{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Jefferson Leadership Academy","outOfStateSupporters":17.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5018892,"projectId":9699758,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping bring Strawbees into our 7th and 8th grade robotics classes at Jefferson Leadership Academies. Even within the first two months of use, these materials have already made a clear impact on how students engage with engineering and hands-on learning. When students first saw the Strawbees kits, their reactions ranged from curiosity to excitement. Many immediately started experimenting, asking questions, and testing simple ideas. Several students said they liked that there was no single \"right way\" to build, which helped them feel more comfortable jumping in and trying.\r\n\r\nIn class, students are using Strawbees to design and build basic structures such as towers, bridges, and geometric shapes. At first, many students struggled with choosing the correct connectors or figuring out how to make their structures stable. Instead of getting frustrated, they worked through those challenges by testing, adjusting, and rebuilding. Over time, we saw noticeable growth in their patience, collaboration, and confidence. Students began sharing strategies with one another and taking pride in improving their designs, even when their first attempts did not work.\r\n\r\nAs we continue using Strawbees, our next steps are to deepen students' understanding of structure, balance, and design before moving into more complex robotics work later in the year. These first two months have laid an important foundation for problem-solving and creative thinking. Your support has given our students a meaningful, hands-on way to explore engineering at their own pace, and it has made our robotics classroom a place of curiosity, teamwork, and persistence. Thank you for making this experience possible.","fullyFundedDate":1758223054124,"projectUrl":"project/building-future-engineers-with-strawbees/9699758/","projectTitle":"Building Future Engineers With Strawbees","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Curry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5018892_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1522017011021","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5018892"},{"teacherId":5656217,"projectId":9059834,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping to create a calm space for my students during testing season. They are able to come to my class, enjoy a snack, and work on their embroidery projects. My students expressed feeling relaxed and relieved when they come to our class. One student said, \"I love this class. Right when I walk in the door, I can feel my body relax.\" That is exactly what I was hoping for and you helped to make that possible. \r\n\r\nMy students were so excited to start their embroidery projects. Most of them had never tried embroidery, so it was a new and fun experience. Some students also took their embroidery projects home and were able to connect with family members who love to embroider. \r\n\r\nIn addition, my students are learning to slow down, pay attention to detail, and be patient with themselves through the embroidery project. It takes time to create something beautiful and they are gaining that experience. I am looking forward to seeing the finished projects. Thank you, again, for your generosity, and a special shout out to Ripple for doubling our donations.","fullyFundedDate":1746509866224,"projectUrl":"project/spread-your-wings-and-relax/9059834/","projectTitle":"Spread Your Wings and Relax!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Liza","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5656217_orig.jpg?crop=766,766,x675,y423&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1599835422061","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mslizagesuden"},{"teacherId":9801319,"projectId":8872618,"letterContent":"Song For A Whale is our first opportunity to do a novel study with our unit. The topic is animal allies and is a big hit with the students. Though we are only two chapters into the novel, the students have a piqued interest in the intersection of the relationship between humans and animals, science and technology, disability culture, and educational advocacy efforts. Students have been eager to talk about what we have read and learned -- from opinions about how Iris, the whale became deaf (secret military underwater bomb explosions to cargo ship accidents) and why Iris, the whale beached herself and died (oil spill illness to lost from her pod); from learning the barriers to language and the interpretation of language through the communication style of Iris, the narrator who is deaf; and thoughts about the plot. We have discussed foreshadowing, symbolism, and character traits to make reasoned predictions about what is next. \r\n\r\nThe second chapter had us watch a video about the three different schooling options for people who are deaf. Students learned that the options are Schools for the Deaf, where American Sign Language (ASL) is used exclusively to teach and learn. Mainstreaming schools, where students who are deaf have an interpreter to assist them alongside their hearing peers. And last, Oral Programing where the person who is deaf is expected to read lips. The students learned not only about the options, but also how to use ASL to sign the type of schooling. Unanimously, the students knew that Iris, the narrator was mainstreamed in a general education class at her middle school because she was the only deaf student and had an interpreter. At this point, they began to understand Iris's frustration about being misunderstood. They were able to infer many character traits about Iris, the narrator. This understanding is shown in a One Pager activity in which students were given the ASL alphabet and had to think of a word or phrase that captured the big idea of the second chapter (see photos). Students were able to connect many complex issues regarding inclusive education for people with disabilities compared to segregated education especially concerning people who are deaf. When my co-teacher, an education specialist, was facilitating the assignment with me, she commented that she was thrilled that the students were so engaged in trying ASL and also empathetic to the importance of Deaf culture. \r\n\r\nThis chapter leads to upcoming investigations of sound waves and whale songs. One symbol in chapter two is a radio. Iris, the narrator was distracting herself in class by reading a magazine about old radios. Students made inferences about Iris's interest in radios because she cannot hear. Moving forward with the novel we will have thoughtful discussions about the science of sound waves, the technology of cochlear implants, whale songs, and music for the deaf.\r\n\r\nThis experience with the novel across content areas is growing us as students. Our graduate portrait suggests that our students become resilient, mindful, and thriving self-advocates, ethical problem solvers, and equity and inclusion leaders. The novel suggests we \"make waves about something.\" This pun or play on words characterizes Iris, the narrator, and the graduate portrait traits. I am excited to study the novel in its entirety to realize the resolutions of my students. Like every hero who undertakes a call to adventure, they will have learned from their experience and changed. \r\n\r\nWe appreciate all you have done to make this novel study come to life.","fullyFundedDate":1729052332647,"projectUrl":"project/animal-allies/8872618/","projectTitle":"Animal Allies","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. McCabe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9801319"},{"teacherId":5656217,"projectId":8748846,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation. My students were so happy to have snacks that they could enjoy on our Wellness Wednesdays. We've been learning about self-care, community care, and the different ways to be well. The snacks have definitely provided physical nourishment. \r\n\r\nIt seems like the snacks are a small thing, but for many students, it represents care because the snacks are something tangible. They often arrive to class hungry, so being able to meet that need means so much. For students who do not eat throughout the day, the snacks provided an energy boost they need to get through the rest of the day. \r\n\r\nThe snacks you provided made our Wellness Wednesday complete. We appreciate your support.","fullyFundedDate":1726769374466,"projectUrl":"project/wholesome-snacks-for-wellness-wednesdays/8748846/","projectTitle":"Wholesome Snacks for Wellness Wednesdays","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Liza","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5656217_orig.jpg?crop=766,766,x675,y423&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1599835422061","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mslizagesuden"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_27451","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1005,"numTeachers":38,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":9,"percentBlack":16,"percentWhite":3,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":66,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 9","studentTeacherRatio":"26.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":82.9,"schoolId":27451,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Jefferson Leadership Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Jefferson Leadership Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/long-beach-unified-school-district/jefferson-leadership-academy/27451"}