{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Mott Hall High School","outOfStateSupporters":48.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9676198,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom snack project. Your contribution is already making a meaningful difference in the daily lives of my students.\r\n\r\nAs a high school ENL teacher, I work with multilingual learners who bring incredible strength and diverse perspectives into our classroom every day. Because of you, they now have access to healthy, plant-based snacks that help them stay focused, energized, and ready to learn. These snacks bring stability, especially for students who rely on school as a place of consistency and support.\r\n\r\nYour donation helps create a classroom environment where students feel safe. When students know their basic needs are being met, they are more willing to participate, take academic risks, and engage fully in their learning. Something as simple as a nutritious snack can build confidence, improve focus, and foster a stronger sense of community.\r\n\r\nThis project is also deeply personal to me. I often think back to my own high school experience, when a teacher took the time to provide snacks and meals after long testing days or cross country meets. Those small acts of kindness taught me the importance of caring for both body and mind, and they inspired me to set higher expectations for myself. Because of your generosity, I am now able to pass that same encouragement on to my students.\r\n\r\nThanks to you, our classroom is not only a place of learning, but also a space where students feel safe to grow. You are helping to remind them that they are capable of success.","fullyFundedDate":1767241251930,"projectUrl":"project/healthy-starts-focused-futures/9676198/","projectTitle":"Healthy Starts, Focused Futures","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"},{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9786812,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting Magic in the Pages: Spellbinding Language-Learning Within Beautifully Inclusive Stories. Because of your generosity, approximately 30 copies of The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag, along with its sequel and additional graphic novels, are now actively enriching our school community.\r\n\r\nThese books live on our classroom library shelves and are used daily. All 27 students in my 9th and 10th grade English Language Arts for English Language Learners class are engaging with them. In addition, 12th grade after-school tutoring students and students from other classes regularly borrow and read the books after seeing them displayed. Your support has extended access far beyond a single classroom.\r\n\r\nNext week, students will read a pivotal moment in the story, when Aster meets Charlie for the first time. The anticipation and excitement in the room are already building. Students are responding with enthusiasm, drawing characters, offering advice to Aster, and writing argumentative paragraphs about his internal conflicts. The narrative has sparked authentic engagement, curiosity, and passionate discussion in English.\r\n\r\nWe have intentionally integrated the books into structured language development activities, including:\r\n\r\nFreyer Model vocabulary work\r\n\r\n\"Match the word to the image\" comprehension activities\r\n\r\nStudent-created mind maps exploring the juxtaposition of expectations and desires in Aster's identity\r\n\r\nShort argumentative writing tasks\r\n\r\nDaily graphic organizers aligned with our HMH curriculum\r\n\r\nSmall-group discussions supporting translanguaging for emerging language learners\r\n\r\nStudents are practicing all four language modalities, reading, writing, speaking, and listening, while engaging deeply with inclusive literature. Small-group collaboration allows newer English learners to participate confidently, while more proficient peers serve as leaders and language models. Every student contributes to discussion and textual analysis, building both academic language and critical thinking skills.\r\n\r\nBeyond literacy development, these books foster empathy, belonging, and identity affirmation. The inclusive representation within the story supports meaningful dialogue about internal conflict, expectations, self-expression, and growth... themes that resonate strongly with adolescents navigating complex social realities. In a time when many immigrant and LGBTQ+ students face heightened external pressures, providing affirming literature communicates clearly: they are seen, valued, and celebrated in this classroom.\r\n\r\nYour investment has created sustained, daily impact. These books are not a one-time activity - they are an ongoing resource that will continue to support language development, academic achievement, and community building for years to come.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping transform our classroom into a space where inclusive stories inspire curiosity, courage, and connection.","fullyFundedDate":1766155670738,"projectUrl":"project/magic-in-the-pages-spellbinding-languag/9786812/","projectTitle":"Magic in the Pages: Spellbinding Language-Learning Within Beautifully Inclusive Stories","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"},{"teacherId":10237453,"projectId":9674339,"letterContent":"Your generosity has truly transformed our classroom in ways that are both visible and deeply felt. Because of your donations, our students have taken great pride in caring for the plants, watering them, checking on their growth, and making sure they thrive. They have also had such a fun time decorating the classroom, adding personal touches that reflect their creativity and personalities. Many students have shared that the room now feels warmer and more welcoming. Several have even said it finally feels like a place where they can truly focus and learn — and that sense of belonging is something every child deserves.\r\n The impact of your snack donations has been just as meaningful. For some students, these snacks have helped fill a gap on days when they may not have eaten enough. For others, they simply didn't make it to breakfast in time and needed something to hold them over until lunch. In those moments, having access to a small snack makes a big difference — not just physically, but emotionally. It allows them to concentrate, participate, and feel cared for without worry or embarrassment.\r\nPlease know how deeply grateful I am for your kindness and support. Your contributions have done far more than provide supplies — they have helped create a nurturing environment where students feel comfortable, supported, and ready to learn. Thank you again for investing in our classroom and in our students' well-being. Your generosity truly matters.","fullyFundedDate":1767710641795,"projectUrl":"project/funding-to-promote-student-wellbeing-in/9674339/","projectTitle":"Funding to Promote Student Wellbeing in Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Hernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10237453"},{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9747567,"letterContent":"When the Moon Was Ours is now on our bookshelf, and students are already curious about it. I have been telling them that it is a novel about love, culture, and magic realism, and they are excited to explore it. This book will give them a chance to see new perspectives, imagine different experiences, and connect with a story in a meaningful way.\r\n\r\nI am especially looking forward to using this book to represent and center trans identity in our curriculum. Questions and comments about queer identity and existence come up regularly. Our students are aware of the culture of hatred, violence, and fear directed at trans people. This story offers another perspective. This book tells a story of love, joy, and humanity that they need to see.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has made this possible, and it will have a real impact on our students as they begin reading.","fullyFundedDate":1758898821601,"projectUrl":"project/when-stories-are-ours-windows-and-mirro/9747567/","projectTitle":"When Stories Are Ours: Windows and Mirrors for Every Student","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"},{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9763363,"letterContent":"Lately, many of my students have been carrying a heavy emotional load. As the school year progresses, I see exhaustion setting in. There's less sunlight, less time outdoors, and the fading of the early-year \"honeymoon period.\" On top of that, students are feeling nervous and anxious about news within the building, across the city, and nationally. These stresses show up in quiet ways: difficulty concentrating, low energy, and a growing need for reassurance and stability.\r\n\r\nYour contribution has allowed me to support students in a deeply practical and human way. Being able to offer a snack each day may seem small, but for my students it provides real fuel, physical support and emotional encouragement. It gives them a moment to pause, feel cared for, and regain the focus needed to engage with learning.\r\n\r\nThis daily act of nourishment strengthens the trust and sense of community in my classroom. It helps me pair emotional and intellectual support with something tangible, consistent, and dignified. That combination goes a long way for students who are navigating uncertainty and stress, and it allows me to create a safe, reliable space that I simply would not be able to sustain on my own without your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1763481766575,"projectUrl":"project/daily-bites-free-snack-bar-nourishment/9763363/","projectTitle":"Daily Bites Free Snack Bar: Nourishment, Positivity, and Daily Care","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"},{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9692185,"letterContent":"The Halloween celebration was an absolute highlight for my students and a joyful culmination of our unit. Students were so engaged and truly excited as they crafted jack-o'-lanterns, transforming the classroom into a harvest workshop filled with laughter, collaboration, and pride in their work (I hung all their pumpkins on the door). One of the most unforgettable moments came when the hallways turned into an impromptu witch \"flash mob,\" with students gleefully wearing and showing off the witch fingers and cackling, an experience that brought smiles not only to participants but to everyone who passed by.\r\n\r\nThe giant spider perched on my classroom flagpole captured the attention of the entire school. After I added tiny paper fangs to make her even more frightening, she became a source of inspiration for many students, who eagerly wrote original stories imagining her personality, history, and motives. This unexpected character became a powerful storytelling catalyst, especially for students who are often hesitant to write.\r\n\r\nStudents also took great pride in preparing treat bags, blowing up balloons, and setting up decorations together. These shared tasks fostered teamwork and ownership, helping students feel that this was their event. Reading the Halloween-themed books was another favorite activity, students loved how the spooky stories introduced new vocabulary through colorful, exciting illustrations that made learning feel fun and accessible.\r\n\r\nThe excitement spread beyond our classroom. Students throughout the school admired the decorations and festive atmosphere, and I was fortunate to have enough supplies to welcome trick-or-treaters who stopped by. What emerged was more than a party, it was a beautiful cultural and community event where students learned together, shared traditions, told stories about ghosts and goblins, and fully embraced creativity and collaboration. Most importantly, students felt joy, belonging, and pride as they truly got into the spirit of learning.","fullyFundedDate":1758899054430,"projectUrl":"project/fall-stories-culture-creativity-and-c/9692185/","projectTitle":"Fall Stories: Culture, Creativity, and Characterization","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"},{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9689031,"letterContent":"This winter, while the world outside feels a little colder and quieter, our classroom is warming up.... with books! Thanks to your generosity, my 9th and 10th grade multilingual learners now have access to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, a novel that I have shelved to the side of the class but already invites students in. Before we've even opened the first page together, students are already pausing to study the cover, asking questions about the characters, and lingering a little longer near the bookshelf. For emerging readers especially, the simple act of holding a full-length novel feels warm. I see them thinking: I could spend some time reading this.\r\n\r\nThis class has been doing powerful work with short stories, but lately students have been voicing something important: they want more. I keep hearing, \"Why did that story end?\" \"Is it already over?\" \"I was just getting interested!\" They are craving the consistency, depth, and long-term relationships that only a novel can provide. This book answers that call. It gives students a sustained story to return to each day, characters they can grow alongside, and themes like identity, gender, culture, friendship, and love, that connect directly to the thoughtful, revelatory conversations we've already been having this year. For many students, seeing queer identity centered in a modern, culturally rich story affirms that their questions, experiences, and communities belong in academic spaces.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this possible. Truly. Your support didn't just fund books, it funded year-long conversations, quiet reading moments, loud \"WAIT— WHAT?\" reactions, and the joy of finally settling into a story that doesn't rush away. Because of you, my students get warmth in the middle of the season, representation at the center of their learning, and a novel that stays with them long after the snow melts. This project is now fully funded and its impact is already getting started.","fullyFundedDate":1758655317799,"projectUrl":"project/secrets-of-the-universe-power-of-belong/9689031/","projectTitle":"Secrets of the Universe Power of Belonging","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"},{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9102025,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classroom has blossomed into a space of creativity, storytelling, and joy!!! With the chalk markers, stickers, and inspiring picture books you helped provide, every single student in our ENL class became both an author and an artist, and at the end of the year, this project cemented their success; every student's original book stood as a testament to their language development and academic progress.\r\n\r\nStudents poured their hearts into creating original stories, illustrating them through drawings, stickers, collage, and even digital tools. Many proudly begged to take their finished books home as gifts for their families or to keep as badges of pride... because now they could truly call themselves creators and authors. Their stories ranged from falling in love, moving to America, and reuniting with parents, to Dominican history, sports careers, cherished pets, and what it means to be a New Yorker. Each book reflected narrative structure, characterization, conflict, symbolism, and most importantly, the voice of a young storyteller eager to share their world.\r\n\r\nThe chalk markers brought extra magic. In preparation for and scaffolding towards decorating and illustrating their own books, students completed a pre-book planning and window design execution assignment. Students turned our classroom windows into glowing stained-glass panels, decorating them with multilingual words and images. These illustrations became \"linguistic anchors\" for the whole class, supporting translanguaging while celebrating culture and identity. Teachers and students alike commented that our room had become their favorite space in the building: a place alive with color, collaboration, and imagination.\r\n\r\nThe picture books we studied (as donated by this DonorsChoose campaign) gave students powerful models to analyze and emulate. Working in pairs, they examined language, imagery, and symbols, which in turn fueled their own creative choices. Peer reviews, story-shares, and collaboration made the process even richer, as students learned not just from the books but from each other.\r\n\r\nLooking back on this project, it reminded me of the 90s movie The Pagemaster, where magical talking books themselves open doors to adventure and self-discovery and each book is its own person. That's what you gave my students: the chance to unlock their imaginations, discover their talents, and step proudly into the role of storyteller and let their ideas have a voice\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, my students see themselves as language learners and as creators. And that sense of ownership, pride, and joy is something they will carry long after this unit ends.","fullyFundedDate":1746785368089,"projectUrl":"project/draw-design-discover-visual-storytell/9102025/","projectTitle":"Draw, Design, Discover: Visual Storytelling for ENL Students","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"},{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9069068,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classroom is now equipped with the Epson Document Camera, and the impact has been immediately wonderful!\r\n\r\nStudent engagement has surged: not only when I demonstrate new tasks and skills at my desk, but also when I share student-created work, like the original picture books they proudly authored. English as a New Language (ENL) students, who often find large blocks of text or full pages of instructions overwhelming, now have clearer, more accessible pathways into learning. By zooming in on specific steps, demonstrating tasks visually while talking them through, and projecting everything in a large, visible way, my students feel supported, confident, and ready to participate.\r\n\r\nThe camera has also created moments of joy and community. We've used it to showcase games, display snack options, and even highlight fun tools like student fidgets. These simple yet powerful moments help foster belonging and connection in our classroom.\r\n\r\nFor me as a teacher, this tool has been transformative. Like a Jedi's lightsaber in Star Wars, it has become essential... helping me guide lessons smoothly, cut down on wasted transition time, and build independence for students without relying on phones or screens. It has encouraged me to embrace technology in ways that scaffold learning while keeping students active and engaged.\r\n\r\nYour support didn't just fund a piece of equipment, you gave us a tool that sharpens focus, brings lessons to life, and empowers students to share their voices with one another. For that, my students and I are deeply grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1746785999241,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-learning-into-focus-a-classroo/9069068/","projectTitle":"Bringing Learning Into Focus: A Classroom Document Camera","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"},{"teacherId":9846685,"projectId":9069089,"letterContent":"This past spring the speaker, fidgets, and snacks made a huge difference for my students. The speaker especially brought our room to life. We used music when class started, during transitions, and for community events. It set a positive tone and helped kids feel comfortable. For stories like Ananse's Wisdom Pot and Be Water My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee, we added soundscapes like rushing water or forest sounds. It pulled kids into the texts in a way that felt real. Students also shared their own playlists and songs, so their culture and taste could be heard. It made the classroom feel like their space too. Like the characters in one of my favorite movies Footloose, says, \"This is our time to dance\"... and sometimes we really did.\r\n\r\nThe fidget toys helped students calm down and focus. We had enough for kids to keep their own, which gave them a sense of responsibility and choice. They were able to handle their anxiety in a way that worked for them, and it made the classroom calmer overall.\r\n\r\nThe fruit snacks made such a difference too. Some students came to school hungry or just drained, and having something healthy to grab gave them the energy to keep going. It also built trust... they knew I cared about them and that our classroom was a safe place where their needs mattered.\r\n\r\nTogether these things made our class more focused, joyful, and welcoming. Thank you for giving my students that experience.","fullyFundedDate":1742823912249,"projectUrl":"project/winter-wonderland-of-learning-music-fo/9069089/","projectTitle":"Winter Wonderland of Learning: Music, Focus, and Snacks for All","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nicholson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9846685_orig.jpg?crop=1449,1449,x303,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732383296154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nicholsonatmotthallhigh"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5917","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":277,"numTeachers":18,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":38,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":57,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":1,"gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"15.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":51.8,"schoolId":5917,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Mott Hall High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Mott Hall High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-york/new-york-city-dept-of-ed/mott-hall-high-school/5917"}