{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Walnut Grove High School","outOfStateSupporters":32.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10234489,"letterContent":"Our new JBL speakers are helping make our sectionals more focused, efficient, and productive. Students use the speakers to play metronomes while practicing difficult passages, helping them develop a steady sense of tempo and improve their ability to play together. We also use them to play tuning drones, which give students a consistent pitch to listen to while adjusting their instruments. This helps students develop their ears and understand intonation rather than simply relying on a tuner to tell them whether they are in tune.\r\n\r\nThe students are most excited about having a reliable speaker that allows them to practice like a professional ensemble. They can hear the metronome or drone clearly while playing, which makes it much easier to stay together and hear how their individual sound fits into the group. It has also made sectional rehearsals more independent because students can keep working while the director moves between groups to provide individual feedback.\r\n\r\nOur students who are especially enjoying the new technology are our section leaders and students who regularly lead small-group rehearsals. They have quickly learned how to use the speakers with metronomes and tuning drones and have taken ownership of helping their sections practice effectively. This technology is giving our students another tool to become more independent musicians while making our limited sectional time more productive.","fullyFundedDate":1787320604992,"projectUrl":"project/sounding-better-together/10234489/","projectTitle":"Sounding Better Together","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10462311,"letterContent":"Our new marching bass drum practice pads have quickly become an important part of our students' daily practice! Our bass drum students are using the pads to work on rhythms, timing, sticking, dynamics, and ensemble coordination without needing to have a full marching bass drum available for every practice session. This has been especially helpful during sectionals, when students can work independently or in small groups while still developing the skills they need for the field.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new practice pads, they were excited to have another way to practice outside of full-band rehearsal. They immediately wanted to try them out and see how much they could accomplish. The pads have given our percussionists more opportunities to practice efficiently and have helped them understand that improvement happens through consistent, focused practice.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to continue preparing our marching percussion section for upcoming rehearsals and performances. Students are working toward playing with greater consistency, precision, and confidence as we clean our show and put the finishing touches on our musical and visual performance. These practice pads will allow our bass drum students to continue building their skills both inside and outside of full-band rehearsal. We are so grateful to our donors for giving our percussionists the tools they need to practice, improve, and perform at their best!","fullyFundedDate":1787320450891,"projectUrl":"project/marching-to-excellence-practice-pads-fo/10462311/","projectTitle":"Marching to Excellence: Practice Pads for Percussionists","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10462324,"letterContent":"Our new reeds, oils, and greases have already made a noticeable difference in our band classroom! Students are using these supplies every day to keep their instruments in good playing condition. Woodwind students have been able to replace worn or broken reeds, while our brass players are using valve oils and slide grease to keep their instruments working properly. Instead of sitting out because of a small equipment issue, students are able to make the necessary adjustment and get right back to making music.\r\n\r\nThe students were especially excited to see that these supplies were available for them to use. For many students, something as simple as a broken reed or a stuck slide can bring rehearsal to a halt. Having these materials readily available has given them more independence and has taught them that proper instrument maintenance is an important part of being a musician.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to continue preparing for upcoming performances while strengthening our students' fundamentals. Students are working on tone quality, intonation, balance, and musical expression, and having properly functioning instruments allows us to focus on those skills rather than equipment problems. We are incredibly grateful to our donors for providing these essential supplies and helping our students stay prepared, confident, and ready to play!","fullyFundedDate":1787320482104,"projectUrl":"project/keep-the-music-playing-essential-suppli/10462324/","projectTitle":"Keep the Music Playing: Essential Supplies for Our Band Students!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10471614,"letterContent":"Our new mallet bags are being used to keep our vibraphone mallets organized, protected, and easily accessible during rehearsals. Instead of searching for loose mallets or worrying about them getting damaged, students can quickly find the correct mallets for the music we are rehearsing. This has made our percussion setup much more organized and has helped students take greater responsibility for caring for our instruments and equipment.\r\n\r\nThe students were excited to finally have a proper place to store and organize our vibraphone mallets! Our percussionists immediately began organizing their mallets and talking about how much easier it would be to find what they needed during rehearsal. They were proud to have equipment that helps keep our percussion area neat and professional.\r\n\r\nOur percussionists will continue using the mallet bags throughout the year as we prepare concert repertoire that features the vibraphone and other mallet instruments. Our next goal is to build stronger mallet technique, improve tone quality and musical expression, and become more independent in selecting and caring for the equipment needed for each piece. These mallet bags will help our students stay organized while developing the habits of professional musicians.","fullyFundedDate":1787320488237,"projectUrl":"project/ready-to-play-storage-bags-for-our-mall/10471614/","projectTitle":"Ready to Play: Storage Bags for Our Mallets","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10479278,"letterContent":"Our new gong stand has already made a huge difference in our concert band classroom! The new stand is better suited to the height of our high school students, making it easier and more comfortable for students to perform on the gong with proper technique.\r\n\r\nOne of the biggest benefits is that we can now keep our older gong stand dedicated to marching band. Previously, we had to break down the gong stand, transport it nearly half a mile to the marching field, set it up, and then repeat the process twice a day. Now, our students can spend that time rehearsing and making music instead of moving equipment!\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new stand, they were excited to finally have equipment that was designed with them in mind. They immediately noticed how much more comfortable the height was and were eager to put it to use.\r\n\r\nAs we continue preparing our concert band music, students are using the gong to explore tone color, dynamics, entrances, and expressive playing. Our next step is to incorporate more auxiliary percussion into our current repertoire and help students understand how these instruments can add depth, emotion, and excitement to an ensemble performance.\r\n\r\nThis project has given our students better equipment while also making our daily rehearsals more efficient. We are incredibly grateful to our donors for investing in our musicians and helping us spend more time doing what we love—making music!","fullyFundedDate":1787320592896,"projectUrl":"project/going-going-gong/10479278/","projectTitle":"Going, Going, Gong!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10174107,"letterContent":"hank you so much for providing our students with an assortment of wood blocks and a slapstick! These new percussion instruments have already brought so much excitement and energy into our classroom.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new instruments, they were immediately curious and eager to try them. We have been using the wood blocks and slapstick to explore different timbres, rhythms, and dynamics. Students are learning how the way they strike an instrument can completely change the sound and character of a musical passage.\r\n\r\nOne of our favorite moments was using the new instruments in a classroom percussion activity where students performed layered rhythmic patterns. They had to listen carefully to one another, maintain a steady pulse, and decide when their sounds would best fit into the overall musical texture. The slapstick was especially exciting—it definitely got everyone's attention!\r\n\r\nOur next step is to continue incorporating these instruments into our ensemble rehearsals and rhythm activities. Students will experiment with creating and performing their own rhythmic patterns and will eventually use the instruments to add expressive effects to our music. These resources give our students more opportunities to be creative while developing important skills in rhythm, listening, teamwork, and musicianship.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our students and helping us provide them with a richer, more engaging music education. Your generosity makes a real difference in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1784727934546,"projectUrl":"project/help-our-percussion-section-play-auxilia/10174107/","projectTitle":"Help Our Percussion Section Play Auxiliary Instruments!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10174079,"letterContent":"Our students are using the new tenor practice pad to build the fundamentals they need to become stronger and more confident percussionists. Instead of always needing to be on the full marching drums, students can now work on sticking patterns, rudiments, timing, and difficult sections of music during class and individual practice time.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new tenor practice pad, they were excited to finally have an opportunity to practice tenor-specific techniques without needing to use one of our full-size marching instruments. Students immediately wanted to try out patterns from our current marching show and began challenging themselves to play faster and more accurately.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to continue using the practice pad as we prepare and clean our marching percussion music. Students will work on consistency, endurance, and precision while breaking difficult passages into smaller sections. As they improve, we will transfer those skills onto the full marching tenors and work toward performing with greater confidence, accuracy, and musicality on the field. These new resources are giving our students more opportunities to practice the right way, and we are incredibly grateful to the donors who made that possible!","fullyFundedDate":1785270187120,"projectUrl":"project/let-our-percussionists-practice/10174079/","projectTitle":"Let Our Percussionists Practice!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10234524,"letterContent":"My students are using the new rain sticks, cabasas, and ratchets as part of our auxiliary percussion studies. These instruments give students the opportunity to explore new sounds, textures, and musical effects that they may not have had access to before. During a recent class activity, students experimented with how each instrument could create different moods and sound effects while working together as an ensemble. It was exciting to see them listen to one another and discover creative ways to incorporate these instruments into music.\r\nThe students were immediately excited and curious! Many of them had never had the opportunity to play these instruments, so they wanted to pick them up and explore the different sounds right away. They were especially interested in the rain stick and ratchet because of the unique sounds they create. Their excitement quickly turned into focused experimentation as they learned how technique can change the sound of each instrument.\r\nOur next step is to incorporate these instruments into our ensemble repertoire and percussion activities. Students will practice proper playing techniques, learn how to follow musical cues, and determine when each instrument can best enhance a piece of music. They will also work on listening and ensemble skills as they blend these new sounds with the rest of the band. These instruments will give our students more opportunities to be creative musicians while expanding their understanding of percussion and musical expression.","fullyFundedDate":1778007519364,"projectUrl":"project/small-tools-big-sound-supporting-our-p/10234524/","projectTitle":"Small Tools, Big Sound: Supporting Our Percussion Section","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":10023578,"letterContent":"The speakers and metronomes are giving students a much stronger sense of rhythm, timing, and ensemble awareness. During sectionals, the speakers allow students to hear their parts and reference recordings more clearly, while the metronomes help them develop a steady internal pulse. It gives us a consistent tool for practicing together and helps students become more independent musicians.\r\n\r\nThey're excited that it makes rehearsal feel more engaging and professional. The ability to hear music clearly and practice with a metronome gives them immediate feedback, and they really enjoy being able to hear how their individual parts fit into the larger ensemble.\r\n\r\nStudents who sometimes struggle with rhythm or staying with the ensemble have especially benefited. The metronomes give them something concrete to follow, which builds confidence. I've also seen students who are naturally more technology-oriented take ownership of the equipment and use it independently, which is exciting because they're finding new ways to improve their own playing.","fullyFundedDate":1774922270469,"projectUrl":"project/turn-up-the-tempo/10023578/","projectTitle":"Turn Up the Tempo!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":9821766,"projectId":9887989,"letterContent":"Adding iPads and Velocity-Based Training (VBT) technology to our weight room has transformed it from a traditional training space into a dynamic learning environment where students are actively engaged in their own development. With VBT, students receive immediate feedback on the speed of each lift, allowing them to understand not just how much weight they are moving, but how effectively they are moving it. The iPads display this information in real time, helping students see whether they are training in the correct performance zone and reinforcing the importance of intent behind every repetition. Instead of simply completing a workout, students are learning to focus on power, effort, and execution. This technology helps them understand that strength training is not only about lifting heavier weights, but about developing the ability to move with purpose and efficiency.\r\n\r\nThe use of technology also increases student engagement by making training interactive and measurable. Each lift provides instant data, which turns every workout into an opportunity for students to challenge themselves. They can track their performance over time, compare results with teammates, and strive to improve their personal bests. This creates a healthy culture of daily competition where students are motivated to give their best effort because they can immediately see the results of their work. Importantly, the system allows every student to compete regardless of their current strength level. A student who may not lift the most weight can still excel by producing greater speed or improving their personal numbers, giving all students a meaningful way to participate and succeed.\r\n\r\nBeyond physical development, this technology supports student growth in areas that extend far outside the weight room. Students begin to think critically about their performance by analyzing their data, understanding how effort influences results, and adjusting their approach to training. The weight room becomes another classroom where students learn accountability, discipline, and a growth mindset. They begin to take ownership of their progress and recognize that improvement comes through consistent, intentional effort. Because of investments like the iPads and VBT systems, our students are not just lifting weights—they are developing confidence, learning to set goals, and building habits that will support their success both in athletics and in life.","fullyFundedDate":1766154948122,"projectUrl":"project/lifting-with-a-purpose/9887989/","projectTitle":"Lifting with a Purpose","teacherDisplayName":"Coach Carrafa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9821766_orig.jpg?crop=320,320,x0,y35&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1733413092763","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9821766"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":9957328,"letterContent":"My students have already begun using the new tambourine in our percussion class as we work on developing proper auxiliary percussion technique. One specific moment that stood out was when we introduced different tambourine playing styles—such as thumb rolls, shake techniques, and controlled accents—to match different musical styles. Instead of simply talking about these techniques, students were able to immediately apply them in short rhythm exercises and ensemble excerpts. This allowed them to better understand how auxiliary percussion contributes to the color and character of a piece of music.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new instrument, they were excited to have something new to explore. Many of them had only seen tambourine used occasionally in performances but had never had the opportunity to really study how to play it correctly. Their curiosity quickly turned into focused learning as they experimented with different sounds and techniques and realized how much control and musicality the instrument requires.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue incorporating auxiliary percussion into our daily rehearsals and percussion ensemble work. Students will begin applying these techniques to concert band literature so they can understand how the tambourine enhances the full ensemble sound. As we prepare for upcoming performances, they will be responsible for selecting the most appropriate techniques to match the style of each piece, helping them grow not only as percussionists but as thoughtful and musical performers.","fullyFundedDate":1769177035355,"projectUrl":"project/help-our-band-get-our-groove-on/9957328/","projectTitle":"Help Our Band Get Our Groove On!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"},{"teacherId":8723789,"projectId":9957287,"letterContent":"The new mallet bags have made a big difference in helping our percussion students stay organized and prepared for class each day. Students now keep their mallets stored safely in their own bags, which allows them to move quickly between instruments during rehearsals and keep track of the equipment they are responsible for. One memorable moment came during a percussion sectional when students were working on a multi-percussion exercise that required them to rotate between marimba, snare drum, and auxiliary instruments. Because their mallets were organized and easy to access, the transition between instruments was smooth and the rehearsal time was much more productive.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the mallet bags, they were genuinely excited. Many of them had previously carried loose mallets or shared them with others, so having a dedicated place to store and protect their equipment made them feel more prepared and responsible as musicians. It also helped them take pride in caring for the tools they use every day.\r\n\r\nNext, students will continue using their mallet bags as we work on percussion ensemble exercises and prepare music for upcoming performances. They will be selecting the correct mallets for different instruments and learning how equipment choice affects tone and articulation. This project has not only helped students stay organized but has also allowed us to spend more rehearsal time focused on music-making and developing stronger percussion skills.","fullyFundedDate":1765966965163,"projectUrl":"project/enhancing-percussion-education-through-p/9957287/","projectTitle":"Enhancing Percussion Education Through Protective Mallet Storage Solutions","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Merck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8723789"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_98235","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1531,"numTeachers":78,"percentFrplEligible":60,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":15,"percentWhite":68,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":11,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":3,"gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"19.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":67.6,"schoolId":98235,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Walnut Grove High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Walnut Grove High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/georgia/walton-county-school-district/walnut-grove-high-school/98235"}