Benton Grade School 5 - 8 in Benton, Illinois on DonorsChoose

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They then learned about the different sewing tools and techniques they would use to bring their ideas to life. With great enthusiasm, students sewed arms, legs, and clothing for their puppets, transforming their drawings into colorful, three-dimensional creations.\r\n\r\nThis project sparked an incredible enthusiasm for sewing throughout the classroom. One student shared that they now hope to get a sewing machine of their own so they can try making clothes at home. Another proudly told me that they were able to repair a family member's torn clothing using the new sewing skills they learned in class. It's been amazing to see their confidence and creativity grow.\r\n\r\nYour generous donation has truly made this possible. It has allowed students to explore a new art form, gain valuable hands-on skills, and experience the joy of creating something entirely their own. 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Students loved how much control the shading pencils gave them when adding value to their artwork, allowing them to achieve a full range of light and dark tones that are difficult to create with regular pencils. Some students also used the Prismacolor pencils to add color to their sketches and were thrilled with how smoothly they blended. This was such an exciting experience for my middle school students!\r\n\r\nCurrently, students are using these materials in their monthly sketchbook assignments to build drawing skills and practice new techniques. They are also using the erasable colored pencils in another project where they are designing custom shoes inspired by candy. The erasable pencils have been especially helpful for creating clean underdrawings, since they don't show through once students add color with markers later on.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for donating and supporting our art program! My students and I are incredibly grateful for your generosity. 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About this school

Benton Grade School 5 - 8 is a town public school in Benton, Illinois that is part of Benton Community Consolidated School District 47. It serves 426 students in grades 5 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 14.7:1. Its teachers have had 7 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades 5 - 8

426 Students

29 Teachers

1000 Forrest St

Benton, IL 62812 View local requests

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Benton Grade School 5 - 8 Teachers on DonorsChoose

Mrs. Sanders

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Benton Grade School 5 - 8 Demographics

95%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Benton Grade School 5 - 8 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.