{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Washington Elementary STEM Magnet School","outOfStateSupporters":37.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":1033652,"projectId":9995659,"letterContent":"Having access to a carpet cleaner has a meaningful impact on maintaining a safe, healthy, and flexible learning environment in the classroom. In our third-grade classroom, the carpet is not simply a floor covering; it is an active instructional space where students gather for lessons, collaborate with peers, read independently, and sometimes stretch out while working through ideas. Because students regularly sit, kneel, and lie on the carpet as part of their learning, keeping this shared space clean and sanitized is essential for both comfort and well-being. Being able to quickly and effectively clean the carpet allows our classroom routines to continue without disruption while ensuring that students are learning in a space that feels cared for and respected.\r\n\r\nThe carpet is also a central part of our choice seating model, which allows students to move, adjust their posture, and select the environment that helps them focus best. Many students benefit from the opportunity to spread out materials, work in a relaxed position, or collaborate closely with classmates on the carpet. With daily use and changes in weather bringing additional dirt and wear, routine cleaning becomes necessary to keep this high-use area inviting and accessible. Having a carpet cleaner makes it possible to proactively maintain this important learning space, supporting student comfort, health, and engagement. I am truly grateful for this resource, as it helps preserve a flexible classroom environment where students feel safe, valued, and ready to fully participate in their learning.","fullyFundedDate":1770090133504,"projectUrl":"project/clean-carpets-for-flexible-seating/9995659/","projectTitle":"Clean Carpets for Flexible Seating","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mickelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1033652_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1611008422473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmickelson"},{"teacherId":1033652,"projectId":10010090,"letterContent":"Providing simple snacks in the classroom—such as pretzels, cookies, fruit or vegetable packs, and yogurt pouches—can have a meaningful impact on students' ability to learn and feel secure at school. In a third-grade classroom, not every student arrives with a snack from home, and some students need a little extra nourishment to make it through the morning or afternoon. Having a small supply of individual snacks available ensures that students who are hungry are able to meet this basic need quickly and quietly. When students know that food is available if they need it, it reduces worry and distraction, allowing them to focus more fully on the academic tasks at hand. Offering familiar, easy-to-eat snacks also communicates that their well-being matters and that the classroom is a place where adults notice and respond to their needs.\r\n\r\nThese snacks play an important role in sustaining students until the next scheduled break or meal. A small, consistent snack can significantly support students' energy levels, mood, and ability to self-regulate, all of which directly impact their participation and engagement in learning. When students are not distracted by hunger, they are better able to collaborate with peers, persist through challenging work, and remain focused during lessons. Providing snacks therefore supports more than just physical needs; it strengthens students' sense of belonging and emotional security in the classroom. By addressing this basic need with care and consistency, the classroom becomes a space where students feel valued, supported, and ready to learn.","fullyFundedDate":1770090132418,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-for-the-classroom/10010090/","projectTitle":"Snacks for the Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mickelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1033652_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1611008422473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmickelson"},{"teacherId":1033652,"projectId":10094706,"letterContent":"Simple classroom supplies such as Ziploc bags, page protectors, highlighters, and small incentives like PEZ candy may seem ordinary, but they play a meaningful role in shaping the learning environment in a third-grade classroom. These materials support organization, accessibility, and active participation, which allows students to focus more fully on their learning. Ziploc bags keep manipulatives, vocabulary cards, and reading materials organized so that students can easily retrieve and care for their tools. Page protectors allow recording sheets to be reused with dry-erase markers, giving students multiple opportunities to practice skills while also promoting sustainability and thoughtful use of resources. Highlighters help students engage more deeply with text during close reading by visually identifying main ideas, key details, and important vocabulary. Together, these materials support structure and independence, helping students build strong academic habits.\r\n\r\nI am especially grateful for these simple tools because of the positive impact they have on student learning and classroom culture. When materials are organized and accessible, students feel more confident managing their own learning and taking responsibility for their work. Small rewards such as PEZ candy also contribute to a supportive classroom environment by recognizing effort, perseverance, and growth. Celebrating these moments—whether a student meets a personal goal, demonstrates kindness, or shows leadership—reinforces the values we strive to build as a community of learners. These simple resources, though small in nature, help create a classroom where students feel encouraged, motivated, and proud of their progress.","fullyFundedDate":1772038809539,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-basics/10094706/","projectTitle":"Classroom Basics","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mickelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1033652_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1611008422473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmickelson"},{"teacherId":3622595,"projectId":9937611,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping support my students' daily morning snack time. Many students do not have breakfast at home or do not bring their own snack and they depend on school to provide a snack for them. Being able to provide a morning snack helps them get through the morning until their lunch time. They really look forward to having a little nibble before running off to play at recess. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and we deeply appreciate your kindness and the positive impact it has on our young learners.","fullyFundedDate":1764684522514,"projectUrl":"project/snack-time/9937611/","projectTitle":"Snack Time!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Y. Trujillo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3622595"},{"teacherId":1033652,"projectId":9970851,"letterContent":"Launching a classroom podcast transforms our learning environment into a space where language and math come alive through authentic purpose. As students plan, script, and record episodes, they strengthen foundational language skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. They must organize their thoughts clearly, use precise academic vocabulary, revise for clarity, and practice fluent oral expression. Explaining science investigations aloud requires them to sequence events, describe cause and effect, and support their ideas with evidence—deepening comprehension and expressive language skills. At the same time, the project strengthens concrete math learning as students measure materials during experiments, track data, calculate time limits for episodes, interpret results, and apply real-world problem solving. The podcast planning book adds structure for organizing ideas, estimating recording length, and analyzing patterns in data, reinforcing math standards in meaningful and applied ways.\r\n\r\nBeyond academic growth, this project cultivates essential soft skills that elevate the entire classroom community. Students develop confidence as they share their voices publicly, collaboration as they work in production roles, and responsibility as they manage equipment and meet recording deadlines. Taking on roles such as host, interviewer, or sound technician promotes leadership, accountability, and teamwork. Responding to peer questions and reflecting on feedback strengthens critical thinking, empathy, and communication. Because the podcast is student-driven and inquiry-based, it nurtures curiosity and ownership, empowering students to see themselves as capable thinkers and contributors. Over time, the podcast becomes more than a project—it becomes a culture-building experience that blends academic rigor with creativity, voice, and real-world relevance.","fullyFundedDate":1767223027195,"projectUrl":"project/podcast-in-the-classroom/9970851/","projectTitle":"Podcast in the Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mickelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1033652_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1611008422473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmickelson"},{"teacherId":4400442,"projectId":9941566,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and making it possible for each of my students to receive a personal winter supply kit. Your generosity is already having a meaningful impact as we move into the colder, drier months.\r\n\r\nEach student now has their own set of essential items, including individual tissue packs, chapstick, hand cream, and gloves. These supplies help my students stay comfortable and healthy throughout the school day. Winter weather can be especially tough on children's skin, particularly around the mouth. When lips become dry, many students instinctively lick them, which often leads to painful chapping and irritation—the familiar \"lip ring\" many children experience.\r\n\r\nBefore this project, students often lacked the tools to care for these issues, creating an ongoing cycle of discomfort that distracted from learning. Because of you, my students are now empowered to take care of themselves quickly and safely. Having their own personal kits promotes independence, dignity, and comfort, allowing them to stay focused and ready to learn.\r\n\r\nThank you for providing such thoughtful and practical support to my students. Your kindness has made a real difference in their daily school experience, and we are truly grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1765058813893,"projectUrl":"project/keeping-our-students-warm-and-ready-to-l/9941566/","projectTitle":"Keeping Our Students Warm and Ready to Learn This Winter","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Machuca-Evans","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4400442_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1491277787783","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmachucaevans"},{"teacherId":4400442,"projectId":9899070,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and making it possible for every one of my 2nd-grade students to receive a rain poncho. Your generosity had an immediate and meaningful impact on my students.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, my students were able to stay dry, comfortable, and included on rainy days. Instead of worrying about getting soaked, they can focus on learning and enjoying their day at school. For many of my students, having their own poncho helped them feel prepared and cared for—and they were so excited to use them.\r\n\r\nYour support removed a small but important barrier for my students, and it truly made a difference in their school experience. Thank you for believing in our classroom and for showing my students that there are people who care about their well-being.\r\n\r\n\r\n2nd Grade Teacher","fullyFundedDate":1763484346665,"projectUrl":"project/stay-dry-stay-learning/9899070/","projectTitle":"Stay Dry, Stay Learning!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Machuca-Evans","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4400442_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1491277787783","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmachucaevans"},{"teacherId":4402599,"projectId":9273326,"letterContent":"Sorry for the delayed response. Your support allowed the students to continue learning even if they forgot their Chromebook at home or it was not charged. With these extra Chromebooks I was allowed to assign individual work as well as partner work. I was also able to assign review work as well as challenging work. I have noticed that the shy students look forward to working on the Chromebooks. The Chromebooks have also helped me reach my non English speaking students as well as my fluent English speaking students. In addition to learning the students are also able to use their Chromebooks for Fun Friday.","fullyFundedDate":1750710558199,"projectUrl":"project/no-chromebook-no-problem/9273326/","projectTitle":"No Chromebook, no problem","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Renteria","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4402599"},{"teacherId":1033652,"projectId":9940386,"letterContent":"After many years in the classroom, I have learned that the most powerful learning happens when students can actively engage, experiment, and make sense of ideas for themselves. The Micro:bit robot car kits do exactly that. Rather than using technology only as a screen-based tool, students are building, coding, testing, and revising in real time. As they program the robot's movements, lights, sounds, and sensors, they develop a concrete understanding of how technology functions in the real world. The learning is purposeful and collaborative—students naturally talk through problems, troubleshoot together, and persist when something doesn't work the first time.\r\n\r\nWhat excites students most is the immediate feedback and sense of ownership. They quickly see how small changes in their code produce real results, which builds confidence and curiosity. The clear, step-by-step entry points allow all students to experience early success, while the open-ended nature of the kits encourages deeper exploration. Even after the initial novelty wears off, students remain engaged because there is always something new to test, improve, or redesign. As a teacher, it is deeply rewarding to watch students move from following directions to independently experimenting and problem-solving.\r\n\r\nOver time, I have also seen how this technology reaches students who may not always thrive with traditional instruction. Hands-on learners, English learners, and students who struggle to express themselves in writing often become leaders during these lessons, explaining their thinking and supporting peers. Because our school emphasizes environmental studies, students are making meaningful connections between robotics and real-world applications in agriculture, conservation, and sustainability. These experiences go beyond a single project or event; they help students see themselves as capable thinkers and innovators.","fullyFundedDate":1766115105554,"projectUrl":"project/robots-using-microbits-for-learning/9940386/","projectTitle":"Robots Using Microbits for Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mickelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1033652_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1611008422473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmickelson"},{"teacherId":1033652,"projectId":9909366,"letterContent":"I am incredibly grateful for the LEGO 3-in-1 Creator sets and classroom LEGO bricks—they have brought so much joy, engagement, and meaningful learning to my students. Using these kits as homework challenge sets has given students a hands-on way to extend their learning beyond the classroom, especially for those who struggle with traditional assignments. One standout moment was watching students excitedly explain how their first build didn't quite work, but after trying again and making adjustments, they were able to problem-solve their way to success. These experiences have strengthened perseverance, spatial reasoning, and flexible thinking in a way that feels empowering and fun for third graders.\r\n\r\nWhen students first saw the LEGO materials, their excitement was immediate and contagious. They were eager to build, rebuild, and share their creations with classmates. With that excitement has also come a real learning opportunity around responsibility. We have faced some challenges ensuring all pieces make their way back to school so the kits can be rotated equitably among students. This has led to thoughtful conversations about teamwork, accountability, and caring for shared resources—important life skills that go hand-in-hand with academic learning. Students are becoming more mindful about checking pieces, organizing kits, and helping one another so everyone has access.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, students will continue rotating through the Creator kits while also participating in open-ended LEGO challenges using bagged classroom bricks. These projects invite students to design original creations—such as inventions that solve a problem—and reflect on their thinking through drawings and short writing pieces.","fullyFundedDate":1764707274452,"projectUrl":"project/lego-challenges/9909366/","projectTitle":"LEGO Challenges","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mickelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1033652_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1611008422473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmickelson"},{"teacherId":1033652,"projectId":9951540,"letterContent":"Our students dove right in with excitement and curiosity, collaborating in pairs to design, build, and program solutions such as auto-irrigation systems for farmland, greenhouse temperature and humidity monitors, artificial lighting for agriculture, farmland protection devices, and warm-temperature detection tools.\r\n\r\nEach student pair selected a theme that interested them most, which led to meaningful engagement, problem-solving, and creativity. As an environmental magnet school, these kits perfectly align with our mission and will support real-world applications around our campus, as well as student submissions to our Innovation Lab. We are incredibly grateful for your support in helping our students see themselves as engineers, environmental stewards, and innovators.","fullyFundedDate":1766115107665,"projectUrl":"project/agriculture-microbit-coding-kits/9951540/","projectTitle":"Agriculture Microbit Coding Kits","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mickelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1033652_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1611008422473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmickelson"},{"teacherId":1033652,"projectId":9933997,"letterContent":"Our students dove right in with excitement and curiosity, collaborating in pairs to design, build, and program solutions such as auto-irrigation systems for farmland, greenhouse temperature and humidity monitors, artificial lighting for agriculture, farmland protection devices, and warm-temperature detection tools.\r\n\r\nEach student pair selected a theme that interested them most, which led to meaningful engagement, problem-solving, and creativity. As an environmental magnet school, these kits perfectly align with our mission and will support real-world applications around our campus, as well as student submissions to our Innovation Lab. We are incredibly grateful for your support in helping our students see themselves as engineers, environmental stewards, and innovators.","fullyFundedDate":1764618709782,"projectUrl":"project/agriculture-microbit-coding-kits/9933997/","projectTitle":"Agriculture Microbit Coding Kits","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mickelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1033652_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1611008422473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kmickelson"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_30332","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":433,"numTeachers":26,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":10,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":82,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"16.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":62.7,"schoolId":30332,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Washington Elementary STEM Magnet School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Washington Elementary STEM Magnet School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/pasadena-unified-school-district/washington-accelerated-school/30332"}