{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Hau'ula Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":49.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8502197,"projectId":10106256,"letterContent":"Mahalo nui loa for funding our project moving to learn. My students were able to have learning experiences beyond their chair and table. The students were super excited for the boxes to arrive, they couldn't imagine what the huge box was, and when we opened it, we worked together with organizing our legos into bins, we built the basketball hoop, and we all put bands on our classroom chairs. We got super creative with creating stories with legos built, we learned sounds and sight words by throwing it into the hoop, and my students were able to stay moving with the bands on their chairs. \r\n\r\nNow that weʻve had a few months with our new classroom implements, I plan to continue to use the legos, chair bands, and the basketball hoop with future students. We will start the new school year off right, getting all of our jitters out of the way, so that we can end next school year strong with academics. \r\n\r\nThank you so much again for your time and generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1771701867138,"projectUrl":"project/moving-to-learn/10106256/","projectTitle":"Moving to Learn","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jade","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8502197_orig.png?crop=650,650,x0,y58&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753165650759","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jades1"},{"teacherId":8829285,"projectId":9695984,"letterContent":"Our students immediately connected with the new resources because they were able to learn through direct, hands-on experiences in ʻāina. When the materials first arrived, students were excited to become \"real scientists\" by using survey tools, collection containers, magnifying tools, and supplies to safely study invasive snails and biodiversity in our māla and surrounding environments. One of the most meaningful moments happened during our kāhuli surveys, when students began independently noticing patterns, asking deeper questions, and teaching one another how to identify native and invasive species. The resources also allowed students to design and build snail hotels, combining engineering, observation, and problem-solving skills while strengthening their kilo practices. Students took so much ownership of the learning that many began bringing invasive snails from home and sharing discoveries with their families and classmates.\r\n\r\nWhat made this project especially powerful was how naturally it grew beyond a single lesson. Students used shells and collected materials to create artwork and awareness pieces that connected science, culture, and creativity. Through collaboration with teachers, community partners, and cultural practitioners, students built stronger pilina to ʻāina and began understanding their role as stewards of Hawaiʻi's ecosystems. Their excitement came not from completing assignments, but from feeling genuinely connected to the work and the places we visited.\r\n\r\nThe next steps for our students are continuing biodiversity surveys and expanding our learning into more native spaces across our moku. Students will continue refining their observation and data collection skills while comparing different ecosystems such as loʻi, loko iʻa, forests, and school gardens. We also plan to deepen our partnerships with community organizations and create more opportunities for students to share their ʻike through presentations, art, storytelling, and stewardship projects. This experience showed our students that ʻāina is the true teacher, and we hope to continue following where that learning leads.","fullyFundedDate":1766101562300,"projectUrl":"project/biodiversity-surveys-invasive-snails/9695984/","projectTitle":"Biodiversity Surveys- Invasive Snails","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dani","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8829285_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y201&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1673068604754","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8829285"},{"teacherId":9351195,"projectId":10043104,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom project and for helping provide new materials for my Art class students. Because of your generosity, my students now have access to neon watercolor paints, watercolor paper, and gold paint for clay projects. During a recent lesson, students eagerly experimented with the bright neon watercolors to paint different betta fish, exploring color blending and different artistic techniques. They were amazed at how vibrant the colors looked under a blacklight and excited to see their ideas come to life in a new way.\r\n\r\nWhen students first saw the materials, their reactions were filled with excitement and curiosity. They immediately started talking about what they wanted to create and were eager to begin using the supplies. Their excitement created a positive energy throughout the classroom, and students were proudly sharing their work and encouraging one another.\r\n\r\nAs we continue our learning journey, students will be using these resources in upcoming projects, gold paint to add details and finishing touches. We will also continue exploring different watercolor techniques and artistic styles to strengthen creativity and artistic skills. The yarn will add to our exploration of different medium, while creating. Your generosity has given our students opportunities to learn, create, and feel inspired. Thank you for making a lasting difference in our classroom and for being part of our students' creative journey.","fullyFundedDate":1771624731050,"projectUrl":"project/creating-confidence-through-art/10043104/","projectTitle":"Creating Confidence through Art","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Carroll","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9351195"},{"teacherId":7062041,"projectId":9781010,"letterContent":"Our winter concert theme was \"Holiday Movie Magic.\" Students learned different songs popularized in holiday movies and learned the art of performing in front of an audience (acting, speaking, singing) as they shared their musical talents with our school family and community.\r\n\r\nThe students were so excited to see the final set for our Winter Program. We used red carpet on each side of the performing stage that the students entered and exited the risers where they performed. We also decorated the stage with \"lights, camera, action\" cut outs to reinforce the movie theme.\r\n\r\nThe students sang and performed amazingly well and the parents enjoyed watching their kids perform various songs from different Winter-themed movies.","fullyFundedDate":1759759807864,"projectUrl":"project/holiday-movie-magic/9781010/","projectTitle":"Holiday Movie Magic!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. May Shumway","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7062041_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1580931043226","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mayshumway"},{"teacherId":10438025,"projectId":10105893,"letterContent":"Mahalo Nui Loa for your incredible generosity in providing the vertical whiteboards, markers, and printer for our classroom! Your thoughtful support has truly transformed the way my students learn and engage each day.\r\n\r\nThe vertical whiteboards have created a more dynamic and collaborative learning environment. Students are now up on their feet, working together to solve problems, share ideas, and explain their thinking. This active approach has strengthened their communication skills, deepened their understanding of the material, and built their confidence as learners. It has been inspiring to see even our quieter students step forward, contribute, and take pride in their work.\r\n\r\nThe addition of the printer has also made a tremendous difference. Having reliable access to printed materials allows me to better prepare engaging lessons, provide timely resources, and ensure students have the tools they need to succeed. It has improved our classroom efficiency and expanded the kinds of activities and projects we can offer.\r\n\r\nYour kindness and commitment to supporting education mean so much to us. Because of your generosity, our classroom is more interactive, better equipped, and filled with even more enthusiasm for learning. We are deeply grateful for the positive and lasting impact you have made on our educational journey.","fullyFundedDate":1771715694016,"projectUrl":"project/building-math-mastery-through-interactiv/10105893/","projectTitle":"Building Math Mastery Through Interactive Vertical Whiteboards","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Baniaga","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10438025_orig.jpg?crop=4284,4284,x0,y771&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1771486770065","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10438025"},{"teacherId":8829285,"projectId":9774384,"letterContent":"Mahalo nui loa for your generous support of our school garden project. Because of you, our students are growing far more than plants — they are growing pilina: connection to ʻāina, to their learning, to one another, and to themselves.\r\nYour donation provided the tools needed for students to create durable plant markers, garden signage, and personalized field guides. What may seem like simple materials have become powerful instruments of place-based learning. Students now identify vegetables, fruits, and native plants not just by name, but by story, function, and cultural significance. This project has sparked deep curiosity and encouraged student-led exploration. As students observe the garden, they generate their own questions:\r\n* Why does this native plant grow well here?\r\n* How was this plant traditionally used?\r\n* What conditions help it thrive?\r\n\r\nWith the resources you provided, students research, record data, sketch, compare, and test their ideas. They are practicing kilo (careful observation) and stepping into kuleana, taking responsibility for caring for living systems. They are not just completing assignments; they are leading their own discovery.\r\n\r\nBecause of this project:\r\nStudents are strengthening scientific skills through real-world observation, classification, and documentation.\r\nThey are learning the cultural and historical significance of native Hawaiian plants, building pride and a sense of belonging.\r\nThey are designing signs that educate others, positioning themselves as knowledge holders and leaders.\r\nThey are developing stewardship by maintaining the garden and understanding their role in sustaining it.\r\nThey are experiencing what it means to build pilina- recognizing that when they care for the land, the land feeds and teaches them in return.\r\n\r\nThe field guides and signage they created will remain in the garden for future students, making this a lasting and growing legacy. Season after season, new learners will see the work of those who came before them, reinforcing a cycle of mentorship and community. Your support has helped cultivate more than an outdoor classroom. You have helped cultivate identity, purpose, and a generation of young stewards who understand that entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation begin with relationship - relationship to ʻāina and to community.\r\nMahalo for believing in ʻāina-based education and for helping our students grow roots that will carry them forward.","fullyFundedDate":1759622321396,"projectUrl":"project/roots-shoots-and-signs-a-garden-learn/9774384/","projectTitle":"Roots, Shoots, and Signs: A Garden Learning Project","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dani","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8829285_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y201&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1673068604754","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8829285"},{"teacherId":8364435,"projectId":10103402,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping my students have a Zen Zone space where they can fulfill their multi-sensory needs and be comfortable in their environment while learning vital skills. Learning is a journey for all students, and having this multi-sensory space has created success for so many special friends! \r\nThe spinner chairs, trampoline, and swings are favorites! Many students are able to calm down and self regulate while on them. Students are able to use their fine motor and thinking skills in order to manage their way through the switch board activities. The bubble machine helps calm students when feeling frustrated as well as engage them while jumping to pop the bubbles. \r\nThis project has helped create not only a fine motor and sensory learning environment for these students, but also a safe space where they feel calm and comfortable to explore and improve their skills.","fullyFundedDate":1771444467562,"projectUrl":"project/zen-zone/10103402/","projectTitle":"Zen Zone","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8364435_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y171&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1745886504780","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8364435"},{"teacherId":2316747,"projectId":9909316,"letterContent":"​Mahalo nui loa for your incredible generosity! Your support has brought essential sensory and academic tools into our classroom, and the impact has been immediate.\r\n​My K-2 students are already using the chair bands, fidgets, and putty to manage their energy, while the noise-canceling headphones have created a focused environment for independent work. The magnetic math and phonics kits have turned abstract concepts into hands-on fun, and our 'Ōlelo Hawai'i coloring books are helping my students connect deeply with their culture while building fine motor skills.\r\n​I am especially proud to share that the data reflects this success! One of my students recently completed their second diagnostic and achieved a 33 point increase, surpassing their typical growth target. This progress is a direct result of having the right resources to bridge the gap between abstract concepts and concrete understanding.\r\n​Thank you for being a part of our journey and for investing in the potential of these amazing Keiki.","fullyFundedDate":1763783732620,"projectUrl":"project/making-learning-fun/9909316/","projectTitle":"Making Learning Fun!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Byrne","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2316747"},{"teacherId":9712940,"projectId":9702086,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the donation. All supplies are helping in everyday use in my students learning. They are able to access all supplies and not have to worry if they don't have that certain supply. Colored pencils and markers also support my students during Art. We also make use of them in our everyday math and reading. The printer is also allowing me easier access to producing content for all subjects. It allows me to print right in my classroom and not have to wait on the school copy machine and that supports both me and my students.","fullyFundedDate":1762287774777,"projectUrl":"project/differentiated-instruction-and-classroom/9702086/","projectTitle":"Differentiated Instruction and Classroom Supplies","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Graycochea","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9712940"},{"teacherId":7929591,"projectId":9776766,"letterContent":"We are so grateful for your generous donation to our first grade classroom. Your support in providing basic classroom supplies makes a meaningful difference in our students' daily learning experience. Because of your kindness, our classroom is better equipped to foster an environment where every child feels included, valued, and ready to participate.\r\n\r\nThese materials may seem simple, but they play a powerful role in promoting engagement, creativity, and confidence. With the tools you've provided, our students can fully take part in lessons, collaborate with their classmates, and express themselves without barriers. Your contribution helps ensure that all learners—regardless of their circumstances—have what they need to succeed.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in our students and investing in their future. Your generosity not only supports their education today but also encourages a lifelong love of learning. We truly appreciate your thoughtfulness and commitment to helping young minds grow.","fullyFundedDate":1759497135277,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-items-for-first-grade/9776766/","projectTitle":"Classroom Items for First Grade","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Plunkett","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7929591_orig.jpg?crop=2254,2254,x0,y90&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1627518356873","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7929591"},{"teacherId":8829285,"projectId":9784505,"letterContent":"Because of your generosity, our garden has truly come to life as an outdoor classroom rooted in purpose and connection. When the greenhouses and tools arrived, students gathered around with wide eyes and big smiles, immediately asking, \"When can we build?\" and \"What are we planting first?\" They eagerly worked together to construct the living trellises, measuring, designing, and problem-solving as a team. One powerful moment was watching students gently transplant seedlings into the greenhouse beds, carefully tucking soil around each plant and talking about how these plants would provide food, medicine, and seeds for the future. They weren't just gardening — they were stepping into their roles as caretakers of ʻāina.\r\n\r\nWe are now using the greenhouses daily to observe plant growth cycles, compare soil health, start native and canoe plants from seed, and experiment with natural pest management. The trellises have become living science lessons as climbing plants like lilikoi stretch upward, showing students how structure and support help living things thrive. Students are journaling their observations, collecting data, and making connections between healthy soil, healthy plants, and healthy communities. The excitement they feel when they see the first flowers or harvest their own food is something truly special — it's confidence growing alongside the plants.\r\n\r\nNext, students will save seeds from their strongest plants, expand composting efforts to enrich our soil, and share what they've learned with younger classes and families. They are beginning to understand sustainability not just as a concept, but as a responsibility and privilege. Your support has helped create more than garden beds and trellises — it has nurtured leadership, stewardship, and a deepened sense of aloha ʻāina that will continue to grow for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1763415913223,"projectUrl":"project/ina-connections-growing-purpose-and-s/9784505/","projectTitle":"ʻĀina Connections: Growing Purpose and Sustainability Together","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dani","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8829285_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y201&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1673068604754","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8829285"},{"teacherId":10275922,"projectId":9813088,"letterContent":"We thank you so much for all that you have contributed to making our class more functional, fun, and inspiring. Our class specifically has experienced a lack of grade level resources and having been able to get these materials made a big difference in what we were able to use our time for. The kids were alwasy overjoyed any time a new box came in. \r\n\r\n\r\nThe varying posters and things were switched out to help give additional information and give a cool way to display and remember the different things that we were learning. The snacks helped to keep their bellies full and their minds focused. The new white boards and math games have been a fantastic way for the kids to be creative, work on their own, solve problems more easily, and make learning more fluid. \r\n\r\nWhen some students finish quickly we are able to use the fun and creative tools we received to have them change things up and keep learning in an engaging way. I wish I had been able to take more pictures of the many different ways that these tools have come in handy. I am leaving my school due to medical reasons and wont be able to finish out the year with my kiddos. It bring me comfort to know that even though I wont be able to be there that the new teacher taking over is going to be able to continue to shower these kids with knowledge with assistance from all the wonderful things you have helped give to our class.\r\n\r\nI want to express how meaningful it has been for me to be able to use these tools this year and how I know they are going to be instrumental in helping other kids to come as well. Thank you so much for any and all contributions that went into making this happen.\r\n\r\nMahalo nui.","fullyFundedDate":1760288094329,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-help/9813088/","projectTitle":"Classroom Help","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Keona Chandler","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10275922"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_50926","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":387,"numTeachers":27,"percentFrplEligible":67,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":9,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":16,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":51,"percentMultiracialImputed":20,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"14.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":50.9,"schoolId":50926,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Hau'ula Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Hau'ula Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/hawaii/windward-school-district/hau-ula-elementary-school/50926"}