{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Umoja International Academy","outOfStateSupporters":15.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5696564,"projectId":10313993,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom! The students were so excited to have the new magnetic building blocks and to have their own set of headphones. During study skills, we often have mindful Mondays where they can listen to music and play games and puzzles. These will definitely help them focus and have more variety of activities. The utility cart will be a life saver for me as a traveling teacher. I teach in my own classroom and also travel to 4 other classrooms to support general education teachers. The cart allows me to easily brings supplies and also move around campus easier. Thank you again for your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1780345884360,"projectUrl":"project/fast-break/10313993/","projectTitle":"Fast Break!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mahoney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5696564_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1536035313776","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5696564"},{"teacherId":5696564,"projectId":10308796,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom. In my 20 plus years of teaching, I have found that students respond well to creative projects. I have found the most engagement when students can express themselves in a fun way, while also learning. The craft sticks, mini glue sticks and colorful tape will be a great resource for creative projects. We are focusing on students taking charge of their own learning and being able to build using their imagination. Students will be able to build bridges, boats and other projects going forward. Thank you again for your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1780281418867,"projectUrl":"project/craft-your-feelings-away/10308796/","projectTitle":"Craft Your Feelings Away","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mahoney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5696564_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1536035313776","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5696564"},{"teacherId":8620161,"projectId":7911215,"letterContent":"The lighting, plants, and large world map helped create a calming environment that helped middle school students feel more relaxed and safe. This support was critical as teachers are not allowed to cover up fluorescent lighting, which was dysregulating to students. This lighting also made things difficult for me, the teacher, especially given that I had a longer school day due to teaching at an IB school. \r\n\r\nDear Generous Donors,\r\nTherefore I am extremely grateful for your incredible support and generous donations. Your contributions—funding updated warm lighting, vibrant indoor plants, and a detailed world wall map—have transformed our classroom into a welcoming, engaging, and highly effective learning environment.\r\nThe use of light fixtures with softer, human-centric lighting made an immediate difference in student focus and comfort. Standard classroom fluorescent lighting is well-documented for its physiological drawbacks. Studies show that the imperceptible 100 Hz flicker and harsh glare of traditional fluorescent tubes are directly linked to visual discomfort, eye strain, and recurring headaches, which severely hinder visual performance and attention during tasks (Winterbottom & Wilkins, 2009). By eliminating this source of visual fatigue, our new lighting setup allows students to stay relaxed, avoid frequent headaches, and focus on their lessons without distraction.\r\nComplementing this improved lighting, the addition of live indoor plants has created a noticeably calmer atmosphere. Environmental psychology and physiological research demonstrate that introducing greenery into indoor spaces promotes relaxation and reduces both psychological and physical stress by suppressing sympathetic nervous system activity (Lee et al., 2015). The presence of live plants acts as a restorative natural buffer within the classroom, lowering anxiety levels, improving emotional well-being, and fostering a serene space where students feel comfortable taking academic risks.\r\nFinally, the new world map has become an indispensable teaching tool, particularly for our Spanish language and cultural studies. Before having the map visually prominently displayed, many students assumed Spanish was spoken only in commonly thought places such as Mexico and Spain. Having a large, detailed map on our wall has allowed us to explore the vast global reach of the Spanish-speaking world—spanning Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Equatorial Guinea in Africa. Students can now trace the rich geographical diversity of Hispanophone cultures, understanding firsthand that learning Spanish opens doors to communicating with hundreds of millions of people across continents.\r\n\r\nYour thoughtful generosity directly enhanced both the mental well-being and the educational horizons of our students. Thank you for investing in our classroom, our health, and our future.\r\n\r\nSinceramente,\r\n\r\nReferences\r\nLee, M., Lee, J., Park, B., & Miyazaki, Y. (2015). Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults: a randomized crossover study. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 34, Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-015-0060-8 Cited by: 261\r\nWinterbottom, M., & Wilkins, A. (2009). Lighting and discomfort in the classroom. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 29(1), 63–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2008.11.007 Cited by: 507","fullyFundedDate":1699492387524,"projectUrl":"project/calm-healthy-spanish-classroom-environm/7911215/","projectTitle":"Calm, Healthy Spanish Classroom Environment Needed!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Terrazas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8620161"},{"teacherId":9008077,"projectId":8508296,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom. Because of you, my middle school English students now have the tools they need to feel truly supported in their learning. From a refreshed classroom library stocked with diverse, engaging titles, to notebooks, pens, and organizational supplies that help every student walk in prepared and ready to succeed. Having enough supplies on hand also means no student has to sit out an assignment because they forgot a notebook or don't have a pen. Instead, everyone gets to fully participate, which has made our classroom feel more like a place where every student belongs.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has done more than supply our classroom; it's helped build an environment where my students feel valued, prepared, and excited to grow as readers and writers. Thank you for investing in their success!!","fullyFundedDate":1723665000780,"projectUrl":"project/new-year-new-tools/8508296/","projectTitle":"New Year, New Tools","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Martinez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9008077_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1684537132212","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9008077"},{"teacherId":10316244,"projectId":9839097,"letterContent":"Thank you for allowing my students to read this story and learn more about social justice and systemic injustices in America. Our unit was mainly centered around exposing students to WWII before they learn about the Holocaust in 10th grade, and specifically on teaching them about this part of American history during that time. We focused largely on how these instances of social injustice that happened to the Japanese Americans during WWII have perpetuated into today, and comparing those instances from the novel to events happening today.\r\n\r\nMy students enjoyed learning about these stories and doing the various projects associated with it. They worked on doing a one-page modernization of an event of social injustice from the novel and how that would look in today's society, as well as a one-pager comparing the events of the novel to a movie about life in Japan during that time. This kind donation was what enabled these conversations about social justice in the classroom, and allowed students to practice analysing and writing critically.","fullyFundedDate":1766586720483,"projectUrl":"project/they-called-us-enemy-wwii-through-novel/9839097/","projectTitle":"They Called Us Enemy: WWII Through Novels","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Chong","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10316244"},{"teacherId":5970766,"projectId":10048491,"letterContent":"My students and I would like to express our gratitude for your generous donation to our library. Your support has made a lasting impact on our daily learning.\r\nThanks to your kindness, we received new books and library supplies. I wish you could have seen the excitement on my students' faces when we opened the boxes! They eagerly swarmed the reading area, and we now have even more engaging texts. \r\nYour generosity provides them with windows to the world and encourages them be independent learners.\r\nThank you for recognizing the importance of literacy and for investing in my students' futures. We are fortunate to have a supporter like you in our corner!","fullyFundedDate":1769273824674,"projectUrl":"project/restocking-and-fulfilling-a-request/10048491/","projectTitle":"Restocking and Fulfilling a Request","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jordan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5970766_orig.jpg?crop=544,544,x0,y54&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1664471381482","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5970766"},{"teacherId":5696564,"projectId":9766438,"letterContent":"Your generous donation will help so many of my students with special needs. The headphones are truly a gamechanger in being able to provide accommodations during testing and also allowing for a quiet learning environment. \r\n\r\nThe fidgets and snacks are an added bonus that provide an environment of comfort for my students. Everyday these students are fighting more than just the ability to learn, but also being tired, hungry and at time unhoused. Anything that I can do to make their learning environment better is a win.\r\n\r\nThank you for your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1769178025067,"projectUrl":"project/hocus-pocus-time-to-focus/9766438/","projectTitle":"Hocus Pocus, Time to Focus!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mahoney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5696564_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1536035313776","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5696564"},{"teacherId":5696564,"projectId":9893209,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your kindness in supporting our classroom. Your donations have made a real difference for our students, giving them access to materials and resources that will help them learn and grow this year.\r\n\r\nIt's incredibly meaningful to know that there are people like you who care about education and are willing to invest in young people's futures. Your generosity doesn't just provide supplies—it shows our students that their community believes in them.\r\n\r\nWe are truly grateful for your support and the difference you're making in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1765387793532,"projectUrl":"project/ib-designers/9893209/","projectTitle":"IB Designers!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mahoney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5696564_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1536035313776","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5696564"},{"teacherId":5970766,"projectId":9754108,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your support! Our students have been checking out these books since the moment I put them on the shelves. And as predicted, there are students who are running through the new series quite quickly. I see a couple of students every few days when they come to check out two or more of the books in the new series.\r\nIt really is incredible how quickly students read these books, and it makes me so happy to know that they are reading and that they are enjoying their time off of their screens.","fullyFundedDate":1760722181832,"projectUrl":"project/keep-students-off-of-their-screens/9754108/","projectTitle":"Keep Students Off of Their Screens!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jordan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5970766_orig.jpg?crop=544,544,x0,y54&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1664471381482","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5970766"},{"teacherId":5696564,"projectId":9501085,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contributions to our DonorsChoose project. Because of your kindness, my middle school students now have access to resources that will make their learning more engaging, meaningful, and fun. Your support shows my students that their education matters and that people beyond our classroom walls believe in their potential.\r\n\r\nThe materials you helped provide will spark curiosity, build confidence, and create opportunities for collaboration that simply weren't possible before. My students and I are deeply grateful for your generosity, and we can't wait to put these tools to use every day. Thank you for making a lasting difference in our classroom—you've helped open the door to new possibilities for every learner.","fullyFundedDate":1755724797844,"projectUrl":"project/no-desk-please-lap-desk-time/9501085/","projectTitle":"No Desk Please! Lap Desk Time!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mahoney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5696564_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1536035313776","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5696564"},{"teacherId":5970766,"projectId":9302326,"letterContent":"It was so fun to deliver the \"Summer Bucket\" of fun and useful summer item for students who signed up for summer reading, or even for students who mentioned that they were going to make a point to read over the summer. The buckets were delivered to students during the last week of school, and they were so fun that it encouraged many other students to come into the library to sign up for summer reading. \r\nWhile I did not get as many students to sign up for the summer reading program, I do believe that it was a good start. I will continue to adjust the summer reading program to make it better for this year and years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1746568117063,"projectUrl":"project/bucket-loads-of-books-and-fun-this-summe/9302326/","projectTitle":"Bucket Loads of Books and Fun This Summer!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jordan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5970766_orig.jpg?crop=544,544,x0,y54&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1664471381482","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5970766"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_32853","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":376,"numTeachers":26,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":8,"percentBlack":14,"percentWhite":19,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":46,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":1,"percentMultiracialImputed":8,"gradesServed":"7 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"14.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":84.6,"schoolId":32853,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Umoja International Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Umoja International Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/sacramento-city-unified-school-district/kit-carson-middle-school/32853"}