Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School in Brooklyn, New York on DonorsChoose

{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School","outOfStateSupporters":27.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10414550,"projectId":10047106,"letterContent":"The introduction of AI Assistant Headphones with real-time translation has fundamentally transformed how our students engage with their families regarding their academic progress. At BUGS, our Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) are a cornerstone of our curriculum, designed to empower students to take ownership of their learning by presenting their work samples, goals, and reflections directly to their parents. Previously, for our multi-lingual families, this process often felt disjointed due to the time-consuming nature of back-and-forth translation. However, with this new technology, those barriers have vanished. Students are now visibly more confident and excited because they can speak naturally, knowing their parents are receiving their message instantaneously. This seamless connection allows the focus to remain exactly where it should be: on the student's achievements and their roadmap for the future.\r\n\r\nThe impact has been particularly profound for our English Language Learners and their families, who have warmed to the headphones with incredible enthusiasm. During our most recent conferences, parents utilized the accompanying app to follow along with the conversation on their screens while listening to the real-time audio. This dual-sensory approach ensured that nothing was lost in translation, significantly reducing the length of the conferences while simultaneously deepening the quality of the dialogue. One of the most heartening aspects of this project has been seeing families who previously felt sidelined by language gaps now feeling fully included and empowered. Following the conferences, we surveyed families to gather feedback regarding the headphones. The specific questions asked, along with their respective responses, are detailed below: \r\n-How did the technology change the way you felt while you communicated with your child and their Teacher?\r\n * \"I understood very well what they were explaining to me—both my son's presentation and what the teachers were saying\".\r\n * \"yes there was a change, there was also a little confusion because there was a delay in the translation\"\r\n\r\n-In what other school setting do you think this technology could help overcome language barriers?\r\n * \"Speak with teachers regarding questions or concerns about my student\".\r\n * \"For me, it would be a great help on excursions\". \r\n * \"I believe that technology is very important for daily life, but I also think that if people rely on technology in these situations, they are not allowing themselves the opportunity to try to learn the language\". \r\n\r\n-How did real-time translation help you participate more in the conference?\r\n * \"To understand thoroughly\".\r\n * \"I understood very clearly what my son and the teachers were telling me\". \r\n\r\n-How did the hearing aids help you communicate better with your son or daughter during the presentation?\r\n * \" Excellent\"\r\n * \" They helped me a lot; I finally understood everything my son was explaining in his presentation\". \r\n\r\nYour generosity has not only provided a tool but has fostered a more inclusive community where every voice is heard and every success is celebrated together.","fullyFundedDate":1769900822346,"projectUrl":"project/unlocking-language/10047106/","projectTitle":"Unlocking Language!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Marilyn","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10414550"},{"teacherId":10396287,"projectId":9981543,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my classroom project! I am shocked that I was able to receive most of the things we really wanted to support our students. They LOVE the chair and are so happy to have another flexible seating option for comfortability during our small groups instead of them sitting on the floor like we normally do. The Fidget pieces and books have been very helpful for our students who needed resources for our calm down corner. \r\n\r\nStudents have eyes lit up when I showed them these tools to use when they need a break, are overstimulated or just need a resource to support them through big emotions. A Kid's Book About Anger has also been a surprising hit in our library because it gives our kiddos the language they need to express themselves appropriately. We have immense joy in our reading classroom thanks to your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1769900824842,"projectUrl":"project/6th-grade-reading-room/9981543/","projectTitle":"6th Grade Reading Room","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Victome","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10396287"},{"teacherId":7011986,"projectId":8970069,"letterContent":"We are writing to express our profound gratitude for your generous contributions, especially the funding that allowed us to purchase headphones for every student in our classroom. Your support is directly transforming the daily learning experience, providing a level of focus and personalized instruction we simply couldn't achieve before.\r\n\r\nYou might be wondering how a simple piece of technology like a pair of headphones makes a difference in a modern classroom. Below is an explanation of how this investment is helping our students thrive.\r\nThe headphones are a powerful tool for promoting personalized learning and deep concentration for our students. Here's how they are enhancing the learning process:\r\nBlocking Distractions: Our classrooms are busy places with different activities happening simultaneously—small group discussions, independent work, and teacher instruction. The noise-canceling feature of the headphones creates a private, focused environment. Students who are easily distracted can now tune out the surrounding noise and dedicate their full attention to the task at hand, whether it's reading a digital textbook or solving a complex problem.\r\nDifferentiating Instruction: We use the headphones to deliver instruction at each student's pace. For instance, students can listen to **pre-recorded lessons** or educational videos at a volume and speed that suits their needs. Students who need to re-listen to a concept can do so instantly, while students who are ready to move ahead can access advanced materials without disrupting others.\r\nEnhancing Technology-Based Practice: When using educational software for subjects like math drills or foreign language practice, the headphones allow students to hear audio prompts clearly and accurately, improving their pronunciation practice and comprehension of instructions.\r\nFocused Choice: They love being able to \"turn off the noise\" of a busy classroom when they need to concentrate. It gives them control over their immediate learning environment.\r\nClarity: For many, particularly those with auditory processing challenges, the clear, direct audio is thrilling. They are no longer straining to hear a distant speaker or struggling to distinguish speech from background noise. This simple clarity has lowered stress and boosted confidence when completing audio-based assignments.\r\nchnology, and how so?\r\n\r\nWe have seen remarkable changes in several groups of students:\r\nStudents with Attention Challenges: One student, who previously struggled to complete independent work without constant redirection, now immediately puts on his headphones for \"focus time.\" The headphones serve as a strong cue that it is time to concentrate, and his time-on-task and assignment completion rates have dramatically improved.\r\nEnglish Language Learners (ELL): Several of our students who are learning English have embraced the headphones. They can utilize language apps that speak words slowly and repeat phrases many times. This personalized, non-judgmental audio feedback is crucial for building fluency and confidence faster than traditional methods alone.\r\nThe \"Quiet Worker\" We have a student who is naturally very quiet and easily overwhelmed by a loud environment. The ability to minimize external noise has allowed her to fully engage with digital activities. She has gone from being hesitant to participate in computer-based assessments to confidently working on complex coding tutorials with her headphones on.\r\n\r\nThank you again for equipping our students with the tools they need to succeed in a modern, focused, and personalized learning environment. Your generosity is making a real, audible difference every day.","fullyFundedDate":1741056240316,"projectUrl":"project/unlocking-focus-and-potential-headphone/8970069/","projectTitle":"Unlocking Focus and Potential: Headphones for Engaged Learning!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7011986_orig.png?crop=398,398,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1629680318764","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jenbenbiobrooklyn"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_105388","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":309,"numTeachers":35,"percentFrplEligible":26,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":9,"percentWhite":52,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":23,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"8.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":72.3,"schoolId":105388,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-york/new-york-state-department-education/brooklyn-urban-garden-charter-school/105388"}

About this school

Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School is an urban public school in Brooklyn, New York that is part of New York State Department Education. It serves 309 students in grades 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 8.8:1. Its teachers have had 12 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Public School

Title 1

Grades 6 - 8

309 Students

35 Teachers

500 19th St

Brooklyn, NY 11215 View local requests

http://www.bugsbrooklyn.org

Direct, proactive support

Empower teachers at Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School to request what their students need.

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School Demographics

26%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

35%

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.

Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated May 18, 2026

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.