{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Providence Career & Technical Academy","outOfStateSupporters":51.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2574221,"projectId":9751628,"letterContent":"Thank you for giving my students the literal and figurative boost. \r\n\r\nOn practice test days, students walked in to tables filled with granola bars, fruit snacks, crackers, water — and peppermint candies. For many of them, especially those rushing in from buses or busy homes, this was the first thing they ate all day. Instead of starting complex reading passages and grammar revision questions hungry and distracted, they were able to fuel up and focus.\r\n\r\nWe even tested the \"peppermint theory\" — the idea that peppermint can increase alertness and concentration. Students used peppermint during timed reading passages and rhetorical skills drills. Afterward, we reflected on focus levels and stamina during longer text sets. The students were fully supportive of the hypothesis — and many felt the results backed it up! Several shared that they felt more alert and better able to track evidence, analyze, and catch small grammar details when using peppermint.\r\n\r\nWhen students first saw the snack bins, their reaction was immediate — wide eyes, big smiles, and plenty of \"Wait, this is for us?\" They were genuinely surprised that people they've never met cared enough to support them during such an important academic milestone. That sense of support created a calmer, more confident testing atmosphere.\r\n\r\nSnacks became part of our routine for Reading and Writing prep — fuel your body, focus your brain, practice with purpose, and answer with confidence.\r\n\r\nYour donation did more than provide snacks — it provided dignity, encouragement, and the focus students need to tackle challenging texts and refine their writing skills. Thank you for helping our students walk into the Reading and Writing section feeling prepared, supported, and confident.","fullyFundedDate":1762367094553,"projectUrl":"project/the-s-in-sats-is-snacks/9751628/","projectTitle":"The S in SATs is Snacks","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Finlay","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2574221_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732712829070","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2574221"},{"teacherId":2574221,"projectId":9542506,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support of Lock & Learn, our classroom has transformed into a more focused, productive, and engaged learning environment. While many people are familiar with using technology at home, the reality inside schools is that constant digital distraction can make it difficult for students to settle into meaningful learning. Your donation of cell phone storage containers has given my students the structure they need to step away from their screens and fully participate in class. The simple act of securely placing their phones in a designated space has made a remarkable difference in attention, participation, and overall classroom culture.\r\n\r\nWhat has excited the students most is the sense of ownership and fairness the system creates. They appreciate that the containers aren't about punishment—they're about giving everyone a real chance to succeed without the constant buzzing and temptation of their devices. Some of my most easily distracted learners have shown the biggest growth; students who once struggled to stay on task are now raising their hands, contributing to discussions, and completing assignments with confidence. One student even shared that having the phone put away \"makes my brain quieter,\" a reflection that truly captures the impact of your gift.\r\n\r\nYour support has not only supplied a tool—it has changed daily habits, increased academic focus, and helped students relearn how to be present with one another. We are deeply grateful for your investment in our classroom and in our students' success. Thank you for believing in this project and helping us create a space where learning comes first.","fullyFundedDate":1755735141516,"projectUrl":"project/lock-learn/9542506/","projectTitle":"Lock & Learn","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Finlay","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2574221_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732712829070","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2574221"},{"teacherId":4884708,"projectId":9592968,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation to our school project. Providing games, color art, and charging stations in the Library gives my students a vehicle to relax and mindfully unpack from the structures of the day. Education can be stressful, but can positively impact students if they can enjoy their environment and what they are learning. The Library needs to be a safe relaxing place for students to seek time to study, to read, or to socialize. Games, puzzles, and charging stations are a vehicle for students to spend time with friends or work quietly independently.","fullyFundedDate":1755690127812,"projectUrl":"project/organized-space-brings-happy-faces/9592968/","projectTitle":"Organized Space Brings Happy Faces","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Yeaw","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4884708_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1511791780583","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kimberly-yeaw"},{"teacherId":8432274,"projectId":9516857,"letterContent":"Getting 29 teenagers at a time to be comfortable and confident enough around each other to experiment and speak a new language is hard. So much research shows that stress and anxiety make it harder for people to focus and learn. And there are so many things for students to be stressed about. But hearing on day one that they can come to my room to get anything they might need goes a long way towards helping students feel comfortable and ready to learn. \r\n\r\nI can't tell you how many students come see me throughout the day to access the resources that your donations supported. I have fixed cleats, sneakers, we've gotten rid of stains, fixed nails, tied up hair to meet safety regulations for other classes, and more. My classroom has become a hub for support and resources for the entire school - making sure that every student has a place to at least start getting their needs met. Students come to me for snacks, for hygiene resources, to fix clothes and bags, and more. \r\n\r\nThank you so much for your donation - having these resources does so much to help our students feel supported and welcome.","fullyFundedDate":1755691375374,"projectUrl":"project/teens-are-humans/9516857/","projectTitle":"Teens Are Humans","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. O'Reilly","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8432274_orig.jpg?crop=1049,1049,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754492347828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/oreillypvd"},{"teacherId":8432274,"projectId":9516579,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for contributing to my classroom resources this year. There are innumerable ways that your donation has helped my classes stay on track this year. I have been able to start a verb wall to help students start making connections between the words we are learning and how to use them. I have been able to keep organic vocabulary lists for different classes which is encouraging them to learn from what is happening not just in their own class, but get curious and collaborative with other groups as well. And, though it seems like a small thing, thanks to many of items we were able to purchase from your donations, I am able to spend more time in my classroom instead of hunting around the building for extra resources. \r\n\r\nAnother huge impact has been on student focus. It is much easier for students to focus when their phone or headphones are set aside to charge and not in their hand. Beyond the day to day focus, I know of at least 6 students who were able to complete their PSAT testing because they were able to use the chargers we bought for my classroom. \r\n\r\nWhen teachers put lists like this together, the items can seem inconsequential or silly. It is hard to explain why it is so useful to have shipping labels to print readings on so that we have a running resource of learning and vocabulary. It is so useful having chart markers and dry erase markers and sharpies in many different colors so students can see their learning and connect it to the learning in other classes. It helps to have a few extra staplers and glue sticks so that we can add more to our notebooks and not have to worry when accidents happen and things are broken. Your donations have gone a long way to making this year smooth and successful for all of my classes. Thank you thank you thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1755703420635,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-essentials/9516579/","projectTitle":"Classroom Essentials","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. O'Reilly","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8432274_orig.jpg?crop=1049,1049,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754492347828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/oreillypvd"},{"teacherId":8432274,"projectId":9728371,"letterContent":"My classroom works because the focus is on movement, engagement, and encouraging language use because students want to use it. This happens through games and a classroom environment (without desks) that invites collaboration and interaction. Maintaining these strategies in a way that welcomes and accommodates students of all physical abilities has been a challenge. My students who use wheelchairs or crutches deserve to play the same games and be engaged the same as their peers. It is our responsibility as teachers to make those opportunities possible and accessible, but it is hard to do that with limited resources. \r\n\r\nThanks to this project, I have seen some of my students blossom. They are so excited to play with their peers and are more comfortable participating in the community - because they feel truly welcome and part of the community. This project also helped us get resources for desks so that some of my students can be physically supported while they write. Our growth as a community and our growth as language learners has been greatly supported by your contributions to this project. Thank you so much!","fullyFundedDate":1758835069678,"projectUrl":"project/accessibility-in-the-classroom/9728371/","projectTitle":"Accessibility in the Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. O'Reilly","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8432274_orig.jpg?crop=1049,1049,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754492347828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/oreillypvd"},{"teacherId":8432274,"projectId":9516918,"letterContent":"Staying organized is hard for teenagers. Staying organized is hard for teachers when we have so much to stay on top of. The resources from this project have gone a long way towards helping me and my students stay organized and keep track of the learning we are doing together. \r\n\r\nThis project allowed me to purchase storage for the more than 250 notebooks that are stored and used in my classroom. The duct tape allowed me to assign each class a color which makes it much easier to find a particular notebook or keep them together so that we can not lose our learning. \r\n\r\nThese notebooks are the keystone to the learning that happens in my classroom. They stay with the student over the course of multiple years of learning a new language and hold all of our reading, writing, notes on grammar and culture, and all the reflection on they are making progress in learning. Making sure we all know where our notebooks are and having the visuals to keep them sorted goes a long way towards keeping class flowing and building our learning thoughtfully.","fullyFundedDate":1754333823881,"projectUrl":"project/organize-the-notebooks/9516918/","projectTitle":"Organize the Notebooks!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. O'Reilly","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8432274_orig.jpg?crop=1049,1049,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754492347828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/oreillypvd"},{"teacherId":6835508,"projectId":9178422,"letterContent":"In this digital age of technology, asking an adolescent to pick up an actual book is challenge enough. Asking them to pick up Shakespeare multiples the challenge exponentially. Add into that equation the language barriers that exist in my community and you're almost guaranteed a recipe for disinterest. Unless you make it interesting, fun, and teach the lessons in a different way. \r\nIt was no coincidence that the classes taught by myself and my colleague had just finished discussing the different ways in which we learn to our students. So we offered them a chance to learn Shakespeare through different methods - a graphic novel for those who learn visually and enjoy reading comics or manga. For those whose primary language isn't English, a more modern translation of Shakespeare's complicated text for better understanding and an expansion of vocabulary. The dread and trepidation we are usually met with when teaching this unit definitely was eased significantly among our students. It's rare when students come into class and pick up books right away and yearn to read - whether silently or aloud - but these generous donations definitely made that possible.","fullyFundedDate":1745328121316,"projectUrl":"project/love-is-challenging-in-any-time-or-lan/9178422/","projectTitle":"Love Is Challenging - In Any Time Or Language","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Vetelino","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6835508_orig.jpg?crop=190,190,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1742562672970","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msavetelino"},{"teacherId":9891502,"projectId":9047674,"letterContent":"I cannot begin to explain the impact this project had on my students. With each package that came in, bringing the show to life, the students' excitement grew. \"We look so professional!\" and \"oh my God we can see the whole stage!\" I cannot even describe the excitement with the pom poms and costumes.\r\n\r\nAs a Title one school, budgets are tight. The budget for the arts is even tighter. Every penny in our account was put there due to fundraising efforts. As a theatrical person, I can get students free plays to perform, but that's not what they want to do. They want to do the big splashy musicals like schools in more affluent districts, and they deserve to do that. While our fundraising will raise money to pay for the rights to these musicals, which can cost up to $2,000, leaving us nest to nothing for costumes and sets. In addition, our most expensive ticket is only $5 so families with multiple children can attend. I firmly believe the arts are for all, and try to adhere to that philosophy with our school drama events. \r\nThis year the students are dreaming even bigger. An although that meant I was inundated with messages all summer, it's worth it knowing that they know they're good enough to dream bigger, and that's because of your donation. I can never thank you enough.","fullyFundedDate":1738635644861,"projectUrl":"project/were-all-in-this-together-with-our-spri/9047674/","projectTitle":"We're All in This Together With Our Spring Musical!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. McLoud","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9891502_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1736996723256","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsmcloudri"},{"teacherId":4886965,"projectId":8776720,"letterContent":"Students have been so engaged in their writing on demand and by hand. They are not using their phones. They are using their own creative thinking and ideas. It is a joy to see students physically write in a time dominated by AI. \r\n\r\nIt is especially lovely to see students sharing their thoughts via writing and conversation with their peers. \r\n\r\nStudents are also engaging in more effective peer review with constitutive feedback because they are doing so on paper. \r\n\r\nThere's something about ownership and pride when it comes to writing on paper that we don't quite get when typing.","fullyFundedDate":1732216742008,"projectUrl":"project/writers-workshop/8776720/","projectTitle":"Writers’ Workshop","teacherDisplayName":"Teacher Sarnelli","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4886965_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1507745835033","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4886965"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_42633","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":711,"numTeachers":68,"percentFrplEligible":86,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":11,"percentWhite":4,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":76,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"10.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":48.4,"schoolId":42633,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Providence Career & Technical Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Providence Career & Technical Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/rhode-island/providence-public-school-district/providence-career-tech-ctr/42633"}