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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Sands from La Mesa, CA is requesting lab equipment through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Sands is requesting

Itchin' to be in the Kitchen

My students need kitchen equipment for a brand new Culinary Arts elective class so that they can have a "hands-on" experience as they learn about nutrition, meal planning and the art of cookery.

FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Sands's classroom raised $1,047

This project is fully funded

My Students

The students I have the opportunity to work with are creative, innovative, enthusiastic young people who are known to thank their teachers when they leave classrooms. There are over 1,100 students on campus in grades four through eight. It wasn't always like this, but in the past few years, the school has blossomed as the result of a visionary principal, progressive staff and active parent community. As a result, there is now a lottery and long wait list for new enrollees.

Parents are coming in droves to visit the campus and see all it has to offer including a wide variety of elective classes that you would normally only have access to in high school or college.

For example, students can take Theater, Dance, Speech, Tap, Ensemble, Encore, Keyboards, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Art just to name a few. They can also get involved in a Community Action Team elective course, Future Teacher elective course, or be a part of ASB, Media or Yearbook. They can even learn how to use a 3D printer in a class designed to teach that skill. The students are noticeably vibrant and well behaved. Everyone feels fortunate to be there including me.

My Project

I did not learn how to eat or cook well until I was an adult. Growing up, I was basically on my own when it came to preparing some of the meals because I was raised by a single parent who worked full time. She didn't have the time or energy to teach me the art and science of cookery. As a result, I gorged myself on junk food, canned food, frozen food, or whatever I could find that was simple enough to prepare in a microwave or toaster. There are many children who eat poorly because they have not been taught how to prepare nutritious snacks/meals that will sustain their energy. There is an obesity epidemic in the United States resulting from the consumption of non-nutritious food, yet most students do not get an opportunity to learn the basics of healthy cooking unless they take a Home Economics class in high school. The sets of tools I am requesting, such as single burners, mixing bowls, measuring cups and utensils, will help younger students learn to prepare basic nutritious meals/snacks while simultaneously reinforcing concepts they are learning in other classes. For example, students will practice math skills when measuring ingredients or science concepts to understand how temperature affects food or why a sanitary kitchen is critical. It requires comprehension skills to interpret recipes or historical knowledge to understand the origins and impact of regional cuisine. Cooking promotes the use of creativity, executive functioning skills and teamwork to get the job done. Learning to cook healthy, delicious food is practical and empowering on many levels, but it requires a lot of equipment to make it a "hands-on" experience versus one in which the students can only "watch" the teacher demonstrate what to do.

Ms. Sands La Mesa Arts Academy Grades 6-8

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.

La Mesa, CA View local requests

More than a third 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

50 students impacted 14donors

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

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Cuisinart CB-30 Cast-Iron Single Burner, Stainless Steel • Amazon Business $53.13 5 $265.65
Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensil Set - 29 Cooking Utensils - Nonstick Kitchen Utensils Cookware Set with Spatula - Best Kitchen Gadgets Kitchen Tool Set Gift by HomeHero • Amazon Business $44.99 5 $224.95
Sagler Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set of 5, with Lids and 3 kind of graters • Amazon Business $39.99 5 $199.95
Cooking Gods - Stainless Steel Metal Measuring Cups and Spoons and Extra Bonus - 12 Piece Heavy Duty Stackable Baking Utensils with Decorative Engraved Metric Measure - For Liquid and Dry Ingredients. • Amazon Business $19.99 3 $59.97
Nature's Earthly Choice Organic Quinoa, 32 Ounce • Amazon Business $7.79 1 $7.79
Simply Organic Nutmeg Ground CERTIFIED ORGANIC 2.3oz. bottle • Amazon Business $5.76 1 $5.76
Simply Organic Garlic 'n Herb Certified Organic, 3.1-Ounce Glass Bottle • Amazon Business $5.19 1 $5.19
Simply Organic Rosemary Leaf Whole Certified Organic, 1.23-Ounce Container • Amazon Business $3.96 1 $3.96
Simply Organic Ginger Root Ground Certified Organic, 1.64-Ounce Container • Amazon Business $3.95 1 $3.95

Materials cost

$777.17

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $71.11

3rd party payment processing fee

$11.66

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$889.94

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$157.05

Total project goal

$1,046.99

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,046.99

12 Donors

-$520.40

Donations toward project cost

-$447.59

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$72.81

match offer

-$520.41

Match offer toward project cost

-$442.35

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$78.06

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$6.18

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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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 Ms. Sands and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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