{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"East Picacho Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":44.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2075695,"projectId":9858317,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our LEGO project for my first grade classroom. Your donation has already made a noticeable difference in the energy, excitement, and engagement of my 16 students. The moment the LEGO sets arrived, students were immediately drawn to the colors, shapes, and endless possibilities...ready to explore, build, and learn.\r\n\r\nThese LEGO materials have become a powerful tool for developing foundational STEM skills. Students use them to practice problem-solving, design structures, collaborate with partners, and test creative ideas. Activities that once felt abstract now come alive in their hands, helping them strengthen fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, and early engineering concepts in a fun, meaningful way.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, my students now have daily opportunities to think like creators and innovators. They are building not just towers and bridges, but confidence, perseverance, and a love for hands-on learning. Thank you for investing in their curiosity and helping our classroom grow in such a joyful and impactful way.","fullyFundedDate":1761527954483,"projectUrl":"project/legos-for-1st-grade/9858317/","projectTitle":"Legos for 1st Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Orta","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2075695"},{"teacherId":2075695,"projectId":9729368,"letterContent":"Our new STEM materials have quickly become the heart of our hands-on learning time. One of our favorite moments so far was a \"build and test\" challenge where students worked in partners to design a small bridge that could hold the weight of classroom objects. With the new materials, they were able to explore real engineering concepts, testing, failing, redesigning, and celebrating each small improvement. It was incredible to watch 16 first graders communicate, problem-solve, and take ownership of their learning in such meaningful ways.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the STEM kits, their excitement was immediate...lots of wide eyes, gasps, and \"Can we use them right now?\" They were especially excited to explore materials they had never used before and couldn't wait to start building. The sense of joy and curiosity filled the room, and it was clear that these tools opened a world of new possibilities for them.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to expand these engineering challenges into a full STEM rotation system, where students will engage in ongoing projects that build skills week by week. We are preparing to explore simple machines next, allowing students to experiment with ramps, levers, and pulleys using the new materials. Thanks to our donors, my students now have opportunities to think like designers, creators, and problem solvers every day and we can't wait to share more of their progress.","fullyFundedDate":1758464332561,"projectUrl":"project/learning-and-growing-together-in-1st-gra/9729368/","projectTitle":"Learning and Growing Together in 1st Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Orta","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2075695"},{"teacherId":9599365,"projectId":9329465,"letterContent":"My students absolutely love the new science materials! The science area and science lessons are my favorite to be able to do for my students. However without the materials it was hard to do some lessons and create an engaging science area in the classroom. With your donations I have been able to give my students a more enriching and meaningful science area. They have been so excited to use these materials and in the increase in science lessons we have been able to do. \r\n\r\nThe science area is now one of the most popular areas in my classroom and that is all because of the wonderful new materials you have donated for them. I cannot express how excited I am to see my students explore and learn more through scientific inquiry and become more engaged in science materials. I would not have been able to achieve this without your help and I hope to increase the enrichment of this area for my students throughout the year.","fullyFundedDate":1755031564713,"projectUrl":"project/science-area-enhancement/9329465/","projectTitle":"Science Area Enhancement","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nerissa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9599365_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721367594456","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9599365"},{"teacherId":9599365,"projectId":9236722,"letterContent":"With all the wonderful donations you have provided to my classroom my students are able to access their classroom toys and materials with greater ease. I do not see students anymore struggling to grab containers of toys abs materials like they were before we received the wonderful baskets and organizing materials. No more baskets falling with toys and materials falling to the floor and the frustrated looks of students having to clean them up. \r\n\r\nStudents and classroom are more organized and put together in a way that is of course pleasing and functional. It has also helped teachers to be more organized as well. My co-teacher and I have wonderful containers that we can organize classroom materials and stay organized to see what we have. This allows us to focus more on the fun learning and instead of struggling to find materials and resources. Many at our school have visited and made wonderful remarks about how organized and nice our classroom is and that this was all made possible thanks to your wonderful donations and support.","fullyFundedDate":1754365875075,"projectUrl":"project/the-great-organization-impact/9236722/","projectTitle":"The Great Organization Impact","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nerissa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9599365_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721367594456","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9599365"},{"teacherId":8635437,"projectId":9272465,"letterContent":"I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your generous funding of our project. Your support has made it possible for us to bring this project to fruition and to make a positive impact in our community. My students like to read books and it is thanks for the bookshelf and the books. My students like to seat next to the bookshelf and read books. Because of the item that were provided, my students have been reading more and have an interest in reading different types of books. The bookshelf also helps with organization and keeping the books nice and neat. Thank you again.","fullyFundedDate":1746787093616,"projectUrl":"project/support-a-dual-language-classroom-with-b/9272465/","projectTitle":"Support a Dual Language Classroom with Books","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Sergio Tamez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8635437_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1683171406071","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8635437"},{"teacherId":7594329,"projectId":9428624,"letterContent":"This project is having a meaningful impact on student learning by transforming everyday cooking activities into powerful, hands-on lessons. The materials provided—whisks, bowls, aprons, measuring tools, kid-safe knives, and more—have allowed students to actively engage in recipe-making while building essential academic and life skills. During interactive lessons, students have strengthened math skills (measuring, fractions, counting, portions), expanded literacy and language (reading directions, sequencing steps, writing reflections), and deepened science understanding (nutrition, cause and effect, changes in ingredients). At the same time, cooking has provided authentic opportunities for students to practice communication and social skills—requesting items, collaborating with peers, and sharing their ideas. This project is assisting my students in building academic knowledge and developing confidence while connecting classroom learning to real-life experiences. Students have thoroughly enjoyed making different recipes while learning. I appreciate YOUR support in funding this project. It has been a fun way to incorporate real-life experiences into the classroom while building essential academic and social skills. \r\nThank YOU, Mrs. Chambers","fullyFundedDate":1755708349521,"projectUrl":"project/whisking-up-learning-hands-on-recipe-ac/9428624/","projectTitle":"Whisking Up Learning: Hands-On Recipe Activities for Life Skills","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Chambers","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7594329_orig.jpg?crop=272,272,x17,y67&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605720170960","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/eastpicachospeech"},{"teacherId":7594329,"projectId":9734138,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting this project! The cause-and-effect toys you helped fund have already been extremely effective, interactive, purposeful, and meaningful for my students. Progress is already visible—students are eagerly engaging with these manipulatives and discovering that their actions have power and meaning. I have utilized them since the very moment they were delivered! The impact of this project has been powerful! Students who are non-verbal or emerging communicators now have engaging tools that give them a voice and a way to connect with their world. By using the cause-and-effect toys, students are learning that their actions have meaning, which builds the foundation for intentional communication. These experiences are encouraging purposeful choice-making, joint attention, and turn-taking, while also sparking joy and social interaction. This project is making a real difference, and I am so grateful for YOUR generosity in helping my students learn, grow, and shine! This has been a FABULOUS project! Students LOVE these materials! :) \r\nThank YOU,\r\nMrs. Chambers","fullyFundedDate":1758851152008,"projectUrl":"project/building-communication-through-cause-an/9734138/","projectTitle":"“Building Communication Through Cause-and-Effect Play”","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Chambers","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7594329_orig.jpg?crop=272,272,x17,y67&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605720170960","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/eastpicachospeech"},{"teacherId":7080659,"projectId":9100724,"letterContent":"Your donations and support to our classroom make such a huge difference! Getting books in students hands makes learning completely different! We are able to ask and answer questions using context clues/evidence from the text since students can flip back in the book. This is something they were not able to do when using YouTube videos to share a Read aloud.\r\nEvery year is very different. This group of students love to read. What a nice problem to have! I am having difficulty pulling my students away from their books!","fullyFundedDate":1746666833054,"projectUrl":"project/mentor-texts-in-the-classroom/9100724/","projectTitle":"Mentor Texts in the Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fisher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7080659_orig.jpg?crop=1274,1274,x2288,y506&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1579535096542","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7080659"},{"teacherId":4958953,"projectId":9273160,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting our classroom through our Writers Want to Write project. The materials will be used to cultivate a love of writing in our classroom.\r\nThe cursive writing templates provide a visual model to students as they are learning to write in cursive for the first time this year, they are so excited to learn cursive!\r\nThe other writing tools will provide students with opportunities to use writing in real life situations with various writing tools and paper choices to share their thinking and stories.\r\nWe appreciate you supporting young writers in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1751081078148,"projectUrl":"project/writers-want-to-write/9273160/","projectTitle":"Writers Want to Write!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Cartwright","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4958953_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1510015807049","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4958953"},{"teacherId":8052537,"projectId":7263325,"letterContent":"Thank you for your donations in making our classroom dream library and book club. We are so excited to use our new books and are happy to see them all organized in our classroom. \r\nWe can now find our organized books and read with our classmates. This has become our favorite place in our classroom. We find ourselves constantly going to the library to find our books while we read in a group or by ourselves. \r\nThank you for your generous donations that have built a learning classroom environment.","fullyFundedDate":1680202618618,"projectUrl":"project/dream-library-and-book-club/7263325/","projectTitle":"Dream Library and Book Club","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rios","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8052537"},{"teacherId":9599365,"projectId":9411722,"letterContent":"I want to take a moment to thank you again and try to express my gratitude for your donations and support. Because of your donations my students now have outdoor exercise materials that will help them develop their gross motor and fine motor skills. In early childhood development there is so much that students are learning and developing while playing outdoors, it is so much more then play. These new materials will help our outdoor time more intentional and developmental. \r\n\r\nCurrently students are enjoying the materials that you have donated indoors. With the rain and heat we have had some mosquitoes, so we have set up the materials for them to use indoors! The students are loving using the balance beam and practicing their balance. The balancing stepping stones are helping with balancing and jumping skills. The rings and cones are allowing for more precision and practice for fine motor and gross motor development as they toss and throw. These materials are making such a difference in the students physical development and they are so engaged and loving their new materials.","fullyFundedDate":1750256122782,"projectUrl":"project/preschool-outdoor-exercise/9411722/","projectTitle":"Preschool Outdoor Exercise","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nerissa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9599365_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721367594456","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9599365"},{"teacherId":4958953,"projectId":9076466,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting our classroom by donating to our organization materials. Because of your support, students are able to keep their materials organized and close at hand during learning in our classroom. Our classroom desks do not have any storage in them, the book bins allow the students to keep their folders, notebooks and other daily supplies organized.\r\nStudents are able to keep their daily materials at their desks, allowing minimal distractions during transition times. This enables our classroom to run more smoothly and more time spent on academies. We greatly appreciate your support!","fullyFundedDate":1744900268073,"projectUrl":"project/organized-learners/9076466/","projectTitle":"Organized Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Cartwright","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4958953_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1510015807049","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4958953"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_50307","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":480,"numTeachers":32,"percentFrplEligible":87,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":22,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":75,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"15.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":55.2,"schoolId":50307,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about East Picacho Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"East Picacho Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-mexico/las-cruces-public-schools/east-picacho-elementary-school/50307"}