{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Expo for Excellence for Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":26.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":10219260,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous support of our kindergarten classroom. Because of your donation, our students now have access to a painting easel, smocks, paintbrushes, and paint—materials that provide countless opportunities for creativity, exploration, and learning.\r\n\r\nIn kindergarten, art is much more than creating a beautiful picture. Painting helps students develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and the muscle control needed for writing. As students hold paintbrushes, mix colors, and create detailed artwork, they are strengthening important skills that support their academic growth.\r\n\r\nThe painting easel has quickly become a favorite part of our classroom. It encourages collaboration, communication, and problem-solving as students work alongside one another, share materials, and discuss their artistic choices. The easel also provides a unique vertical surface that helps strengthen shoulder and arm muscles, which are essential for developing strong handwriting skills.\r\n\r\nThe smocks have given students the confidence to fully engage in the creative process without worrying about making a mess. They are excited to experiment with new techniques, explore colors, and express themselves freely. The paint and paintbrushes have opened the door to hands-on learning experiences that connect with literacy, science, social studies, and seasonal classroom themes.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, these materials allow students to express their ideas, emotions, and imaginations in meaningful ways. Whether they are painting a story character, illustrating a science concept, or creating an original masterpiece, they are building confidence and discovering the joy of learning through art.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has enriched our classroom and provided experiences that will benefit students for years to come. Thank you for investing in our young learners and helping create an environment where creativity, curiosity, and confidence can flourish.","fullyFundedDate":1778597983576,"projectUrl":"project/painting-a-bright-future/10219260/","projectTitle":"Painting A Bright Future","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":10254876,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation of Level 1 reader books and research materials for our animal research project! Because of your support, our kindergarten students had access to engaging, age-appropriate texts that allowed them to become real researchers.\r\n\r\nStudents selected animals that interested them, including panda bears, Arctic snow hares, sharks, and many more. Using the books you provided, they learned how to gather information, identify important facts, and deepen their understanding of animal habitats, diets, adaptations, and behaviors. The accessible reading materials helped students build confidence as readers while exploring topics they were excited to learn about.\r\n\r\nYour generosity also provided the resources students needed to organize their findings and create research presentations. Students proudly shared their knowledge with classmates, practiced speaking in front of an audience, and experienced the excitement of becoming experts on their chosen animals. This project strengthened their reading, writing, research, and presentation skills while fostering curiosity and a love of learning.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our young learners and helping make this meaningful educational experience possible. Your support gave our students the tools they needed to explore, discover, and succeed.","fullyFundedDate":1777924656092,"projectUrl":"project/wild-about-learning-animal-research-in/10254876/","projectTitle":"Wild About Learning: Animal Research in Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":10254420,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom through your generous donation of Eric Carle read-aloud books and essential classroom supplies. Your kindness helped bring a hands-on writing and art unit to life for our kindergarten students!\r\n\r\nThroughout this unit, students enjoyed listening to beloved Eric Carle stories such as A House for Hermit Crab, Mister Seahorse, and Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me. These beautiful stories sparked meaningful conversations, inspired creative thinking, and encouraged students to use their imaginations in new ways.\r\n\r\nJust like Eric Carle, our young authors and artists explored storytelling through art. Students created colorful projects connected to each book, practiced expressing their ideas through writing, and learned how illustrations can help tell a story. They were excited to experiment with different materials and proudly shared their creations with classmates.\r\n\r\nYour support provided the resources needed to make learning engaging, interactive, and memorable. The joy, creativity, and confidence we witnessed throughout this unit would not have been possible without your generosity.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our students and helping them discover the power of imagination, art, and literacy.","fullyFundedDate":1778286272520,"projectUrl":"project/from-little-caterpillars-to-big-stories/10254420/","projectTitle":"From Little Caterpillars to Big Stories: Exploring Eric Carle","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":3335722,"projectId":9980618,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in funding our classroom project, \"Literacy Learning Stations for Little Learners.\" Your support has completely transformed our daily reading and writing routine into a vibrant, hands-on learning experience.When the boxes first arrived, the classroom erupted into pure joy. The students were cheering, jumping up and down, and trying to peek through the cardboard to see what was inside. One of my students clapped their hands and exclaimed, \"It feels like my birthday, but for the whole class!\" That initial spark of excitement has quickly turned into a deep love for our new materials.\r\n\r\nRight now, we are using the resources to build foundational reading and social skills during our center rotations. At our floor station, students are collaborating to assemble the Giant ABC & 123 Train Floor Puzzles and the Alphabet Train Floor Puzzle, tracing the letters with their fingers as they match the pieces. Another group is highly engaged at our reading table, running their fingers over the Tactile Alphabet Match-Ups to master letter shapes before diving into our 3-Letter and 4-Letter Word Building Puzzles, Spelling Puzzles, and the Match It Spelling game.\r\n\r\nWe have also woven movement and storytelling into our literacy block. The children are listening to the Bean Bag Activities CD while tossing the Heavy-Duty Cloth Bean Bags, matching physical actions to verbal cues. At our comprehension station, students are practicing communication and logic by arranging the 4-Scene and 6-Scene Sequencing Cards, while also building critical social-emotional skills with the Making Good Choices Match-Ups. For a fun brain break, games like Spot It! keep their visual focus sharp.\r\n\r\nTo keep everything clean, our new Rainbow Washable Ink Pads are perfect for stamp-and-spell activities, while the Mesh Zipper Pouches keep our small game pieces perfectly organized. We even use items from the Fidget Toys Bulk Pack as special rewards and focus tools during quiet reading time!\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, our next step is to use these literacy tools to transition from individual letters and sight words into writing our very first complete sentences. The confidence your gift has given these kindergarteners is unmatched. You have provided them with the perfect tools to become lifelong readers and writers.Thank you for investing in our classroom and nurturing these bright young minds.","fullyFundedDate":1777755662067,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-learning-stations-for-little-le/9980618/","projectTitle":"Literacy Learning Stations for Little Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mary Ross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3335722_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x0,y7&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714399531976","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3335722"},{"teacherId":10170650,"projectId":10096806,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our Pre-K classroom! The students were SO excited when they first saw the new building sets. Right away they started building towers, houses, roads, and even little cities together. One of my favorite moments was hearing them talk through their ideas and work together to fix problems when their buildings fell down or needed changes.\r\n\r\nWe have been using the building sets during centers and small group time, and it has been amazing to watch their creativity grow. The materials are helping students practice teamwork, communication, fine motor skills, and problem solving in such a fun and meaningful way. Next, we will be using them during our community and storytelling lessons, where students will design and build places from their own ideas and books we read together. Thank you again for making such a special impact on our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1771092473859,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-engineering-stem-fun-in-pre-k/10096806/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Engineering & STEM Fun in Pre-K","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mingyu","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10170650_orig.jpg?crop=2400,2400,x0,y216&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754966944890","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10170650"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":10164810,"letterContent":"Dear Donors,\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our kindergarten students have been fully immersed in hands-on learning experiences that have brought science to life in the most meaningful ways. As we explored the life cycle of a butterfly and planted our own seeds to grow flowers and plants, students were engaged, curious, and excited every single day.\r\n\r\nThese experiences truly sparked the \"inner scientist\" in each child. Through observing, questioning, and caring for living things, students developed a deeper understanding of how the world works. They eagerly checked on our plants, noticed changes in growth, and made connections to the butterfly life cycle. This kind of hands-on learning is essential for young learners, as it builds not only knowledge but also curiosity, responsibility, and a love for discovery.\r\n\r\nYour support made it possible for students to learn by doing—getting their hands in the soil, watching transformation happen right before their eyes, and engaging in meaningful conversations with their peers. These moments are where true learning happens in kindergarten.\r\n\r\nAs we continue our project, our next steps are to carefully document the life cycle of a butterfly and complete our planting journals. Students will reflect on their observations, record changes over time, and share their learning in thoughtful and creative ways.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping us create these unforgettable learning experiences. Your generosity is nurturing not only plants and butterflies, but also the growing minds of our young scientists.\r\n\r\nWith gratitude,\r\nOur Kindergarten Class 💛","fullyFundedDate":1775248496253,"projectUrl":"project/growing-changing-and-taking-flight/10164810/","projectTitle":"Growing, Changing, and Taking Flight","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":9820600,"letterContent":"Strong early literacy skills begin with meaningful, hands-on experiences. In kindergarten, reading centers with developmentally appropriate manipulatives give students the opportunity to actively engage with letters, sounds, and words in a way that feels like play while building essential foundational skills.\r\n\r\nWith access to hands-on materials, students can practice letter recognition, build and segment words, and strengthen their understanding of phonics concepts through interactive learning. These experiences support a variety of learning styles and help students stay engaged, focused, and excited about reading. Manipulatives also encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and independence as students work through activities at their own pace.\r\n\r\nBy providing well-equipped reading centers, we create an environment where all learners can grow in confidence and develop a love for reading. These tools are not only building academic skills but also fostering curiosity, creativity, and a strong foundation for lifelong learning.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful to our donors for making this possible. Your generosity brings these meaningful learning experiences to life and directly supports our students as they grow into confident, capable readers. Thank you for investing in our classroom and our learners!","fullyFundedDate":1764722342412,"projectUrl":"project/building-reading-buckets/9820600/","projectTitle":"Building Reading Buckets","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":10349896,"projectId":9894450,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for all of these books! They have been flying off the shelves since they were delivered in March. The kids were especially excited about the Investigators and Pizza and Taco series. I had (have) a waiting list for the Pizza and Taco #2-5, as we previously only had #1 and #6. \r\n\r\nThe pre-k and kindergartners have really been enjoying the hardcover \"I Can Read\" books! I am enjoying them because they actually can stand up on display, unlike the flimsy paper backs. And the covers all have exciting art! It's been really great to see the students beginning to read by themselves for the first time. \r\n\r\nPiggie and Elephant are Mo Willams CLASSICS! I am especially excited to have those in leui of the TV adaptation announcement. I know they will ALL be checked out when it comes out later this year. \r\n\r\nWe are thankful for your kind donations. Our library collection's average publication date has gone up as a result. New books are such a special occurance anytime, but they gave us a much needed moral boost in March. I am, personally, deeply grateful. Thank you so much for supporting our library!","fullyFundedDate":1769989376087,"projectUrl":"project/sow-the-seeds-for-the-joy-of-reading/9894450/","projectTitle":"Sow the Seeds for the Joy of Reading!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Emma","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10349896_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1763585465905","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10349896"},{"teacherId":3335722,"projectId":9970069,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my heartfilled thanks for the wonderful chair storage pockets! When my kindergartners first saw them being slipped onto their chairs, their eyes lit up with pure magic. One of my students hugged their chair and shouted, \"Now my chair has a pocket for my treasures!\" For five- and six-year-olds, having a \"home\" for their things is a huge deal. These pockets have instantly transformed our room from a chaotic sea of dropped crayons and lost folders into an organized space where every student feels like a \"big kid\" with their very own office.\r\nWe are currently using the pockets to manage our \"Letter of the Week\" journals and sensory tracing tools. In a recent lesson, instead of the usual scramble to the cubbies—which often leads to little collisions and lost focus—the students simply reached behind them and pulled out their supplies with such pride. It has saved us so much instructional time and helped my students practice their independence. Our next step is starting our \"Sight Word Superstars\" unit, and having their flashcards tucked safely in their chair pockets means we can jump into our daily practice the second they sit down. Thank you for making our classroom a calmer, more joyful place to grow!","fullyFundedDate":1770907292403,"projectUrl":"project/organization-is-my-super-power/9970069/","projectTitle":"Organization Is My Super Power!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mary Ross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3335722_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x0,y7&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714399531976","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3335722"},{"teacherId":3335722,"projectId":10096353,"letterContent":"My kindergarteners have fully embraced their inner scientists as they dive into STEM exploration with our new magnets! It has been incredible to see them move from passive observation to active discovery; a standout moment occurred this week during our \"Magnetic or Not?\" challenge. Small groups of students collaborated to test various objects around the room, and the energy was electric as they predicted whether their magnet wands would \"stick\" or \"slide.\" Seeing five-year-olds use scientific vocabulary while working together to solve these hands-on puzzles was a clear sign of the impact your generosity has made.\r\n\r\nWhen the boxes first arrived and we opened the colorful sets of magnetic wands and horseshoe magnets together, the reaction was pure excitement. There were audible gasps and a flurry of questions as they realized these high-quality STEM tools were specifically for them!\r\n\r\nMoving forward, our next steps involve a \"Magnet Engineering\" project where students will apply what they've learned about magnets to create their own original magnetic maze. We are so grateful for your support in making these kindergarten discoveries possible!","fullyFundedDate":1772490180414,"projectUrl":"project/the-great-magnet-adventure/10096353/","projectTitle":"The Great Magnet Adventure","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mary Ross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3335722_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x0,y7&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714399531976","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3335722"},{"teacherId":7876229,"projectId":9541911,"letterContent":"Thank you kindly for your generous donations to our project. Your donations have helped our classroom get organized and clutter free! Students are taking more responsibility at school and at home in organizing their learning materials, knowing where things are, and turning things in on time. Your donations made a big impact on the structure and routines of our learning day. \r\n\r\nA special shoutout to the personal cubbies/book bins. They are a real life-saver! The book bins provide a great deal of space for each student to store their notebooks, independent reading books, and folders. Each student has an assigned number and they know exactly where to go! The folders are also a favorite. We have a system for how we work the folders, and it very much helps with not only keeping assignments organized, but for school to home communication. \r\n\r\nThank you!","fullyFundedDate":1764731473606,"projectUrl":"project/creating-spaces-for-student-supplies-and/9541911/","projectTitle":"Creating Spaces for Student Supplies and Success!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gorder","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7876229_orig.jpg?crop=1196,1196,x211,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1625584398318","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7876229"},{"teacherId":3335722,"projectId":9824919,"letterContent":"My students are kindergartners, ages 4-6, and they get excited over just about anything. That being said, I have never seen such a genuine reaction to opening up our box of materials from you. They cheered! They couldn't wait to get started on using the new activities in our learning centers.\r\n\r\nWith everything going on in the world today, all of the stress and worries that families have; it was heartwarming to be able to provide the new materials to brighten the day in a small way.\r\n\r\nMy next steps are to invite parents in for a \"family day\" so they can use our cool new materials with their kids!\r\n\r\nThank you from Minnesota!\r\nMary","fullyFundedDate":1764953482310,"projectUrl":"project/brains-in-action-using-manipulatives-an/9824919/","projectTitle":"Brains in Action: Using Manipulatives and Games for Interactive Learning!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mary Ross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3335722_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x0,y7&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714399531976","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3335722"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_55462","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":393,"numTeachers":34,"percentFrplEligible":92,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":27,"percentWhite":47,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":10,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":9,"gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"11.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":73.3,"schoolId":55462,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Expo for Excellence for Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Expo for Excellence for Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/minnesota/saint-paul-public-schools/expo-for-excellence-magnet-school/55462"}