Pioneer High School in Whittier, California on DonorsChoose

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(& Learn too)","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Connolly","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1886284_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1449607510427","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/natalieconnolly"},{"teacherId":1886284,"projectId":9233629,"letterContent":"My students were so thrilled to receive these books. I was pleasantly surprised to see my students fall in love with these two different series, and when they saw that we had our project fully funded, they were so excited. Many of my students have found books they love and have started to read for pleasure. It is because of donors like you that my students have been given the opportunity to see themselves in books and see themselves as readers. They have also seen different genres, like graphic novels as something they enjoy reading and will continue to do so. Thank you so much for helping us end the year on such a positive note.","fullyFundedDate":1746787067392,"projectUrl":"project/teens-love-graphic-novels/9233629/","projectTitle":"Teens Love Graphic Novels","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Connolly","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1886284_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1449607510427","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/natalieconnolly"},{"teacherId":8181562,"projectId":8663186,"letterContent":"I am overflowing with gratitude for your incredible support of our mental health and wellness project at Pioneer High School. Thanks to your generosity, our students have access to a wealth of art therapy resources, and the impact has been truly inspiring.\r\n\r\nThe moment the students saw the supplies – the vibrant paints, the smooth clay pots, the colorful rocks, and the array of brushes and watercolors – their excitement was palpable! They were genuinely curious and thrilled, peppering me with questions about what we would be doing. One student, who often keeps to herself, exclaimed, \"Wow! This is so cool! I can't wait to start painting!\" It was a joy to witness their enthusiasm and see them eager to engage. They were especially curious how we had gotten so many supplies – they were so happy to have access to these kinds of resources.\r\n\r\nOur wellness center has become a haven of creativity and self-expression. We've been hosting weekly art activities, and each one has been unique and meaningful. One particularly memorable project involved decorating clay pots. We talked about planting seeds of self-care and resilience, and each student personalized their pot with symbols and colors representing their own journey. A student who often struggles with anxiety, meticulously painted his pot with calming blues and greens. He shared that the act of painting was incredibly therapeutic for him, a way to quiet the noise in his mind. He even added stickers with positive affirmations. It was a powerful example of how art can be a tool for self-soothing and self-discovery.\r\n\r\nAnother activity that resonated deeply was painting rocks. We discussed how, like rocks, we can be strong and resilient, even in the face of challenges. The students decorated their rocks with images and words that represented their inner strength. \r\n\r\nMoving forward, we will continue to explore different art mediums and themes. We're planning to incorporate watercolor painting to express emotions more abstractly and use the stickers for creating vision boards focused on self-care goals. The students are also interested in exploring collaborative art projects, further fostering a sense of community and support within the wellness center. Your contributions have not only provided materials, but they've sparked a sense of hope, creativity, and connection within our school. Thank you for making such a profound difference in the lives of our students.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\nMrs. Hernandez, LCSW, PPSC\r\nPioneer High School","fullyFundedDate":1726346453171,"projectUrl":"project/mental-health-wellness-through-art-thera/8663186/","projectTitle":"Mental Health Wellness Through Art Therapy","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8181562_orig.jpg?crop=1261,1261,x346,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723747231951","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8181562"},{"teacherId":1886284,"projectId":8845140,"letterContent":"I was so thrilled to get these books into my students' hands and see them picked up so quickly. It was nice to be able to get these books to my students as they had been asking for some time and I had no idea how I would be able to afford them or if this project would get funded.\r\n\r\nWell thanks to you it did get funded and now my students are reading the murder mysteries they want to, the graphic novels they want to and so much more.\r\n\r\nSeeing their faces when they walked in and immediately grabbing the books was such a great feeling and so nice to witness. I love hearing them talk about the books and trying to convince their friends/peers to read them too. I am so thankful for your kindness and willingness to help my students access books on a campus with no library.","fullyFundedDate":1729635994528,"projectUrl":"project/pages-for-progress-building-a-brighter/8845140/","projectTitle":"Pages for Progress: Building a Brighter Class Library","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Connolly","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1886284_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1449607510427","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/natalieconnolly"},{"teacherId":1886284,"projectId":8790934,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to my class library. My students have been absolutely in love with the books that have been donated are already quite worn from use by so many. 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My class library is evolving every year and I am so happy that because of your generosity they have what they want that is highly accessible in my classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1726612868252,"projectUrl":"project/teen-reading-frenzy/8790934/","projectTitle":"Teen Reading Frenzy","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Connolly","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp1886284_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1449607510427","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/natalieconnolly"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_29060","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1072,"numTeachers":58,"percentFrplEligible":87,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":95,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"18.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":82.2,"schoolId":29060,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Pioneer High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Pioneer High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/whittier-union-high-school-district/pioneer-high-school/29060"}

About this school

Pioneer High School is a suburban public school in Whittier, California that is part of Whittier Union High School District. It serves 1,072 students in grades 9 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 18.5:1. Its teachers have had 28 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades 9 - 12

1,072 Students

58 Teachers

10800 Ben Avon St

Whittier, CA 90606 View local requests

https://phs.wuhsd.org/

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

Pioneer High School Teachers on DonorsChoose

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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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Pioneer High School Demographics

87%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

95%

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.

Pioneer High 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.