{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Valeska Hinton Early Education Center","outOfStateSupporters":32.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9845309,"projectId":10017481,"letterContent":"Reading in my class for my project, Expressing Feelings Through Dance and Story, looks like a lively, interactive experience where students explore books that focus on emotions, relationships, and self-expression. During reading time, I guide students through the story, asking questions that encourage them to predict outcomes, identify characters' feelings, and connect the story to their own experiences. Students are then invited to bring the story to life through dance and movement, using their bodies to express the emotions of the characters, which reinforces both comprehension and emotional awareness. This combination of literacy and movement helps students make meaningful connections between reading, feelings, and creative expression.\r\n\r\nI was able to introduce the following skills due to your generous donation:\r\n\t•\tEmotional literacy: Students learn to identify, label, and express a wide range of emotions, which strengthens self-awareness and emotional regulation.\r\n\t•\tSocial-emotional skills: Through discussing stories and expressing feelings through movement, students build empathy and learn to understand others' perspectives.\r\n\t•\tCreative expression and confidence: Students gain opportunities to explore dance, body movement, and imaginative play as a form of storytelling, which encourages self-expression and public performance in a safe, supportive environment.\r\n\t•\tLanguage development: By talking about the stories, describing movements, and sharing personal experiences, students enhance vocabulary, comprehension, and communication skills.\r\n\t•\tProblem-solving and collaboration: Students work together to interpret story emotions through movement, negotiate ideas, and cooperate in group activities, strengthening teamwork and social interaction skills.\r\n\t•\tEngagement with learning: Connecting literature to movement makes reading exciting and meaningful, helping students develop a lifelong love for books while also exploring how stories reflect real-life feelings and experiences.\r\n\r\nThanks to your support, my students are not only learning to read—they're learning to feel, move, and express themselves in ways that nurture both their minds and their hearts. Your generosity has truly transformed our classroom into a space where literacy and emotional growth come alive!","fullyFundedDate":1774963723037,"projectUrl":"project/expressing-feelings-through-dance-and-st/10017481/","projectTitle":"Expressing Feelings Through Dance and Story","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams-Hangen’s Sharing Circle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9845309_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760462269588","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9845309"},{"teacherId":9845309,"projectId":10034414,"letterContent":"My project, Mouse Paint: Color Learning Through Stories and Art, helped students develop foundational skills in early literacy, color recognition, vocabulary development, sequencing, and creative expression. Through storytelling and hands-on art activities, students were able to make meaningful connections between what they heard in the story and what they created, strengthening both comprehension and engagement. The project also supported social-emotional development as students practiced sharing materials, expressing their ideas, and taking pride in their work.\r\n\r\nReading in my classroom includes interactive strategies such as doing a picture walk, encouraging students to make predictions, asking open-ended questions, and reading the story aloud with expression. I also revisit the story multiple times to build familiarity and confidence. The book is then made available in different areas of the classroom so students can independently explore it, retell the story, and connect it to their play during centers. This repeated exposure helps build comprehension, language skills, and a love for reading.\r\n\r\nI have noticed that the girls especially enjoy the new books, often engaging in imaginative play by pretending to be the teacher while reading to their peers or even to themselves. They use storytelling language, turn pages with purpose, and mimic the tone and expression they hear during read-alouds. This type of play not only reinforces literacy skills but also builds confidence, leadership, and communication. Overall, all students are becoming more excited about books and are beginning to see themselves as readers.","fullyFundedDate":1774963688438,"projectUrl":"project/mouse-paint-color-learning-through-stor/10034414/","projectTitle":"Mouse Paint: Color Learning Through Stories and Art","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams-Hangen’s Sharing Circle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9845309_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760462269588","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9845309"},{"teacherId":9845309,"projectId":10100750,"letterContent":"My project, Building Brave Dreamers: Confidence on Canvas, was introduced to inspire creativity, build confidence, and encourage self-expression in my students. Through this project, children are able to explore their emotions, share their ideas, and develop a sense of pride in their work. By incorporating art with social-emotional learning, students are learning how to express themselves in positive ways while also building bravery in trying new things and sharing their voices with others.\r\n\r\nReading in my classroom is interactive and engaging, beginning with picture walks where students observe illustrations, make predictions, and connect the story to their own experiences. I read the story aloud while asking open-ended questions that encourage thinking, discussion, and participation. During center time, students revisit the books independently or with peers, allowing them to strengthen comprehension, build vocabulary, and practice storytelling skills. This approach helps create a love for reading while supporting both literacy development and confidence in sharing their thoughts.","fullyFundedDate":1773882159153,"projectUrl":"project/building-brave-dreamers-confidence-on-c/10100750/","projectTitle":"Building Brave Dreamers: Confidence on Canvas","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams-Hangen’s Sharing Circle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9845309_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760462269588","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9845309"},{"teacherId":5449231,"projectId":10036608,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of my therapy! Because of your kindness, we have received a wonderful collection of materials including a polar bear book with matching arctic toys, Three Bears books with a mini bear house and objects, laminating sheets for visual supports, and a vehicle book paired with fun cars. Your thoughtful donations have truly made a meaningful impact on our learning environment.\r\n\r\nThese materials will play an important role in supporting speech and language development for my students. The interactive books and matching toys will help bring stories to life, encouraging students to build vocabulary, improve comprehension, and engage in meaningful conversations. The laminating sheets will allow me to create durable visual supports that students can use daily to strengthen communication skills and independence.\r\n\r\nYour generosity is making a lasting difference in the lives of my students, giving them hands-on opportunities to learn, grow, and communicate with confidence. Thank you again for investing in their success and for supporting our classroom in such a meaningful way.","fullyFundedDate":1769179306384,"projectUrl":"project/lets-learn-language-literacy-through/10036608/","projectTitle":"Let's Learn Language & Literacy through Play!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Watkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5449231_orig.jpg?crop=313,313,x255,y310&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692106623695","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kelly-watkins"},{"teacherId":4693381,"projectId":10037053,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping to fund this project! My students have enjoyed reading a variety of new stories and playing with toys to go along with stories. They were very excited to see new books and to explore the tactile features and noisy books. \r\n\r\nIn January my students learned about winter animals that live in the artic and we read the Never Touch a Polar Bear. In February we did a unit on baking and read a book Crack Stir Whisk Bake and used the new oven to act out making different tasty treats as well as to practice sorting and patterns. In March we have been learning about vehicles and using the noisy vehicle book as well as the community helper stacking cubes and vehicles.","fullyFundedDate":1770394249143,"projectUrl":"project/preschool-language-and-literacy/10037053/","projectTitle":"Preschool Language and Literacy","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Nauman","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4693381_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1503520297617","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4693381"},{"teacherId":7414607,"projectId":9936676,"letterContent":"We cannot express how much we have loved having our new materials. The kids loved seeing all of the fun items and exploring them with hands and taking turns getting to use each item!\r\nListening to the songs and stories on the Yoto box has been exciting and different to use during our free time. The materials for the light box and our new light up toys have been so fun and give us a lot of opportunities for communication and laughs! We have really gotten a lot of use out of our rocking chair, wobble disc, and gated space to be able to play safely and get the movement we need to keep us happy and safe.\r\nThank you again from your friends in Blue 8 at Valeska Hinton ECEC in Peoria, IL.","fullyFundedDate":1765998081873,"projectUrl":"project/move-and-groove-safely/9936676/","projectTitle":"Move and Groove Safely!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Courtney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7414607_orig.jpg?crop=401,401,x0,y225&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1676042892285","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7414607"},{"teacherId":5542804,"projectId":9841170,"letterContent":"Thank you for your donation and support for our classroom. These items are helping build strong minds for little learners. Social emotional supports for our student's mean a lot in education especially for our age of learning. We use these items everyday during circle time and throughout the day. They are able to identify each color of emotion and describe them now. They are able to sort the colors and feelings also. \r\nWe appreciate everything about this project and will continue to learn how to control our little emotions in this huge world because of all of your support and love for our classroom. Thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1770393728376,"projectUrl":"project/emotional-literacy/9841170/","projectTitle":"Emotional Literacy","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Nunez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5542804_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1764492919006","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-nunez-specialeducation-teacher"},{"teacherId":9845309,"projectId":10034472,"letterContent":"Thank you, Donor, for supporting my Literacy and Social Learning With Love Monster DonorsChoose project. Your generosity is helping create meaningful opportunities for my students to build literacy skills while learning how to express kindness, manage emotions, and strengthen friendships. Because of you, our classroom will be filled with engaging stories and social learning moments that nurture both hearts and minds.\r\n\r\nYour kindness goes beyond providing books and materials. You are helping lay the foundation for confident readers and compassionate classmates. These early lessons in empathy, self awareness, and positive relationships will stay with my students as they grow, learn, and navigate the world around them. I am truly grateful for your support and for believing in the potential of my young learners.","fullyFundedDate":1770393336972,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-and-social-learning-with-love-m/10034472/","projectTitle":"Literacy and Social Learning With Love Monster","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams-Hangen’s Sharing Circle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9845309_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760462269588","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9845309"},{"teacherId":9845309,"projectId":9949763,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to my project, Belly Breathing with Buddy Bear: Mindfulness Tools for Preschoolers. Your support is truly appreciated and will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our youngest learners.\r\n\r\nThrough this project, preschoolers will learn simple, age appropriate mindfulness strategies that help them understand and manage their emotions. Using Buddy Bear as a visual tool, children will practice belly breathing by watching the bear rise and fall on their stomachs. This hands on experience makes self regulation easy to understand and fun to practice.\r\n\r\nThese skills are essential in early childhood. When children learn how to pause, breathe, and calm their bodies, they are better able to focus, build positive friendships, and participate fully in learning. Mindfulness tools help reduce frustration, strengthen confidence, and create a peaceful classroom environment where every child feels safe and supported.\r\n\r\nYour donation is more than materials. It is an investment in emotional wellness and lifelong coping skills. The strategies our preschoolers learn will not only support them in the classroom, but can also be shared at home with their families, extending the impact even further.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in our children and for helping us nurture calm minds and confident hearts. Your generosity is making a lasting difference.","fullyFundedDate":1768447238250,"projectUrl":"project/belly-breathing-with-buddy-bear-mindful/9949763/","projectTitle":"Belly Breathing with Buddy Bear: Mindfulness Tools for Preschoolers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams-Hangen’s Sharing Circle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9845309_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760462269588","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9845309"},{"teacherId":9845309,"projectId":9994949,"letterContent":"Thank you so much to all of the generous donors who supported my project, Calming Backpacks for Emotional Support. Your kindness and willingness to give will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our children. Because of you, our students will have access to tools that help them regulate their emotions, feel safe, and thrive each day. I am truly grateful for your support.\r\n\r\nYour generosity is more than a donation. It is an investment in the emotional well being and future success of every child we serve. Many of our students are still learning how to identify their feelings, express their needs in healthy ways, and calm their bodies when they feel overwhelmed. The calming backpacks will provide tangible, hands on resources that help them pause, breathe, and reset. These tools may seem simple, but in the life of a young child, they are powerful. They create moments of peace in the middle of frustration, anxiety, or big emotions.\r\n\r\nWith these backpacks, students will have access to sensory items, visual supports, and calming strategies that encourage self regulation and independence. Instead of feeling lost in their emotions, they will have structured guidance and comforting materials to help them regain control. This not only supports their social and emotional development, but it also strengthens their ability to focus, learn, and build positive relationships with peers and adults.\r\n\r\nYour support also sends a powerful message to our children and families. It shows them that there are people who care about their growth and believe in their potential. When children know they are supported, they feel valued. When families see their children receiving thoughtful resources, they feel encouraged and connected. Your generosity helps create a culture of compassion and understanding within our school community.\r\n\r\nAs someone who works closely with children and families, I witness daily how critical emotional support is during the early years. These foundational years shape how children respond to challenges, interact with others, and see themselves. By supporting this project, you are helping lay a strong emotional foundation that will benefit them far beyond the classroom. You are helping to equip them with lifelong skills such as self awareness, self control, and resilience.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, we can be proactive rather than reactive. Instead of waiting for a child to struggle without support, we now have meaningful tools readily available to guide them through their emotions. These backpacks will be used during small group instruction, one on one support, and even shared with families so strategies can be reinforced at home. The impact of your gift will extend beyond a single moment. It will echo in calmer classrooms, confident learners, and children who feel understood.\r\n\r\nI want you to know that your generosity does not go unnoticed. Every item placed inside those backpacks represents a caring heart that chose to make a difference. Every time a child reaches for a calming tool and successfully regulates their emotions, that success is connected to you.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in this vision. Thank you for caring about the whole child. Thank you for helping create safe, supportive spaces where children can grow emotionally, socially, and academically. Your support truly changes lives, and I am deeply appreciative of your partnership in this important work.","fullyFundedDate":1768446710798,"projectUrl":"project/calming-backpacks-for-emotional-support/9994949/","projectTitle":"Calming Backpacks for Emotional Support","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams-Hangen’s Sharing Circle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9845309_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760462269588","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9845309"},{"teacherId":9845309,"projectId":9956425,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to my project, Stories, Stars & Calm Down Bottles for Better Bedtimes. Your generosity is helping create peaceful, comforting bedtime routines for our children and families. Because of you, our little learners will have tools that support calm moments, emotional regulation, and sweet dreams. I truly appreciate your support!\r\n\r\nYour kindness goes far beyond a simple donation. You are helping to create meaningful connections between parents and children during one of the most important parts of the day. Bedtime can often feel rushed or overwhelming, but with the support of this project, families will have intentional resources that encourage bonding, storytelling, and relaxation. The calm down bottles will provide children with a visual and sensory way to settle their minds and bodies, while the stories and star themed activities will spark imagination and a sense of security.\r\n\r\nThese tools will not only support better sleep habits, but they will also strengthen social and emotional development. When children feel calm and connected, they are better prepared to learn, grow, and thrive each day. Your generosity is directly impacting our families in a lasting and meaningful way. Thank you for believing in this vision and for helping us make bedtime a more peaceful and joyful experience for the children we serve.","fullyFundedDate":1766077456835,"projectUrl":"project/stories-stars-calm-down-bottles-for-b/9956425/","projectTitle":"Stories, Stars & Calm Down Bottles for Better Bedtimes","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams-Hangen’s Sharing Circle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9845309_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760462269588","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9845309"},{"teacherId":9845309,"projectId":9976149,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating towards my Boom! Bang! Learn! Alphabet Adventures project! Your support helps bring engaging, hands-on learning experiences to young children, making early literacy fun and exciting. With your contribution, we can provide materials, activities, and resources that spark curiosity and encourage children to explore letters, sounds, and words in an interactive way.\r\n\r\nYour generosity makes a real difference in the lives of children and families, helping them build strong foundations for learning and growth. Thanks to donors like you, our project can continue to inspire young minds, foster a love of learning that will last a lifetime, and create joyful, memorable experiences for every child. We are deeply grateful for your support and belief in the power of early education.","fullyFundedDate":1768446507937,"projectUrl":"project/boom-bang-learn-alphabet-adventures/9976149/","projectTitle":"Boom! Bang! Learn! Alphabet Adventures","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams-Hangen’s Sharing Circle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9845309_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760462269588","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9845309"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_30197","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":500,"numTeachers":23,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":57,"percentWhite":19,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":12,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 1","studentTeacherRatio":"21.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":67.4,"schoolId":30197,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Valeska Hinton Early Education Center on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Valeska Hinton Early Education Center","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/peoria-public-school-district-150/valeska-hinton-childhood-education-ctr/30197"}