{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Taft High School","outOfStateSupporters":25.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8579692,"projectId":10192062,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donation to making this project come alive. Because of your gift, I've been able to start a lending library of science books in my classroom. Your contribution ensures that my students and students for years to come have compelling novels for students to explore and borrow. From the immediate unboxing and the first weekend after receiving these books, I've already gotten requests from 12 different students to borrow specific book titles. This project is revitalizing reading for my class. Although I am not an english or reading teacher, the science lens behind these titles makes it particularly connected to our classroom topics. Your gift has enabled us to get students back into reading and to reincorporate reading activities in class.","fullyFundedDate":1776384228541,"projectUrl":"project/science-fiction-and-nonfiction-for-biolo/10192062/","projectTitle":"Science Fiction and Nonfiction for Biology Lovers","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nguyen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8579692_orig.jpg?crop=179,179,x1,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727500947639","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8579692"},{"teacherId":5631363,"projectId":9991570,"letterContent":"I cannot thank you enough for your incredible generosity in funding \"Second Semester Supplies for Super Seniors.\" When the boxes arrived, the energy in the room shifted instantly. My students were genuinely touched to see a fresh mountain of notebooks, folders, and pencils waiting for them. One of my seniors joked that they finally had \"no more excuses\" to not take notes, but in all seriousness, seeing their faces light up over brand-new supplies was a beautiful reminder that they feel seen and supported by their community. The addition of cleaning supplies and tissues has also been a game-changer; we've finally moved past the \"sweater-sleeve-as-a-tissue\" phase of the semester, creating a much more dignified and hygienic environment for everyone.\r\n\r\nWe are already putting these resources to work in our current Senior Capstone Portfolios. Having matching folders and sturdy notebooks has allowed my students to organize their research and college transition checklists with a sense of pride and professionalism they didn't have before. A specific moment that stood out was during our \"Goal Setting\" workshop last Tuesday: instead of the usual scramble to find a scrap of paper or a working pen, every student was able to open a fresh notebook and start mapping out their future. It felt like a fresh start for the second half of their final year.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, these supplies are the backbone of our upcoming \"Letters to My Future Self\" project. Students will be using their new folders to archive their best work from the year and their notebooks to draft reflections on their high school journey. Because of your help, my \"Super Seniors\" can focus entirely on their academic finish line rather than worrying about whether they have the basic tools to get there. Thank you for investing in their success and for making our classroom feel like a space where they truly belong!","fullyFundedDate":1768435536053,"projectUrl":"project/second-semester-supplies-for-super-senio/9991570/","projectTitle":"Second Semester Supplies for Super Seniors","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Cipicchio","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5631363_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1533989299080","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-cipicchio"},{"teacherId":1484608,"projectId":9968361,"letterContent":"The original plan was to teach this book next year to my second year (senior) IB Language and Literature students to help explore global issues. However, an opportunity presented itself in which I decided to teach this book of short stories to my sophomores, an advanced group of students, paying immediate dividends to your generosity!\r\n\r\nWe began by watching the author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's talk about the \"Danger of a Single Story\" in which she warns against flattening a people's stories to just ONE story. \"The problem with stereotypes,\" she says, \"is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete.\" And it seems particularly fitting that this book by Adichie is a collection of stories, all presenting both Nigerians and Americans through a multifaceted lens.\r\n\r\nWe are only just three stories in and still feeling out the style and form of the stories, but in the second story \"Imitation,\" many students were able to grasp the false ideals that the characters found themselves living up to, both as men and women, as Americans and Nigerians, as husbands and wives, as the rich and poor, and as humans separated from reality.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this unit possible, even earlier than I had anticipated!","fullyFundedDate":1773840595234,"projectUrl":"project/finding-our-shared-humanity-through-lite/9968361/","projectTitle":"Finding Our Shared Humanity Through Literature","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Moon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1484608_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1449180969847","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jmoon"},{"teacherId":8579692,"projectId":9680806,"letterContent":"Thank you for your contribution to this strange project. You've enabled me to reach more students with this project. By getting these beginner sets, students are introduced iteratively into the world of lock sport. This activity is one of the highest levels of engagement and cooperation I get out of students, especially towards the end of the school year where seniors are checking out. Your donation ensures that this project will be able to engage hundreds of students year after year. Students who were poor with their hands found expertise in this activity and became mentors to others, supporting each other in ways I didn't see them do in the year. This activity has been invaluable in boosting the confidence in students that believed they couldn't do other ones.","fullyFundedDate":1762265304366,"projectUrl":"project/bring-locksport-to-my-forensic-science-c/9680806/","projectTitle":"Bring Locksport To My Forensic Science Class","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nguyen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8579692_orig.jpg?crop=179,179,x1,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727500947639","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8579692"},{"teacherId":8579692,"projectId":9907285,"letterContent":"thank you for your contribution towards this strange project. The joy and excitement I've seen in students that I do not know has been incalculable. This project of outreach and charity has spread far and wide throughout our school and students are actively seeking out information about our steam programs and asking valuable questions. Your donation has enabled this project to impact students far beyond the 100s of trinkets that were passed out. The word of mouth and breadth of participation across our 4700 student body demonstrates just how far and interested students are.","fullyFundedDate":1764859537872,"projectUrl":"project/kindness-and-3d-printed-toys/9907285/","projectTitle":"Kindness and 3d Printed Toys","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nguyen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8579692_orig.jpg?crop=179,179,x1,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727500947639","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8579692"},{"teacherId":9785954,"projectId":9716450,"letterContent":"Since receiving the scale, hot plates, and other materials so generously provided, my students have been thriving. In a classroom designed to teach students whose native language is not English, having access to hands on materials and tangible experiences has bridges the language gap for many of my students and has created so many positive learning experiences. \r\n\r\nFor starters, students used their access to hotplates to discover properties of ionic and covalent compounds. They designed an investigation and used these instruments to help them collect quantitative data to support their findings. I saw a soaring 95% grade average on their work after being able to use these materials rather than traditional learning methods. \r\n\r\nIn addition to this, the students used the electronic balances to investigate the creation of rust. They explored the question: How does a new substance like rust form in the first place? With their ability to relate something from their lives to the scientific practice of lab methods, students gathered findings to support their answers to the driving question. Using this experiential learning as a bridge to the language, students were able to practice their English in a way that felt authentic, real, and meaningful. \r\n\r\nI want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving my English Language Learners the opportunity to soar to new heights with not only their language acquisition, but their appreciation for science.","fullyFundedDate":1766502457133,"projectUrl":"project/chemistry-for-all-students-supporting-d/9716450/","projectTitle":"Chemistry for ALL students (Supporting DL and EL student populations)","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Castillo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9785954"},{"teacherId":8579692,"projectId":9818084,"letterContent":"Thanks to your contirbution, not only were we able to support our robotics team but also foreign teams including hosting the croatian robotics team in our space. The supplies your provided directly supported multiple robots this season and ensured that hudnreds of students were able to get their robots to work. As a result, our team was able to construct two fully function robots this year and include our middle school students in this robotics season. This ensured we had more engagement, more spirit, more teamwork than years before winning us the award for team spirit at every regional event we went to!","fullyFundedDate":1763588409147,"projectUrl":"project/its-time-for-more-robotics/9818084/","projectTitle":"It's Time for More Robotics","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nguyen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8579692_orig.jpg?crop=179,179,x1,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727500947639","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8579692"},{"teacherId":8579692,"projectId":9816549,"letterContent":"Thanks to your contribution, we have had the most successful, most impactful, and most accessible robotics season yet. Your contribution not only ensured that more students were able to engage in robotics, but it improved the lives of those reached by the breadth of our program. The addition of dozens of students impacted the lives of hundreds of students in the local community. Additional available resources allowed the inclusion of new students into robotics that did not stick with robotics but started accessability projects and outreach programs for K-8 schools around our community. Such support projects include accessibility tools, toys, and even adolescent wheel chairs!","fullyFundedDate":1761960187805,"projectUrl":"project/frc-robot-supplies-needed-for-a-strong-s/9816549/","projectTitle":"FRC Robot Supplies Needed for a Strong Season","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nguyen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8579692_orig.jpg?crop=179,179,x1,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727500947639","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8579692"},{"teacherId":10268156,"projectId":9724701,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity. When the boxes arrived, I had told my students about this opportunity they were granted in receiving these new supplies and they were excited about getting to use this new equipment. In a city like Chicago, where students are often aware of resource gaps at our schools, so seeing brand-new, high-quality tools specifically for their classroom made them feel truly valued. \r\n\r\nThe impact on their learning was immediate and was so much fun to watch. We recently used the manipulatives to tackle the daunting task of balancing chemical equations. Instead of just staring at numbers on a worksheet, students were physically moving \"atoms\" around to make sense of the Law of Conservation of Mass. One of my English Language Learners, who had been struggling with the abstract concept of coefficients, had a total \"lightbulb moment\" while using the kits as they were able to see and count the groups of molecules. Having manipulatives like this allow students who may struggle with reading and listening to use be able to use different modes of learning to understand this difficult concepts. \r\n\r\nAs we continue the unit, my classes are gearing up for a self-designed investigation where they'll use their stoichiometric knowledge in order to design a safe and effective airbag - modeling it after car airbags which was the phenomena they focused on for this unit. Once again - THANK YOU - your contributions gave my students the clarity and confidence they need to actually feel like scientists. Thank you so much for investing in them!","fullyFundedDate":1766940574770,"projectUrl":"project/building-strong-science-skills-with-esse/9724701/","projectTitle":"Building Strong Science Skills With Essential Lab Equipment for Students","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Safakas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10268156_orig.jpg?crop=288,288,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1759188964101","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10268156"},{"teacherId":9071530,"projectId":9602431,"letterContent":"Thank you for your kindness and consideration. Your donations have provided the entire classroom, staff and students, with a cleaner and safer classroom environment. Students have more, and varied, seating options. This provides comfort, a sense of safety, and a sense of belonging as well. \r\n\r\nThe seats you have allowed us to purchase are used to help students feel soothed, not have to use traditional seating when their ataxia makes it difficult for them to do so.\r\n\r\nThe cleaning products allow staff to clean work stations, tables, and student bathrooms when necessary, and without hesitation. This keeps staff and students alike clean, hygienic, and safe.","fullyFundedDate":1757941829547,"projectUrl":"project/cleanliness-and-new-seating-options/9602431/","projectTitle":"Cleanliness and New Seating Options!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nakasone","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9071530_orig.jpg?crop=5142,5142,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1747935727556","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-nakasone"},{"teacherId":9800532,"projectId":9766172,"letterContent":"I am thrilled to share that our project, \"Empowering Special Education Sophomores with Essential Materials for Success,\" is now fully funded!\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our classroom is about to look a lot different. For many of my students, these aren't just \"supplies\"—they are the tools that remove barriers. Whether it's the specific organizational tech or the sensory materials we've requested, you've provided these sophomores with a sense of belonging and the physical means to tackle their curriculum.\r\n\r\nSophomore year is a pivotal time for independence, and you've just given these students the ultimate head start. I can't wait to share photos of the materials in action!\r\n\r\nWith deep gratitude,","fullyFundedDate":1768232009734,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-special-education-sophomores/9766172/","projectTitle":"Empowering Special Education Sophomores with Essential Materials for Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Brackin","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9800532"},{"teacherId":9721858,"projectId":9887745,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of two graphing calculators to our Honors Precalculus class through DonorsChoose. Your support has made an immediate and meaningful impact on my students' learning. We recently used the calculators during a constructivist exploratory lab on polynomial functions. Instead of simply being shown graphs, students actively graphed multiple polynomials themselves and looked for patterns across different degrees and coefficients. The technology allowed them to test their ideas instantly, revise their thinking, and notice connections such as how leading coefficients affect end behavior or how roots influence graph shape. The calculators transformed the lesson from passive note-taking into hands-on discovery.\r\n\r\nMany people use technology at home for convenience, but in our classroom, it becomes a powerful thinking tool. The graphing calculators help students visualize abstract mathematical concepts that can be difficult to grasp from equations alone. During our trigonometric functions unit, students used the calculators to explore amplitude, period, and phase shifts dynamically. They adjusted parameters and immediately saw how the graph changed, which deepened their conceptual understanding far beyond memorizing formulas. What excites students most is the sense of control since they can experiment, predict, and verify their ideas in real time.\r\n\r\nI have noticed that several students who are typically hesitant to speak up have grown more confident when using the calculators. The technology provides a safe space to explore and make mistakes privately before sharing conclusions with the class. One student in particular, who often doubts her math abilities, became visibly more engaged during the polynomial lab. She eagerly compared graph patterns with classmates and proudly explained her observations. Your donation is not just equipment but it is also empowerment, confidence, and opportunity.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in our students and their mathematical growth.","fullyFundedDate":1764785347839,"projectUrl":"project/graphing-calculators-essential-problem/9887745/","projectTitle":"Graphing Calculators = Essential Problem Solving Tools in Honors Precalculus","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Starzycka","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9721858_orig.jpg?crop=1083,1083,x196,y102&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1731202203464","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-starzycka"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5334","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":4440,"numTeachers":164,"percentFrplEligible":75,"percentAsian":6,"percentBlack":2,"percentWhite":41,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":43,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"7 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"27.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":74.6,"schoolId":5334,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Taft High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Taft High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/taft-high-school/5334"}