{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"South Valley Academy","outOfStateSupporters":41.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10275235,"projectId":10128963,"letterContent":"Thanks to the generosity of our donors, *A Good Kind of Trouble* became much more than a class novel. It gave my 8th graders an opportunity to strengthen their reading skills while engaging with a story that felt relevant to their own lives and experiences.\r\n\r\nThroughout the book, students practiced reading closely, making inferences, tracking character development, discussing themes, and supporting their ideas with evidence from the text. Just as importantly, the novel led to meaningful conversations about friendship, identity, fairness, racism, courage, trust, and what it means to speak up when something does not feel right. Many students wrote afterward that the book helped them understand other people's perspectives and think differently about their own friendships and choices.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom takes many forms. Sometimes we read aloud together, stopping to clarify vocabulary, make predictions, or discuss an important moment. At other times, students read with a partner or in small groups, and they also have opportunities to read independently. Having a class set meant that every student could have the book in front of them and fully participate, regardless of their reading level or ability to purchase a book themselves.\r\n\r\nOne of the most rewarding things for me was seeing students who initially did not expect to enjoy the book become invested in the story. Several students admitted in their thank-you letters that they thought the book would be boring before we started, only to describe it afterward as interesting, fun, and relatable. One student wrote that the book had seemed \"too hard and long\" at first but that reading it helped improve his reading and made the text feel much more manageable. Another student loved the book so much that she told us she had encouraged her father to help support the project!\r\n\r\nWhat stood out most in their reflections was how personally students connected with the characters. They wrote about understanding how difficult friendships can be in middle school, learning to consider perspectives different from their own, recognizing the importance of trustworthy friends, and thinking about courage and speaking up. Those are exactly the kinds of connections I hoped this book would create.\r\n\r\nYour support gave my students access to a book that challenged them as readers while also giving them something they genuinely wanted to talk about. These books will continue to be used with future classes, allowing many more students to read, discuss, question, and grow. I am incredibly grateful that you helped make this experience possible for my students. Thank you for investing in them and in our classroom community.","fullyFundedDate":1772647492735,"projectUrl":"project/books-that-inspire-courage-and-conversat/10128963/","projectTitle":"Books That Inspire Courage and Conversation","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Z","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10275235"},{"teacherId":3344343,"projectId":10036069,"letterContent":"I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your generous support of snack incentives in our classroom. Your contribution has made a meaningful difference in our students' daily experience.\r\nThese snacks are more than just a treat—they serve as a powerful motivator and a way to recognize students' hard work, positive behavior, and academic progress. Because of your support, we're able to create a more encouraging and inclusive environment where students feel seen, rewarded, and excited to participate.\r\nWe've already noticed increased engagement and enthusiasm, and students often look forward to earning these small but impactful rewards. Your generosity helps build not only better learning habits, but also confidence and a sense of accomplishment.\r\nThank you again for investing in our students' success and well-being. Your kindness is truly appreciated.","fullyFundedDate":1776471450988,"projectUrl":"project/snack-incentives/10036069/","projectTitle":"Snack Incentives","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3344343_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1449174470484","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3344343"},{"teacherId":10349778,"projectId":9894222,"letterContent":"Our school is a small charter school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We do not have a library; we collect books any way we can and create small classroom libraries for our students to borrow books. \r\n\r\nIn my classroom, thanks to the books donated, I created an Independent Novel Study Unit. Students chose the books they wanted to read and complete a novel study packet every week. The packet encourages students to explore new vocabulary, themes, characters, settings - all of those great novel features! I make sure that the packet has higher ordering thinking questions, opportunities to use different parts of their brain (some weeks they draw as well write!). \r\n\r\nThe students are positively impacted because, as reluctant readers, they do not read much outside of class. However, I have found that by giving them choice and time in class to read, they are actively reading and enjoying the novels! My hope is that these stories stay with them throughout their lives and encourage them to become lifelong readers. Thanks you so very much!!","fullyFundedDate":1764826290839,"projectUrl":"project/reluctant-readers-project/9894222/","projectTitle":"Reluctant Readers Project","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Judway","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10349778"},{"teacherId":10275235,"projectId":9749567,"letterContent":"Thank you again for supporting our project, *Our Histories, Our Voices*. Your generosity allowed my students to access *An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People*, a text that directly reflects the goals I outlined when creating this project.\r\n\r\nWe were able to read and discuss the introduction and Chapters 1 and 2 together as a class. While the reading level proved challenging for many of my below-grade-level readers, this also created an opportunity for intentional scaffolding. I adapted portions of the text so students could engage with the ideas at accessible levels, ensuring that all students could participate meaningfully in discussion and analysis.\r\n\r\nThrough these chapters, students developed a much deeper understanding of the vastness and diversity of Indigenous nations in North America prior to European arrival. They were struck by how many distinct cultures, languages, and communities existed long before colonization, and they engaged thoughtfully with the harmful and often brutal actions taken against Indigenous peoples during European expansion.\r\n\r\nGiven the current climate and the fears many of my students carry regarding immigration enforcement and family separation, these discussions resonated deeply. Students began making connections between historical injustice and present-day experiences, asking thoughtful questions about belonging, land, and whose stories are centered in history. The book helped them see history not as distant or abstract, but as something that continues to shape lives today.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, having a shared class set allowed every student to engage with the same text and ideas, reinforcing equity, inclusion, and respectful dialogue. Thank you for making it possible for my students to explore history in a way that validates their identities while encouraging critical thinking.","fullyFundedDate":1758933625111,"projectUrl":"project/our-histories-our-voices/9749567/","projectTitle":"Our Histories, Our Voices","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Z","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10275235"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_69671","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":604,"numTeachers":49,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":73,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":14,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":11,"gradesServed":"6 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"12.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":58.3,"schoolId":69671,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about South Valley Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"South Valley Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-mexico/albuquerque-public-schools/south-valley-academy/69671"}