{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Kapolei Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":5.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10296087,"projectId":9781716,"letterContent":"The Classroom Treasure Chest has made a tremendous impact on both my teaching and my students' daily learning experience. What might seem like a small gesture—providing fun, themed erasers—has created a big wave of excitement, motivation, and engagement in our classroom routines. These erasers have quickly become a prized classroom incentive, encouraging positive behavior, active participation, and academic effort across subjects. Whether we are engaged in hands-on math lessons or focused literacy activities, the students now have something extra to look forward to that makes learning even more meaningful.\r\nOne particularly memorable moment occurred during a group reading lesson. The atmosphere in the classroom shifted as students became laser-focused and enthusiastic, with an energy that was contagious. Even my more hesitant readers, who usually avoid the spotlight, were suddenly eager to participate and take ownership of their learning. It was clear that the excitement of earning a special eraser from the treasure chest gave them a new sense of confidence and pride. These small rewards created a huge emotional payoff, turning routine lessons into something students looked forward to every day.\r\nThe moment students first saw the treasure chest is one I won't forget. Their faces lit up with pure joy and curiosity. They crowded around it, asking, \"What's inside?\" and \"Can we open it today?\" The anticipation was magical. Once they discovered the adorable erasers inside—shaped like animals, food, stars, and more—they couldn't wait to earn one. It was heartwarming to see how something so simple could spark such genuine excitement. The treasure chest became more than just a box of supplies—it became a symbol of achievement, encouragement, and fun.\r\nRecently, we completed a cross-curricular project tied to science and observational writing. Students were assigned to go home, observe the night sky, and return the next morning with a short report. The sense of responsibility they showed in completing this project was incredible. Many even went beyond the requirements, adding drawings or additional facts they researched on their own. The next morning, each student proudly presented their data to the class, and their level of detail and presentation clearly reflected the pride they felt. Several students shared that they worked hard because they were excited to earn a new eraser from the treasure chest for doing their best—and it showed!\r\nAs we move forward, we're preparing to dive into a science unit on light. I plan to use the erasers as both incentives and creative tools. For example, students will document their observations during light experiments, and those who demonstrate curiosity, teamwork, and perseverance will get to choose a special eraser as recognition. These incentives continue to encourage a culture of effort, exploration, and joy in learning.\r\nThanks to your generosity, my students are not only engaged but genuinely enjoying their learning experiences. They're motivated, proud of their work, and eager to participate. You've helped create a classroom culture where effort is celebrated and curiosity thrives—and that's a gift with lasting impact.","fullyFundedDate":1759602333739,"projectUrl":"project/ms-forges-classroom-treasure-chest/9781716/","projectTitle":"Ms. Forges' Classroom Treasure Chest","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Forges","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10296087"},{"teacherId":9686561,"projectId":9699256,"letterContent":"Our class is beyond grateful for your generous donation. The students are very excited for our new prices for our treasure box. They also are more eager to do their work in a timely manner to be able to play with our stem toys. \r\n\r\nThey were very excited to see all the cool stuff we have especially the welcome sign which is the first thing they see when entering the classroom and we will also use it when taking pictures. Thank you greatly. \r\n\r\nThese materials are already making a big difference. The legos/stem toys have sparked incredible creativity, and the students were so excited to see the exercise dice. \r\n\r\nResources like these are invaluable, and they help me provide a richer, more engaging learning environment that I simply couldn't offer without your support.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in the future of our students. Your kindness and generosity mean the world to us.","fullyFundedDate":1759440566106,"projectUrl":"project/the-best-first-grade-experience/9699256/","projectTitle":"The Best First Grade Experience","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mary Lee","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9686561"},{"teacherId":9476207,"projectId":9153734,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity and support in public education, we successfully introduced the 3D printer and programming to our 4th grade summer enrichment students. Your support has made a tangible and exciting difference at Kapolei Elementary by giving our students the means to demonstrate their understanding of math, science, and STEAM-related concepts and also the creative freedom to design build, and bring their own ideas to life.\r\n\r\n We've seen some of our summer enrichment students demonstrate some creative and outstanding problem solving and critical thinking in completing their designs. We've seen their projects come to fruition from sketching designs to experimenting with the 3D software, their final product, and finally helping others to complete their projects.\r\n\r\n We have future plans this school year to create unique products for our school's student incentive store known as the Dolphins Market with our Grade 5 club students. The 3D print projects will give students real-world purpose by teaching them about engineering design, entrepreneurship & marketing, and product development.\r\n\r\n We MAHALO you once again for your support as we help to prepare our students with the necessary technology, problem-solving, creativity, and STEAM skills for the innovative future. We couldn't have done this without you and we deeply appreciate your generosity and support once again.","fullyFundedDate":1741694379370,"projectUrl":"project/student-innovators-of-modern-technology/9153734/","projectTitle":"Student Innovators of Modern Technology Using the 3D Printer","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Awa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9476207"},{"teacherId":9468721,"projectId":9162261,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous support in funding our Art supplies for Kapolei Elementary School. The students were in awe as we received boxes and packages of new Art supplies for their use. I told them that they were donated by generous donors. They couldn't believe it and they were excited to get to work. Our students were able to create original art pieces that were displayed in 2 separate exhibits, one at our own school and also at our complex-wide art showcase hosted at Kapolei High School. The students were so proud of their unique, individual projects this year. They were able to use different art media and techniques of their own choosing to truly express their creative selves.\r\nWatercolor painting was an extremely popular form of Art for students this year. They often paired their watercolors with color pencil shading to add more texture or depth of color. First graders also made paintings of flower vases with a 3-D element. They framed these pictures with construction paper to send home as Mother's Day gifts.\r\nThe students were so happy to take home their artwork to share with their families. Thank you again.","fullyFundedDate":1742067697546,"projectUrl":"project/support-the-arts/9162261/","projectTitle":"Support the Arts!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Anderson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9468721"},{"teacherId":9966654,"projectId":9171405,"letterContent":"A group of our incoming fifth grade students had their first opportunity to use the 3D printer this summer and absolutely loved it! They quickly learned the necessary skills to manipulate objects on Tinkercad and in less than 30 minutes, most had started to create whatever their imagination could come up with. From whole city scapes to car armies, they dove headfirst into the world of online design. To gain an appreciation for the work of some of the designs they see at the local craft fairs and shops, they were tasked with creating an animal that wasn't already available on Tinkercad as a drag-and-drop structure. Students who wanted a slightly more difficult (but fun!) task were challenged to include articulated joints. Impressively, they ended up finding their own solution to the problem before I even taught them how to create the articulated joint! Had we had more time, I definitely would have taught them how to make more refined joints, but I love their ingenuity and desire to find a solution and test it out!\r\n\r\nThe students also used the 3D printer to create a wind turbine prototype for this upcoming school year's fourth grade unit about energy conversions. I'll plan to have fourth grade students work in groups for their final project to create at least two turbines with one changed variable. They will then be able to print their wind turbines and test how the variable changes the amount of electricity it can create when hooked up to a generator. Thank you for helping us build our students' interest in STEM, computer science, and more! They can't wait to get back to designing and we've gotten past some major trial-and-error mistakes, so I'm excited to see how this will go with the new group of students! Mahalo nui loa for this generous gift!!","fullyFundedDate":1742144771707,"projectUrl":"project/utilizing-technology-to-bring-students/9171405/","projectTitle":"Utilizing Technology to Bring Students' Digital Creations to Life","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Slaton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9966654"},{"teacherId":9430257,"projectId":9158915,"letterContent":"Your support has helped transform parts of our library and have filled it with soft, cushioned chairs and flexible seating options that are perfect for both independent reading and working together. The day the new seating arrived, students were so excited to sit and enjoy these spaces. You would think that our lower elementary students (Grades K - 2) would enjoy them more, but our upper grade students were the ones who were absolutely thrilled to see their familiar library transformed right before their eyes! This project has created such a calming and inviting atmosphere where every single student feels welcome and truly ready to explore the magic that books hold.\r\n\r\nOur students literacy skills were also strengthened by helping them develop a lifelong love for reading. Giving our students choices about where and how they sit also teaches them really valuable social-emotional skills like self-regulation. They're learning to manage themselves and choose the positions that best support their focus and emotional needs. Your kindness means a lot to our students and our entire school community! \r\n\r\nOur school has had the same wooden immovable bookshelves since our school first opened 30 years ago. Our next steps are to change some of the furniture in the library to be more contemporary and open to match the seating areas. Students come to the libary to engage in Makerspace activities as well so we are so excited for what's to come.","fullyFundedDate":1741968995056,"projectUrl":"project/their-future-their-choice-flexible-sea/9158915/","projectTitle":"Their Future, Their Choice: Flexible Seating for Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Meyer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9430257"},{"teacherId":9431018,"projectId":8889001,"letterContent":"Mahalo for donating the various incentives to our school store, the Dolphins' Market. Through this donation, students feel excited to attend school so they can earn Dolphin Dollars. At the Dolphins' Market, they apply their financial literacy skills and decision making skills. Students use their math skills to add the total cost of items as they \"checkout\" of the market. They also use their math skills to decide how much more money they'll need to save for a more valued item. \r\n\r\nStudents love coming to the Dolphins' Market because it's a place to showcase student choice. Prior to the donation, students were limited in the selection available at the Dolphins' Market. Now, they're excited to spend their hard earned Dolphin Dollars on slime or putty as well as save up for jibits to put on their crocs. \r\n\r\nOur Dolphins' Market has allowed our students to apply their financial literacy and decision making skills however, we want to further their learning and continue to make more real world connections. Currently, only a select amount of student \"employees\" work at the Dolphins' Market. We'd like to expand it to lower grade levels so they too can apply their 6 pillars of character.","fullyFundedDate":1729430173792,"projectUrl":"project/school-matters/8889001/","projectTitle":"School Matters!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ferriman","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9431018"},{"teacherId":9476207,"projectId":8879438,"letterContent":"On behalf of the Grade 5 Craft Design club, I would like to extend our gratitude for your generous support and donation to our craft club. Your contribution has made a positive and significant impact on our club members through the success of our craft activities and the materials that you helped to fund. The activities gave students a sense of accomplishment and pride in completing their awesome projects.\r\n With your generous donation, our Grade 5 Craft Design Club was able to purchase a a variety of materials, including Glowforge cutting/engraving machine wood and acrylic sheets, 3D LED acrylic lamp light sets, and paracord craft kits. These supplies allowed our students to explore their artistic talents, learn new techniques, and work collaboratively on a variety of fun educational projects. Students learned the history of the paracord and its various uses since its creation. They made paracord keychains and bracelts for themselves and are now manufacturing some for our Dolphins Market student incentive store. Students also learned about art planning and design. They created designs to engrave on the Glowforge machine and transferred designs to 3D LED lamp lights. They are now creating and selecting designs as a class that will also go to the Dolphins Market. This club opportunity gave our 5th grade students the chance to express their talent and creativity through various hands-on projects, which ultimately boosted their self-confidence while also helping them to build essential work and life skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, collaborative teamwork, and qulaity producers with attention to detail. \r\n throughout the school year, we shared frustrations, joy, excitement, and pride when completing our projects. This experience has enrich students' educational journey. through alternative learning experiences with project materials made possible because of your thoughtful support and donation. We hope to continue our newly introduced craft club program again next year! \r\n We are truly grateful for your generosity and your commitment to supporting programs like Donors Choose which helps initiatives like our Craft Club to provide students opportunities to discover, create, and grow in ways that inspire their love for learning. Thank you once again for your support. We look forward to sharing more student successes with you in the future!","fullyFundedDate":1729092717103,"projectUrl":"project/grade-5-craft-design-club/8879438/","projectTitle":"Grade 5 Craft Design Club","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Awa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9476207"},{"teacherId":9430257,"projectId":8886985,"letterContent":"We are very grateful to you and your generous contributions for funding our project and bringing a wealth of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) books to our classroom. These books are invaluable tools that will help our students develop crucial skills like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. We know that fostering these skills is just as important as academic learning, and these books provide engaging and accessible ways for our students to explore and understand their emotions and the emotions of others. Thank you for investing in their well-being and setting them up for success in all areas of their lives.\r\n\r\nThe impact of these SEL books is already being felt in our classroom. We've seen increased engagement during read-alouds and discussions, and the children are beginning to apply what they've learned from the books in their everyday activities. They are learning to identify their feelings, express themselves constructively, and empathize with their classmates. These books are not just stories; they are springboards for important conversations and opportunities for growth. Thank you for making a real difference in their lives.","fullyFundedDate":1729390352351,"projectUrl":"project/happy-hearts-healthy-minds/8886985/","projectTitle":"Happy Hearts, Healthy Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Meyer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9430257"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_59821","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":673,"numTeachers":59,"percentFrplEligible":43,"percentAsian":20,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":3,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":19,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"11.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":94.7,"schoolId":59821,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Kapolei Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Kapolei Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/hawaii/leeward-oahu-school-district/kapolei-elementary-school/59821"}