{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Desert Trail Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":88.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9862536,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation of a Nintendo Switch for our students to use during esports time. Your support has had a meaningful and positive impact on our learning environment, and we are truly grateful for your investment in our students' success.\r\n\r\nEsports has become an important and engaging part of student learning. Through structured esports activities, students are developing critical academic skills such as strategic thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. Many games require students to read instructions carefully, analyze situations, manage resources, and make thoughtful decisions—all skills that directly support classroom learning.\r\n\r\nIn addition, esports strongly supports STEM learning. Students apply concepts related to technology, mathematics, and engineering as they explore game mechanics, understand systems, analyze data, and discuss how hardware and software work together. Esports also sparks interest in technology-related careers, including game design, coding, broadcasting, and engineering, helping students see real-world applications of STEM concepts.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, students are highly motivated and excited to participate. The Nintendo Switch has created an inclusive space where students collaborate, build confidence, and practice perseverance in a fun yet purposeful way.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your generosity and for helping us provide innovative learning opportunities that support both academic growth and future-ready skills. Your contribution has made a lasting difference for our students.","fullyFundedDate":1763231914063,"projectUrl":"project/learn-with-esports/9862536/","projectTitle":"Learn with eSports","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"},{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9907267,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in helping make our Winter Wonderland Extravaganza a memorable and meaningful experience for our students. Your kindness and commitment truly brought joy, learning, and holiday spirit into our school community.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, students were able to participate in a variety of festive activities, including caroling, learning about Christmas traditions celebrated around the world, and enjoying the excitement of taking pictures with Santa. The smiles, laughter, and enthusiasm throughout the event were a testament to how much these experiences meant to them.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the fun and celebration, students gained valuable cultural knowledge by learning about other winter holidays celebrated across different parts of the world. These activities helped foster curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse traditions that make our global community so special.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful for your support and for the positive impact you have made on our students' learning and memories. Thank you for helping us create an experience that blended joy, education, and togetherness during the holiday season.","fullyFundedDate":1764357300134,"projectUrl":"project/winter-wonderland-extravaganza/9907267/","projectTitle":"Winter Wonderland Extravaganza!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"},{"teacherId":10244572,"projectId":9689850,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for granting my classroom a printer through DonorsChoose. This printer has been utilized to create colored visual schedules for several students which are used to reflect on student work completion and daily behavior. This tool has allowed for my students to remain organized, confident, motivated, and focused throughout the school day. \r\n\r\nIn addition to this, I have managed to make colored copies of all the different schedules within the classroom, allowing them to be used on a daily basis. Furthermore, the schedules have been laminated to allow students to interact with their schedule and allow me to make any additional notes if necessary. Currently, students will draw a happy/sad face, then transfer this information to another printed version for home. Having the same visual support at home has allowed me to be in near-constant communication with families, and has allowed for the families to reinforce expectations, celebrate progress, and better support their child in their academic and behavioral goals.\r\n\r\nYour support is forever appreciated and will make a meaningful difference in these students' learning journey and academic success. Thank you for investing in my classroom and our community.","fullyFundedDate":1758742997089,"projectUrl":"project/bright-print-for-bright-minds/9689850/","projectTitle":"Bright Print for Bright Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Aguero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10244572"},{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9926287,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in helping my students receive their new fitness watches. Your kindness is making a meaningful difference in our classroom. With these trackers, my students can now monitor their steps, activity levels, and other health-related habits, giving them a hands-on way to learn the importance of exercising and staying fit.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, young children are developing lifelong skills—learning how to keep track of their movements, set goals, and build healthy routines. We are truly grateful for your commitment to their well-being and education.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in our students' health and helping them grow. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones.","fullyFundedDate":1764693027183,"projectUrl":"project/fitness-trackers-to-manage-health-and-we/9926287/","projectTitle":"Fitness Trackers to Manage Health and Wellness!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"},{"teacherId":9994351,"projectId":9754152,"letterContent":"Since receiving these materials, my students have become more engaged and confident during science instruction. Having the proper supplies and a clean, organized learning space has allowed students to fully focus on experiments, investigations, and scientific discussions. Students are more comfortable participating, asking questions, and collaborating during hands-on science activities.\r\n\r\nThe most exciting part for students has been using hands-on tools to explore science concepts in meaningful ways. These materials support inquiry-based learning by allowing students to make observations, collect information, and explain their thinking. Students are able to connect science lessons to real-world situations, which has helped deepen their understanding and curiosity about how things work.\r\n\r\nThis project has especially benefited students who learn best through hands-on experiences. I have noticed increased engagement, stronger scientific vocabulary, and more thoughtful questions during science lessons. Thank you for helping create a learning environment where students can explore, investigate, and grow as young scientists.","fullyFundedDate":1759434079275,"projectUrl":"project/from-curiosity-to-creativity-stem-in-ac/9754152/","projectTitle":"From Curiosity to Creativity: STEM in Action","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Gutierrez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9994351_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y74&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758660220446","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9994351"},{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9841974,"letterContent":"hank you for your generous support and for providing LEGO sets for our students. Your kindness has made a meaningful impact on our STEM and esports activities, and we are truly grateful.\r\n\r\nThe students were absolutely thrilled to use the LEGOs during hands-on STEM challenges and esports-related problem-solving activities. They enthusiastically collaborated, experimented, and applied critical thinking skills while building, designing, and testing their ideas. These experiences not only strengthened their understanding of STEM concepts but also encouraged creativity, teamwork, and perseverance.\r\n\r\nMany students shared how exciting it was to learn in such an interactive way, and the LEGOs quickly became one of the most popular tools in our program. Your donation helped transform learning into an engaging, fun, and memorable experience—one that inspired curiosity and confidence in our students. Thank you again for investing in our students and supporting innovative learning opportunities. Your generosity has helped spark a love for STEM and esports that will continue to grow well beyond the classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1761191231667,"projectUrl":"project/enthusiasm-in-esports/9841974/","projectTitle":"Enthusiasm in ESports","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"},{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9829655,"letterContent":"Students are thrilled to explore the world through VR headsets — they gasp as virtual skies open and they can see the stars and distant galaxies up close, tracing constellations and nebulae as if they were floating among them. The immersive experience sparks curiosity: learners investigate planetary motion, compare star types, and simulate space missions while applying STEM skills like data analysis, coding simple simulations, and engineering design thinking. These hands‑on technology experiences deepen understanding and make abstract science tangible. A heartfelt thank you to our donors Mr. Pacheco and Anonymous Donor for making this transformative learning opportunity a reality","fullyFundedDate":1761161983907,"projectUrl":"project/technology-helps-us-view-the-world/9829655/","projectTitle":"Technology Helps Us View the World","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"},{"teacherId":6419882,"projectId":9711723,"letterContent":"I can't even begin to tell you how excited my kids were when our boxes arrived! You should have seen their faces when they spotted those stacking stools. They immediately started asking if they could try them out. \r\n\r\nWe've been using everything daily, and honestly, it's changed our whole classroom dynamic. Those computer mice have been a lifesaver during our computer time. Before, kids were getting frustrated trying to navigate with the limited old mice we had. Last week, we worked on a Google Slides project where they designed their own slides, and I watched kids who normally struggle with technology become the helpers for their classmates.\r\n\r\nThe soccer ball has been such a hit, and not just for brain breaks! We will be using it for our science Motion unit for a data collection project where kids will measure how far they could kick it, then graph the results. And those stools? Game changer. Kids are choosing where and how they want to learn, and I'm seeing better focus from everyone, especially my wiggly learners.","fullyFundedDate":1758897868772,"projectUrl":"project/stem-in-motion-tools-to-learn-play-an/9711723/","projectTitle":"STEM in Motion: Tools to Learn, Play, and Create","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Betancourt","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6419882_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1566512577074","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6419882"},{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9402691,"letterContent":"What a great tool MagiCore Academy has been for my scholars. Students have embarked on different fun filled journeys during the use of this app. They have found their way through escape rooms and even travelled through many adventures in virtual field trips. Thank you so much for giving my students the opportunity to have experienced this new tool this year will be truly exciting for all of us. Using this amazing tool as a new resource for different subjects such as ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies will create exciting new enhancements for all my students. Thank you so much for bringing this project to life.","fullyFundedDate":1753374529336,"projectUrl":"project/learning-about-cultural-differences-by-t/9402691/","projectTitle":"Learning about Cultural Differences by Traveling All Around the World","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"},{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9361483,"letterContent":"Teachers who go above and beyond by engaging in professional development and continuous learning significantly enhance their ability to support students. By acquiring new teaching strategies, technologies, and methodologies, they make lessons more engaging and effective, which helps students understand and retain information better. Staying current with content knowledge ensures that students receive accurate and relevant information, deepening their learning experience. Furthermore, teachers who continually improve their skills are better equipped to personalize instruction, addressing the diverse needs and learning styles of their students. Their enthusiasm for growth also serves as a powerful model of lifelong learning, motivating students to adopt a similar attitude toward their education. Additionally, professional development often equips teachers with better classroom management and social-emotional learning techniques, enabling them to create safe, supportive, and inclusive environments where students feel comfortable and ready to learn. Finally, these teachers can skillfully analyze student data to identify learning gaps and tailor interventions, ultimately helping students achieve better academic outcomes. In all these ways, educators dedicated to continuous improvement foster richer, more dynamic learning experiences that contribute to student success both academically and personally. Thank you for making this happen.","fullyFundedDate":1747836660327,"projectUrl":"project/make-it-simple-with-professional-develop/9361483/","projectTitle":"Make it Simple with Professional Development","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"},{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9693614,"letterContent":"What a great way to provide students the materials they need to learn how animatronics work, especially with a fun holiday coming up for Halloween. This will be our fifth annual haunted house and students have been working on using the animatronics to learn how they move and how they sense motion. Thank you so much for bringing this project to Life and for helping the whole school celebrate the holiday by providing all of the materials needed for the haunted house. We truly appreciate your continued support much love and respect always from Mrs. Marquez and her amazing students.","fullyFundedDate":1757537549610,"projectUrl":"project/animatronics-effects-for-stem-night/9693614/","projectTitle":"Animatronics Effects for STEM Night","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"},{"teacherId":5284987,"projectId":9745558,"letterContent":"We are incredibly thankful to our generous donors for providing decorations that made our STEM event feel fun, vibrant, and inviting for everyone involved. Your thoughtful contributions transformed our space into an engaging environment where students and their families felt welcomed and excited to participate. The colorful decorations, banners, and themed accents created a festive atmosphere that sparked joy and enthusiasm, encouraging students to dive into STEM activities with even more curiosity and energy. A welcoming and lively setting is so important in making learning memorable and enjoyable, and your support helped us achieve just that. Beyond the STEM event, we also deeply appreciate your kindness in providing face masks for our Halloween night celebration. Thanks to your generosity, our students were able to safely enjoy a Halloween-themed event surrounded by family and friends, creating lasting memories while honoring important health precautions.","fullyFundedDate":1758737501396,"projectUrl":"project/celebrating-stem-success/9745558/","projectTitle":"Celebrating STEM Success!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5284987_orig.jpg?crop=436,436,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760857075548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ymarquez"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_62589","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":471,"numTeachers":47,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":95,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"10.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":11.8,"schoolId":62589,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Desert Trail Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Desert Trail Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-mexico/gadsden-independent-school-district/desert-trail-elementary/62589"}