{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Lotus School for Excellence - Middle & High School","outOfStateSupporters":72.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2456599,"projectId":9204714,"letterContent":"This project allowed students to use their creativity and imagine better places, better spaces for their interest in science to grow. They worked collaboratively to create a display that expressed their concerns. The pictures reflects happy, engaged minds that are actively seeking to make a positive change in our local environment. Just look at all they are accomplishing! \r\n\r\nSuch activities help to form minds that thinking about city planning and environmental concerns that make for a stronger, brighter, and more representative base for our metropolitan area in the greater Denver area, here in Aurora, Colorado.","fullyFundedDate":1753130142584,"projectUrl":"project/project-learning-displays-for-differenti/9204714/","projectTitle":"Project Learning Displays for Differentiated Instruction -- Creative Minds Launch!","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. Yarrow","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2456599_orig.jpg?crop=356,356,x2,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1701207285379","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2456599"},{"teacherId":9631476,"projectId":9635942,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and providing us with a wonderful collection of fidgets! The moment the box arrived, students were buzzing with excitement. Several of them gathered around eagerly with smiles.\r\n\r\nWe are now using the fidgets during independent work, small-group lessons, and calm-down time. One special moment was watching a student who often struggles with restlessness stay focused through an entire activity simply by using a quiet fidget. It was the first time this year they completed the task without needing a break. Moments like that show just how meaningful your gift is.\r\n\r\nThese fidgets are already helping my students stay regulated, engaged, and ready to learn. As we move forward in our current units, the fidgets will continue to support students who need movement, sensory input, or a calming tool to stay on track. They are becoming a natural part of our classroom routines, and students are using them responsibly and gratefully.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students' well-being. Your generosity has created a calmer, more focused learning environment—and we are truly thankful.","fullyFundedDate":1758324810991,"projectUrl":"project/focus-tools-for-future-leaders/9635942/","projectTitle":"Focus Tools for Future Leaders","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Tam","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9631476"},{"teacherId":9631476,"projectId":8624973,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and providing us with a wonderful collection of fidgets! The moment the box arrived, students were buzzing with excitement. Several of them gathered around eagerly with smiles.\r\n\r\nWe are now using the fidgets during independent work, small-group lessons, and calm-down time. One special moment was watching a student who often struggles with restlessness stay focused through an entire activity simply by using a quiet fidget. It was the first time this year they completed the task without needing a break. Moments like that show just how meaningful your gift is.\r\n\r\nThese fidgets are already helping my students stay regulated, engaged, and ready to learn. As we move forward in our current units, the fidgets will continue to support students who need movement, sensory input, or a calming tool to stay on track. They are becoming a natural part of our classroom routines, and students are using them responsibly and gratefully.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students' well-being. Your generosity has created a calmer, more focused learning environment—and we are truly thankful.","fullyFundedDate":1735686541396,"projectUrl":"project/tools-for-math-centers/8624973/","projectTitle":"Tools for Math Centers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Tam","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9631476"},{"teacherId":9709012,"projectId":9797064,"letterContent":"I ended up returning the technology and replacing it with books. \r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, my students now have access to a classroom library that truly meets their needs—one filled with books that reflect their interests, their identities, and the skills they are working so hard to develop. Before this project was funded, many of my English language learners didn't have books at home or struggled to find reading materials that felt accessible and engaging. Your donation changed that.\r\n\r\nThese new books have transformed reading time in our classroom. Students who once felt overwhelmed by reading are now eagerly choosing titles that match their level and curiosity. I've seen shy students volunteer to read aloud, emerging readers proudly finish their first chapter books, and students who rarely spoke in class excitedly share what they read with their peers. The texts have helped build vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence—while also creating a culture where students want to read.","fullyFundedDate":1760635051251,"projectUrl":"project/service-stars-digital-storytelling-to-s/9797064/","projectTitle":"Service Stars: Digital Storytelling to Spread Kindness","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hamideh","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9709012"},{"teacherId":9259583,"projectId":7807165,"letterContent":"The grant from Panda Cares made it possible for us to purchase a Van de Graaff electrostatic generator, and its impact on our science program was immediate and memorable. For years, students had read about static electricity and had seen small-scale demonstrations with balloons or combs, but the Van de Graaff generator allowed them to experience electricity in a way that was larger, more powerful, and far more engaging. The generator produced visible sparks, caused hair to stand on end, and created a sense of awe that transformed what might have been a routine lesson into a moment of discovery. Concepts such as electric fields, charge transfer, and insulation became real in ways that students could see, hear, and even feel.\r\n\r\nThe apparatus was used twice for an entire class period, and in both cases, the response from students was extraordinary. Rather than simply watching passively, they actively participated in experiments, testing how distance affected the spark length, comparing how different materials conducted or blocked the flow of charges, and predicting outcomes before trying them. These activities encouraged scientific thinking as students made observations, formed hypotheses, and drew conclusions based on evidence. The generator created natural opportunities for collaboration, as students worked together to set up demonstrations, record data, and discuss their findings. The level of engagement and energy in the room was unlike anything seen during more traditional lessons, and students left the classroom still talking excitedly about what they had witnessed.\r\n\r\nUsing the generator also helped to strengthen the connection between science instruction and the practices emphasized in modern education standards. Students were not simply told about the behavior of electric charges; they observed those behaviors directly and explored them through guided inquiry. For many, this was their first experience with equipment that made science feel both powerful and accessible at the same time. Even students who normally struggled to stay focused were drawn in by the dramatic visual and physical effects of the generator, and they found themselves asking deeper questions about why the observed phenomena occurred. In this way, the generator became more than just a teaching tool; it was a catalyst for curiosity and critical thinking.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, the grant from Panda Cares reminded students that their education was valued and supported by their broader community. The excitement they felt was not only about the science itself but also about the knowledge that an organization had invested in their future. The Van de Graaff generator will continue to enrich science lessons for years to come, but even in its first two uses, it already created lasting memories and inspired new enthusiasm for learning. The generosity of Panda Cares ensured that our students did not just read about science—they truly experienced it.","fullyFundedDate":1694439538537,"projectUrl":"project/electromagnetism-demonstrations/7807165/","projectTitle":"Electromagnetism Demonstrations","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. Meschia","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9259583"},{"teacherId":6176038,"projectId":9296827,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for choosing my project to make a donation towards. I am so excited for my class to engage in hands-on learning with alphabet letters that are plush and soft. There is no better way for children to learn then by experiencing some thing. That being said when these came out of the box they were doing annoying and excited. I am so thrilled to be able to work on our new skill which is consonant vowel consonant words by using our cute little friends to create those words. Thank you for believing in a public school teachers dreams and ideas. I appreciate you.","fullyFundedDate":1746458492263,"projectUrl":"project/abc-123/9296827/","projectTitle":"ABC, 123","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Jennifer Flores","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6176038_orig.jpg?crop=750,750,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1657570014405","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-jennifer-flores"},{"teacherId":4516039,"projectId":9017289,"letterContent":"My students love the IPAD because it allows them to interact with others and create a comraderie between students. Since most of my students es are English Language Learners, technology in the classroom allows students to practice their language and communications skills. \r\n\r\nMy students are excited that they get equal time on the IPAD to manipulate our Girls Who Code platform. Our classroom gets pretty loud when they are using their language and communication skills to play games on the platform, create characters using block coding and manipulate our robots to satisfy and do different things. None of this would be possible without your help!","fullyFundedDate":1739376113958,"projectUrl":"project/an-ipad-for-girls-who-code/9017289/","projectTitle":"An iPad for Girls Who Code!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Small","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4516039_orig.jpg?crop=1536,1536,x0,y56&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1559279164790","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4516039"},{"teacherId":4516039,"projectId":8567101,"letterContent":"This year my students had massive growth in my classroom and I attribute it to your generosity in helping to fund the necessary materials in our classroom! We used the markers during our social studies unit on Olympics and students were able to create their \"Olympian\" using markers, scraps of fabric and anything else they could find at school and home. I provided each student a potato and watched as their creativity juices flowed. \r\nOur notebooks are instrumental in our science and social studies classes as they provide a place for students to not only take notes but also write down their thoughts. This year in addition to our 3 column notes we also did several interactive notebook pages, a tool that students can use to look back on as they prepare for end of unit tests. \r\nOur life cycle unit was the best and favorite as students had complete autonomy when it came to planting seeds and watering them during our lifecycle of a plant unit. They had the choice of several flowers and vegetables such as chili peppers, pumpkin and sunflowers, as well as flowers that would attract our bees. And oh, the excitement when those seeds sprouted leaves and started to grow! Seeing my students fully engaged was the best part and I have you to thank for this experience.\r\n\r\nI cannot thank you enough for investing in my classroom and my students. Without your help, I doubt my students would have had the experiences that they did.","fullyFundedDate":1723158545727,"projectUrl":"project/closing-learning-gaps-after-covid-19/8567101/","projectTitle":"Closing Learning Gaps After Covid 19!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Small","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4516039_orig.jpg?crop=1536,1536,x0,y56&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1559279164790","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4516039"},{"teacherId":9709012,"projectId":9263390,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous donation of books, our classroom has become an even more exciting and welcoming place to read and learn. Your gift has made a real difference — not just by adding new titles to our shelves, but by opening up new worlds and perspectives for our students.\r\n\r\nWith these new books, we've been able to dive into lessons that explore key reading skills like identifying main ideas, analyzing characters' choices, understanding figurative language, and making text-to-self connections. These books are more than just stories — they're tools for building critical thinking, empathy, and confidence.\r\n\r\nIn our classroom, reading looks like students gathered in small groups deep in discussion, independent readers curled up in quiet corners, and whole-class read-alouds that spark big conversations. The room feels alive with curiosity and discovery.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has truly inspired a love of reading in our classroom. Thank you for helping us grow as readers, thinkers, and learners!","fullyFundedDate":1745961785142,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-supplies/9263390/","projectTitle":"Classroom Supplies","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hamideh","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9709012"},{"teacherId":6176038,"projectId":9253199,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generosity and kindness in supporting our students. This is truly inspiring and kindhearted. The students are so lucky to have people who care about them and their needs. This will help them to grow and thrive and be able to focus on their schoolwork and goals.\r\nThank you for helping me bring more snacks to my classroom. My kids really appreciate all the snacks that I can put in our snack bin for when they are hungry. I have been doing this for a few years now and my kids really appreciate it when they are hungry. I wouldn't be able to keep my bin full without the help of wonderful donors, like you. Your love for my kids is amazing and I am thankful for your generosity. Having rumbling bellies doesn't help when we are trying to learn math and this helps with that issue. Have a great day!","fullyFundedDate":1744647020455,"projectUrl":"project/food-insecurity-in-america/9253199/","projectTitle":"Food Insecurity in America","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Jennifer Flores","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6176038_orig.jpg?crop=750,750,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1657570014405","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-jennifer-flores"},{"teacherId":6530546,"projectId":8946770,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and helping bring the *Jesse and the Fly* book series to life for my students!\r\n\r\nThese books have had such a powerful impact on our reading time. The humor, relatable characters, and engaging stories have opened doors for so many young readers, especially those who previously struggled to connect with books. Through *Jesse and the Fly*, we've been able to explore important reading skills like making inferences, identifying theme, and understanding character development. Even more importantly, these books have sparked genuine excitement and joy in our classroom.\r\n\r\nReading time in our room is a mix of guided practice, independent choice, and small group discussions. These books have become instant favorites. One student, typically hesitant to pick up a chapter book, asked to borrow one to read at home. Another smiled during reading time and told me, \"This book is like a movie in my brain!\" That's the magic of literature coming to life.\r\n\r\nYour generosity not only gave us a new set of books, but also gave students confidence, curiosity, and a reason to fall in love with reading. Thank you for believing in the power of stories—and in our classroom.\r\n\r\n\r\nLet me know if you want to include any specific student quotes or reactions!","fullyFundedDate":1739376109948,"projectUrl":"project/books-for-everyone/8946770/","projectTitle":"Books For Everyone!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. G","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6530546_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x0,y69&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1657745911421","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6530546"},{"teacherId":6530546,"projectId":8946933,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and helping bring the \"Jesse and the Fly\" book series to life for my students!\r\n\r\nThese books have had such a powerful impact on our reading time. The humor, relatable characters, and engaging stories have opened doors for so many young readers, especially those who previously struggled to connect with books. Through \"Jesse and the Fly\", we've been able to explore important reading skills like making inferences, identifying theme, and understanding character development. Even more importantly, these books have sparked genuine excitement and joy in our classroom.\r\n\r\nReading time in our room is a mix of guided practice, independent choice, and small group discussions. These books have become instant favorites. One student—typically hesitant to pick up a chapter book—asked to borrow one to read at home. Another smiled during reading time and told me, \"This book is like a movie in my brain!\" That's the magic of literature coming to life.\r\n\r\nYour generosity not only gave us a new set of books but also gave students confidence, curiosity, and a reason to fall in love with reading. Thank you for believing in the power of stories—and in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1741047755263,"projectUrl":"project/a-book-for-everyone/8946933/","projectTitle":"A Book for Everyone","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. G","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6530546_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x0,y69&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1657745911421","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6530546"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_32264","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1008,"numTeachers":62,"percentFrplEligible":90,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":40,"percentWhite":12,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":42,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"16.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":27.4,"schoolId":32264,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Lotus School for Excellence - Middle & High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Lotus School for Excellence - Middle & High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/colorado/aurora-public-school-district/lotus-school-for-excellence/32264"}