{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Sonora Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":18.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":1848163,"projectId":9914334,"letterContent":"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generous support of our classroom through DonorsChoose. Because of you, our STEAM class has been transformed in ways that are exciting, meaningful, and truly unforgettable for our students. The LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets you provided have already made a powerful impact, and the joy, curiosity, and confidence they have sparked is something we see every single day.\r\n\r\nThe moment the LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets arrived, the energy in our classroom completely shifted. Students could hardly contain their excitement as we unboxed the kits together. Eyes were wide, hands were raised with questions, and smiles filled the room. For many of our students, this was their first experience with advanced LEGO robotics and coding tools. They immediately understood that this was something special—and something that belonged to them. Thanks to you, they felt trusted, capable, and inspired from the very beginning.\r\n\r\nWe wasted no time putting the kits to use. Using the LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets, we launched our Amazing Amusement Park unit, a hands-on STEAM experience that combines engineering, creativity, collaboration, and coding. Students began by building and programming a classic carousel, learning how motors, gears, and code work together to create smooth, controlled movement. Watching their builds come to life was a magical moment. When the carousel spun successfully for the first time, cheers erupted across the room. Students who were once hesitant about coding were suddenly asking, \"Can we make it go faster?\" or \"What if we add lights or change the timing?\"\r\n\r\nThe learning happening through this project goes far beyond building with bricks. Students are developing problem-solving skills, perseverance, and teamwork. When something doesn't work as planned, they don't give up—they debug, test, revise, and try again. They are learning that mistakes are part of the process and that failure is simply a step toward success. These are skills that will stay with them far beyond the STEAM classroom.\r\n\r\nWhat excites our students most is that the carousel is only the beginning. They are already eagerly planning the rest of their amusement park rides—roller coasters, spinning rides, ticket booths, and creative attractions we haven't even imagined yet. The LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets give them the tools and freedom to turn their ideas into reality. Every student feels empowered to contribute, whether through building, coding, designing, or collaborating with their team.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our STEAM class is better than ever. The LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets have elevated student engagement, deepened learning, and created an environment where curiosity thrives. You didn't just donate materials—you invested in our students' creativity, confidence, and future. Your support has shown them that people believe in their ideas and want to see them succeed.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful for your kindness and support. Thank you for making this experience possible and for helping our students discover the joy of learning through STEAM. Your impact will be felt for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1769177633567,"projectUrl":"project/steaming-with-lego-spike-part-2/9914334/","projectTitle":"Steaming With LEGO Spike (part 2)","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Evans","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1848163"},{"teacherId":1848163,"projectId":9757706,"letterContent":"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generous support of our classroom through DonorsChoose. Because of you, our STEAM class has been transformed in ways that are exciting, meaningful, and truly unforgettable for our students. The LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets you provided have already made a powerful impact, and the joy, curiosity, and confidence they have sparked is something we see every single day.\r\n\r\nThe moment the LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets arrived, the energy in our classroom completely shifted. Students could hardly contain their excitement as we unboxed the kits together. Eyes were wide, hands were raised with questions, and smiles filled the room. For many of our students, this was their first experience with advanced LEGO robotics and coding tools. They immediately understood that this was something special—and something that belonged to them. Thanks to you, they felt trusted, capable, and inspired from the very beginning.\r\n\r\nWe wasted no time putting the kits to use. Using the LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets, we launched our Amazing Amusement Park unit, a hands-on STEAM experience that combines engineering, creativity, collaboration, and coding. Students began by building and programming a classic carousel, learning how motors, gears, and code work together to create smooth, controlled movement. Watching their builds come to life was a magical moment. When the carousel spun successfully for the first time, cheers erupted across the room. Students who were once hesitant about coding were suddenly asking, \"Can we make it go faster?\" or \"What if we add lights or change the timing?\"\r\n\r\nThe learning happening through this project goes far beyond building with bricks. Students are developing problem-solving skills, perseverance, and teamwork. When something doesn't work as planned, they don't give up—they debug, test, revise, and try again. They are learning that mistakes are part of the process and that failure is simply a step toward success. These are skills that will stay with them far beyond the STEAM classroom.\r\n\r\nWhat excites our students most is that the carousel is only the beginning. They are already eagerly planning the rest of their amusement park rides—roller coasters, spinning rides, ticket booths, and creative attractions we haven't even imagined yet. The LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets give them the tools and freedom to turn their ideas into reality. Every student feels empowered to contribute, whether through building, coding, designing, or collaborating with their team.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our STEAM class is better than ever. The LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets have elevated student engagement, deepened learning, and created an environment where curiosity thrives. You didn't just donate materials—you invested in our students' creativity, confidence, and future. Your support has shown them that people believe in their ideas and want to see them succeed.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful for your kindness and support. Thank you for making this experience possible and for helping our students discover the joy of learning through STEAM. Your impact will be felt for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1763587418085,"projectUrl":"project/steaming-with-lego-spike/9757706/","projectTitle":"STEAMing With LEGO Spike","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Evans","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1848163"},{"teacherId":1660517,"projectId":9813180,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of Lakeshore math activities for our kindergarten classroom. Because of your support, our students are now learning through hands-on materials such as shape sorting sets, magnetic counting tools, train sequencing puzzles, and number blocks. These engaging resources make math meaningful and fun, allowing students to explore numbers, patterns, and shapes in ways that are developmentally appropriate and exciting for young learners.\r\n\r\nYour kindness has made a lasting impact on our classroom by encouraging learning through play, collaboration with peers, and confidence in problem-solving. Students are building number sense, practicing sequencing skills, and strengthening their understanding of math concepts while working together and receiving small-group support from their teacher. We are truly grateful for your generosity and commitment to supporting early childhood education. Your donation is helping lay a strong foundation for our students' love of learning.","fullyFundedDate":1760892118588,"projectUrl":"project/counting-in-kinder/9813180/","projectTitle":"Counting in Kinder","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fenn","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1660517_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1458160768351","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/hfish"},{"teacherId":1735545,"projectId":9314687,"letterContent":"Thank you so very much for all the paper supplies you provided my class this year. We literally use the chart paper DAILY during our lessons for anchor charts that the students reference. I probably don't even have to tell you how popular the sticky notes are with the kids. Anything I can do to have them use a sticky note keeps them engaged.\r\n\r\nThe colored paper is used almost every time we do an art project. Those keep our room looking fun and inviting. Thank you so much for always supporting my classroom and my wonderful students. You are amazing.","fullyFundedDate":1746467228467,"projectUrl":"project/paper-power-essential-paper-supplies-fo/9314687/","projectTitle":"Paper Power: Essential Paper Supplies for Learning, Creating, and Organizing!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Garcia-Crabb","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1735545_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1504548424020","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-garcia-crabb"},{"teacherId":1735545,"projectId":9609750,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for our wobble chairs. I will have to say that at first I was rethinking my decision to get those because the kids thought they were sooooo fun it was a little crazy back there at the small group table. haha. But once the novelty wore off and we were able to keep the kids from falling all over the floor from playing on them, they are became an invaluable tool. So many students need to wiggle while they learn. I use them mostly at the back table. This table is used for many reasons including having a child sit at it to be able to concentrate better. These wobble chairs are a bonus for this matter.\r\n\r\nSometimes I have a student that actually is having one of those days that they need it at their desk during the day. It is amazing what a difference it makes with their concentration. Thank you so much for your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1757016509737,"projectUrl":"project/wobble-to-learn/9609750/","projectTitle":"Wobble to Learn","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Garcia-Crabb","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1735545_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1504548424020","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-garcia-crabb"},{"teacherId":1735545,"projectId":9609557,"letterContent":"Thank you so very much for the Positive Behavior Management supplies. My kids LOVE to work for prizes as does any child. Our treasure chest you supplied us sits in the back of the room for them all to see all day. It is FULL off all the goodies that you supplied us as well. I have a Whoa! Board that I add a student's initials on during the day if someone does something spectacular. On Friday I chose a location on the board randomly and they get to choose from the treasure chest. We also have a table point system where the students get points at their tables all day for various things. On Friday, the table with the most points gets the treasure chest as well. I use it randomly for other things as well.\r\n\r\nI'm sure you understand the value this has for me in keep the students engaged and incented to make good choices. Thank you for saving me:)","fullyFundedDate":1755731930995,"projectUrl":"project/positive-behavior-management/9609557/","projectTitle":"Positive Behavior Management","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Garcia-Crabb","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1735545_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1504548424020","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-garcia-crabb"},{"teacherId":1735545,"projectId":9314197,"letterContent":"My students and I were so excited to start the school year off with so many of our supplies in hand thanks to you. I was able to prepare them some pencil boxes full of supplies that they are able to use all year. \r\n\r\nThe composition books are use daily to write their thinking maps in and complete writing assignments. The whiteboards are also used daily as I check their understanding during lessons. The art supplies have been used for name art that is displayed on the wall all year, California regions art, Christmas gifts, cards and so much more.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for all that you do for us!","fullyFundedDate":1747058306891,"projectUrl":"project/bright-beginnings-essential-supplies-fo/9314197/","projectTitle":"Bright Beginnings: Essential Supplies for a Successful School Year","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Garcia-Crabb","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1735545_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1504548424020","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-garcia-crabb"},{"teacherId":2025943,"projectId":9522747,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation to my classroom. I was able to purchase many new and fun things for students to use. They love every time I show them something new we have to work with. It's really fun and exciting for them to be able to touch and use things as it's one of the best ways for them to learn as they do things. We use them regularly in our learning centers and also throughout the day when the students get to choose their activity and play. \r\n\r\nThey especially loved the doll clothes for the babies we have when they have their pretend play. The giant linking cubes were also a huge hit. They've always been used to having the small ones so when they saw giant ones, they were oohing and aaahing over it. \r\n\r\nThank you for making learning fun and engaging for our little ones!","fullyFundedDate":1757016449238,"projectUrl":"project/launching-learning-fun-for-little-ones/9522747/","projectTitle":"Launching Learning Fun for Little Ones","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Nguyen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2025943_orig.jpg?crop=764,764,x45,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1706110660033","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2025943"},{"teacherId":3827142,"projectId":9611972,"letterContent":"We cannot THANK YOU enough for your donation of 30 copies of Wonder, by R.J. Palacio! My current class and all future students, who I am so lucky to get, will have the pleasure of having their own copy, in hand, to read as a whole class. Not only am I thankful, but my students today and in the future are so grateful. \r\n \r\nEach year my students and I will read this novel together. The students have the option to volunteer to read aloud or to listen and follow along as I read it to them. Either way, the students can enjoy the story. Reading aloud to students benefits them in so many ways. Reading comprehension improves by listening and through discussion of the story elements. Reading fluency can improve by following along with the reader.\r\n \r\nThe moral of this story is, \"Choose Kind.\" Auggie Pullman, is entering 5th grade and starting school for the first time in his life. The students can relate to this character because they are also beginning fifth grade. So many connections can be made throughout the reading and discussing of this novel. Most importantly, focusing on kindness, courage, and self-acceptance will go a long way with this age level. \r\n\r\nOnce again, I am so thankful for your donation. It will be enjoyed by many many children today and in future years.","fullyFundedDate":1757016532650,"projectUrl":"project/wonder-reading-and-discussing-the-impor/9611972/","projectTitle":"Wonder: Reading and Discussing the Importance of “Choosing Kind”","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Eadie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrseadie"},{"teacherId":8398595,"projectId":9711289,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our kindergarten and first-grade students are learning letter recognition, sound blending, and word building in a hands-on, engaging way with our new Pop It letter arcs! These colorful tools turn phonics practice into a fun sensory experience that keeps young learners excited and focused.\r\n\r\nBecause of your donation, students can now physically \"pop\" out each sound in a word, which helps them strengthen phonemic awareness and connect letters to sounds. This tactile activity supports early reading and spelling skills while also building fine motor coordination.\r\n\r\nWe've seen students who once struggled to focus during literacy lessons now eagerly volunteer to spell and read words using their Pop Its. Thank you, for making learning interactive, joyful, and meaningful for our youngest readers!","fullyFundedDate":1760107369910,"projectUrl":"project/a-reading-rainbow-of-letters-and-sounds/9711289/","projectTitle":"A Reading Rainbow of Letters and Sounds!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Turner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8398595_orig.jpg?crop=1642,1642,x0,y240&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726778587523","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-turners-class"},{"teacherId":8398595,"projectId":9508096,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in helping bring new organizational shelves, boxes, and furniture to our literacy classroom. These additions have made a tremendous difference in the way students access and engage with hands-on materials. Now, every book, manipulative, and activity has a designated space, allowing students to find what they need quickly and independently. The classroom feels more open, inviting, and structured—creating an environment that supports focus and creativity.\r\nThe new organization has also encouraged more meaningful participation during small group and center time. With labeled bins and clearly arranged shelves, students can easily choose literacy manipulatives such as word cards, sentence builders, and story sequencing kits. This independence not only saves valuable learning time but also builds confidence as students take ownership of their materials and learning routines. The space now promotes active learning, collaboration, and exploration in a calm and orderly setting.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, these organizational tools have transformed our classroom into a place where learning feels both exciting and accessible for all students. The improved setup supports smoother transitions, reduces distractions, and helps maintain a positive, productive atmosphere throughout the day. Your donation has truly enhanced our learning community—thank you for helping us create a space where every child can thrive and feel proud of their classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1757016469626,"projectUrl":"project/organized-literacy-and-justice-for-all/9508096/","projectTitle":"Organized Literacy and Justice for ALL!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Turner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8398595_orig.jpg?crop=1642,1642,x0,y240&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726778587523","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-turners-class"},{"teacherId":1660517,"projectId":9560839,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of the Food Group series, The Crayons series, Creepy Carrots, and the many other wonderful picture books supporting social-emotional development in our kindergarten classroom. These stories have already brought so much joy and engagement to our daily read-alouds and independent reading time. Students are making connections to the characters, reflecting on their own choices, and using the books as a springboard for classroom discussions about feelings, fairness, and friendship. The book pouches have also helped students take ownership of their reading materials and treat the books with care and responsibility.\r\n\r\nStories that highlight acts of kindness, problem-solving in friendships, and acceptance of differences help children practice empathy and cooperation both inside and outside the classroom. With a well-rounded and diverse selection of high-quality books, we can intentionally guide students toward building strong interpersonal skills, embracing diversity, and becoming caring, thoughtful members of their community. Your support has made these meaningful learning opportunities possible, and this project will continue to impact students for years to come. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and commitment to early learners.","fullyFundedDate":1755704448148,"projectUrl":"project/the-kind-in-kindergarten/9560839/","projectTitle":"The Kind in Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fenn","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1660517_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1458160768351","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/hfish"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_92286","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":376,"numTeachers":19,"percentFrplEligible":78,"percentAsian":5,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":13,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":74,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"19.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":81.4,"schoolId":92286,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Sonora Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Sonora Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/newport-mesa-unified-school-district/sonora-elementary-school/92286"}