{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Charles Russell Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":43.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":6618551,"projectId":9799988,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for funding my project! The class set of microscopes has been a big hit with my students. I recently used them in the library with my third-grade classes as part of a unit about the author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg. In his book \"Two Bad Ants\" a pair of ants leave their ant home to acquire sugar crystals for their queen, but decide to stay behind in the kitchen's sugar bowl. They have many near misses \r\n(getting scooped up from the sugar bowl and dumped into a cup of coffee, placed in the toaster, dropped into a garbage disposal, etc.) and finally realize they should return to their ant home. \r\n Van Allsburg's illustrations for this book show the world from the ant's point of view, so I wanted my students to see sugar crystals up close to mimic how they look to an ant. I used this experience to illustrate how there is more to the world than what we can see with our eyes. There is a whole other \"world\" at the microscopic level that exists even if we aren't aware of it. They were amazed at how sugar looks under the microscope and could see the definite crystal shape described in the story. I had them compare it to other items (goldfish scale, coffee filter, pollen) and draw what they saw in the microscope. I also spent time discussing how microscopes work and defining the word \"specimen\". The students were able to create their own sugar specimen using the accompanying microscope kit. Several students told me they felt like real scientists!\r\n I plan to use the microscopes with my first-grade students later this spring in conjunction with the book \"The Soil in Jackie's Garden.\" I will have them compare soil samples from outside to the bagged soil bought from a store. In the future, I plan to use the microscopes as a library center, as well as checking them out to teachers for classroom projects.","fullyFundedDate":1760640360560,"projectUrl":"project/what-a-wonderful-microscopic-world/9799988/","projectTitle":"What a Wonderful \"Microscopic\" World!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Meade","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6618551_orig.jpg?crop=310,310,x165,y36&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1565361972774","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6618551"},{"teacherId":6615656,"projectId":9700624,"letterContent":"My students have really enjoyed watching the live lady bugs and ants as they grow and develop. We have spent many days studying the insect specimens and reading in our Bug books to learn about how parts of the body help an organism survive. Students have been able to focus on the structure and function of these body parts, especially using the microscopes to look more closely at things like antennae, wings and legs of certain organisms. The students have really been able to have some great conversations with one another during their time using these materials.","fullyFundedDate":1758820995488,"projectUrl":"project/creepy-crawling-science-investigations/9700624/","projectTitle":"Creepy, Crawling Science Investigations","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hood","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6615656_orig.jpg?crop=1024,1024,x128,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757518101372","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6615656"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_57785","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":201,"numTeachers":21,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":2,"percentWhite":84,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":3,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"9.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":56.4,"schoolId":57785,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Charles Russell Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Charles Russell Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/kentucky/ashland-independent-school-district/charles-russell-elementary-school/57785"}
Join the 78 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Charles Russell Elementary School is
an urban public school
in Ashland, Kentucky that is part of Ashland Independent School District.
It serves 201 students
in grades K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 9.6:1.
Its teachers have had 24 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
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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
5%
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.
Charles Russell Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Mar 13, 2026
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Charles Russell Elementary School
$9,110
raised using DonorsChoose
24
projects
funded
7
teachers
funded
78
donors
1
project
for
basic supplies
1
project for
technology
7
projects for
books
Charles Russell Elementary School has received support from
44 individuals from Kentucky and
34 individuals out-of-state.
