Wayne Van Horn Elementary School in Bakersfield, California on DonorsChoose

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One of our favorite moments so far was using the interactive games — the students were laughing, learning, and encouraging each other, which made the sessions even more special. These resources have made a huge difference in keeping students engaged and motivated. Moving forward, we'll be using the materials to support new projects like storytelling and group discussions to help them continue building their confidence and language skills. Thank you again for making this possible!","fullyFundedDate":1739366793094,"projectUrl":"project/fidget-focus-and-fun-tools-for-speech/8961246/","projectTitle":"Fidget, Focus, and Fun: Tools for Speech, Language, and Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. M","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9719733_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725036672647","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9719733"},{"teacherId":9908904,"projectId":9082031,"letterContent":"My students have been using our new materials during our Child Choice time of the day. As we \"learn through play\", my students are allowed to choose their activities. The natural blocks with the transparent windows fascinated my children! They add a special detail to their creations for sure.\r\nFloor puzzles are also a big hit with my class. They work hard together to put a puzzle together and are so determined! When they complete a puzzle myself or my aide take a picture and we send it to their parents in our school's communication platform,Parent Square. We can see the pride they have in themselves for accomplishing their goal. \r\nThis is my first project to be funded and I am thankful for this experience.","fullyFundedDate":1739366791427,"projectUrl":"project/tk-students-learn-through-intentional-pl/9082031/","projectTitle":"TK Students Learn Through Intentional PLAY!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Merickel","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9908904_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1738387915803","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9908904"},{"teacherId":9864591,"projectId":8990977,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting my students. All of the extra supplies have had a big impact on my students. They are using their white boards and dry erase markers for both english language development and math. My students enjoy using them and they provide a great alternative to the paper and pencil route. \r\n\r\nThe over the chair pockets that all of my students are using have been a game changer. The pockets have helped keep my students organized. Their use has also allowed for more instructional time because the students are able to quickly find what they need and start their work.\r\n\r\nThe students love their new headphones and are using them daily when working on academic programs such as Lexia, myon and Next Gen math. The headphones help them stay focused, have helped with their concentration, eliminated many distractions and helped improve their scores. We can not thank you enough for your generous donation.","fullyFundedDate":1735335518251,"projectUrl":"project/kindergartners-today-tomorrows-future/8990977/","projectTitle":"Kindergartners Today, Tomorrow's Future!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Caskey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9864591"},{"teacherId":9697549,"projectId":8778658,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity! Our new laminator, rolling cart, and Velcro tags have already made a big difference in our speech therapy sessions. The laminator helps us create durable visual supports, like picture cards and communication boards, that students can use every day. The rolling cart keeps everything organized and easy to access, making transitions smoother. 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About this school

Wayne Van Horn Elementary School is an urban public school in Bakersfield, California that is part of Panama - Buena Vista Union School District. It serves 597 students in grades Pre-K - 6 with a student/teacher ratio of 26.0:1. Its teachers have had 44 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

597 Students

23 Teachers

5501 Kleinpell Ave

Bakersfield, CA 93309 View local requests

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

Wayne Van Horn 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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Wayne Van Horn Elementary School Demographics

95%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

82%

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.

Wayne Van Horn 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.