{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Silver Summit Academy","outOfStateSupporters":0.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10202637,"projectId":9896710,"letterContent":"Thank you sincerely for your generous support of our art program. Your contributions purchased embellishments, craft supplies, and 3D materials for our middle school artists, plus essential tools and mat board for our high school commercial photography class. Because of you, students across grade levels are experimenting with new media, building technical skills, and gaining the confidence to present work they're proud of.\r\n\r\nIn the middle school studio, the new embellishments and craft supplies have transformed everyday projects into richer, more imaginative experiences. Items like decorative trims, beads, specialty papers, shaping scissors, metallic markers, acrylic pens, and mixed‑media accoutrements let students move beyond simple assignments into layered, tactile work. For our study of the elements of art materials have enabled hands‑on exploration of form and structure. Middle schoolers who normally stick to 2D drawings are now building sculptures, constructing mobiles, and experimenting with relief work that introduces spatial reasoning and problem solving. Their enthusiasm is contagious — class participation has increased, and collaborative projects mix students with different strengths, encouraging peer teaching and creative risk‑taking.\r\n\r\nAt the high school level, the photography course has been elevated by your gift of mat cutting tools and mat board. Students studying commercial photography require not just camera work but also professional presentation skills. The mat board allows them to mount, crop, and present prints with the polish expected in portfolios and client pitches. This will be especially helpful to those who choose to enter the NUES regional art show this spring, as all submission are required to be matted and framed. Learning to cut, crop, frame, and present work are skills directly connect to career and technical pathways: students can now preparing portfolios for internships, art schools, and local freelance opportunities.\r\n\r\nBeyond technique, your support has important social and emotional benefits. Access to varied materials encourages persistence, iterative design, and attention to detail. Students gain ownership of process when they can select from varied media for project requirements, or mat their own photographs for display. I've watched quieter students become leaders during group critiques; they explain choices, give constructive feedback, and celebrate peers' accomplishments. That shift in voice and confidence is as meaningful as any technical milestone.\r\n\r\nIn our rural district, resources are limited and donations like yours make a demonstrable difference. You've helped level the playing field so our students can access experiences similar to those in larger programs. On behalf of the students and staff, thank you for believing in creative education and for helping us provide tools, materials, and opportunities that spark curiosity and build real-world skills.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to sharing photos, student reflections, and highlights from the showcase soon. Please know your support is changing learning experiences daily — and giving students the chance to see themselves as artists and professionals.","fullyFundedDate":1763315871919,"projectUrl":"project/art-supplies-for-a-rural-school/9896710/","projectTitle":"Art Supplies for a Rural School","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mott","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10202637"},{"teacherId":10202637,"projectId":9633159,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for funding our DonorsChoose project for art supplies. Your generous gift provided many art supplies, including art boards, metal tooling supplies, and materials for a Día de los Muertos project — resources that our rural school desperately needed and which have already begun to transform student learning and confidence.\r\n\r\nBecause of your donation, our students now have regular, hands‑on access to materials that allow them to explore new techniques and express themselves in meaningful ways. One memorable example comes from a seventh grade student. He has always enjoyed art but until now had few opportunities to work with metal or to try more advanced sculptural techniques. With the metal tooling supplies this grant supplied, he created an extraordinary repoussé and chasing piece and has now expressed interest in possibly even exploring a college major or career in metal working. \r\n\r\nRepoussé and chasing are traditional metalworking techniques that involve shaping and refining thin metal sheets to create raised and detailed surfaces. These techniques require patience, fine motor control, and a willingness to experiment — all skills that benefit students across the curriculum. Students approached the project with curiosity and focus. Students sketched their designs, inspired by something that brings them joy, transferred their design to the metal plates, and then carefully moved through the stages of repoussé: forming the raised areas on the back of the metal sheet and refining the surface on the front with chasing tools. The metal tooling supplies we received — including aluminum sheets, chasing tools, and Weld Bond filler — made it possible for them to achieve delicate details and beautifully textured final pieces. They uploaded images of these final projects to our online student gallery on Artsonia!\r\n\r\nYour support did more than fund a single project; it created a ripple effect across our school community. Students became excited to try new techniques and supplies. The availability of art boards allowed them to paint in both acrylic and watercolor mediums without their work rippling and warping as it was drying. The Día de los Muertos project offered a culturally responsive entry point for conversations about tradition, history, and personal storytelling — connections we also used to enrich lessons in social studies and language arts. Having proper metal tooling supplies meant we could teach safe techniques, emphasize craftsmanship, and give students the chance to build perseverance through iterative practice.\r\n\r\nIn practical terms, your donation improved access and equity. In our rural district, budget constraints have historically limited hands-on opportunities in studio art. By supplying specialized tools and curated project materials, you enabled us to offer experiences comparable to larger districts and private programs. Students who might never have considered metalwork or mixed-media now leave middle school with authentic skills and a portfolio piece that reflects sustained effort and growth.\r\n\r\nWe are deeply grateful for your belief in our students. I will continue to document student projects and share updates and photos so you can see the ongoing impact of your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1762815774351,"projectUrl":"project/usbe-ai-for-k12-education-art-supplies/9633159/","projectTitle":"USBE AI for K–12 Education ART SUPPLIES","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mott","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10202637"},{"teacherId":9333018,"projectId":9857346,"letterContent":"The supplies from this project have brought more regulation to our work sessions. \r\nStudents will come into my room an grab the extension ball and do some breath work before we even talk about work. This has been game changing to get them regulated after a transition. \r\nMy hope is that my students begin to recognize when they may need some sensory regulation. After recognizing the need and benefit, they will learn to utilize the tools and strategies we have been working on. This should set them up to know how & when self regulation is needed.","fullyFundedDate":1762535055152,"projectUrl":"project/usbe-ai-for-k12-education/9857346/","projectTitle":"\"USBE AI for K–12 Education\"","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ruby","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9333018"},{"teacherId":10187181,"projectId":9620238,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations of beakers, scales, and classroom supplies to our science program. Your support has made a huge impact in our chemistry, 6th-grade, and 7th-grade science classes. These materials allow students to engage in real, hands-on experiments where they can test their ideas, collect data, and see science in action. From measuring chemical reactions in chemistry to exploring density and energy transfer in middle school labs, your donations have brought our lessons to life.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, my students have the opportunity to learn like true scientists—asking questions, experimenting, and discovering how science connects to the world around them. The excitement and curiosity these tools inspire are priceless. Thank you for believing in our students and helping us build a classroom where exploration and learning thrive!","fullyFundedDate":1755616888461,"projectUrl":"project/usbe-ai-for-k12-education/9620238/","projectTitle":"USBE AI for K–12 Education","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gould","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10187181"},{"teacherId":7458550,"projectId":9626564,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping us create a calm and welcoming classroom space. The materials you provided are making a big difference for our students.\r\n\r\nThese calming items help students feel safe, focused, and more ready to learn. They also support children who might feel anxious or overwhelmed by giving them a peaceful space to relax and feel comfortable.\r\n\r\nWe've already seen positive changes, students are more settled, cooperative, and engaged in their learning. Your support has helped us build not just a classroom, but a caring environment where students can thrive.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, our classroom is now a place where everyone can feel at ease and do their best. We truly appreciate your kindness and generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1755700376207,"projectUrl":"project/usbe-ai-for-k12-education-calming-cla/9626564/","projectTitle":"\"USBE AI for K–12 Education\" Calming Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Marchant","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7458550"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_123735","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":110,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":8,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":83,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":15,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 12","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":100.0,"schoolId":123735,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Silver Summit Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Silver Summit Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/utah/south-summit-school-district/silver-summit-academy/123735"}