{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Pickens Technical College","outOfStateSupporters":33.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10399730,"projectId":10194974,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, Building Strong Bodies and Minds Through Outdoor Play. Your generosity has brought so much joy, excitement, and meaningful learning opportunities to my preschool students. The new outdoor resources have quickly become some of the most loved materials in our classroom, and my students were beyond excited when they first saw them. Their smiles, laughter, and eagerness to explore made it such a special moment for all of us.\r\n\r\nThe materials have helped create engaging outdoor experiences that support both physical development and social-emotional learning. My students are using the resources during outdoor centers, movement activities, cooperative games, and sensory exploration. Through play, they are strengthening important skills such as balance, coordination, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and self-confidence. One of my favorite moments was watching students work together to create obstacle courses and encourage one another to keep trying, even when the activities felt challenging. It has been wonderful seeing students cheer each other on and celebrate their accomplishments together.\r\n\r\nOutdoor learning has also helped many of my students stay more engaged and focused throughout the day. Some students who are usually quieter in the classroom have become more confident during outdoor activities and are participating more with their peers. These experiences are helping students learn to take turns, resolve conflicts, express emotions appropriately, and build friendships through positive play.\r\n\r\nAs we continue using these materials, we are excited to expand our outdoor learning opportunities with movement games, cooperative activities, sensory exploration, and lessons that connect physical activity with early learning skills. Thank you for helping create a fun, active, and supportive learning environment where my preschool students can grow both physically and emotionally every day.","fullyFundedDate":1776801134717,"projectUrl":"project/building-strong-bodies-and-minds-through/10194974/","projectTitle":"Building Strong Bodies and Minds Through Outdoor Play","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Quinones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10399730_orig.jpg?crop=657,657,x0,y41&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1767910419841","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10399730"},{"teacherId":10399730,"projectId":10160273,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, Building Little Readers: Books for Our Preschool Class. Your generosity has made such a meaningful difference in our classroom, and my students have absolutely loved exploring their new books each day.\r\n\r\nReading in our preschool classroom is filled with excitement, curiosity, and imagination. Every day, my students gather together during story time, eager to listen, ask questions, predict what might happen next, and connect stories to their own lives. These new books have helped introduce important early literacy skills such as letter recognition, vocabulary development, sequencing, comprehension, rhyming, and storytelling. Many of my students are learning how books work for the very first time, from turning pages correctly to understanding that words and pictures tell a story together.\r\n\r\nThe books have also encouraged students to build social-emotional skills by discussing feelings, friendships, kindness, and problem-solving through stories. Some students who were once shy during group discussions are now raising their hands excitedly to share their thoughts about the characters and events in the books. I have also noticed students independently choosing books during center time, pretending to \"read\" to their classmates, and retelling stories using their own words and imagination.\r\n\r\nOne of the most special moments has been seeing students become more confident and excited about reading. Several students now ask to revisit favorite books multiple times throughout the week, and they love pointing out familiar words, pictures, and story details. These experiences are helping build a strong foundation for future reading success while creating a classroom environment where students truly enjoy learning.\r\n\r\nThank you again for helping create meaningful literacy experiences for my preschool students. Your kindness, generosity, and support are helping nurture a love of books and learning that will stay with them for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1777640345880,"projectUrl":"project/building-little-readers-books-for-our-p/10160273/","projectTitle":"Building Little Readers: Books for Our Preschool Class","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Quinones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10399730_orig.jpg?crop=657,657,x0,y41&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1767910419841","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10399730"},{"teacherId":10399730,"projectId":10069123,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, \"Little Shoppers, Big Skills: Learning Money Through Play.\" Because of your generosity, my students have been able to explore real-world math and social skills in a fun, hands-on way. We used the new materials to create a classroom ice cream shop, where students took turns being customers and shop owners. Through this experience, students learned what money is, why we use it, and the differences between coins and bills, including their values. They practiced counting money, making purchases, and giving change while also using polite communication. One of my favorite moments was watching a student confidently \"ring up\" a classmate's order, carefully identifying coins and explaining the total, something they had been working hard to understand.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, they were beyond excited. Their eyes lit up as they realized they would get to run their very own ice cream shop. They immediately jumped into their roles, eagerly pretending to scoop ice cream, handle money, and interact with their peers. It was incredible to see how engaged they were and how quickly they began understanding the differences between types of money in a meaningful way. Many students who are usually hesitant during math time were fully involved and excited to participate.\r\n\r\nThanks to your support, we are continuing to build on these important skills. Our next steps include expanding our classroom store into new scenarios, giving students more opportunities to practice identifying money, budgeting, problem-solving, and teamwork. We will continue to reinforce money concepts through play-based learning activities so students can build their confidence and real-world understanding. Your generosity has made learning come alive for my students, helping them build essential life skills. Thank you for making such a lasting impact in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1774176594194,"projectUrl":"project/little-shoppers-big-skills-learning-mo/10069123/","projectTitle":"Little Shoppers, Big Skills: Learning Money Through Play","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Quinones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10399730_orig.jpg?crop=657,657,x0,y41&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1767910419841","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10399730"},{"teacherId":10399730,"projectId":10069689,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, \"Little Hands, Big Hearts: Spreading Kindness Beyond Our Classroom.\" Because of your generosity, my students have been able to turn kindness into action in meaningful and memorable ways. We have been using the new materials to create kindness cards, small care packages, and handmade bracelets to share with others. One special moment that stood out was when students carefully designed and created bracelets, choosing colors and patterns that represented kindness and friendship. As they worked, they talked about who they wanted to give their bracelets to and why, showing thoughtful intention behind every piece.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, their excitement was immediate. Their faces lit up, and they couldn't wait to get started. They were especially thrilled about making bracelets and took great pride in their creations. Many students expressed how excited they were to give away their bracelets, knowing they could brighten someone's day. It was powerful to see how proud they felt not just of what they made, but of the kindness they were spreading. Some even shared personal stories about times when someone showed them kindness, making the experience even more meaningful.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, this project is continuing to grow. Our next steps include expanding our efforts by connecting with more members of our community and finding new ways to give back. We are currently planning a kindness project where students will identify needs in our community and respond with thoughtful actions, including sharing their bracelets and other creations. Your generosity has not only provided resources but has also helped shape a classroom culture centered on empathy, connection, and kindness. Thank you for helping our \"little hands\" make a big difference.","fullyFundedDate":1770155150245,"projectUrl":"project/little-hands-big-hearts-spreading-kind/10069689/","projectTitle":"Little Hands, Big Hearts: Spreading Kindness Beyond Our Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Quinones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10399730_orig.jpg?crop=657,657,x0,y41&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1767910419841","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10399730"},{"teacherId":10399730,"projectId":9996494,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our Building Big Ideas in Our Classroom Block Center project. Since the materials arrived, our block center has become one of the most engaging and collaborative areas in our classroom. Students use the new blocks daily to design roads, towers, and imaginative structures, often working together to plan, build, and solve problems. One of my favorite moments was watching a small group redesign their structure after it collapsed, discussing balance and support as they worked, turning a simple challenge into a powerful learning experience.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new materials, their excitement was immediate. They eagerly explored the different shapes and sizes, asking questions and sharing ideas before we even began building. Many students who are usually quieter during lessons became more confident and expressive while working in the block center. The hands-on nature of the materials has encouraged creativity, communication, and teamwork in ways that truly light up our classroom.\r\n\r\nMoving forward, we will continue using the block center to support lessons in math, early engineering, and storytelling. Students are beginning to create structures that represent real-world buildings and scenes from books we read together, connecting literacy with hands-on learning. Because of your generosity, our students are building not just structures, but confidence, collaboration skills, and big ideas that will support their growth all year long. Thank you for helping make this meaningful learning possible.","fullyFundedDate":1769177295290,"projectUrl":"project/building-big-ideas-in-our-classroom-bloc/9996494/","projectTitle":"Building Big Ideas in Our Classroom Block Center","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Quinones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10399730_orig.jpg?crop=657,657,x0,y41&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1767910419841","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10399730"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_133840","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1200,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":81,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":17,"percentWhite":12,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":57,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":1,"percentMultiracialImputed":5,"gradesServed":"11 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR District Weighted Average","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":null},"inStateSupporters":66.7,"schoolId":133840,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Pickens Technical College on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Pickens Technical College","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/colorado/aurora-public-school-district/pickens-technical-college/133840"}