Adams Elementary School in Costa Mesa, California on DonorsChoose

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When working in small groups, advanced students are excited to wheel the easel to their own corner and use it to lead their independent work. The materials didn't just add furniture; they signaled a new, exciting way to learn.\r\n Our next step in the reading curriculum is transitioning to collaborative book studies. The rug area and easel will be crucial for this, as it allows our reading support and special education teachers to easily pull small groups and conduct targeted instruction right alongside the main lesson without disruption. They can use the easel to model reading strategies in real time.\r\n Furthermore, students are using the easel to create and present their own \"Thinking Maps\" for our upcoming science unit on space. Moving the learning off the desks and onto the easel helps students share their ideas in an exciting, whole-group presentation format.","fullyFundedDate":1757016418058,"projectUrl":"project/easel-up-dynamic-learning-for-my-3rd-gr/9456950/","projectTitle":"Easel Up! Dynamic Learning for My 3rd Graders","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mulholland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9599330_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y656&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721378093782","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9599330"},{"teacherId":10036642,"projectId":9358858,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for generously providing the snacks and supplies for my classroom. The students have truly benefitted from your kindness and support. Having snacks available has made a huge difference—when students feel hungry in the morning or throughout the day, I can offer them something to eat, helping them recharge and refocus on their learning. The supplies have also supported our daily lessons and creative projects, making learning more engaging and enjoyable. I sincerely appreciate your generosity and commitment to helping teachers and students succeed. This project has had such a positive impact on my classroom, and I am so grateful for your continued support!","fullyFundedDate":1757016395257,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-young-minds/9358858/","projectTitle":"Fueling Young Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Nunez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10036642_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1747286932476","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10036642"},{"teacherId":9353512,"projectId":9455042,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity and support! Your thoughtful donation of sensory bin items and birthday celebration supplies means the world to us. These resources bring joy, comfort, and excitement to our classroom, and help create a more engaging and inclusive environment for every student.\r\n\r\nOur students especially love the kinetic sand! It has quickly become a favorite activity, they enjoy squishing, shaping, and playing with it during sensory time. It's not just fun, it helps them relax, focus, and express their creativity in such a meaningful way.\r\n\r\nThanks to your support, our birthday celebrations are also more special than ever. Each child now gets to feel seen, valued, and celebrated on their special day, which brings so much happiness to our classroom.\r\n\r\nYour kindness is making a real difference, and we are truly grateful to have you as part of our community.","fullyFundedDate":1756920410448,"projectUrl":"project/sensory-surprises/9455042/","projectTitle":"Sensory & Surprises","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Votendahl","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9353512_orig.jpg?crop=1284,1284,x1331,y58&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699244187872","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9353512"},{"teacherId":9353512,"projectId":9315840,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations!\r\n\r\nThe number and alphabet puzzles have been a wonderful addition to our classroom. They are helping students learn numbers and letters through play, often without even realizing they are learning. 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About this school

Adams Elementary School is an urban public school in Costa Mesa, California that is part of Newport Mesa Unified School District. It serves 326 students in grades Pre-K - 6 with a student/teacher ratio of 16.3:1. Its teachers have had 47 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades Pre-K - 6

326 Students

20 Teachers

2850 Club House Rd

Costa Mesa, CA 92626 View local requests

http://www.nmusd.us

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Adams Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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Adams Elementary School Demographics

61%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

79%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Adams Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.