{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Eastside High School","outOfStateSupporters":24.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10302322,"projectId":9794150,"letterContent":"The world of reading, for many of us, is a place of escape, discovery, and empowerment. It is familiar, comfortable, and something we move through with ease—but this is not the case for everyone. For many of my students, reading is challenging and often overwhelming. As we know, equitable literacy opportunities for our youth are critical for academic achievement and long-term success, yet classrooms are not always given the tools and supports necessary to make this a reality.\r\n\r\nWith the help of this project and your generous donations, I was able to design and implement a unit in my intensive reading classroom that moved beyond the traditional course structure. We were able to shift away from instruction centered solely on test preparation and quantifiable achievement metrics and instead engage in learning that was more dynamic, meaningful, and fulfilling for students.\r\n\r\nOver the course of the unit, my students explored their sense of self through Lord of the Flies and FantasticLand: A Novel. These texts allowed students to examine identity, decision-making, and human behavior while building confidence as readers. Many students who previously struggled with engagement became more willing to participate in discussions, take risks, and see themselves as capable readers. \r\n\r\nThis may seem small, but this project has given my students a new sense of accountability and pride in their work. I see it in the small moments—bell work completed without prompting, thoughtful contributions during think-pair-share, and hands raised by students who previously never participated. I also see it in the big moments. Students mourned the death of their favorite characters, made real-life connections between the novels and other media they consume, and openly shared how much they enjoyed the reading.\r\n\r\nPerhaps most meaningful were the moments when students who once stated, with full confidence, that they hated reading, looked up from their books at the end of a chapter and sighed, \"I have to start reading more books.\" Moments like these remind me that when students are given access to engaging texts and the opportunity to experience reading in a supportive environment, their identities as readers can truly begin to change.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, my students were given more than books—they were given the opportunity to see themselves as readers. This project helped transform reading from a source of frustration into an experience rooted in curiosity, confidence, and growth. Your support has had a lasting impact on how my students approach reading, learning, and themselves, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. Thank you for believing in my students and for helping make meaningful, equitable literacy experiences possible in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1760373592161,"projectUrl":"project/who-we-are-exploring-self-through-text/9794150/","projectTitle":"Who We Are: Exploring Self Through Text","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gibson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10302322"},{"teacherId":9918321,"projectId":9305183,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting the testing goodie bags. My students came into testing and soon had smiles on their faces rather than stress. THey were excited to look through the bags before testing began. I saw many of them eat their snack right away. Students immediately asked if they could sharpen and use the pencils on the test. \r\n\r\n\tThey were seen later trading stickers with each other which created a nice bit of comradery. I was able to have a bag for each student and even extra goodies for the students that stayed and took the most time. I saw students utilize their mints during testing when they were feeling overwhelmed or tired. I truly believe these testing goody bags helped students stick with it and power through.","fullyFundedDate":1746489477183,"projectUrl":"project/overcoming-testing-fears-mindset-with/9305183/","projectTitle":"Overcoming Testing Fears & Mindset with Spirit","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wishin","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9918321_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1738876299548","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/wishinbl"},{"teacherId":9637006,"projectId":9127712,"letterContent":"Reading is something that doesn't necessarily come easy to my students. They require prompting and they ask me to explain. However, with topics such as that covered in 12 Angry Men, my students are unfortunately intimately familiar with such dreary topics. Many of them have had run ins with the law or have been unfortunate enough to know those who have. As an educator I am trying to teach them to see all sides of everything. This way they know not to judge things based on the initial appearances of the matter.","fullyFundedDate":1743337983597,"projectUrl":"project/help-me-show-my-students-a-different-sid/9127712/","projectTitle":"Help Me Show My Students A Different Side Of Law","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Joiner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9637006"},{"teacherId":9637006,"projectId":8954142,"letterContent":"Many of my students are Gainesville locals who have never even dreamed of what goes on outside the boundaries of Northern Florida. They have automatically been sorted into the negative categories by those who know of the school simply because they have a lack of funding. By providing them with books that feature life in other places they are able to get a snapshot into other experiences. \r\nMany of my students have experienced negative situations due to their race and showing them that things will constantly evolve gives them a positive outlook on the situations they experience\r\n Many of them also found this book preferable as it was a comic, which showed things rather than leaving it up to the imagination.","fullyFundedDate":1738804015370,"projectUrl":"project/alternative-experiences-for-my-students/8954142/","projectTitle":"Alternative Experiences for My Students","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Joiner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9637006"},{"teacherId":9637006,"projectId":8910753,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supplying my kids with these supplies. I know something like this is not a supply you would typically associate with a high school English classroom but it is vital for my students to feel safe and loved in order for them to learn. Something as small as hygiene products let them know I care and am thinking about them regularly. By supplying them with these things on my care cart they can just receive them without feeling awkward for having to ask for them. These are things most people take for granted and I am thrilled that you understand the importance.","fullyFundedDate":1738782335635,"projectUrl":"project/give-my-students-access-to-hygiene-and-s/8910753/","projectTitle":"Give My Students Access to Hygiene and School Basics","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Joiner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9637006"},{"teacherId":1826587,"projectId":5008026,"letterContent":"Everyone knows how difficult it was to navigate COVID-19. Imagine in schools where we already face challenges and you add covid to this equation.\r\nYour generous donation help me as a teacher use technology to teach online and also protect the students to opted to be in the classroom.\r\nBecause of donors like you, we are able to provide essential supplies to our classrooms. This makes so much difference in the students' lives. Thank you for being a champion for education. Specially in times like Covid where everything was change on us and we needed to adapt to provide the best education to our students.","fullyFundedDate":1596306447924,"projectUrl":"project/teaching-with-a-mask-during-covid-19-tim/5008026/","projectTitle":"Teaching With a Mask During COVID-19 Times","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. María Eugenia Zelaya","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1826587_orig.jpg?crop=420,420,x300,y213&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1565442488380","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mariaeugeniazelaya"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_44675","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1231,"numTeachers":67,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":11,"percentBlack":55,"percentWhite":18,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":6,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"18.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":75.1,"schoolId":44675,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Eastside High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Eastside High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/florida/alachua-county-school-district/eastside-high-school/44675"}
Join the 293 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Eastside High School is
a suburban public school
in Gainesville, Florida that is part of Alachua County School District.
It serves 1,231 students
in grades 9 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 18.4:1.
Its teachers have had 90 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Boost support for this school! Share this page with friends, family, alumni, and fellow supporters. Every connection helps teachers get the supplies they need and shows how much your community cares about its students.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for public school teachers.
Every donation funds real needs — pencils, books, lab equipment, art supplies, and more — helping students learn and thrive. We ship supplies directly to the school, and you'll see exactly where each dollar goes.
of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
72%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Eastside High School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Jan 20, 2026
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.
Eastside High School
$75,057
raised using DonorsChoose
90
projects
funded
18
teachers
funded
293
donors
4
projects
for
basic supplies
10
projects for
technology
20
projects for
books
15
projects
for
art supplies
Eastside High School has received support from
220 individuals from Florida and
73 individuals out-of-state.
