{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Meridian Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":17.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8360453,"projectId":9627852,"letterContent":"A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Donors!\r\nThank you so much for your generous donation to my project, \"Building Our Gifted Program.\" Your support is a catalyst for change at our school, and it means the world to our students and me.\r\n\r\nFor years, the gifted program at our campus was nonexistent. As the new gifted teacher, I've been tasked with the exciting challenge of rebuilding the program from the ground up, educating not only my students but also their teachers about what it means to be gifted.\r\n\r\nThe past few weeks have been incredible. My students have been exploring Design Thinking, participating in creative builds, and learning about their own unique strengths. Your contribution is exactly what we need to take their learning to the next level.\r\n\r\nThe WiggleBots and Snap Circuits you've funded are a direct response to my students' curiosity and passion. Many have expressed a keen interest in coding and robotics, and these hands-on materials will be the perfect entry point into that world. They will get to build, experiment, and see their ideas come to life, sparking their minds and nurturing their natural talents.\r\n\r\nYour donation is more than just a gift of materials; it's an investment in the potential of these bright young minds. You've given them the tools to explore their interests and the message that their education is a priority.\r\n\r\nWe are so grateful for your support and can't wait to share the amazing things our students create with these new tools.","fullyFundedDate":1755730353687,"projectUrl":"project/robots-coding-and-more/9627852/","projectTitle":"Robots, Coding, and More","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. Zichichi","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8360453"},{"teacherId":8360453,"projectId":9400319,"letterContent":"My students and I are so excited to be able to use the new resources. Your contributions have made a huge difference in our ability to give students the gifted learning opportunities they deserve.\r\n\r\nOne of the first things we did was get to work on the gifted curriculum and project-based learning books. We've been using a project-based learning book to tackle a unit on design thinking. The students began by learning about the five stages of design thinking: empathy, define, ideate, prototype, and test.\r\n\r\nFor our first big project, they were tasked with creating their own \"Magnificent Thing\" inspired by the book of the same name. They had to first empathize with a partner, someone who needed a solution to a problem. After interviewing a classmate to understand their needs, they worked to define the problem. For example, one student's partner was always losing their pencils, so the problem was defined as: \"My friend needs a way to keep track of their pencils so they can always find one when they need it.\"\r\n\r\nThe students then moved into the ideation phase, sketching out multiple ideas for a solution. They had so much fun brainstorming and came up with a variety of creative concepts, from a pencil-holding robot to a special case that chirps when a pencil is missing. 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Meridian Elementary School

Join the 169 supporters who believe in this school.

About this school

Meridian Elementary School is an urban public school in Mesa, Arizona that is part of Gilbert Public Schools. It serves 833 students in grades Pre-K - 6 with a student/teacher ratio of 18.1:1. Its teachers have had 56 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Public School

Grades Pre-K - 6

833 Students

46 Teachers

3900 S Mountain Rd

Mesa, AZ 85212 View local requests

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

Meridian Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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Meridian Elementary School Demographics

19%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

30%

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.

Meridian Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 15, 2025

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.

Meridian Elementary School

$36,808

raised using DonorsChoose

projects funded

teachers funded

169

donors

projects for basic supplies

projects for technology

projects for books

project for art supplies

Meridian Elementary School has received support from 140 individuals from Arizona and 29 individuals out-of-state.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season! Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Meridian Elementary School

About this school

Meridian Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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Meridian Elementary School Demographics

Meridian Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 15, 2025

Meridian Elementary School

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.