{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Barrera Veterans Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":31.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10000194,"projectId":9257928,"letterContent":"Our students have been eagerly exploring the new Orff xylophones through rhythm and melody-building activities that emphasize creativity and teamwork. We began with simple melodic exercises, gradually progressing to short improvisations where students created their own melodic patterns. Recently, each class collaborated to compose short pieces, giving them the opportunity to apply their rhythmic and melodic understanding in a real musical context.\r\n\r\nWhen the xylophones were first unveiled, the excitement in the room was contagious! Many students gasped and clapped, and several couldn't wait to take turns exploring the instruments. They were fascinated by the sound quality and how each bar created a different pitch. For many, this was their first time experiencing an authentic Orff instrument, and their joy and curiosity made the moment truly special.\r\n\r\nOur next goal is to prepare students to form a performing Orff ensemble. We'll be focusing on building ensemble skills such as listening, layering ostinatos, maintaining steady tempos, and blending different instrument timbres. As students gain confidence, we'll begin rehearsing short ensemble pieces to share during school performances, giving them the chance to showcase their musicianship and teamwork to our community.\r\n\r\nWe are deeply grateful to our generous donors for making this musical opportunity possible. Your support has brought excitement, creativity, and joy to our classroom—allowing our students to discover the beauty of music through hands-on learning. Thanks to you, our young musicians are building confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong love for music. From all of us at SSGT. Michael P. Barrera Veterans Elementary, thank you for helping our students' musical dreams come to life!","fullyFundedDate":1752586581786,"projectUrl":"project/bring-the-beat-to-us/9257928/","projectTitle":"Bring the Beat to Us!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Saldana","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10000194_orig.jpg?crop=384,384,x0,y60&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744734986244","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10000194"},{"teacherId":9907212,"projectId":9079556,"letterContent":"My students are provided with a variety of ways to read. They have independent reading, guided reading, and book study. The students have been enjoying the novel. Specially my GT kids in the classroom. They have been reading this book during independent time. I been working with my lower students on this book during guided reading time. My high students read this book in a book club. They called their club \" Buscadores del boleto de oro\". Thank you so much for your donations it has had a huge impact in my students so far. Can't wait to finish reading it with them. Hope these books keep impacting many more kids to come.","fullyFundedDate":1744290660885,"projectUrl":"project/developing-readers-for-the-love-of-readi/9079556/","projectTitle":"Developing Readers for the Love of Reading in Spanish!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Ocampo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9907212"},{"teacherId":7141203,"projectId":8699748,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations. These decodable readers have allowed me to differentiate instruction based on my students needs. They also align to our phonics curriculum UFli. They allow my students to apply the phonics skills they learned in a decodable reader. My classes are very lucky and deserving that you chose to donate to their education. My students love the decodable readers and they are a great supplement to our small group instruction. Since we've received our donations, my class has been making progress in their reading. As an educator, your donation means the world to me. I'm so thankful that you supported my classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1734099464956,"projectUrl":"project/decodable-readers-to-develop-fluent-read/8699748/","projectTitle":"Decodable Readers to Develop Fluent Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Velasquez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7141203_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1718836153972","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7141203"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_16961","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":649,"numTeachers":42,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":6,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":91,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 4","studentTeacherRatio":"15.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":68.8,"schoolId":16961,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Barrera Veterans Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Barrera Veterans Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/texas/somerset-independent-school-district/somerset-veterans-elementary-school/16961"}
Join the 64 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Barrera Veterans Elementary School is
a rural public school
in SOMERSET, Texas that is part of Somerset Independent School District.
It serves 649 students
in grades Pre-K - 4 with a student/teacher ratio of 15.5:1.
Its teachers have had 15 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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
91%
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.
Barrera Veterans Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Dec 4, 2025
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.
Barrera Veterans Elementary School
$8,030
raised using DonorsChoose
15
projects
funded
12
teachers
funded
64
donors
1
project for
technology
3
projects for
books
Barrera Veterans Elementary School has received support from
44 individuals from Texas and
20 individuals out-of-state.