{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Martin Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":33.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2548866,"projectId":10186116,"letterContent":"Our Memorable and Meaningful Learning project helped transform an ordinary school day into an exciting Glow Day filled with hands-on learning, creativity, and engagement. Each item played an important role in creating an immersive learning environment that motivated our kindergarten students and made their learning experiences meaningful and memorable.\r\n\r\nThe neon party hats helped set the stage for our Glow Day celebration and immediately created excitement among the students. Wearing their colorful hats helped students feel like they were participating in a special classroom experience. This excitement increased student motivation and encouraged enthusiastic participation throughout our themed learning activities.\r\n\r\nThe glow glasses added another fun and interactive element to our Glow Day. Students loved wearing them while completing classroom activities, which helped turn everyday academic practice into something new and exciting. For young learners, incorporating special materials into lessons can increase engagement and help students develop positive associations with learning.\r\n\r\nThe glow stick bracelets and necklaces provided students with a hands-on way to experience our glow theme. In addition to creating excitement, these materials encouraged students to observe light, color, and how objects appear differently in a darkened environment. They also helped create a shared classroom experience that promoted a sense of community and belonging.\r\n\r\nThe fluorescent tape was used to create glow-in-the-dark tic-tac-toe games for the students. This fun activity encouraged students to practice important skills such as strategic thinking, problem-solving, taking turns, following rules, and recognizing patterns. Playing with classmates also strengthened communication and positive social interactions. The fluorescent tape made a familiar game feel completely new and exciting while providing a playful opportunity to develop important cognitive and social-emotional skills.\r\n\r\nThe story Glow brought an important literacy component to our themed day. Reading together gave students opportunities to strengthen listening comprehension, vocabulary, prediction, discussion, and connections between a story and their own experiences. Pairing literature with our hands-on Glow Day activities helped students understand that reading can connect to the world around them and to experiences they enjoy.\r\n\r\nTogether, these materials allowed us to combine literacy, problem-solving, exploration, creativity, and academic practice in an engaging environment. Glow Day was more than a celebration—it provided our kindergarten students with an opportunity to learn in a way that was exciting, interactive, and memorable. Experiences like these help foster curiosity, build positive attitudes toward school, and show our youngest learners that meaningful learning can also be fun!","fullyFundedDate":1776431294742,"projectUrl":"project/memorable-and-meaningful-learning/10186116/","projectTitle":"Memorable and Meaningful Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2548866_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y453&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1658090248863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misserb"},{"teacherId":2548866,"projectId":10003684,"letterContent":"The wooden eggs gave each student the opportunity to design and color their very own special egg. Students used their creativity and imagination to choose colors, patterns, and designs that made each egg unique. This hands-on activity strengthened fine motor skills while encouraging artistic expression and independence. Best of all, each child was able to take their wooden egg home to keep as a special reminder of our springtime fun in kindergarten.\r\n\r\nThe plastic eggs provided an engaging opportunity for students to practice important math skills through a fun, hands-on activity. Each student was assigned their own set of numbered eggs that they had to locate. As students searched for their eggs, they practiced number recognition, counting, and identifying numbers independently. This activity transformed essential kindergarten math practice into an exciting learning experience while also encouraging focus and problem-solving.\r\n\r\n*Pete the Cat and the Easter Basket Bandit* brought literacy into our spring celebration in a fun and engaging way. Students enjoyed listening to Pete's adventure while practicing important skills such as listening comprehension, making predictions, answering questions, and discussing the story. The seasonal story helped us connect our celebration with our continued goal of developing strong early literacy skills and a love of reading.\r\n\r\nThe white boxes allowed each student to create and decorate their very own bunny basket. Students transformed the simple boxes into unique creations while practicing fine motor skills and expressing their creativity. The finished bunny baskets gave students something they could be proud of and take home as a special keepsake from our spring celebration. Together, these materials combined literacy, math, creativity, and hands-on learning to create a meaningful and memorable experience for our kindergarten students.","fullyFundedDate":1773841627648,"projectUrl":"project/hopping-into-spring/10003684/","projectTitle":"Hopping into Spring","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2548866_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y453&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1658090248863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misserb"},{"teacherId":7390797,"projectId":10208573,"letterContent":"Our Beach Day celebration is helping make learning hands on, meaningful, and unforgettable in our kindergarten classroom! Through this special experience, students are strengthening important early literacy and math skills in fun and engaging ways. Activities like sight word fishing help children recognize and read high-frequency words, while letter and number shell searching builds confidence with identifying letters, numbers, and early counting skills. Sand art encourages creativity, fine motor development, and self-expression, allowing students to take pride in their work.\r\n\r\nDuring Beach Day, learning looked like joyful exploration. Students moved through interactive stations, collaborate with classmates, and stay actively engaged through play-based learning. They were practicing listening skills, following directions, and building independence as they rotated through each activity.\r\n\r\nAll of my students were especially excited about the hands-on stations, but many are most engaged during sight word fishing and shell searching, where they can \"discover\" learning in a playful, beach-themed way. These experiences help every child feel successful, confident, and excited about coming to school.","fullyFundedDate":1777995722030,"projectUrl":"project/help-bring-the-beach-to-kindergarten/10208573/","projectTitle":"Help Bring the Beach to Kindergarten!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. O'Sullivan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7390797_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1761357268914","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7390797"},{"teacherId":2548866,"projectId":9859019,"letterContent":"Our DonorsChoose project, **\"Science is Exciting,\"** had a tremendous impact on our kindergarten classroom by bringing science concepts to life through engaging, hands-on learning experiences. One of the highlights of the project was the *National Geographic Kids: Caterpillar to Butterfly* books. These nonfiction books helped students learn about the butterfly life cycle while building their reading and science skills. Students were thrilled to receive their own copy to keep, allowing them to revisit what they learned and share their excitement about science with their families at home.\r\n\r\nThe butterfly habitat provided an unforgettable real-world learning experience. Students had the opportunity to observe the butterfly life cycle firsthand as they watched the caterpillars grow and change through the stages of larva, pupa (chrysalis), and butterfly. Each day, students eagerly checked on the caterpillars, recorded observations, and discussed the changes they noticed. Watching the transformation happen right before their eyes made the science concepts meaningful and memorable.\r\n\r\nOne of the most exciting moments was releasing the butterflies into the wild. After caring for them and observing their growth for several weeks, students gathered together to say goodbye and watch them take flight. This special experience helped students make a personal connection to nature and gave them a deeper appreciation for living things and their life cycles.\r\n\r\nThis project sparked curiosity, encouraged scientific thinking, and increased student engagement. By combining nonfiction reading with live observations, students gained a deeper understanding of life cycles and developed a greater appreciation for the natural world. The experience created lasting memories and fostered a love of science that will continue beyond kindergarten.","fullyFundedDate":1763588959230,"projectUrl":"project/science-is-exciting/9859019/","projectTitle":"Science is Exciting","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2548866_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y453&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1658090248863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misserb"},{"teacherId":2548866,"projectId":9859081,"letterContent":"The *Oh, the Places You'll Go!* books and Kindergarten Graduation books had a meaningful impact on our classroom community as we celebrated the end of a successful school year. Each student was able to take home a special graduation goodie bag filled with their books, bubbles, medals, and other surprises. These keepsakes helped students reflect on their accomplishments and gave families a lasting reminder of this important milestone. The excitement and pride students felt while receiving their graduation gifts made the celebration even more memorable.\r\n\r\nThe graduation decorations also helped create a festive and meaningful atmosphere. The \"We Are So Proud of You\" banner, black and gold balloons, and graduation photo backdrop transformed our space into a special celebration area. Students were excited to take graduation photos, celebrate with their classmates, and be recognized for all of their hard work and growth throughout the year. These decorations helped make every child feel valued and celebrated.\r\n\r\nThe STEM Pixel Art Math Puzzles had a positive impact on student learning throughout the year. These engaging activities encouraged students to practice important math skills while solving fun challenges and creating colorful pictures. The puzzles increased student engagement, strengthened problem-solving abilities, and helped build confidence in mathematics. Students were eager to participate, and the hands-on nature of the activities made learning both enjoyable and meaningful. Together, these resources supported academic growth while helping create a positive and exciting classroom environment.","fullyFundedDate":1764697998147,"projectUrl":"project/kindergarten-graduation-celebration/9859081/","projectTitle":"Kindergarten Graduation Celebration","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2548866_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y453&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1658090248863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misserb"},{"teacherId":9371668,"projectId":10221310,"letterContent":"I am so excited to see that this project has been funded! The support of the DonorsChoose community is overwhelming and I feel so humbled to know that there are so many people that value public education as much as you do. Thank you again for allowing me to provide these headphone for my students. It was wonderful to see how excited they were to use them and it makes learning so much easier with the quiet that they provide. We all appreciate you and are grateful for your support, your donation, and your kindness.","fullyFundedDate":1777993809691,"projectUrl":"project/learning-with-technology/10221310/","projectTitle":"Learning with Technology","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. McQuade","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9371668_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1700159631681","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9371668"},{"teacherId":2548866,"projectId":9859065,"letterContent":"The Memorable May DonorsChoose project had an incredible impact on our classroom by turning special theme days into meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that students will remember for years to come. The books *Pete the Cat Goes to the Beach* and *Splat the Cat: I Scream for Ice Cream* helped bring our Beach Day and Ice Cream Day to life while supporting literacy development, comprehension, and student engagement. Students were excited to connect the stories to our classroom activities, participate in discussions, and build vocabulary through fun and interactive read-aloud experiences.\r\n\r\nThe inflatable ice cream cones added excitement and creativity to Ice Cream Day, helping students fully immerse themselves in the theme while encouraging imaginative play and social interaction. The nets allowed students to explore beach-themed sensory and discovery activities, sparking curiosity and hands-on learning opportunities. The tablecloths transformed the classroom environment into festive learning spaces that made each activity feel special and memorable. The beach balls brought movement, teamwork, and joy into the classroom while supporting cooperative play and active participation.\r\n\r\nTogether, all of these materials created engaging experiences that strengthened literacy, creativity, collaboration, and student enthusiasm for learning. Our students looked forward to each themed day and were able to make lasting connections between books, activities, and classroom learning. Thank you for helping make Memorable May such a meaningful and exciting experience for our class.","fullyFundedDate":1764697998383,"projectUrl":"project/memorable-may/9859065/","projectTitle":"Memorable May","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2548866_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y453&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1658090248863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misserb"},{"teacherId":2548866,"projectId":9859044,"letterContent":"Kindergarten Camp Out had a tremendous impact on our classroom by transforming an ordinary school day into an engaging, hands-on learning adventure. *Pete the Cat Goes Camping* sparked students' excitement about camping while strengthening literacy skills through read-aloud discussions, character connections, and comprehension activities. The tablecloths helped create the feeling of real campsites, which encouraged imaginative play, collaboration, and student engagement throughout the day. The mini notebooks gave students an opportunity to record observations, draw pictures, write ideas, and reflect on their camping experiences, helping strengthen early writing and creativity skills. The compasses introduced students to basic navigation and directionality, helping build early problem-solving and STEM skills as they explored how people find their way outdoors. One of the most memorable features was the giant life-size grizzly bear cutout, which added excitement, curiosity, and realism to the camp experience. It inspired rich conversations about wildlife, safety, and animal habitats while making the classroom environment feel immersive and memorable. Altogether, Kindergarten Camp Out created a highly engaging atmosphere where students were excited to learn, participate, and make meaningful connections across literacy, science, technology, and social learning.","fullyFundedDate":1763606692843,"projectUrl":"project/kindergarten-camp-out/9859044/","projectTitle":"Kindergarten Camp Out!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2548866_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y453&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1658090248863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misserb"},{"teacherId":4166312,"projectId":10207394,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our DonorsChoose project for our autistic support classroom. Your generosity has made a meaningful difference in the lives of my students.\r\n\r\nBecause of your donations, our classroom now has hands-on materials designed to strengthen fine motor and language skills. The students have been excited to use these new tools every day. Activities such as manipulating small objects, building, sorting, and interactive communication games are helping students improve hand strength, coordination, communication, and independence in a fun and engaging way.\r\n\r\nMany of my students learn best through tactile, interactive experiences. The materials you provided allow them to practice important developmental skills while building confidence and increasing their ability to communicate their wants, needs, and ideas. Seeing their smiles, excitement, and progress has been incredible.\r\n\r\nYour kindness has created new opportunities for growth and success for every child in our classroom. Thank you for believing in our students and investing in their future. Your support is truly appreciated more than words can express.","fullyFundedDate":1778090793463,"projectUrl":"project/enhancing-student-learning-through-suppo/10207394/","projectTitle":"Enhancing Student Learning Through Supportive Resources","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Thomas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4166312_orig.jpg?crop=1766,1766,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1776783601854","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4166312"},{"teacherId":2548866,"projectId":10006814,"letterContent":"Our \"100 Days and Beyond\" project made a meaningful impact on our classroom by giving students exciting hands-on materials that supported learning, creativity, and engagement. The items helped bring lessons to life and made our 100th Day activities even more memorable for our kindergarten students. From counting and math activities to crafts, games, and classroom celebrations, the materials encouraged teamwork, problem-solving, and confidence in learning.\r\n\r\nThe Cookie Crisp cereal and other cereals served as excellent math manipulatives while also giving students a fun snack to enjoy. Students used the cereal pieces for counting, sorting, patterning, graphing, and making groups of 10 and 100 during our math activities. Using real objects that students could touch, move, and even eat made learning more exciting and helped strengthen number recognition and counting skills in a hands-on way. The cereal activities kept students highly engaged and turned math practice into a fun classroom experience.\r\n\r\nThe supplies also helped create a fun and welcoming classroom environment where students felt excited to participate each day. Many of the items were used during centers and small group instruction, allowing students to practice important skills in an interactive way. The excitement the children showed while using the materials increased classroom participation and helped make learning feel special and rewarding.","fullyFundedDate":1771945808332,"projectUrl":"project/100-days-of-school-and-beyond/10006814/","projectTitle":"100 Days of School and Beyond","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2548866_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y453&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1658090248863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misserb"},{"teacherId":9336493,"projectId":10131893,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and support of our Kindergarten classroom! Because of you, each of my students will receive a very special keepsake book, The Night Before Kindergarten Graduation, to celebrate and remember their incredible year. This book will serve as a lasting reminder of how much they have grown—academically, socially, and emotionally—during their very first school experience.\r\n\r\nYour kindness doesn't stop there! The fun end-of-year items—sunglasses, bubbles, and brand-new water bottles—will bring so much excitement and joy to my students. These small rewards are a big celebration of their hard work, perseverance, and all they have accomplished this year. For many of them, these items will make their kindergarten graduation feel even more special and memorable.\r\n\r\nKindergarten is such an important milestone, and thanks to you, my students will walk away feeling proud, celebrated, and valued. Your support helps create joyful moments and lasting memories that they will carry with them for years to come.\r\n\r\nFrom the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making this experience so meaningful for my students!","fullyFundedDate":1773424879278,"projectUrl":"project/ready-for-first-grade-a-special-send-of/10131893/","projectTitle":"Ready for First Grade! A Special Send-Off for Kindergarten Stars","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rubendall","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9336493_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1697749294498","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9336493"},{"teacherId":2548866,"projectId":10022116,"letterContent":"The clothing donations made a meaningful difference for both our school and the nurse's office. Many of our students come to school without weather-appropriate clothing or a change of clothes when accidents happen. Because of these donations, our nurse is now able to quickly provide clean, comfortable clothing to students in need, helping them return to class with dignity and confidence instead of feeling embarrassed or missing valuable learning time. Warm items like hats, shirts, and socks also ensure students are prepared for outdoor recess and the changing seasons, which supports their overall health and well-being.\r\n\r\nThe snacks had a powerful impact on my classroom each day. For many of my kindergarten students, snacks help fill an important gap, especially when they may not have enough food at home. Having access to snacks keeps students focused, energized, and ready to learn. I've noticed fewer disruptions due to hunger and more engagement during lessons and activities. Snack time has also become a moment of comfort and consistency, helping students feel cared for and supported. Overall, the snacks have improved both student behavior and academic participation, creating a more positive and productive classroom environment.","fullyFundedDate":1768619268559,"projectUrl":"project/food-security-and-clothing/10022116/","projectTitle":"Food Security and Clothing","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2548866_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y453&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1658090248863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misserb"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_91230","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":147,"numTeachers":12,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":35,"percentWhite":35,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":2,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":26,"gradesServed":"K - 1","studentTeacherRatio":"12.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":66.7,"schoolId":91230,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Martin Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Martin Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/pennsylvania/new-kensington-arnold-school-district/martin-elementary-school/91230"}