{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Dr. Frederick Douglass Senior Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":32.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7502442,"projectId":9257273,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my classroom library has grown into a space where students can finally see themselves in the stories they choose to read. The books funded through this project—Concrete Rose, The Poet X, Ghost, Genesis Begins Again, Chlorine Sky, Long Way Down, Promise Boys, and so many others—have already sparked excitement and curiosity. Students gravitated toward titles that reflect their lives, their emotions, and their questions, and several immediately asked to add these books to their independent reading lists. Having such a wide range of culturally relevant texts available has helped even my reluctant readers find books that feel accessible and meaningful.\r\n\r\nThese novels have opened the door to deeper conversations about identity, resilience, friendship, grief, and the choices young people navigate every day. Students have been able to engage in richer literature circles and more thoughtful reading conferences because the stories resonate with their lived experiences. Books like House Arrest and The Poet X have helped students understand verse as a powerful storytelling form, while series like Jason Reynolds's Track books and the Hazelwood High trilogy have encouraged them to continue reading beyond a single novel. Because we now have multiple genres—novels in verse, contemporary fiction, mystery, realistic fiction, and character-driven series—students have more opportunities to explore what type of reader they are and what kinds of stories speak to them.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, this project helped create a reading culture grounded in representation and relevance. Several students have already commented that these books \"feel real,\" \"sound like us,\" or \"finally make me want to read again.\" Your support did more than fill shelves—you expanded what reading can mean for my students. Thank you for helping them recognize their voices, discover new ones, and build a lifelong relationship with books that reflect and honor who they are.","fullyFundedDate":1752246085610,"projectUrl":"project/voices-we-recognize-stories-we-need/9257273/","projectTitle":"Voices We Recognize, Stories We Need","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gregg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7502442_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720889492476","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msgregg19"},{"teacherId":7502442,"projectId":9256323,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students now have consistent access to the basic classroom supplies that help them learn, create, and stay organized each day. The Post-it notes and lined sticky notes have made a noticeable difference in our reading and writing routines. Students use them to annotate texts, jot down quick inferences, draft short responses, and organize their thinking before completing longer assignments. The pictures I uploaded show how these notes are used on our Student Work board, where students posted their analysis, reflections, and mood statements from recent lessons. Having enough sticky notes for everyone means that students can fully participate without hesitation or borrowing from others.\r\n\r\nThe Crayola classpacks of crayons and markers have allowed us to bring more color and clarity into our assignments. Students use them to highlight key details, color-code evidence, and create visual representations of their understanding. These tools have helped students stay engaged and take pride in the work they display. The glue sticks and highlighters have also made day-to-day instruction smoother—students can assemble graphic organizers, build foldables, and mark text features efficiently during lessons. The bulk set of pencils ensured that every student had access to writing tools, which reduced interruptions and allowed all students to dive into activities right away.\r\n\r\nOverall, these supplies helped create a more organized and collaborative classroom environment. Students are able to participate fully in creative thinking, note-taking, and group work because everything they need is readily available. Thank you for supporting the small but essential tools that make learning more accessible, expressive, and enjoyable for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1746785273972,"projectUrl":"project/color-create-and-collaborate/9256323/","projectTitle":"Color, Create, and Collaborate","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gregg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7502442_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720889492476","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msgregg19"},{"teacherId":7502442,"projectId":9256247,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, I was able to transform several areas of my classroom into organized, welcoming, and visually clear learning spaces. The bulletin board borders, colorful tapes, and push-pin clips helped me redesign our Student Work and Data Wall displays so that student progress is easy to see and track. Students can now quickly find their work, identify goals, and understand how they are growing, which has made our data talks and reflection routines smoother and more meaningful.\r\n\r\nThe posters—especially the diversity prints, inspirational quotes, and growth-mindset messages—have helped create a positive atmosphere where students feel seen and encouraged. Many students pause to read the messages when they enter the room or turn in work, and several have commented on how the boards \"look organized,\" \"feel motivating,\" or \"make the room brighter.\" Having a clean, consistent visual layout also helps reduce distractions and makes transitions more efficient because students know exactly where materials belong.\r\n\r\nOverall, these materials allowed me to build a classroom environment that supports focus, pride, and belonging. The borders, push pins, tape, and posters may seem small individually, but together they helped me create a space that feels structured, calm, and student-centered. Thank you for helping me design a learning environment that my students enjoy walking into each day.","fullyFundedDate":1745847032018,"projectUrl":"project/walls-that-speak-positivity-and-pride/9256247/","projectTitle":"Walls That Speak Positivity and Pride","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gregg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7502442_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720889492476","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msgregg19"},{"teacherId":7502442,"projectId":9257997,"letterContent":"Because of your generous support, every student in my classroom was able to engage deeply with Long Way Down through structured, TEKS-aligned activities that required a physical copy of the novel. Having 30 books allowed us to complete close-reading routines such as annotation, figurative language identification, and character analysis using the FAST chart (Feelings, Actions, Speech, Thoughts). Students pulled evidence directly from the text—such as \"I felt like crying,\" \"I yanked and pulled and snatched,\" and \"I'll never go to sleep again believing him\"—to infer Will's emotional state and examine how Jason Reynolds builds tension through verse. This level of analysis simply isn't possible when students don't have books in their hands.\r\n\r\nWe also completed a full \"Head, Heart, Eyes, Mouth, Torso, Feet\" character study, and the quality of thinking was incredible. Students used their books to identify what Will dreams about, what he remembers, what he hides, and how his choices move the plot forward—citing lines like his dream about Shawn, his fear of not knowing how to use the gun, and his determination to follow the Rules. Students who previously struggled with abstract thinking were suddenly able to make concrete inferences because the text was accessible, visual, and personally relevant. They shared powerful insights about grief, revenge, and cycles of violence, showing a depth of understanding that exceeded expectations for sixth grade.\r\n\r\nPerhaps the most meaningful shift was in student engagement. Reluctant readers eagerly participated because the verse style felt approachable, and students took pride in flipping through their own copies to find evidence. One student became our class \"FAST expert,\" helping peers choose stronger evidence for Will's feelings and actions. Another student who rarely volunteers began reading entire stanzas aloud because the rhythm felt natural to him. Your donation didn't just provide books—it provided access, confidence, and a reading experience where every student felt capable and included. My students grew as readers, thinkers, and writers because of you, and we are truly grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1746466481378,"projectUrl":"project/riding-the-elevator-through-literature/9257997/","projectTitle":"Riding the Elevator Through Literature","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gregg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7502442_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720889492476","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msgregg19"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_17192","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":393,"numTeachers":28,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":51,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":44,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"14.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":67.3,"schoolId":17192,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Dr. Frederick Douglass Senior Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Dr. Frederick Douglass Senior Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/texas/dallas-independent-school-district/sarah-zumwalt-middle-school/17192"}
Join the 226 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Dr. Frederick Douglass Senior Middle School is
an urban public school
in Dallas, Texas that is part of Dallas Independent School District.
It serves 393 students
in grades 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 14.0:1.
Its teachers have had 86 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
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Dr. Frederick Douglass Senior Middle School Demographics
95%
of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
97%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Dr. Frederick Douglass Senior Middle School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated May 1, 2026
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.
Dr. Frederick Douglass Senior Middle School
$46,186
raised using DonorsChoose
86
projects
funded
26
teachers
funded
226
donors
18
projects
for
basic supplies
16
projects for
technology
9
projects for
books
3
projects
for
art supplies
Dr. Frederick Douglass Senior Middle School has received support from
152 individuals from Texas and
74 individuals out-of-state.
