{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Schurz High School","outOfStateSupporters":29.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2505661,"projectId":9927612,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting our students by providing us with the essentials we need to stay warm and have a few healthy snacks in the winter. As you know, winter in Chicago can be quite cold and depressing, so any little extra incentive can make a difference in the classroom. The healthy snacks give the kids a nice nutritional boost in the afternoon, too, as most of my students walk home in the cold and snow, and many also pick up siblings, so a pair of warm gloves and some energy helps in a small way. It's been a very tough season so far, due to so many circumstances beyond our control, and we thank you for the support.","fullyFundedDate":1764957075903,"projectUrl":"project/chicago-winter-incentives/9927612/","projectTitle":"Chicago Winter Incentives","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bizzarri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2505661_orig.jpg?crop=500,500,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1761323435768","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2505661"},{"teacherId":2505661,"projectId":9857666,"letterContent":"Dear Friends and Supporters,\r\n\r\nI am writing to share what your generosity has made possible in our classroom. When you chose to donate graphic novels to our students, you didn't just give us books — you opened doors. You sparked curiosity. You ignited conversations. \r\n\r\nGraphic novels have a special kind of magic. They meet students exactly where they are, whether they are confident readers, reluctant readers, multilingual learners, or students who simply haven't yet found the story that speaks to them. \r\n\r\nThe moment the books arrived, the energy shifted. Students who rarely approach the bookshelf wandered over \"just to look.\" \r\n\r\nYour gift has already begun to transform the way students see themselves as readers. One student who often struggles with traditional novels told me, \"I finally feel like I can finish a book.\" Another student — usually quiet, usually reserved — asked if they could borrow a graphic novel overnight because they \"didn't want to stop in the middle.\" These moments may seem small, but in a classroom, they are everything. They are the seeds of lifelong reading.\r\n\r\nGraphic novels also give us powerful opportunities to teach visual literacy, empathy, and critical thinking. Students analyze how artists use color to convey emotion, how panel structure affects pacing, and how dialogue and imagery work together to build meaning. They learn to read not just words, but expressions, symbolism, and perspective. These are skills that matter far beyond the classroom — skills that help students navigate a world filled with images, media, and stories competing for their attention.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, you have shown our students that their learning matters — that there are people beyond the walls of our school who believe in them, support them, and want to invest in their growth. That message is powerful. It stays with them.\r\n\r\nOn behalf of every student who has already fallen in love with a new book, every reader who has discovered confidence, and every young person who now sees reading as something joyful rather than intimidating, thank you. Your generosity has made a lasting impact, and we are profoundly grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1761613716402,"projectUrl":"project/graphic-novels-for-english-language-lear/9857666/","projectTitle":"Graphic Novels for English Language Learners!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bizzarri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2505661_orig.jpg?crop=500,500,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1761323435768","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2505661"},{"teacherId":235758,"projectId":9741202,"letterContent":"As we approach Christmas break, my students and I reflect on the blessings we have received this year as a class and for myself as an educator. We're also looking ahead to using these resources and provide meaningful experiences. Our Jazz and Vinyl Club will start its stint in the spring, but has now also added a photography component at the request of a few of our students. They are hungry to learn and explore areas of music and art that go beyond the classroom. So, while we'll listen to jazz, we'll learn about film photography and cameras, photographers and photo history and undertake creative challenges like our first assignment- recreate the cover of a classic jazz album (think closeup of Miles Davis on Kind of Blue)! Thank you once again for your generous support and donations, we're deeply grateful for your kindness.","fullyFundedDate":1758834476113,"projectUrl":"project/static-no-more/9741202/","projectTitle":"Static No More","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Arsenie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp235758_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1448579805328","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-arsenie"},{"teacherId":9862423,"projectId":9385982,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to fund my classroom project. I am looking forward to doing this project with my students! There has been a slight delay in my implementing this project, however, because I have been re-assigned to work as a special education case manager this semester while a colleague of mine is out on medical leave. I am still working on developing the instructional unit for which this project is intended and planning to implement it as soon as I am back in the classroom. While the implementation of this project is delayed, I fully intend to use the supplies purchased with my students.","fullyFundedDate":1749959104147,"projectUrl":"project/building-confidence-through-graphic-nove/9385982/","projectTitle":"Building Confidence Through Graphic Novels & Accessible Texts","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Noriega","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9862423"},{"teacherId":3534560,"projectId":9385643,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contribution to our classroom library. With your support, I added books that are both high-interest and accessible for my students. I chose this particular Saddleback series to meet my students at their current reading levels while still engaging them with topics, characters, and themes that feel relevant to their lives.\r\n\r\nThe impact is wonderful! Students are now reading with excitement and confidence. They love that the stories reflect their own experiences and interests, while also being written in a way that allows them to read independently. They are answering higher level thinking questions, doing character analyses, and having discussions. I wouldn't have believed it but they LOVE silent reading.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has created real change in our classroom. You have given my students not only books, but also the joy of seeing themselves as readers. Thank you for believing in them and supporting their growth.","fullyFundedDate":1748724015964,"projectUrl":"project/words-they-can-read-stories-they-can/9385643/","projectTitle":"Words They Can Read... Stories They Can Feel!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Glascott","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3534560_orig.jpg?crop=2534,2534,x0,y236&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1748614735304","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3534560"},{"teacherId":3534560,"projectId":9411497,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom! The flashcards have quickly become a favorite activity for my students. We are using them weekly to practice new vocabulary and build confidence with their pronunciation. When my students first saw the colorful cards, (and how many there were!) they were excited to pick them up and start testing one another. It was so fun to see them energetically competing with each other and diligently recording all of the words they already knew. The flashcards have already brought more energy and engagement to the classroom!\r\n\r\n\r\nGoing forward, these flashcards will continue to play an important role in our learning. The next step will be to continue to use the flashcards for small-group games and partner activities but with sentences and stories. Your donation has given us a fun new resource that will support my ESL students' growing vocabulary, and especially their confidence! I am truly grateful!!","fullyFundedDate":1757540698709,"projectUrl":"project/from-flashcards-to-fluency-helping-els/9411497/","projectTitle":"From Flashcards to Fluency: Helping ELs Find Their Voice","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Glascott","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3534560_orig.jpg?crop=2534,2534,x0,y236&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1748614735304","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3534560"},{"teacherId":1015181,"projectId":9425254,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donations. We are winding down the first unit and have completed 3 labs based on your contributions. The students have been supper excited to have hands-on activities and have been learning at an astonishing pace. So far their favorite lab has been the Gummy Bear lab and Skittles Art labs. In these labs they practiced using the scientific method- including making hypothesis. They also practiced using lab safety and learning the names of Chemistry equipment. \r\n\r\nParents, peers, and students have been thrilled with the increase in labs. The students look forward to coming to class and many have switched from saying that science is their least favorite subject to being their favorite. All of this was made possible because you helped fund supplies. With the cuts schools are facing, there is no way I could provide all of these labs without your support. We truly appreciate you all.","fullyFundedDate":1753270420557,"projectUrl":"project/experiments-explosions-and-cooking-in-t/9425254/","projectTitle":"Experiments, Explosions and Cooking in the Chemistry Cluster Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rocque","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1015181_orig.jpg?crop=1848,1848,x1617,y389&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1633113927248","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-rocque"},{"teacherId":10169243,"projectId":9587121,"letterContent":"My students and I have been using the new resources daily, and they've already made a big difference. For example, during a recent lesson, we worked in small groups with the materials to explore greetings and goodbys in Spanish. I Seminat class we were exploring different jobs using cut and paste activities. The students were so engaged—they loved having the chance to use hands-on tools to better understand the lesson. One student even said, \"This makes it so much easier to understand!\"\r\nHow did your students react when they first saw the materials?\r\nThe moment the materials arrived, the excitement in the room was contagious! My students' eyes lit up, and many of them asked if we could use them right away. They were curious, eager to explore, and couldn't wait to dive in. Their reactions showed me just how meaningful these resources are in making learning fun and accessible.\r\n\r\nWhat are the next steps for my students on a current classroom lesson or project?\r\nWe're building on this momentum by incorporating the resources into upcoming project. For example, students will soon beginProjest about Famous Hispanic using writing materials. These next steps will help them grow their confidence, creativity, and problem-solving skills while continuing to benefit from the materials donors provided.","fullyFundedDate":1755871944646,"projectUrl":"project/everyday-essentials/9587121/","projectTitle":"Everyday Essentials","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Petkova","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10169243"},{"teacherId":235758,"projectId":9263432,"letterContent":"As we bring this year to a close this week I am intentionally taking the time to reflect and be extra appreciative of all the people who have supported our class this year- from parents and friends who have donated food and time, to you, strangers or neighbors who took the time to donate your hard earned dollars so our class can have the opportunity to use and access items like these- fancy, tech-rich new composters to use in our physics and bio classes as we explore matter, energy and the biology of food cycling. If it were not for our kindness and support, it would be impossible for us to buy these items- they truly were dream items. We are deeply thankful for making these happen and we look forward to next year and putting these to work full time Because of you and your generosity, students (especially the seniors) are galvanized to make composters in the lunchroom a staple of their classroom graduation gift- all in their preoccupation with everything eco and to mainly reduce the enormous food waste we witness every single day here in our cafeteria (and every cafeteria around US schools). Thank you thank you thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1746741089135,"projectUrl":"project/waste-no-more-science-of-composting/9263432/","projectTitle":"Waste No More- Science of Composting","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Arsenie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp235758_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1448579805328","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-arsenie"},{"teacherId":235758,"projectId":9263696,"letterContent":"Thank you so very much for your generosity, kindness and support this past year and in particular for our shortwave radio that will find a home in our classroom for years to come. As we come to the end of the year, I am more reflective and appreciative of all of you, strangers and friends who chose to give us money so that we can purchase dream items like this one- items that might not be needed, but that add another level or depth to our physics class, as well as fuel curiosity, a sense of wonder and access to technology that otherwise might go unnoticed (ironically radio technology is one of the oldest, yet for this generation of students it's almost a mystery). Thank you for making this experience possible for us. We appreciate your kindness immensely.","fullyFundedDate":1746817823799,"projectUrl":"project/shortwave-radio-mania/9263696/","projectTitle":"Shortwave Radio Mania","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Arsenie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp235758_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1448579805328","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-arsenie"},{"teacherId":1620914,"projectId":9246462,"letterContent":"My students were so incredibly touched and excited by this thoughtful gift. There were lots of smiles and even some happy tears!! Many of the students commented on how perfect the book was for them, since it is beautifully illustrated and the message is a good pep talk for when they're doubting themselves as they embark on their new adventures after graduation. \r\nMany of them commented on how special it was to receive a gift from a teacher and expressed gratitude and support. Thank you so much for your extreme generosity, without you, this wouldn't have been possible.","fullyFundedDate":1747187286085,"projectUrl":"project/graduation-books/9246462/","projectTitle":"Graduation Books","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Giannopoulos","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1620914_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1565727817142","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/alexandra-giannopoulos"},{"teacherId":4452262,"projectId":8896984,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom library. With your help, we were able to bring two exciting texts—Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin and No Fear: The Canterbury Tales—into the hands of our HL Language and Literature students.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom is an active, engaged process. These books have sparked close reading, analytical writing, and rich discussion around themes of identity, communication, and cultural context. Fever Dream, with its unsettling tone and ambiguous narration, has challenged students to think deeply about narrative structure and the role of the reader. Meanwhile, The Canterbury Tales—in its side-by-side modern translation—has made medieval literature accessible and enjoyable, helping students trace literary traditions and stylistic shifts across time.\r\n\r\nPerhaps the greatest gift these texts have given is confidence. Many of my students have expressed how helpful it is to have their own copies to annotate and revisit while preparing for their exams. That sense of ownership has translated into stronger written work, more active discussion, and a clearer sense of academic purpose.\r\n\r\nYour support has made a real difference. Thank you for believing in our students and the power of literature.\r\n\r\nWith gratitude,\r\nDeanna Tomasetti\r\nHL Language and Literature Teacher","fullyFundedDate":1729975391763,"projectUrl":"project/traversing-vast-literary-worlds-in-hl-la/8896984/","projectTitle":"Traversing Vast literary Worlds in HL Language and Literature","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Tomasetti","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4452262_orig.jpg?crop=960,960,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723492478105","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4452262"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5533","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1219,"numTeachers":102,"percentFrplEligible":89,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":8,"percentWhite":5,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":81,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"12.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":70.7,"schoolId":5533,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Schurz High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Schurz High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/schurz-high-school/5533"}