{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Albert C. Black STEAM Academy","outOfStateSupporters":35.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10434190,"projectId":10096412,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and support of our classroom. Since receiving these resources, my students have been able to engage in learning in a more hands-on and meaningful way. I've used the materials during both whole group lessons and small group instruction, especially in reading and math. One of my favorite moments was during a small group activity where students used the materials to practice letter recognition and build simple words—something many of them have been struggling with. Being able to physically interact with the materials helped them stay focused and truly understand the concepts.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, they were so excited and eager to use them. Their faces lit up, and they immediately became more engaged in the lesson. Even my students who typically struggle to stay on task were motivated and wanted to participate. I've noticed an increase in confidence, especially in students who were previously hesitant to try. They are now more willing to take risks and practice new skills.\r\n\r\nMoving forward, I plan to continue using these resources to support foundational skills in literacy and math, especially as we prepare for assessments and continue building strong academic habits. These materials will remain an important part of our daily instruction, helping me meet my students where they are and support their growth. Thank you again for making a direct impact on my classroom and my students' success.","fullyFundedDate":1772335529638,"projectUrl":"project/my-first-project/10096412/","projectTitle":"My First Project!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Crawford","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10434190_orig.jpg?crop=2058,2058,x612,y918&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1772036246551","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10434190"},{"teacherId":9920044,"projectId":9642111,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students have been using these new resources every day during our literacy, math, and morning meeting times. One of the most meaningful moments came during a read-aloud of one of our new SEL books. As we discussed the characters' feelings, my students began making connections to their own experiences—sharing times they felt frustrated, excited, or left out. What stood out most was hearing them use new vocabulary like \"calm down,\" \"take turns,\" and \"be a good friend\" as they worked through those ideas together.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, the excitement was immediate. My students' eyes lit up as they explored the new books and eagerly opened the math and reading folder games. They were especially excited about the hands-on nature of the folder games—practicing letter sounds, building words, counting, and matching numbers in a fun, interactive way. Even my more hesitant learners quickly became engaged, working with partners or independently with confidence and enthusiasm.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we are continuing to incorporate the folder games into our small group rotations, allowing students to practice skills in a structured but playful way. We are also connecting our SEL lessons to real-life classroom situations, and students are beginning to independently apply what they've learned—using kind words, solving conflicts, and supporting one another during group work. We will continue revisiting the SEL books to deepen discussions and strengthen these important social-emotional skills.\r\nBecause of your support, my classroom has become an even more welcoming, engaging space where students feel safe to learn, grow, and be themselves.","fullyFundedDate":1760829923613,"projectUrl":"project/learning-with-love-sel-math-reading/9642111/","projectTitle":"\"Learning with Love: SEL, Math & Reading Magic\"","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Johnson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/k-johnson7"},{"teacherId":10325831,"projectId":9850720,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom reading project! Your generosity is making a meaningful difference in the lives of my students.\r\n\r\nThis project is designed to help my students master essential phonics and reading skills. The students who benefit from these materials are pulled into small groups daily because they are currently behind in reading and phonics. With your support, we now have engaging, hands-on tools that will help accelerate their progress and build the strong foundation they need to become confident readers.\r\n\r\nThe All-In-One Magnetic Phonics Kits and the PlayShifu Word Wiz learning kit are already helping students blend and break apart words by sounds. These phonics boards allow them to physically manipulate letters, making it easier to understand how sounds work together to form words. I have already seen students become more confident as they practice building and reading new words.\r\n\r\nThe reading games, including Capture the Flag: Reading Comprehension, Text Structure Grab & Play, Context Clues: Pirate Treasure, Retell A Story Cubes, and The Fidget Game King Komodo, are making learning interactive and exciting. These games give students the opportunity to strengthen comprehension skills, practice retelling stories, identify text structures, and use context clues—all while having fun. Learning feels less intimidating and much more achievable.\r\n\r\nWhen the students saw the new materials, they were so excited. They couldn't wait to try everything! Their enthusiasm and motivation have grown, and they are taking more risks in their reading.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students and believing in their potential. Your kindness is helping them close learning gaps, grow their confidence, and move closer to reading at grade level. We are truly grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1765205123696,"projectUrl":"project/accelerating-reading/9850720/","projectTitle":"Accelerating Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Costa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10325831"},{"teacherId":9920044,"projectId":9444084,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my kindergarten students are using the new math and reading center materials every single day! Our classroom centers have become more hands-on, engaging, and meaningful.\r\nIn math centers, students are using the manipulatives to build numbers, create patterns, and practice addition and subtraction with real objects they can touch and move. One special moment happened during a small-group lesson when a student who had been struggling with counting finally said, \"Oh! I get it now!\" while using the counting cubes to physically group numbers. Seeing that confidence click into place was priceless.\r\nIn our reading centers, students are using the new books, phonics games, and literacy tools to practice letter sounds, sight words, and sentence building. During one center rotation, I watched two students use the magnetic letters to build CVC words independently—and then proudly read them aloud to each other. The excitement on their faces made the entire room light up.\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, they were beyond excited. There were gasps, wide eyes, and lots of \"Are those for us?!\" They couldn't wait to explore. It immediately renewed their enthusiasm for center time and made learning feel extra special.\r\nNext, we're building on these skills by working on number stories in math—using the manipulatives to model simple word problems. In reading, we're beginning to write our own simple patterned books using sight words and phonics skills they've practiced in centers. The new resources are helping students move from guided practice to greater independence.\r\nThank you for giving my students tools that make learning hands-on, joyful, and confidence-building. Your support is truly making a difference in our classroom every day","fullyFundedDate":1751900586741,"projectUrl":"project/bright-beginnings-building-reading-m/9444084/","projectTitle":"\"Bright Beginnings: Building Reading & Math Skills in Kindergarten\"","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Johnson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/k-johnson7"},{"teacherId":6936629,"projectId":9789381,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in providing science kits and STEM supplies for my students. Because of you, our classroom has become an even more engaging, hands-on learning environment where curiosity and problem-solving thrive.\r\n\r\nWe are actively using these new resources during our science and STEM lessons to explore real-world concepts through inquiry and experimentation. One recent project involved students designing and testing simple systems using the materials from the kits. They worked collaboratively to ask questions, make predictions, test their ideas, and revise their designs based on results. Watching students confidently explain their thinking and apply scientific vocabulary during this project was a powerful reminder of how impactful hands-on learning can be.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, their excitement was immediate and contagious. They were eager to open the kits, explore the tools, and ask questions about how everything worked. Many students who are usually quiet during traditional lessons were fully engaged, offering ideas and taking leadership roles during activities. The materials sparked curiosity, creativity, and a genuine enthusiasm for learning.\r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, our next steps include using these supplies to deepen our understanding of scientific concepts through ongoing investigations and STEM challenges. Students will continue building, testing, and refining their ideas while strengthening critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. These experiences are helping them see themselves as scientists and engineers, capable of tackling challenges and learning through exploration.\r\n\r\nYour support has made a meaningful difference in my students' learning experiences. Thank you for allowing them to engage with science in a way that is exciting, empowering, and memorable.","fullyFundedDate":1761932269393,"projectUrl":"project/mission-stempossible/9789381/","projectTitle":"Mission STEMpossible","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Chachere","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6936629"},{"teacherId":7176654,"projectId":9376808,"letterContent":"Thank you for fully funding Revenge of the Bricks: The Rebuild Begins. Your generosity reached far beyond materials—it addressed a real need in our classroom and ultimately helped us rebuild.\r\n\r\nThis project was created because my second-grade bilingual students needed stability, ownership, and meaningful hands-on learning after a year marked by disruption and sudden change. Many of my students had limited access to high-quality STEM materials, and they needed opportunities to build, create, and problem-solve in ways that restored confidence and control.\r\n\r\nIn our classroom, the LEGO Star Wars kits were intentionally woven into instruction. Students used the pieces as manipulatives to count, sort, group, and model mathematical thinking while strengthening language skills in both English and Spanish. The kits encouraged collaboration, storytelling, and problem-solving in ways traditional materials often cannot.\r\n\r\nFor many of my students, this was their first real exposure to LEGO. It offered them a look at \"the other side\"—a world of building, engineering, and design that often feels out of reach. LEGO plays a key role in early STEM development, and these kits helped students begin to see themselves as builders, thinkers, and future problem-solvers.\r\n\r\nStudent ownership was central to why this project was requested. Each kit was carefully documented, and every piece was sent home so learning could continue with families. This ensured full accountability while giving students something meaningful to care for—something they built, learned from, and were proud to take home.\r\n\r\nWhat I want you to know, Patty, is that this project did something even bigger.\r\n\r\nThis year required me to make difficult choices. Speaking up—whistleblowing—came at a high personal and professional cost, and there were moments when staying in the classroom felt impossible. But seeing this project fully funded—and seeing people believe in my students and our classroom—reminded me why I became a teacher in the first place.\r\n\r\nYour support helped solidify my decision to stay.\r\n\r\nIt showed my students—and me—that our work matters. That rebuilding is possible. And that even after disruption and uncertainty, we can create something stronger than before.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing not just in supplies, but in stability, resilience, and hope. Because of you, my students continue to learn, grow, and imagine what's possible—and I continue to teach.","fullyFundedDate":1748706528273,"projectUrl":"project/revenge-of-the-bricks-the-rebuild-begin/9376808/","projectTitle":"Revenge of the Bricks: The Rebuild Begins","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Salguero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7176654_orig.jpg?crop=500,500,x340,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755057537186","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/be-a-hero"},{"teacherId":7629154,"projectId":9578329,"letterContent":"Providing students with phonics folder games and phonological-awareness activities has had powerful impact on their early literacy development. These hands-on materials have allowed my to practice blending, segmenting, and identifying sounds in an engaging way. Because the games are self-paced, they are building confidence as they revisit skills repeatedly, strengthening the foundational reading abilities they need for decoding and spelling. The interactive nature of the folder games also supports different learning styles—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic—making early literacy instruction more accessible and enjoyable for my young learners.\r\n\r\nIn addition, math centers such as the Counting Cactus activity has helped reinforce number sense, one-to-one correspondence, and simple operations through play. When students manipulate materials, make choices, and explore math concepts independently, they develop stronger problem-solving skills and a more positive attitude toward learning. Pairing these academic tools with social-emotional lessons—such as reading The Patient Dinosaur to teach patience—has created a well-rounded learning experience. As students practice waiting their turn, managing frustration, and showing self-control, the classroom environment has become more cooperative and focused. Thanks to your support our classroom is one that is engaging and enjoyable.","fullyFundedDate":1758202694126,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-matters/9578329/","projectTitle":"Literacy Matters","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. P","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7629154_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755397993591","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7629154"},{"teacherId":10050308,"projectId":9397275,"letterContent":"I cannot thank you enough for all the support. The addition of headphones has transformed learning in our classroom by giving students focused support. Many donors may use technology at home, but in our classroom it becomes a vital tool for language development and comprehension, especially for my bilingual learners. With headphones, students can listen to instructions, stories, and vocabulary practice in both English and Spanish without distractions, helping them build confidence and understanding at their own pace.\r\n\r\nThe product that most excited my students, however, was the set of math manipulatives. These hands-on tools made abstract concepts feel real and accessible, especially for my bilingual students who benefit from visual and tactile learning. One student who had struggled with math vocabulary began eagerly using the manipulatives to demonstrate her thinking, bridging the language gap through physical modeling. The combination of technology with headphones and these engaging math tools has created an empowering, inclusive learning environment where my bilingual students are thriving both academically and socially.","fullyFundedDate":1755781843627,"projectUrl":"project/building-big-dreams-in-two-languages/9397275/","projectTitle":"Building Big Dreams in Two Languages","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Tovar","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10050308_orig.png?crop=494,494,x0,y24&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1749084524143","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10050308"},{"teacherId":9920809,"projectId":9107854,"letterContent":"I am thrilled to share how your generosity through the Math Magic: Building Strong Foundations for Young Mathematicians project has transformed learning in our classroom. The new math materials have turned abstract ideas into hands-on discoveries, and my students are now exploring math with enthusiasm, confidence, and joy.\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, my students' excitement was contagious—they could not wait to explore the colorful counters, cubes, headsets and visual models. I still remember the moment we opened the boxes; the children clapped and cheered, eager to begin using them. One of our favorite classroom projects has been \"Build and Solve\", where students use manipulatives to create their own number bond problems and then challenge classmates to find the solutions. Seeing them work together, explain their reasoning, and celebrate their learning has been incredibly rewarding.\r\nThese tools have made math accessible for every student, regardless of their learning tier or language level. By using number of the day, number bonds, area models, and interactive games, students can now visualize math concepts and communicate their thinking clearly in both English and Spanish. The manipulatives also allow for differentiated instruction—advanced learners explore multi-step problems while others strengthen foundational counting and subtraction skills.\r\nAs we move into the next phase of our learning, my students will begin applying these skills to real-world problems, such as simple measurements and graphing classroom data. Their confidence has grown tremendously, and they now see themselves as true mathematicians—curious, capable, and creative.\r\nThank you for believing in my students and for giving them the tools to experience the joy of math every day. Your generosity continues to make a lasting impact in our bilingual classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1746785865090,"projectUrl":"project/math-magic-building-strong-foundations/9107854/","projectTitle":"Math Magic: Building Strong Foundations for Young Mathematicians in Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Perez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9920809_orig.jpg?crop=1024,1024,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1746929816641","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nanperez"},{"teacherId":9906075,"projectId":9078255,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous donations, our classroom received new headphones and water bottles that are already making a big difference for my students every day!\r\n\r\nThe headphones have transformed our independent learning time. My students now focus better during online reading and math lessons because they can clearly hear the instructions without distractions. They feel so proud to have their own pair, it gives them a sense of responsibility and ownership during our technology rotations. Many of my bilingual learners especially enjoy using them for listening activities that help build English and Spanish vocabulary.\r\n\r\nThe water bottles have been just as impactful! Staying hydrated helps my students stay alert and ready to learn throughout the day, and having their own bottles has cut down on classroom interruptions for water breaks. They also love decorating them with stickers to make them their own, a small but meaningful way to build classroom community.\r\n\r\nThank you for supporting our classroom in such a practical and meaningful way. Your kindness continues to make a lasting impact on our daily learning and success!","fullyFundedDate":1742320452216,"projectUrl":"project/new-teacher/9078255/","projectTitle":"New Teacher","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gallegos","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9906075_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755267044379","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9906075"},{"teacherId":9933233,"projectId":9136656,"letterContent":"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for your generous support of our classroom through Donors Choose. Because of you, my students received much-needed resources that have already made a meaningful impact on their learning experience.\r\n\r\nWe've been putting the new materials to great use. Recently, we used one of the Lakeshore comprehension games to review our lessons about text structures. My fifth-grade babies collaborated, problem-solved, and were truly engaged while they played. One of my favorite moments was seeing a typically quiet student read the comprehension story to his team with confidence. His teammates were supportive and chimed in to help him read the more difficult words. They also worked together to model their thought process before settling on an answer. These are the kinds of moments that remind me why this work is so important.\r\n\r\nThank you for being a part of our classroom story. Your generosity has given my students the resources they need to be successful and have fun while learning.","fullyFundedDate":1747661758306,"projectUrl":"project/put-where/9136656/","projectTitle":"Put Where?","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hopkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9933233"},{"teacherId":9921443,"projectId":9109135,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation! The new kindergarten centers have truly transformed our classroom. When the students first saw the materials, they were so excited; they clapped, cheered, and even shouted, \"I love school!\" and \"You're the best teacher!\" Their response amazed me and allowed me to see that this was truly needed.\r\n\r\nWe are using these centers daily, and they've made our learning stations more engaging and interactive. Next, we're focusing on small group work to build confident, fluent readers utilizing the knowledge that they have obtained from these centers and your generous donation. I can't wait to see the love of learning, we've created in these students together, continue to develop. Thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1750732283643,"projectUrl":"project/centers-that-shine-to-help-kinder-minds/9109135/","projectTitle":"Centers That Shine, to Help Kinder Minds!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Sneed","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9921443"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_18297","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":353,"numTeachers":27,"percentFrplEligible":86,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":17,"percentWhite":5,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":64,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"13.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR District Record","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":64.7,"schoolId":18297,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Albert C. Black STEAM Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Albert C. Black STEAM Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/texas/dallas-independent-school-district/w-w-bushman-elementary-school/18297"}