{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Grand Island Senior High School","outOfStateSupporters":63.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9886082,"projectId":9026769,"letterContent":"I hope this message finds you well! On behalf of myself and my students, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your generous donation to our Life Skills project. Your support has truly made a lasting impact on our classroom and beyond.\r\n\r\nWhen the new supplies arrived, the students and staffwere so excited—they could hardly wait to dive in! Their faces lit up with joy and curiosity as we unpacked everything together. One student said, \"What's all this stuff?\" It was such a special moment, and your generosity made it possible.\r\n\r\nWe've already begun putting the materials to good use in both indoor and outdoor settings. Indoors, we completed a \"Cooking Basics\" activity where students practiced reading recipes, measuring ingredients, and preparing a healthy snack. One student has been learning to use the stove top to create his lunches. He was very proud of himself when he was able to make hamburgers, grilled cheese, and omelets. I kept asking for him to make me some. It was wonderful to see their confidence grow as they worked together to complete each step.\r\n\r\nOutdoors, the new equipment has transformed our recreation time into a meaningful part of our life skills program. We've incorporated activities like group games, team-building challenges, and basic fitness routines that encourage communication, cooperation, and healthy habits. One of our favorite moments so far was learning to play pickleball and ladder ball. This has helped that helped students practice following directions, cheering each other on, and staying active—all while having fun outside in the fresh air.\r\n\r\nWe extend our heartfelt thanks to you for your generous donation of treats for our adult life skills learners. Your kindness not only brought smiles to their faces but also reinforced the value of their hard work and progress. Small gestures like yours make a big difference—and we are truly grateful for your support and encouragement!\r\n\r\nYour donation gave us the tools to expand our classroom beyond four walls and into real-world learning experiences. Coming up, our students will begin a \"Grocery Shopping & Budgeting\" project, where they'll plan meals for the month, create a shopping list, and practice money management skills.\r\n\r\nYour kindness gave my students a window into new possibilities. Thank you for helping make our Life Skills lessons more interactive, joyful, and impactful. We are so grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1739376104444,"projectUrl":"project/life-skills-education/9026769/","projectTitle":"Life Skills Education","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Blomstedt","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9886082"},{"teacherId":9702264,"projectId":8696383,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting \"Operation What They Deserve\". This mental health project has made a big difference for students. If they are struggling to focus and sit still they like to use the portable bike to pedal and use up some of their energy. The bike allows them to move while sitting and get their body jitters out. Some of them come in during lunch to ride the bike while they eat - they say it helps them focus and gives them something to do in school other than sit at a desk. The bike was a great addition to the class and one that I would request again because the students can pass it around and use it for five to ten minutes during class. \r\n\r\nThe home gym system allows students to work on toning, building, or stretching their muscles while they read in class. They like knowing they can hook the system up and focus on an area they are working on. They system is not used by all students. Many of the home gym system users are male students and it gets really popular in the morning or over the lunch hour. They want to know they have somewhere they can go to work on areas of interest to them and to get some exercise during the school day. \r\n\r\nThank you for the snacks - students perk up when they know they are going to be able to have popcorn during class or snacks available when they need them. They come to class and can eat instead of sitting through class focusing on their empy stomachs. This is a resource that unfortunately is disposable, so it does need replenishing. This grant allowed my students to make it a semester being able to have choices about snacks and knowing they would be available. \r\n\r\nI appreciate you supporting classrooms and knowing students need support when it comes to their mental health. Having access to exercise equipment, snacks, books, and games has made school more enjoyable for them.","fullyFundedDate":1732718985829,"projectUrl":"project/operation-what-they-deserve/8696383/","projectTitle":"Operation What They Deserve","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Baker","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9702264"},{"teacherId":9702264,"projectId":8976582,"letterContent":"My hope for this project was to give my students some new books to read and to spark a new interest in reading. When the books started arriving, my students were curious - they wanted to be the ones to open the boxes and see what new books were inside. By the time the second round of books arrived, they were piled up at the door, ready to fight over who got to open it and bring the boxes inside. As the boxes were opened and inventoried, they took the books to their seats and read the cover. One student had her phone out, and when I asked what she was doing, she replied she was sharing it with her mother, who was getting an electronic copy of it so they could both read it. I had not considered their parents needed new books and suggestions as well. To see the excitement in my students about having books was so rewarding.","fullyFundedDate":1739376118864,"projectUrl":"project/reading-into-a-better-life/8976582/","projectTitle":"Reading into a Better Life","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Baker","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9702264"},{"teacherId":7551604,"projectId":8652912,"letterContent":"On behalf of Grand Island Public School, the Success Academy Program and our students, I want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your generous support of our social skills programing. The journaling, financial literacy and mindfulness programs are making a profound difference in the lives of our high school students, equipping them with skills and lessons that will serve them well both inside and outside the classroom. Students are thrilled to have their very own journals, complete with personalized prompts designed to help them actively process and work through their anxiety. Prompts like \"Write a Dear John letter to your anxiety\" or \"Describe your superpower to stay calm\" inspire creativity and self-reflection, making the experience both meaningful and engaging.\r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, our students are learning how to:\r\nReflect on their emotions and experiences, fostering self-awareness and personal growth. Manage stress and anxiety through mindfulness techniques that promote calm and focus. Build resilience and approach challenges with a sense of patience and optimism. Strengthen their empathy and appreciation for others through practices like gratitude journaling. Your support empowers our students to develop essential life skills—such as emotional regulation, critical thinking, and self-care—that are vital for their success and well-being. You're helping us teach them that growth is a journey and that mistakes can be valuable learning opportunities.\r\n\r\nWe are truly inspired by your commitment to their future, and we're excited to continue offering these impactful programs with your help. I would love to send pictures, but much of the work we do is confidential. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our students.","fullyFundedDate":1723672664584,"projectUrl":"project/future-inspirational-leaders-facing-insu/8652912/","projectTitle":"Future Inspirational Leaders Facing Insurmountable Barriers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Deuel-Rutt","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7551604_orig.png?crop=74,74,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1734722766801","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7551604"},{"teacherId":9690251,"projectId":8677911,"letterContent":"I hope this note finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for your incredible generosity in supporting my classroom. Your contributions have made a profound difference in my students' daily experiences and learning journey.\r\n\r\nThe resources you provided are already being put to great use! We've integrated them into our classroom routines to help students manage behaviors and foster a positive learning environment. One specific way we're using these materials is by incorporating them into prize boxes, which serve as motivational tools for encouraging good behavior and consistent effort. Additionally, these resources play a pivotal role in teaching essential coping skills, allowing students to remain in a general education environment and thrive academically and socially.\r\n\r\nThe students were absolutely thrilled when they first saw the materials! The \"calming kitty\" quickly became a classroom favorite, offering a tangible way for students to practice breathing techniques and navigate challenging moments with more ease. Watching their excitement and engagement with the prizes has been so rewarding—it's clear that your generosity is bringing joy and making an impact.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, our next steps include helping students build on these foundational coping skills consistently. Our goal is to empower them to independently apply these strategies, ensuring they can remain focused and engaged in the classroom. These skills are crucial for their success not just academically but in all aspects of their lives.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your kindness and support. Your willingness to invest in my students' futures means more than words can convey. I hope this glimpse into our classroom shows just how impactful your contribution has been. You've truly made a difference, and we are so grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1724681750659,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-minds-tools-for-mental-healt/8677911/","projectTitle":"Empowering Minds: Tools for Mental Health and Emotional Growth","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Tenkorang","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9690251"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_79186","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":2696,"numTeachers":141,"percentFrplEligible":77,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":4,"percentWhite":31,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":60,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"19.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":36.8,"schoolId":79186,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Grand Island Senior High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Grand Island Senior High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/nebraska/grand-island-public-schools/grand-island-senior-high-school/79186"}