{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Balboa High School","outOfStateSupporters":23.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10259732,"projectId":9712222,"letterContent":"The impact of this gift to my high school students with extensive support needs has been transformative. For my seven students, hands-on learning is not just helpful, it's essential. The new science materials, cookware, and the art supply cart have allowed me to create a classroom where creativity and curiosity can be encouraged and fulfilled. Students have been able to explore slime-making, acid-base reactions, and other sensory-based experiments. Their faces lit up as they mixed ingredients, observed reactions, and proudly shared what they noticed, all while wearing their super cool new protective eye goggles. When one student mixed baking soda and food coloring on a lemon and exclaimed, \"It looks like Earth!\" it showed how engaging and meaningful these experiences are. \r\n\r\nThank so much for these tools and supplies you have generously provided. My students can now fully participate, explore, and express themselves. The impact of the donation can be felt every single day in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1759417122683,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-learning-for-unique-learners/9712222/","projectTitle":"Hands-on Learning for Unique Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. P","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10259732_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y386&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758584142219","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10259732"},{"teacherId":4849430,"projectId":9614170,"letterContent":"We are now 12 weeks into the school year and students are still benefitting from your donations. Students were able to get binders and dividers to remain organized throughout the year. We have been able to stock our pencil and eraser supply twice since the beginning of the year, and I've been able to replace the tissue boxes every week. We are so grateful to have such a generous community that will fully fund our classroom. \r\n\r\nBecause of your donations the classroom feels welcoming and bright. Even students that aren't enrolled in my classes are enjoying the space during our free periods. Thank you for supporting education!","fullyFundedDate":1755753435550,"projectUrl":"project/new-year-refresh/9614170/","projectTitle":"New Year Refresh","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Medina","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4849430"},{"teacherId":673902,"projectId":9584426,"letterContent":"This project was designed to put \"just right\" books into the hands of students. For many struggling readers, going to the library or pulling a book off a shelf usually ends in a deeper sense of \"I don't like to read\" or \"books are boring.\" However, when I can use my knowledge of books, along with the physical copies at my fingertips, we can really challenge those two false ideas.\r\n With books like Becoming Muhammad Ali, Kareem, Ophelia and others, I've been able to have several moments where students have finished reading their first book, enjoyed their first book, and are more eager for their second.\r\n Thanks so much for making this a possibility in my classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1755721915094,"projectUrl":"project/sure-start-reading/9584426/","projectTitle":"Sure Start Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Amsler","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp673902_orig.jpg?crop=660,660,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723520792567","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/673902"},{"teacherId":8522038,"projectId":9767511,"letterContent":"When my students and I received the new materials—mason jars, clipboards, cleaning wipes, presentation clickers, fans, and stress balls—they were so excited! The classroom instantly felt more organized and comfortable. We used the mason jars for a mindfulness and gratitude activity where students decorated jars and filled them with positive notes about themselves and their classmates. The clipboards have been a huge help during group projects and gallery walks, allowing students to move around the room and take notes easily. The fans have made a big difference during warm afternoons, keeping everyone focused and comfortable, while the stress balls have been great for students who need a quiet way to release tension during lessons.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the new materials, their faces lit up—they were amazed that people cared enough to donate items to support their learning. Many of them immediately started brainstorming ways to use the supplies creatively. Next, we'll be using the clipboards and clickers for student-led presentations and peer feedback sessions. The mason jars will continue to be used in our \"gratitude corner,\" and the stress balls will stay in our calm-down station to promote emotional wellness. Thanks to these donations, my students feel more engaged, supported, and ready to learn every day.","fullyFundedDate":1760534054890,"projectUrl":"project/keep-the-classroom-clean-and-organized/9767511/","projectTitle":"Keep The Classroom Clean and Organized","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fei","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8522038_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757033760702","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-fei"},{"teacherId":8522038,"projectId":9692584,"letterContent":"We want to sincerely thank you for your generous donation. Your support has made such a positive impact on our classroom. Because of your kindness, we now have more resources to read, learn, and grow. Donations like yours make it possible for us to explore new ideas, have meaningful discussions, and experience learning in ways we might not have had before.\r\nYour gift is more than just materials or funds—it shows us that people outside of our classroom believe in us and want to see us succeed. That encouragement motivates us to work harder and reminds us that our education really matters. It's inspiring to know that someone cared enough to invest in our future.\r\nAs students, we often talk about how the right books, supplies, and opportunities can completely change the way we see learning. Your donation has already started doing that for us. You've helped create an environment where we can focus on building skills, expressing ourselves, and finding confidence in our voices.\r\nWe are so grateful for your generosity, and we will make the most of the opportunities your donation has given us. Thank you again for believing in students like us.\r\n\r\nWith appreciation,\r\n9th Grade classes for Ms. Fei Chen, Mr. Amsler, Mr. Pasternack and Ms. Tomsha","fullyFundedDate":1758133388068,"projectUrl":"project/graphic-novels-part-4-used-across-7-cla/9692584/","projectTitle":"Graphic Novels Part 4 (Used Across 7 Classes)","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fei","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8522038_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757033760702","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-fei"},{"teacherId":6045354,"projectId":9495942,"letterContent":"Students have been very appreciative to starting the year off with supplies and a some guidance in getting organized. Thank you for helping us making learning about writing, reading, and literature a little more creative, experiential and interactive as well. Here is a glimpse at some of the different kinds of work they have been doing in conjunction with reading, annotating, and writing in response to texts or analyzing evidence.\r\n\r\nThank you all so much for your your continued to support over the years!","fullyFundedDate":1753810276950,"projectUrl":"project/organization-101-for-my-incoming-student/9495942/","projectTitle":"Organization 101 for My Incoming Students","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristia Castrillo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp6045354_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1541622534314","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mskristia"},{"teacherId":8522038,"projectId":9415146,"letterContent":"Reading Speak as a graphic novel made a big impact on us. The story is emotional and powerful, and the pictures helped us really understand what the main character was going through. It showed us what it can feel like to go through something hard and not have the words to talk about it.\r\n\r\nBecause of this book, we had honest conversations about empathy, compassion, and the importance of speaking up and listening to others. It helped us think more deeply about how we treat people and what others might be going through, even if they don't say anything out loud.\r\nThank you again for supporting our learning. Your kindness helped bring this important book into our hands, and it truly made a difference.","fullyFundedDate":1752505725858,"projectUrl":"project/graphic-novels-part-2/9415146/","projectTitle":"Graphic Novels Part 2","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fei","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8522038_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757033760702","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-fei"},{"teacherId":8522038,"projectId":9465695,"letterContent":"Thank you for your kind donations. My students were extremely excited the moment I unboxed the books with them. Many of the students have never even touched a brand new book used for a classroom setting so this was a great and satisfying experience for all of us.\r\n\r\nReading in the classroom looks like guided reading with annotations where students take turn reading aloud and we pause to discuss the themes and topics mentioned in the book. The main themes we will study with these books is healing trauma after sexual assault. The themes of mental health and therapy will come up as well. This unit is a tough to teach unit but it is important to talk about because it encourages compassion and empathy.","fullyFundedDate":1754932572499,"projectUrl":"project/graphic-novels-part-3/9465695/","projectTitle":"Graphic Novels Part 3","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fei","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8522038_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757033760702","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-fei"},{"teacherId":6045354,"projectId":9123308,"letterContent":"It was really incredible to report back to my English department that we had successfully fundraised for these books which so many of us use. Thank you so much for your continued support to our school community as a whole. We have been facing budget cuts as a district and as a school, so moments like these are very heartwarming for us, that with your help, we can in fact always \"make it work\" with whatever we have. Wishing you all a healthy, joyful summer ahead. Thank you for caring for these students!","fullyFundedDate":1742914233207,"projectUrl":"project/new-books-for-10th-11th-grade-english/9123308/","projectTitle":"New Books for 10th & 11th Grade English Classes","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristia Castrillo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp6045354_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1541622534314","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mskristia"},{"teacherId":8522038,"projectId":9230441,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of graphic novels and books to our school library. Your gift is truly appreciated and will make a significant difference in the lives of our students. Reading is fundamental to a child's development, fostering critical thinking, expanding vocabulary, and sparking imagination. Access to a diverse collection of books, including engaging graphic novels, encourages a love of reading and opens up new worlds and perspectives for our students. Your contribution helps us provide these valuable resources and supports a culture of literacy within our school community.","fullyFundedDate":1744475982113,"projectUrl":"project/graphic-novels-and-texts/9230441/","projectTitle":"Graphic Novels and Texts","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fei","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8522038_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757033760702","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-fei"},{"teacherId":673902,"projectId":9090035,"letterContent":"It's been great having the students make each other a cup of tea before settling into a new book. This set of donations- tea and new books- has really brought a fresh spark to the reading program we began back in August.\r\nStudents have especially been enjoying \"Al Capone Does My Laundry\" and \"Front Desk.\" These are perfect books to engage struggling readers and help us make progress this semester in our ability and confidence. Thanks so much for your support and I hope you found a good book to read this winter too!","fullyFundedDate":1739038464504,"projectUrl":"project/warm-winter-reads/9090035/","projectTitle":"Warm Winter Reads","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Amsler","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp673902_orig.jpg?crop=660,660,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723520792567","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/673902"},{"teacherId":6045354,"projectId":9028649,"letterContent":"Happy Spring to you all. Your donations helped to make these wonderful moments happen on our field trips, class activities, and beyond. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity. The students are very appreciative. We hope that some of the included pictures here convey their joy in these moments. We are nearing the end of the school year over here. I cannot thank you enough for helping to make our classroom culture more positive. May your kindness come back to you many times over. Take care! Wishing you all good health.","fullyFundedDate":1736018556706,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-for-pulse-junior-field-trips-and/9028649/","projectTitle":"Snacks for PULSE Junior Field trips and 2nd Semester Activities","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristia Castrillo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp6045354_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1541622534314","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mskristia"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_4391","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1251,"numTeachers":65,"percentFrplEligible":79,"percentAsian":50,"percentBlack":5,"percentWhite":3,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":32,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"19.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":76.1,"schoolId":4391,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Balboa High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Balboa High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/san-francisco-unified-school-district/balboa-high-school/4391"}
Join the 1,130 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Balboa High School is
an urban public school
in San Francisco, California that is part of San Francisco Unified School District.
It serves 1,251 students
in grades 9 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 19.2:1.
Its teachers have had 301 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
87%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Balboa High School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Dec 5, 2025
DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students
in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
Balboa High School
$219,465
raised using DonorsChoose
301
projects
funded
77
teachers
funded
1,130
donors
30
projects
for
basic supplies
44
projects for
technology
44
projects for
books
13
projects
for
art supplies
Balboa High School has received support from
860 individuals from California and
270 individuals out-of-state.