{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":46.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9182868,"projectId":10106594,"letterContent":"My students have been using the new materials to bring abstract math concepts to life through hands-on, collaborative projects. One memorable moment was when students used art supplies and manipulatives to design geometric models, helping them better understand concepts like area, symmetry, and spatial reasoning.\r\n\r\nWhen they first saw the materials, their excitement was immediate—many were eager to explore and create, especially those who typically struggle with traditional instruction. The resources provided meaningful entry points for all learners, allowing them to engage with math in ways that matched their strengths.\r\n\r\nNext, students will build on these experiences by applying their understanding to more complex, real-world problem-solving tasks, continuing to connect creativity with mathematical thinking.","fullyFundedDate":1771620717171,"projectUrl":"project/from-concepts-to-creations-math-in-acti/10106594/","projectTitle":"From Concepts to Creations: Math in Action","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Spencer Margaret Saragena","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9182868_orig.jpg?crop=1572,1572,x913,y524&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1698730134958","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9182868"},{"teacherId":9182868,"projectId":9711621,"letterContent":"This project has made a big impact on how my students learn and engage with math. The portable monitor helps me model problems clearly, allowing students to see each step and better understand new concepts.\r\n\r\nStudents are especially excited about the boogie boards—they love being able to quickly try, erase, and try again without fear of mistakes. This has increased participation and encouraged a stronger growth mindset.\r\n\r\nI've also seen quieter students become more confident, as these tools give them a comfortable, low-pressure way to share their thinking. Overall, the technology and materials have created a more interactive, inclusive, and engaging learning environment for all students.","fullyFundedDate":1758757673989,"projectUrl":"project/from-paper-to-pixels/9711621/","projectTitle":"From Paper to Pixels","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Spencer Margaret Saragena","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9182868_orig.jpg?crop=1572,1572,x913,y524&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1698730134958","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9182868"},{"teacherId":9182868,"projectId":9558997,"letterContent":"This project has helped my students feel more prepared, organized, and confident in their learning. Simple materials like writing supplies, labels, and cleaning items create a structured environment where students can focus and take pride in their work.\r\n\r\nThe mouse and dongle have also made a big difference in how students use technology. Some of my learners find it much easier to navigate assignments with a mouse, allowing them to work more independently and successfully.\r\n\r\nStudents especially love the stamps and labels—they're excited to see their work recognized and to take ownership of their materials. I've already seen students become more organized, more engaged, and more confident.\r\n\r\nThank you for supporting a classroom where every student can feel capable and ready to learn!","fullyFundedDate":1757540055723,"projectUrl":"project/clean-create-and-stay-connected/9558997/","projectTitle":"Clean, Create and Stay Connected","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Spencer Margaret Saragena","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9182868_orig.jpg?crop=1572,1572,x913,y524&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1698730134958","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9182868"},{"teacherId":3497437,"projectId":10105401,"letterContent":"Thank you so much once again for helping our students show case their creativity! We immediately put these resources to work by supporting a Unity Sticker Design Contest run by another class. We turned the winning designs into high-quality stickers. It was incredible to see the pride on a winner's face when my students handed them the finished version of their art.\r\n\r\nNext, we are setting up a production schedule to help other student groups and teachers print custom labels and spirit stickers. Your generosity gave us a way to serve our school community and see the real-world impact of their work.\r\n\r\nThank you for being the adhesive that helped our school stick together!","fullyFundedDate":1771610508641,"projectUrl":"project/the-sticker-station/10105401/","projectTitle":"The Sticker Station","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Chiba","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3497437_orig.jpg?crop=1364,1364,x0,y140&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1614810581426","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3497437"},{"teacherId":10438164,"projectId":10107182,"letterContent":"The boxes have arrived, and to say my students are thrilled would be an understatement! There is nothing quite like the energy in a classroom when kids get to open up brand-new supplies. The moment they saw the colorful rolls of ribbon and the mountain of miniature plush bears, the room was buzzing with pure excitement.\r\nThey couldn't wait to dive in! We have already started practicing the ribbon rose folds, and my leadership team is already looking at the materials and brainstorming how we can make this project even bigger and better for the school community next year.\r\nYour generosity didn't just give us a fun activity for this week; it sparked a sense of ownership and future planning in these young leaders. They are already seeing themselves as event coordinators and community builders. Thank you for fueling their creativity and showing them that their ideas are worth investing in!","fullyFundedDate":1771660024261,"projectUrl":"project/the-gift-of-gratitude/10107182/","projectTitle":"The Gift of Gratitude","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Estrada","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10438164"},{"teacherId":7495069,"projectId":10105625,"letterContent":"Because of your generosity, our classroom looks and feels different this month. While many of you use tablets at home for news or entertainment, in our classroom, these iPads are not just screens—they are limitless canvases and personalized tutors.\r\n\r\nHow Technology is Transforming Learning\r\nIn our school, technology is the bridge between passive listening and active doing. We use these iPads to turn abstract concepts into interactive experiences. For example, instead of just reading about the solar system, students now use augmented reality (AR) to \"place\" planets on their desks, walking around them to observe orbits and scale. This shift from \"looking at\" to \"interacting with\" has fundamentally deepened their retention and curiosity.\r\n\r\nWhat Excites the Students Most\r\nIf you walked into our room, the first thing you'd notice is the creative agency your gift has provided. The students are most excited about the ability to choose how they demonstrate their knowledge. One student might record a podcast to explain a historical event, while another creates a digital animation. The \"magic\" of the iPad isn't just the sleek hardware; it's the fact that it gives every child a voice that fits their unique personality.\r\n\r\nMaking a Difference for Every Learner\r\nWe have seen a particularly profound impact on our students with learning differences and those who are English Language Learners.\r\n\r\nOne student in particular, who has historically struggled with fine motor skills and found traditional writing frustrating, has completely transformed. With the iPad's speech-to-text features and intuitive touch interface, the \"wall\" between his thoughts and the page has vanished. For the first time, he is turning in multi-page stories with a beaming smile, no longer held back by the physical struggle of holding a pencil.\r\n\r\nFor our quietest students, the iPad has become a safe space to practice and participate without the fear of public mistakes, building the confidence they need to eventually speak up in class.\r\n\r\nYour Impact\r\nYou haven't just provided \"gadgets\"; you've provided accessibility and equity. You've ensured that our students are not just consumers of technology, but creators of it.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in their potential and for giving them the tools to see themselves as the innovators of tomorrow.","fullyFundedDate":1772213604712,"projectUrl":"project/i-see-you/10105625/","projectTitle":"I See You","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hreljac","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7495069_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x294,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1627716326479","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7495069"},{"teacherId":8363291,"projectId":10105747,"letterContent":"thank you so much. This project has helped my students experience, kindness, compassion, support, and teamwork through the activities provide provided by your funds. Studenys learned to communicate, collaborate and strategize with the pipe exercise. In addition with the rainbow walkers students learned how to work together as a team and also strategize and cooperate to make the rainbow walker move as a wheel. Lastly, the leg connector equipment helped students learn how to be unified to move forward as a team. Your donations are greatly appreciated at our school.","fullyFundedDate":1771599154777,"projectUrl":"project/teambuilding-pe-fun/10105747/","projectTitle":"Teambuilding Pe Fun","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Owen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8363291"},{"teacherId":3278050,"projectId":10111086,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation through DonorsChoose. Even with just two LEGO SPIKE sensors, this gift will make a meaningful impact in our classroom.\r\n\r\nThese sensors will allow my students to engage in hands-on STEM learning, helping them connect coding and engineering concepts to real-world applications. They'll build problem-solving skills, collaborate with peers, and gain confidence as they experiment and learn.\r\n\r\nYour support brings exciting new opportunities to my students and shows them that their learning matters. Thank you for making a difference!","fullyFundedDate":1772885331934,"projectUrl":"project/powering-our-lego-robotics-with-sensor/10111086/","projectTitle":"Powering Our LEGO Robotics with Sensor","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Newbill","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3278050"},{"teacherId":3533555,"projectId":10103560,"letterContent":"Middle school math can often feel like a collection of invisible rules and flat shapes on a page. But thanks to your gift of 3Doodler pens and filament, my students are literally pulling those concepts off the paper and holding them in their hands. You've turned \"I don't get it\" into \"I just built it!\"\r\n\r\nInstead of just looking at a drawing of a cube or a tetrahedron, students used the 3Doodlers to trace 2D \"nets\" on their desks and then \"weld\" the edges together to pull them into 3D shapes.\r\n\r\nThe Reaction: One student, who usually struggles with spatial reasoning, gasped when his flat triangles became a pyramid. \"It's like the math is popping out at me!\" he shouted.\r\n\r\nThe Lesson: They weren't just memorizing definitions; they were calculating vertices, edges, and faces by actually touching and counting them on a model they created themselves.","fullyFundedDate":1771445123691,"projectUrl":"project/3d-doodlers-and-design/10103560/","projectTitle":"3d Doodlers and Design","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. H","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3533555_orig.jpg?crop=225,225,x73,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741806957030","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misterhscigui"},{"teacherId":9792309,"projectId":9909416,"letterContent":"Thank you so very, very much for supporting my classroom!!! I have received all of the flexible seating from this project, and it all sees heavy use every school day!\r\n\r\nMy students were super excited to see the new seating! They eagerly tried all the different options and found their favorites. All of my students utilize the flex seating some, if not all, of the time they are in my classroom. These seating choices have made a meaningful difference in our classroom environment.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, my students are more comfortable and engaged, and enjoy their time in my classroom more. They appreciate having the ability to choose the seating that works best for them. I've noticed improved focus, more productivity, more engagement, and a boost in students' overall spirits. The classroom feels warmer, more alive, and more supportive of the students.\r\n\r\nYour generosity made this awesomeness possible!!! Your contribution makes a difference in my classroom every day. Thank you, thank you, thank youuuuu!!!","fullyFundedDate":1764454808080,"projectUrl":"project/fidget-and-focus/9909416/","projectTitle":"Fidget and Focus","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Fernando","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9792309"},{"teacherId":3278050,"projectId":10105066,"letterContent":"Our class was very excited to receive the batteries, lights, simple circuit materials, a marble run, decals for decoration, night lights to help our room glow, and storage tools to organize everything. These new resources have helped bring our science lessons to life. Students are using the circuit materials to build and test simple circuits while learning about electricity, energy flow, and how different components work together. One memorable moment was when a group of students successfully lit their first bulb using a battery and wires. They were so proud and immediately started experimenting with different ways to connect their circuits.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, the students were full of excitement and curiosity. Many of them had never built a circuit before, so seeing the lights turn on through their own work was very exciting. The marble run has also been a big hit, allowing students to explore motion, gravity, and problem-solving as they design different paths for the marbles. The decals and night lights have helped make our classroom feel brighter, more welcoming, and inspiring for learning.\r\n\r\nAs we move forward, students will continue using these materials to deepen their understanding of science and engineering. Our next steps include designing small projects such as lighting a model house, creating simple switches for circuits, and experimenting with new marble run designs. These activities help students practice creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking while applying what they learn. We are so grateful to our donors for helping create a fun, engaging, and glowing learning environment for our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1771622072324,"projectUrl":"project/stem-starts-here-hands-on-tools-for-fut/10105066/","projectTitle":"STEM Starts Here: Hands-On Tools for Future Innovators","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Newbill","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3278050"},{"teacherId":3301390,"projectId":9874018,"letterContent":"It is awesome to now be able to provide students with a more tangible way to think about various health concepts, from a fork to remind them that life often requires careful consideration of choices to be happy with the outcomes, to a key to represent specific knowledge or skills needed in order to deal with different types of challenges or a feather to demonstrate that even though we may have many responsibilities, we can feel light and burden free because we are managing our lives well.\r\n\r\nAs we start each new unit, the symbols are shared as a way to introduce students to the big ideas. Students are excited to see what item will be used and they are more motivated to learn the concepts because in doing so they will be able to earn the symbols. At the end of the unit, they are again shown the symbol and given an opportunity to discuss its meaning for them personally which helps to solidify the concepts in their minds and increase the likelihood they will remember them so they can apply them as needed throughout their lives. Students are looking forward to the award day at end of the semester when they will receive the various symbolic items they have earned.","fullyFundedDate":1765414021400,"projectUrl":"project/symbols-to-represent-health-concepts/9874018/","projectTitle":"Symbols to Represent Health Concepts","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gauna","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3301390_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1461474739762","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3301390"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_69801","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":826,"numTeachers":62,"percentFrplEligible":48,"percentAsian":25,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":7,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":20,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"13.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_REMOTE"},"inStateSupporters":53.6,"schoolId":69801,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/hawaii/kapaa-kauai-waimea-school-district/chiefess-kamakahelei-mid-school/69801"}