DuBois Elementary School in Springfield, Illinois on DonorsChoose

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Our students are excited to explore topics such as animals, weather, space, communities, and other real-world subjects that help them connect learning to their own lives.\r\n\r\nNonfiction texts play a crucial role in early literacy. They help students build background knowledge, expand vocabulary, and strengthen comprehension skills. With these new resources, our students are learning how to ask questions, identify key details, use text features, and think critically about what they read. Even more importantly, they are discovering that reading is not only enjoyable, but also a powerful way to learn about the world around them.\r\n\r\nYour support has also helped foster a love of reading in our classroom. Many of our students are especially drawn to nonfiction books because they love learning facts and sharing what they discover with their peers. It has been wonderful to see students eagerly choose these books, excited to read aloud fun facts, point out photographs and diagrams, and engage in meaningful conversations about what they are learning. These moments are building confidence and enthusiasm that will carry with them as they continue their educational journey.\r\n\r\nBeyond academics, your generosity has helped create an inclusive and engaging classroom environment where every student has access to materials that spark interest and support diverse learning styles. Having a rich classroom library allows us to meet students where they are and encourages all learners to see themselves as capable and curious readers.\r\n\r\nWe truly cannot thank you enough for your generosity and belief in our students. Your support has made a lasting difference, and we are so appreciative of the time, resources, and care you have shared with our classroom. Our first graders may be small, but thanks to you, their world just became much bigger.","fullyFundedDate":1398175827409,"projectUrl":"project/first-grade-wants-more-nonfiction-and-in/1209925/","projectTitle":"First Grade Wants More Nonfiction and Informational Text!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Vespa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1776959_orig.jpg?crop=737,737,x214,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1762889950656","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/dhoward1"},{"teacherId":4183431,"projectId":7973932,"letterContent":"Thank you all so much for your kindness and generosity! In third grade, students start transitioning into taking more and more assessments online. This includes our classroom tests and state testing. Having high quality, comfortable headphones makes a huge difference when you have to wear them for an hour or two. \r\nHaving headphones for each individual student has also really helped expand our reading opportunities. Students are now able to listen to audiobooks of texts we may not have access to in the classroom. \r\nAgain thank you all for your kindness and continued generosity! \r\nWe really could not do this without you!","fullyFundedDate":1701971673727,"projectUrl":"project/ear-resistable-technology-tools/7973932/","projectTitle":"Ear-Resistable Technology Tools","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Z.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4183431_orig.jpg?crop=366,366,x0,y35&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1694536002342","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/a-zaffiri"},{"teacherId":10065190,"projectId":9436214,"letterContent":"We are incredibly grateful to all of you for funding the seat sacks for our fifth-grade classroom. This resource is already providing significant support for our district's emphasis on AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) principles, particularly in promoting student organization and preparedness. Previously, our student desks only had enough space to store their necessary AVID binders, leaving other essential classroom materials awkwardly stored and causing clutter and disorganization. The seat sacks provided a perfect solution, creating dedicated storage for often used items. This change has allowed us to better integrate tools like personal whiteboards, which we use daily for whole-class participation as a low-stakes way to encourage participation and reduce the fear of mistakes.\r\nThe students' reaction when they received the materials was very positive and immediate. They quickly appreciated having a clear, accessible space for their materials. This change lined up perfectly as we recently gained a librarian and revamped our school library. 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About this school

DuBois Elementary School is an urban public school in Springfield, Illinois that is part of Springfield Public Schools District 186. It serves 436 students in grades K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 15.0:1. Its teachers have had 66 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades K - 5

436 Students

29 Teachers

120 S Lincoln Ave

Springfield, IL 62704 View local requests

Direct, proactive support

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

DuBois Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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DuBois Elementary School Demographics

95%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

56%

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.

DuBois Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Jan 1, 2026

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