{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Daisy Bates Acad Social Justice","outOfStateSupporters":37.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10436206,"projectId":10098838,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to my class's project! It has made an enormous impact in my classroom. I have been amazed by how Legos have improved my students' engagement, attitudes towards learning, and their engineering skills. I have several students in my 6th through 8th special education classroom who have significant behavioral issues. They can be aggressive and unmotivated during math and science class. When they are working with Legos, however, they focus their attention on the complicated engineering tasks. The bright colors, smooth tiles, and whimsical Lego scenes engage parts of their brains that more traditional lessons do not. \r\n\r\nMy students always look forward to working with the Legos. I schedule my Lego lessons towards the end of the day so that they have something to look forward to, and I also use them as incentives for behavior and attendance. My students are always asking to look at the Legos, inquiring when they'll be able to use them. During Lego design and engineering lessons, my students are engaged, smiling, sometimes slightly competitive about who can finish a build first, but their antisocial behaviors have gone down considerably. Since we are now in the final stretch of the academic year when some students become restless and eager for the summer break and 8th grade graduation, that is amazing progress!\r\n\r\nThe Lego sets I have, especially the kits that we bought with this grant, have improved student academic performance considerably. The students are able to manipulate the Legos, using engineering skills to construct vehicles and urban environments. Many of the pieces are quite small, and the building techniques are complicated. They require fine motor skills, concentration, and visual-spatial attentiveness that is stimulating and challenging for my students (and myself). These tasks will help my students moving forward in both academic tasks that require them to manipulate shapes spatially such as transformations in the 8th grade math curriculum and in possible future careers that they might have that involve building and fine motor skills. Legos also involve attention to detail, the meticulous following of directions, and the ability to tinker and adjust when you make a mistake on a build. These Lego sets are an incredible contribution to my classroom. We have had two opportunities for my students to display their Lego projects so far: at the Chicago Public Schools Robots4All convention in April and at the school science fair. The students have excelled in both venues, exhibiting their projects to students, teachers, and administrators from across the city. I can't wait to experiment with the Lego kits myself over the summer to plan out some more amazing units for my students for next year!","fullyFundedDate":1774621402343,"projectUrl":"project/take-off-with-stem-kits-for-special-educ/10098838/","projectTitle":"Take off With STEM Kits for Special Education Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Spaeth","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10436206"},{"teacherId":10289409,"projectId":9797815,"letterContent":"Thank you all so much for your donations. My students have made so much progress the past few months because of your generous donations. Every single material has been used over and over, and has allowed us to increase our vocabulary, amount of words spoken, core word production, speech sound production, grammar, and much more! \r\n\r\nMy students have all been extremely engaged within these activities, allowing for greater growth in communication. Especially with the safe sensory bin fillers, to allow them to have their sensory needs met while we work, as well as the lamination sheets which have allowed me to create a wide variety of individualized activities and communication visuals for them to use in the classroom and beyond. \r\n\r\nThank you from the bottom of my heart. It is donors like you who help make the world of education impactful each day.","fullyFundedDate":1769192067579,"projectUrl":"project/help-support-my-new-speech-classroom/9797815/","projectTitle":"Help Support My New Speech Classroom!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Clark","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10289409_orig.jpg?crop=881,881,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1759927917941","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10289409"},{"teacherId":9791236,"projectId":9708317,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our PBIS rewards system is already making a difference in our classroom. We are using the new materials stickers, pencils, and other fun incentives to celebrate students whenever they demonstrate kindness, responsibility, or extra effort in their learning. For example, during a recent group reading activity, students who actively helped their classmates and stayed focused were recognized with small rewards. The excitement on their faces and the pride they showed in their accomplishments was truly heartwarming.\r\nWhen the students first saw the new materials, their reactions were priceless they were curious, delighted, and immediately motivated to make positive choices. The rewards have sparked friendly teamwork and healthy competition, as students encourage one another to be helpful, respectful, and engaged. It's amazing to see how a small token can boost confidence and inspire them to put forth their best effort every day.\r\nMoving forward, we plan to continue integrating the rewards into daily lessons, especially during projects where collaboration and creativity are key. With these resources, students are not only motivated to learn but also to support their peers, creating a classroom culture rooted in respect, responsibility, and joy. Your contribution has helped plant the seeds for lasting positive habits and a love of learning in each of our students.","fullyFundedDate":1766513919680,"projectUrl":"project/helping-our-students-shine-with-pbis-rew/9708317/","projectTitle":"Helping Our Students Shine with PBIS Rewards","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Dockery","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9791236_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727978312537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9791236"},{"teacherId":10213229,"projectId":9637850,"letterContent":"On behalf of the social work students and faculty at Daisy Bates Academy of Social Justice, thank you for your generous support in providing a new bean bag chair and snacks for our student community. Your gift may seem simple, but its impact has been truly meaningful.\r\n\r\nSocial work students spend long hours in classes, and emotionally and academically challenging environments. Having a comfortable, welcoming space to decompress—paired with readily available snacks—has created a small but powerful refuge in their day. The new bean bag chair has quickly become a favorite spot for students to rest between classes, recharge during stressful weeks, and build a sense of community with peers. The snacks have helped students stay energized and supported, especially on those long days when time and resources are stretched thin.\r\n\r\nYour contribution reminds our students that there are people who believe in them, value their education, and care about their well-being. For many, this gesture has provided not just comfort, but encouragement and a renewed sense of belonging.\r\nThank you for investing in the next generation of scholars. Your generosity nurtures their resilience, strengthens their learning environment, and makes a real difference in their everyday lives.","fullyFundedDate":1757544445794,"projectUrl":"project/seeds-of-support-helping-others-heal/9637850/","projectTitle":"Seeds of Support: Helping Others Heal","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10213229_orig.jpg?crop=180,180,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755792767265","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10213229"},{"teacherId":10266639,"projectId":9721749,"letterContent":"Since receiving your donations at the end of September, I have set up a small Manga Library in my classroom along with rules for checking out books. I wanted to allow the students enough time to read before returning them, so I allow them to have the book for 3 full days before returning them back to the library. The students give their name, grade, homeroom, book their checking out, and the date so there is no confusion on who has what book. Finally, until a student returns their previous book, they can not check out a new one. \r\n\r\nThe students began using the check out system instantly, and some even monitor the library inventory for me and will go retrieve a book that needs to be returned. I have some students who come in 2-3 times per day to check out or return books and others who are first time manga readers wishing to get started with something that is intriguing to them. It brings me so much joy seeing their excitement and energy when they discuss with me what they have read. There is one student who stated that whenever he feels angry or frustrated, he just reads a few pages of Jujutsu Kaisen or Dragonball Super and he calms down. \r\n\r\nI am beyond grateful for being able to share something that I enjoy with students who may not have had this opportunity previously.","fullyFundedDate":1758907714128,"projectUrl":"project/share-the-joy-donate-manga-books-to-ins/9721749/","projectTitle":"Share the Joy: Donate Manga Books to Inspire Students!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Ray","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10266639"},{"teacherId":6194106,"projectId":9099617,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of translator earbuds for my students. For a child who is learning in an environment where everything feels new and unfamiliar, the ability to hear lessons in their native language can be as comforting as the peaceful sound of birds chirping in the morning. Your gift provides more than just technology—it offers a sense of belonging, reassurance, and the opportunity to fully engage in learning without the constant barrier of language.\r\n\r\nBecause of your kindness, our school is now able to equip non-English-speaking students with the tools they need to communicate, participate, and thrive. These earbuds are not only helping students understand lessons more clearly but also giving them the confidence to connect with teachers and classmates. Your generosity has created a bridge to learning and opened doors to a brighter future for our students. We are deeply grateful for your support and the meaningful impact it has on their education and lives.","fullyFundedDate":1746494853551,"projectUrl":"project/you-learn-nothing-when-you-speak-only-w/9099617/","projectTitle":"You Learn Nothing When You Speak, ONLY When You Listen","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Dixon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6194106"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5378","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":211,"numTeachers":15,"percentFrplEligible":86,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":98,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":0,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"14.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":62.7,"schoolId":5378,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Daisy Bates Acad Social Justice on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Daisy Bates Acad Social Justice","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/caldwell-academy/5378"}