Bonus Manual Pencils Sharpener, #2 Soft, 6/Pack • Staples Advantage $4.36 9 $39.24

Materials cost

$353.29

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $32.33

3rd party payment processing fee

$5.30

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$420.92

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$74.28

Total project goal

$495.20

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $495.20

1 Donor

-$247.60

Donations toward project cost

-$210.46

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$37.14

match offer

-$247.60

Match offer toward project cost

-$210.46

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$37.14

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

View complete list Show less

Give the most requested basic supplies

See teacher requests

Give back to your community

Find opportunities to impact local needs by exploring a map of classroom projects near you.

See local area

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Gauci and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"CA","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":1,"name":"Early Education"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/get-a-pencil-grip/4963756/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":24,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Mrs. Gauci","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"513767311","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"East Palo Alto","teachersOnPage":[6077637],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":true,"proposalId":4963756,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":4570,"schoolName":"Costano School of the Arts","authorIds":{"6077637":{"owner":"Mrs. Gauci","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[4963756],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp6077637_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1542770171532","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":21318399,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["NzIwMDM0NQ==","NzE5OTY5MA=="],"teacherId":6077637,"schoolCounty":"San Mateo","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"CA","name":"California"}}