{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"James B Castle High School","outOfStateSupporters":37.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10099577,"projectId":9782278,"letterContent":"The introduction of adaptive and comfortable seating has fundamentally transformed our 11th-grade English classroom into a sanctuary for literacy. For many of my special education students, the traditional wooden desk can be a source of physical restlessness or sensory overstimulation, which often creates a barrier to deep reading. By providing options like wiggle seats, cushioned chairs, and adjustable seating, you have allowed my students to find the \"just right\" physical state needed to focus. In a high school setting, where academic demands are rigorous, having a space that respects their sensory needs has made the act of picking up a book feel less like a chore and more like an invited escape.\r\n\r\nThe change in classroom culture was immediate. Instead of seeing students struggle to stay in their seats, I now see them eagerly claiming their favorite spots, settling in with a sense of ownership and peace. This environment is particularly vital here in Hawaii, where we strive to foster a sense of 'ohana and belonging in our schools. Your generosity has provided more than just furniture; you have provided the physical infrastructure for confidence. My students are now engaging with complex texts for longer periods, showing increased stamina and a genuine enthusiasm for our English curriculum that simply wasn't there before.\r\n\r\nAs a group, we're reading Into the Wild. With these new options for seating, I see my kids letting their guard down and confidently reading aloud. They share ideas with each other and collaborate on a regular basis. This project has been a game changer for me and my students.","fullyFundedDate":1759602396998,"projectUrl":"project/comfortable-and-adaptive-seating/9782278/","projectTitle":"Comfortable and Adaptive Seating","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Milanczuk","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10099577"},{"teacherId":6035317,"projectId":9772895,"letterContent":"Since receiving these resources, my students and I have been able to dive into our lessons with a renewed sense of excitement and focus. One of my favorite moments happened during a recent math activity where students used the new calculators to solve real world problem solving scenarios. For many of them, having access to reliable tools for the first time made the lesson feel more achievable and even fun. Watching their confidence grow as they worked through challenging problems together was incredibly rewarding.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first walked in and saw the supplies laid out especially the snacks and handson learning tools the room lit up. Several students asked, \"Are these really for us?\" Their excitement quickly turned into pride. For students who often face barriers outside the classroom, having materials provided just for them meant more than I can fully express. They felt seen, supported, and valued.\r\n\r\nNext, we'll be using these resources to deepen our collaborative learning. Students will work in small groups to tackle math challenges using the calculators and manipulatives, while the snacks help ensure everyone stays energized and focused. We're also building toward a classroom goal setting project, where the positive and welcoming environment boosted by the new decorations will support students as they develop both academic and personal goals for the semester.\r\n\r\nThese resources are already making our classroom feel more like a true learning hub a place where students feel secure, confident, and ready to take on new challenges. Thank you for making this possible for my small but mighty group of learners.","fullyFundedDate":1759357084355,"projectUrl":"project/nurturing-resilient-learners/9772895/","projectTitle":"Nurturing Resilient Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Myers","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp6035317_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1544834334038","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/myersk"},{"teacherId":3814097,"projectId":9772443,"letterContent":"Mahalo for your donation of high-interest novels to our classroom! Students really struggle to focus, so finding books that keep them hooked has been key in developing their reading skills and their love for learning. And of course, the snacks keep them super excited to come to class each day! And I love the opportunity it gives me to check in with the students to see how they are and what is going on in their worlds.\r\n\r\nWe have implemented a reading intervention program with an online portion and those sessions can feel tedious and long as students adjust. The snacks really help give them a little extra energy and focus to push through. So far this year, all of the students in my lab class have passed at least one level, with some passing up to three levels! This is an amazing achievement and it's been fun to celebrate with them by showing them the new books and goodies that have come into our classroom to further support us on this journey.","fullyFundedDate":1759199059771,"projectUrl":"project/growing-readers-with-books-healthy-sna/9772443/","projectTitle":"Growing Readers with Books & Healthy Snacks","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sullivan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3814097_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y504&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1627855952262","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3814097"},{"teacherId":3814097,"projectId":9583860,"letterContent":"Mahalo for all your support of our classroom! Every day the students are excited to come in and grab a snack to help fuel their brains! The composition notebooks are used every single day for reflection, success tracking, and collaboration with their peers. These materials really bring so much joyful learning into our class. \r\n\r\nEach year brings it's challenges and it means so much to the students and to myself to know that we have a community of folks who feel strongly enough to donate their hard earned money towards much needed supplies, books, and snacks. It's a level of care and appreciation that is really so special!","fullyFundedDate":1755752513081,"projectUrl":"project/back-to-school-with-supplies-snacks/9583860/","projectTitle":"Back to School With Supplies & Snacks","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sullivan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3814097_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y504&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1627855952262","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3814097"},{"teacherId":9970968,"projectId":9179385,"letterContent":"This computer has completely transformed our Music Production club by giving students access to professional-quality recording and editing tools that were previously out of reach. With it, students can now compose, record, and mix their own songs using software like Ableton Live, bridging the gap between creativity and technology. It has made collaboration smoother, allowed us to produce full tracks in real time, and given students hands-on experience with industry-standard workflows. Most importantly, it has empowered students who may not have access to a computer or music software at home to explore their creativity, build technical skills, and see their artistic ideas come to life.","fullyFundedDate":1752586518400,"projectUrl":"project/digital-music/9179385/","projectTitle":"Digital Music","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Gross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9970968"},{"teacherId":10048711,"projectId":9392050,"letterContent":"I would like to thank you for your generous monetary donation. This donation will be used to further our students education through encouraging and continuing literacy and self of belonging. \r\n\r\nYour donation has helped to add to my class library by providing age appropriate historical fiction and nonfiction books to be made available to students. Literacy is an important skill for students to have and having access to reading material that is engaging and relates to our social studies curriculum is so important. As a student who grew up loving to read about history, I also want to encourage that in my students, so thank you so much for allowing me to foster that love of reading and history.\r\n\r\nThese books have been great to showcase alongside the content when we cover it. I plan to display books like \"The Book Thief\" or \"Between Shades of Grey\" at the front of the room when we talk about WWII next quarter to further engage students in the content, but also their literacy skills. Students have enjoyed having a cozier atmosphere with the library at the back and have taken to perusing the selection in their spare time. They get excited to talk about books they have read on the shelf or similar historical fiction as a suggestion. \r\n\r\nThank you so much for your support and fostering curiosity and adventure into our students.","fullyFundedDate":1759268011857,"projectUrl":"project/future-historians-need-a-library/9392050/","projectTitle":"Future Historians Need a Library","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Iseri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10048711_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753158188720","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10048711"},{"teacherId":2376066,"projectId":9169719,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, Classroom Essentials for Engaging Math Minds! Your generosity made it possible for my students to have access to hands-on, interactive materials that are truly transforming the way we approach math. The new resources, such as math manipulatives, whiteboards, and visual tools, have become an integral part of our daily learning, enabling students to explore concepts with a deeper understanding and greater confidence.\r\n\r\nOne of the most exciting moments was when my students first saw the materials—they were wide-eyed and full of curiosity. I remember one student exclaiming, \"Wait, we get to use these today?\" We kicked off a group project where students designed and solved their real-world word problems using the manipulatives, and the room buzzed with collaboration, laughter, and lots of learning. It was a powerful reminder that math can be both meaningful and fun when students are actively engaged.\r\n\r\nAs we move forward, we will delve into multi-step problem-solving and early algebra concepts. These new tools are helping students visualize patterns, organize their thinking, and explain their reasoning to peers. Thanks to you, our classroom is a place where math feels approachable, exciting, and empowering. We can't wait to show you what we accomplish next!","fullyFundedDate":1744676466704,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-essentials-for-engaging-math-m/9169719/","projectTitle":"Classroom Essentials for Engaging Math Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Parsons","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2376066_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1449089315990","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kpzclassroom"},{"teacherId":2049378,"projectId":9050215,"letterContent":"Thank you SO much for donating for our new sewing machine and serger! Our students were so excited when the boxes came! They are thrilled to be learning to sew - most fo their parents don't know how and they feel so accomplished to be able to gain this new skill! \r\n\r\nYou have given my students the chance to attain a lifelong skill that will serve them and perhaps their families as well! Yes, we will be making costumes for our theatrical productions, but as most theatre artists will tell you - theatre kids know how to DO things! And keep that knowledge forever - no matter what career path they take!\r\n\r\nThanks again for supporting the arts and our program! This has meant so much to so many! And will continue to help many more in the years to come!\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\nKaren Meyer","fullyFundedDate":1743188841490,"projectUrl":"project/so-easy-to-sew/9050215/","projectTitle":"So Easy To SEW!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Meyer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2049378_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1486356509016","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2049378"},{"teacherId":8822687,"projectId":9173640,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations to my classroom to help support my students. My students loved the snacks that I got for them and were very excited. The students are always hungry and I know personally when I am hungry, I am not able to work at my fullest potential. The students especially loved the pop tarts and oreo cookies that I ordered. Slowly but surely, by the end of the school year, the students ate and very much enjoyed all of the snacks. They were disappointed when the snacks ran out but hopefully in the future I will be able to help supply them with more snacks to help them through the days.\r\nMy students very much appreciated all of the donations that were supplied and it helped them to be able to continue working in class and motivate them to keep on doing their best. Thank you again for all of your generous donations.","fullyFundedDate":1742163139832,"projectUrl":"project/motivation-for-mathematics-students/9173640/","projectTitle":"Motivation for Mathematics Students","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Higaki","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8822687"},{"teacherId":6035317,"projectId":9161108,"letterContent":"I want to extend a heartfelt thank you on behalf of both myself and my students at Castle High School for your generous support of our project, \"Empowering Minds\" Your contribution has truly made a difference in creating a more dynamic and nurturing space for our students to grow and succeed.\r\n\r\nThanks to your donation, we've been able to enhance our math instruction in meaningful ways. The calculators have been especially impactful—giving students the tools they need to approach complex problems with increased confidence and independence. The math workbooks have also become a key resource, offering structured practice and helping reinforce critical concepts.\r\n\r\nIn addition to academic tools, the games we introduced through this project—like Sorry and Monopoly Chance—have added a fun and valuable dimension to our classroom. These activities, while enjoyable, support important skills like logic, strategic thinking, and spatial awareness. Perhaps even more importantly, they've provided students with a chance to relax, recharge, and build stronger peer relationships.\r\n\r\nOne moment that stood out to me was when we first brought out the games. A group of students who rarely interacted ended up playing Monopoly Chance together. By the end of the match, they were all laughing and had clearly made a new connection. It was a beautiful reminder of how simple tools can spark meaningful experiences.\r\n\r\nThe excitement when the students first saw the new materials was unforgettable. They were eager to dive in, and since then, our classroom has become a more inviting and joyful place to learn. The atmosphere is lighter, more collaborative, and more supportive overall.\r\n\r\nCurrently, our focus is on building algebraic reasoning, and the tools you've helped provide are allowing students to challenge themselves more deeply and engage with content that was previously intimidating.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has had a lasting impact, not only on our lessons but on the overall well-being and confidence of our students. Thank you for believing in them and in the power of education.","fullyFundedDate":1742053185389,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-minds/9161108/","projectTitle":"Empowering Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Myers","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp6035317_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1544834334038","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/myersk"},{"teacherId":7935655,"projectId":9163381,"letterContent":"Aloha from Kaneohe! We'd like to express our deepest gratitude for your generous donation to our classroom and the Iditarod project. Your kindness made this project memorable, exciting, and rewarding for my students.\r\n\r\nThe arrival of your supplies was met with great enthusiasm! Not only did this years students benefit from your donations, but 6 classes will also benefit from it next year! All supplies & snacks were used to create a memorable experience in math class. Students researched mushers, drafted mushers, created musher badges for our leaderboard, created race map tags, tracked their mushers live daily, collected data, analyzed the data, grafted the data, and made predictions. \r\n\r\nYour donation and kindness not only benefited student learning and engagement but it also struck on a personal note for many students. They couldn't believe that a total stranger would do such a selfless act. So thank you for also providing my students with such a valuable lesson. \r\n\r\nAgain, from the bottom of our hearts, Mahalo!","fullyFundedDate":1742074078017,"projectUrl":"project/race-down-the-path-in-math/9163381/","projectTitle":"Race Down the Path in Math","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Naks","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7935655"},{"teacherId":1680190,"projectId":8879836,"letterContent":"Thank you very much for your donations. My students were excited to make personalized products. They were initially scared to use the Cricut machine and the heat press, but after being taught how to use them and create small projects, they became accustomed to making things. \r\n\r\nSome of my students were making custom bags for their \"Friday Night Prime Time\" Basketball game, a varsity-type unified basketball game for students with special needs. They were very proud of what they had made and were excited to show off their new backpacks. \r\n\r\nSoon, my students, with the help of their general education peers, make school swag (clothing) for their school store and learn about the business side of running a store. I hope to teach my students some work-based learning and entrepreneurial skills so they can start their own small business if they cannot participate in competitive work after they complete their high school education. \r\n\r\nAgain, thank you for your donation.","fullyFundedDate":1729725686437,"projectUrl":"project/work-based-learning-skills-to-build-entr/8879836/","projectTitle":"Work Based Learning Skills to build Entrepreneurship","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Yanagida","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1680190_orig.jpg?crop=1491,1491,x102,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605756187028","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/dyanagida"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_50928","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":998,"numTeachers":80,"percentFrplEligible":46,"percentAsian":14,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":6,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":20,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"12.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":62.5,"schoolId":50928,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about James B Castle High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"James B Castle High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/hawaii/windward-school-district/james-b-castle-high-school/50928"}