{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Waipahu Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":37.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8384922,"projectId":9773565,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your kindness in donating the supplies for this project to my classroom. Students are using these resources in group projects that promote both geometry and scientific inquiry through design trial and error. Students are loving the project and enjoy using these products. These products are used daily in our classroom and students have become more and more comfortable to work with their peers, problem solve, and develop their creativity. By having these materials in my classroom, my students have been overjoyed to work harder and have shown more engagement as a result of having access to such valuable material. With the use of these materials students will continue to grow their understanding of important math and science content through hands on learning that develops inquiry and creative thinking. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind and generous donation.","fullyFundedDate":1759255963780,"projectUrl":"project/interactive-learning/9773565/","projectTitle":"Interactive Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Grubb","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8384922"},{"teacherId":10293924,"projectId":9774325,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations. With your generosity, I have been able to see the joy on both students' and teachers' faces when I share with them items like the spinning chair, fidgets, and other sensory items that were donated. In addition, I have been able to add to my own collection of items that I have on hand to keep students happy and calm when I have meetings or assessments in my office. \r\n\r\nThis year has been an especially challenging year. There have been a number of times when I get a call or text from a staff member asking if I could come to help a student who is having a hard time regulating their emotions. Having all of the sensory items that I ordered to select from has made it eaiser for us to help the students regulate.","fullyFundedDate":1759435064518,"projectUrl":"project/addressing-sensory-needs-makes-sense/9774325/","projectTitle":"Addressing Sensory Needs Makes Sense!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Tanaka","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10293924"},{"teacherId":8822443,"projectId":9775074,"letterContent":"If only you could have seen and heard the excitement when the new incentive prizes were revealed! The room buzzed with anticipation and joy! They were so excited to see the variety of incentives that you so generously donated. \r\n\r\nThey are extremely motivated to show that they are responsible readers. One student exclaimed, \"I can't wait to read my book next week!\" Because of your generous donation, they can't wait to share their books with their families throughout the week and return their completed logs. You have really sparked a love of reading in my students! Thank you so very much!","fullyFundedDate":1759446635714,"projectUrl":"project/responsibility-rocks/9775074/","projectTitle":"Responsibility Rocks!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Doi","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8822443"},{"teacherId":9968850,"projectId":9390625,"letterContent":"We would like to thank our donors for their generous donation in funding materials to help further the learning experiences in our classroom. When the package came in, out of curiosity the children asked, \"What's that?\" As we took out the items, the children were excited to explore and interact with the new manipulatives!\r\n\r\nFor example, with the Melissa and Doug \"See and Spell wooden puzzles\", it helped our preschool children build their vocabulary, while learning and recognizing letters of the alphabets. Then as the children build the words with the letters, it helps them build word knowledge as they learn what words are, their meaning, and how they are structured. \r\n\r\nThen with the Reptile Lizard Animals Figures, it helped support our class' study of Reptiles, which helped them gain a deeper understanding of reptiles because most children are afraid or have not seen a variety of reptiles. Therefore, the figures helped expose the children to other reptiles and alleviate the fear of real reptiles through a safe but hands on experience. Also, the figures helped introduce the science concepts such as the basic facts about certain reptiles in how they move, where they live, and what they eat. \r\n\r\nAgain, we greatly appreciate our donor's generous donation to our class..","fullyFundedDate":1753034169190,"projectUrl":"project/engaging-preschoolers-to-learn-letters-a/9390625/","projectTitle":"Engaging Preschoolers to Learn Letters and Numbers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nancy","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9968850"},{"teacherId":9799864,"projectId":9171416,"letterContent":"We are writing to express our sincere gratitude for your incredibly generous donation to our fourth-grade classroom. The impact of the new books, especially the Dog Man and Dork Diaries collections, has been immediate and overwhelmingly positive. My students absolutely loved having these options to read during our morning business time; they served as a perfect way to settle them in and keep them happily engaged at the start of the day. In fact, they've been so popular that the students are constantly requesting more books with similar fun and engaging styles! Additionally, the fidget toys, particularly the squish balls, have been a huge hit and have noticeably helped with improved focus and behavior throughout the day. The resources have extended their reach into our academic time as well, with the multiplication flash cards becoming a highly requested item for math small group games. My students now ask for a longer math rotation because they genuinely don't want the activity to end—a truly fantastic problem to have!\r\n\r\nBeyond the engaging activities, the practical items have also significantly streamlined our classroom organization. The durable zipper pouch bags are working perfectly as the students' essential school supply bags, keeping their cubbies tidy and their materials organized. Finally, the new Mancala and magnetic tic-tac-toe board games have been a wonderful addition to our indoor recess options, giving the students positive and cooperative ways to spend their free time. Every item you sent has been well-loved and purposefully used. My students and I are incredibly grateful for your thoughtful support and dedication to enriching our learning environment this year!","fullyFundedDate":1746786374094,"projectUrl":"project/unlock-focus-unleash-fun-fidget-strate/9171416/","projectTitle":"Unlock Focus, Unleash Fun: Fidget Strategies & Board Game Victories","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sales","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9799864"},{"teacherId":5283577,"projectId":9153101,"letterContent":"We are incredibly excited to share the amazing impact your donation has had on our classroom! Your generosity provided us with new storage crayon boxes, whiteboard markers, storage book bins, stools, and a group table, transforming our learning space into a place that is both highly organized and deeply collaborative.\r\n\r\nThese materials have tackled two of the biggest classroom challenges: organization and group work.\r\n\r\nThe storage book bins and crayon boxes have empowered students to manage their own materials. No more time wasted searching for supplies; everything has a clear, accessible home. This newfound organization has given us back precious learning minutes every day!\r\n\r\nThe group table and stools have become the heart of our collaborative work. For our recent \"Reading Response Teams\" project, students used the table to gather, share, and discuss their assigned chapter. I watched one group use the new whiteboard markers on a portable board at the table to quickly sketch out a plot map of their novel. The close seating on the stools ensured every student was engaged in the discussion, fostering a truly intimate and productive learning environment. They felt comfortable challenging each other's ideas and celebrating their teammates' insights.\r\n\r\nThe students' reaction to the new materials was immediate and fantastic. When the new book bins and sturdy crayon boxes first appeared, there was a collective sense of relief and excitement over having their own neat, designated space. They took pride in labeling their bins and organizing their supplies right away.\r\n\r\nThe group table and stools were the biggest hit, though. One student immediately said, \"This feels like a grown-up meeting!\" They instantly recognized that this dedicated space meant they were valued as independent thinkers and collaborators. The new materials signal to them that we are serious about working together, but also about keeping a tidy, focused workspace.\r\n\r\nThe next steps for our students are centered on leveraging this new, organized environment to build greater independence and leadership.\r\n\r\nUsing their new organizational tools, our next project involves the students becoming \"Classroom Experts\" in a chosen subject. They will use the group table for their research and planning sessions, but they'll also be responsible for independently managing all the resources needed for their presentation—from the whiteboard markers for their visuals to the books they need for sources, which they'll keep neatly filed in their personal book bins. Your donation has given them the structure and space to move beyond simply participating to actively leading their own learning and keeping our classroom running smoothly!\r\n\r\nThank you again for supporting our students' growth in both organization and teamwork!","fullyFundedDate":1741655352330,"projectUrl":"project/small-steps-big-impact/9153101/","projectTitle":"Small Steps, Big Impact","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Takamori","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5283577"},{"teacherId":5283577,"projectId":8037377,"letterContent":"We are thrilled to share the incredible success of our after-school gardening project, made possible by your generous support! For our 3rd through 6th grade students, many of whom have limited space and resources at home, this project has moved learning from abstract concepts to tangible, real-world skills. You've given them not just gardening tools, but a vital connection to sustainable living and the 'āina (land), which is so integral to Hawaiʻi.\r\n\r\nThe materials you provided have allowed us to create three distinct learning stations: a mini garden, an aquaponics system, and a hydroponic system.\r\n\r\nA specific moment that highlights this impact was the installation of the aquaponics system. Using the fish food, hydroponic nutrients, and the pH test kit, our students became junior engineers and environmental scientists. They set up the tank and carefully transplanted seedlings into the grow bed. Watching a 4th grader explain to a 6th grader how the fish waste provides fertilizer for the plants—a perfect example of lifelong, closed-loop learning—was truly rewarding. The ability to manage these systems gives them hands-on practice in biology, chemistry, and sustainable food production.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, the excitement was electric. For many, this was the first time they had ever held a real garden tool or seen a hydroponic growing system up close. The sight of the mini greenhouse and the bags of vegetable seeds brought an immediate flood of questions and eager hands ready to dig in. One 5th grader, whose family lives in a small apartment, pointed to the pots and asked, \"We can grow food in those, even without dirt?\" This reaction perfectly encapsulates the project's goal: showing them that growing nutritious food is accessible and possible, regardless of the space they have at home.\r\n\r\nThe next steps for our club are focused on harvesting, nutritional education, and community impact.\r\n\r\nOur plants are thriving, and soon, we will begin the first major harvest from all three systems! This phase will involve using the produce (like lettuce and herbs) in a cooking demonstration to teach the students about nutritional health benefits and preparing healthy, low-cost meals. Crucially, we will also practice the value of giving back by sharing a portion of our harvest with their families, bringing the learning directly into their homes and addressing the need for accessible nutritious food. Your donation has created a full-circle learning experience, from seed to table!","fullyFundedDate":1700345087789,"projectUrl":"project/aloha-living/8037377/","projectTitle":"Aloha Living","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Takamori","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5283577"},{"teacherId":9024074,"projectId":9240481,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students are more excited about reading than ever! These new chapter books have helped us practice important skills like making inferences, identifying themes, and understanding characters' motivations.\r\n\r\nIn our classroom, reading looks like cozy corners for independent reading, lively partner discussions, and whole-class conversations that bring the stories to life. The books have sparked genuine joy — \r\n\r\nYour gift hasn't just stocked our shelves — it has inspired confidence, curiosity, and a lasting love for books.","fullyFundedDate":1746786451020,"projectUrl":"project/turning-pages-changing-lives/9240481/","projectTitle":"Turning Pages, Changing Lives!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Agas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9024074_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1702546493396","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9024074"},{"teacherId":5955979,"projectId":9153373,"letterContent":"Mahalo for all of your support in utilizing new resources! Through the use of collaborative tools that you helped to fund, my students are now much more engaged and open to trying tasks to the best of their ability!\r\n\r\nThe dry erase markers with cap erasers have proven to be extra beneficial because it is one less tool students need to keep track of. Having different colors help to color code tasks as well as show contribution between students working on the same task. They are able to use this item on the paddles, as well as larger white boards around the room.\r\n\r\nThe paddles have been great to use for quick formative assessments and games. It allows me to keep track of student participation and accuracy during these tasks.","fullyFundedDate":1741662406694,"projectUrl":"project/creativity-and-collaboration/9153373/","projectTitle":"Creativity and Collaboration!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nishitomi","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5955979_orig.png?crop=882,882,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755139167902","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/nishuponastar"},{"teacherId":2232844,"projectId":9152649,"letterContent":"Our School gardens is a magical place full of positivity, love towards nature and social connection. If you ask any club member about their favourite part of school, it's likely that many of them would mention the school butterfly garden.\r\nAfter spending a lot of time in the classroom, students can get burnout and feel the desire to change their surroundings. This is why many students are excited about the end-of-day bell: not because they want school to end, but because they're tired of spending all that time indoors.\r\nOur butterfly garden is a great way to introduce outdoor time to their daily school routine. They simply love the change of scenery and surrounding.\r\nThe garden also teaches responsibility. They are a great way for students to learn the importance of taking care of a living organism. Students raise monarch butterflies and release them back into the community. A real-life, highly applicable skill.\r\nHaving access to a school garden, gives students to opportunity to eat food that they have nurtured from seed. This is a magical experience and gives students an invaluable insight into where our food comes from. With this they learn an invaluable appreciation of the delicate balances in our ecosystems and the crucial roles they play.\r\nThank you once again for allowing the magic to happen on campus!","fullyFundedDate":1741664945950,"projectUrl":"project/pulelehua-society/9152649/","projectTitle":"Pulelehua Society","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Frattalone","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2232844_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1454978645644","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misssalvador"},{"teacherId":9655625,"projectId":9152469,"letterContent":"Thank you endlessly for equipping our classroom with vital supplies, allowing us to finish the school year with an incredible bang! Your generosity ensured students consistently had the tools they needed, especially during those crucial final projects and assessments. Knowing they could always rely on a well-stocked supply cabinet fostered a deeper sense of security and focus, removing any anxiety about running out of materials. This immediate impact on their learning experience was invaluable. Now, our incoming students next year will step into a classroom where they know, from day one, that every necessary resource will be readily available, empowering them to dive into learning without a single worry about basic supplies. Your contribution truly makes a difference in creating a consistent, nurturing, and productive environment for all.","fullyFundedDate":1741701061504,"projectUrl":"project/tools-for-tomorrow-supplying-success/9152469/","projectTitle":"Tools for Tomorrow: Supplying Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uganiza","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9655625"},{"teacherId":3262367,"projectId":9158109,"letterContent":"Thank you very much for providing my students with the opportunity to practice their reading skills and strategies. They were very excited to receive the abundance of chapter books and get started on reading them right away!\r\nAlthough they were only able to read through a few of the books, since it was nearing the end of the school year, each chapter kept them engaged all the way. I know that my students this coming school year will greatly appreciate the head start they'll have with being able to read chapter books at the beginning of the year.\r\nWe thank you with warmest regards and ALOHA!","fullyFundedDate":1742139921785,"projectUrl":"project/fostering-the-love-of-reading-though-cha/9158109/","projectTitle":"Fostering the Love of Reading Though Chapter Books!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gersaba-Agtarap","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3262367_orig.jpg?crop=757,757,x552,y1269&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714952424979","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3262367"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_50817","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":827,"numTeachers":74,"percentFrplEligible":76,"percentAsian":36,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":9,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"11.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":62.7,"schoolId":50817,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Waipahu Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Waipahu Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/hawaii/leeward-oahu-school-district/waipahu-elementary-school/50817"}