{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cass Lake - Bena Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":43.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9788530,"projectId":9630133,"letterContent":"My students loved the snacks!! We ate a lot before I even had a chance to take a lot of pictures! They loved the pirates booty especially. They also really enjoyed the fruit cups and veggie straws. We learned about what healthier snack choices were and why balancing our food is important for our health. My students love snack and were so happy that they had access to these new foods. The next step I have is for my students to explore more healthy foods. I want them to create their own healthy plates and share that with their families.","fullyFundedDate":1756070852934,"projectUrl":"project/healthier-snacks-that-smack/9630133/","projectTitle":"Healthier Snacks That Smack!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Opsal","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9788530_orig.jpg?crop=827,827,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755534290622","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9788530"},{"teacherId":9788530,"projectId":9619208,"letterContent":"My students have been going crazy for the birthday in a cup! They love the stickers, they immediately wash out the cup and use it all day. It is so stinking cute watching them walk in the classroom in the morning and see their special birthday treat. The key chains are awesome and have made their way on their backpacks. The Chapstick and lotion are utterly amazing. Winter in northern Minnesota is no joke. The cold and dryness of the state make these students miserable. I am so thankful that they have the means to help themselves. The Chapstick is so helpful. They also sport their bracelets around saying it is their birthdays all day. \r\nAgain, thankyou for allowing my students birthdays to be special. They feel this way because of you.","fullyFundedDate":1755780482536,"projectUrl":"project/birthday-in-a-cup/9619208/","projectTitle":"Birthday in a Cup","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Opsal","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9788530_orig.jpg?crop=827,827,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755534290622","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9788530"},{"teacherId":8213011,"projectId":9548988,"letterContent":"We are so grateful to have our project (Healthy Snacks and Hydration: Fuel for Success!) funded. My students enjoyed choosing their water bottle and water bottle stickers to personalize it even further. I enjoy rewarding students with the stickers for random reasons, as much as the students like picking them out! \r\n\r\n The breakfast bars are always available for my students who miss the breakfast cutoff at school when they are tardy. I have students who seem relieved to know they will get something to eat regardless of how late they arrive.\r\n\r\n Many of my students seem to \"hit a wall\" by 11:00 and lose their focus and motivation to learn with our long morning block. Even with brain/body breaks, having a snack and water really gets them \"over the hump\" to be able to get back on track until recess. Having taught my students about proper hydration and fuel for the body and brain motivates them to hydrate throughout the day. With your generosity, I hope we have helped my students create some important healthy habits for a lifetime! Thanks again!","fullyFundedDate":1755179790878,"projectUrl":"project/healthy-snacks-and-hydration-fuel-for-s/9548988/","projectTitle":"Healthy Snacks and Hydration: Fuel for Success!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Johnsrud","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8213011_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1638333065884","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/erica-johnsrud"},{"teacherId":6171900,"projectId":9810382,"letterContent":"We received our new Magnetic Tile Road sets and I couldn't wait to test them out with a few students. My students have been using Magnetic tiles for a few years to solve engineering challenges and they are very familiar with 3-d construction. When they saw the road pieces I could tell their imaginations were immediately sparked as they started planning paths for their cars to move around the houses they were building. They were so excited to see new pieces to use. I am really looking forward to incorporating these blocks into future lessons and getting to see my students so happy and engaged. Thank you so much for the gift of these road magnetic tiles. They will be enjoyed by hundreds of students this year and in years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1763560470750,"projectUrl":"project/on-the-road-vehicle-explorers/9810382/","projectTitle":"On the Road: Vehicle Explorers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Raddatz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6171900_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1595049588152","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6171900"},{"teacherId":6171900,"projectId":9796136,"letterContent":"We have had an incredible month of planning, cutting, and building. My students in second, third, and fourth grades have been working collaboratively to create a cardboard landscape for our fall conferences. The tools you purchased for us were put to use for hours a day. Second graders built apple trees, third graders were in charge of fencing, and fourth grade assembled scarecrows. Artistic touches were added and an I Spy game was created for younger students and for families to play. THANK YOU for helping our vision come to life.","fullyFundedDate":1760668964143,"projectUrl":"project/cool-cutters-for-cardboard/9796136/","projectTitle":"Cool Cutters for Cardboard","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Raddatz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6171900_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1595049588152","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6171900"},{"teacherId":6779276,"projectId":9494173,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our Snack Time project. The students are loving their snacks. Several have asked to take snack home too. With this donation, many students are getting the extra boost they need in the adternoon before they go home. Many do not have snacks or dinner at home this this helps immenesly. Your kindness is greatly appreciated not only by myself but by my students. It is reassuring to send them home with thier bellies full or a small snack that will get them throught the night.","fullyFundedDate":1753723301413,"projectUrl":"project/snack-time/9494173/","projectTitle":"Snack Time","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Frank","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6779276_orig.jpg?crop=422,422,x0,y76&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1567794594938","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6779276"},{"teacherId":6960993,"projectId":9724985,"letterContent":"I am writing to thank you for the caring support you gave to me and the students I work with daily. I am a caring teacher who nurtures hearts and minds. In this project, I would like a calming corner that has posters of emotions for the students to point out how they are feeling. I have received the posters on which my students have posed with some of their feelings. It is amazing to see them show and tell how they are feeling with your support. The students grow socially as they learn to calmly talk about feelings. As a supportive teacher who guides with empathy and kindness.","fullyFundedDate":1761935062610,"projectUrl":"project/compansion-teacher/9724985/","projectTitle":"Compansion Teacher","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Derby","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6960993_orig.jpg?crop=1305,1305,x220,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1673357452148","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6960993"},{"teacherId":9052708,"projectId":9707620,"letterContent":"When our box of water bottles arrived, the excitement in our classroom was contagious! My students couldn't believe that they each had one of their very own. For many of them, this was the first time they'd ever had a water bottle to call their own, and their pride showed immediately. We talked about how small choices—like using reusable bottles—help our planet, and they eagerly filled them at our refill station that same morning. It's been such a simple but powerful change—one that has boosted focus, cut down on transition time, and encouraged healthy hydration habits.\r\n\r\nSince receiving these bottles, we've connected them to our science lessons on states of matter and the water cycle. Students use their bottles as \"real-world examples\" during discussions about conservation and sustainability. What started as a way to keep kids hydrated has grown into something bigger—it's given them ownership, confidence, and a daily reminder that they matter.\r\n\r\nThis project did far more than provide water bottles—it created a sense of community and care in our classroom. Every refill, every sip, and every smile has been a ripple effect of your generosity. Thank you for helping my students feel seen, supported, and celebrated in such a meaningful way.","fullyFundedDate":1760377905371,"projectUrl":"project/hydration-celebration-eco-friendly-wate/9707620/","projectTitle":"Hydration Celebration: Eco-Friendly Water Bottles for Happy, Healthy Kids","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Garrison","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9052708_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760669236738","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9052708"},{"teacherId":6193949,"projectId":9537360,"letterContent":"When children are adequately fed, they can achieve better academic outcomes, have greater emotional and social competence, and develop a healthier relationship with food and their bodies.\r\nWell-nourished children are more focused in school, have better grades, and are more likely to stay in school. They also experience greater self-esteem and have more positive attitudes toward trying new foods.\r\nThank you for helping me accomplish these important goals in my classroom with your generous donations of healthy snacks.","fullyFundedDate":1754529051789,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-for-learners/9537360/","projectTitle":"Snacks for Learners!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rubey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp6193949_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1547878203813","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6193949"},{"teacherId":6193949,"projectId":9549395,"letterContent":"My students have so enjoyed all the STEM activities that were purchased through your generous donations. A couple of the favorites are scented markers, and anything where they are building. I enjoy watching them use their creativity and imaginations to make anything from dog houses to designing their own school buildings. They get so excited when I tell them that there are all kinds of jobs related to building and drafting structures. \r\nThank you for helping my students recognize that they can have future jobs doing something they enjoy, and will incorporate their special talents.","fullyFundedDate":1755697970778,"projectUrl":"project/stem-activities-for-young-learners/9549395/","projectTitle":"Stem Activities for Young Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rubey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp6193949_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1547878203813","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6193949"},{"teacherId":6171900,"projectId":9730572,"letterContent":"These animal and vehicle counters will be used to help students visualize the scale needed to complete their challenges. The build needed for a 1 inch tall animal (for example) is much different than one needed for a 12 inch stuffed animal... I have around 400 students and we need to keep our builds small to save on consumable materials.\r\n\r\nI introduced my students to using the CHOMP SAW cardboard cutters (picture a scroll saw for cardboard). My goal was to collect enough soft cardboard for my students to be able to cut out masks, which they can decorate and then wear. This cardboard chipboard was used as needed to help complete the mask making lesson.\r\n\r\nStick and Ring Puzzles encourage fine motor skills development, teach orientation using blueprints, build stamina, and strengthen visual discrimination. This final material will be used for Kindergarten and first grade groups. I am always trying to build my inventory of meaningful activities that my students can independently use.\r\n\r\nThank you for supporting my classroom and for partnering with me to make learning meaningful. I look forward to incorporating all of these materials into my future lessons.","fullyFundedDate":1759541143048,"projectUrl":"project/little-hands-and-happy-hearts/9730572/","projectTitle":"Little Hands and Happy Hearts","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Raddatz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6171900_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1595049588152","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6171900"},{"teacherId":6171900,"projectId":9730573,"letterContent":"My classes love when I do immersive lessons. Last year I turned my classroom into the inside of an airplane. My goal is to do one classroom makeover a year and this year I am doing a medical theme. My students are going to learn about organs and then will have a day where they get to put what they learned into practice. Thanks to you they will be able to identify organ models, assemble human puzzles, touch stuffed human doll models, play operation, and dress like a Dr. I know this learning and career day will be one my students will remember. Thank you so much for supporting the learning of my students and my dream to expose my students to something so new.","fullyFundedDate":1758761846188,"projectUrl":"project/calling-all-future-doctors/9730573/","projectTitle":"Calling All Future Doctors","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Raddatz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6171900_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1595049588152","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6171900"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_74404","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":450,"numTeachers":44,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":98,"percentLatinx":0,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 4","studentTeacherRatio":"10.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_REMOTE"},"inStateSupporters":56.2,"schoolId":74404,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cass Lake - Bena Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cass Lake - Bena Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/minnesota/cass-lake-bena-public-schools/cass-lake-bena-elementary-school/74404"}