{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Augustin Lara Elementary Academy","outOfStateSupporters":36.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":29507,"projectId":10196642,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to our athletic program. We have great kids who deserve all the equipment that other schools have. Many of them are getting ready for high school sports and I try to push them to have them ready. Many of the times parents cannot afford some of the equipment. This is why donation from people like you are so critical to their development. Please consider donating again. If you do not donate to my school then donate to any athletic program to help them build a successful program at their school.","fullyFundedDate":1778446732071,"projectUrl":"project/volleyball-and-basketball-teams/10196642/","projectTitle":"Volleyball and Basketball Teams","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. M.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp29507_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1489263475796","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/29507"},{"teacherId":29507,"projectId":10179519,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for giving money to our school Field Day. The day went great, in part, because of your donation. Field Day can be such a challenge because many times we do not have the money for anything extra in our budget. You donation made the Field Day so much better. \r\nField Day at my school is a great time for the kids. They get to have so much fun with their friends in an unstructured way and still behave well which means a lot. When you work with students in Physical Education and the the habits transfer over it is rewarding. Thank you again and please continue to support Physical Education.","fullyFundedDate":1777650809476,"projectUrl":"project/school-field-day/10179519/","projectTitle":"School Field Day","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. M.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp29507_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1489263475796","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/29507"},{"teacherId":29507,"projectId":9968197,"letterContent":"It was so awesome to give the shin guards to the soccer team. They were so excited. I think it got them excited for the season. I think before your donation there was only two players with shin guards. The donation got them so excited for the first game. They tied so the outcome was not what they wanted but your donation, as one student told me, made them feel like a more complete team. He said it was cool how they all matched up. Thank you again and please continue to support Physical Education and Athletics.","fullyFundedDate":1773852488282,"projectUrl":"project/soccer-is-back/9968197/","projectTitle":"Soccer is Back!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. M.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp29507_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1489263475796","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/29507"},{"teacherId":29507,"projectId":10134410,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to my school. Health class and lessons can be very tricky. Many times we create are own lessons because there are no lesson set in stone for us. We create our own plan and some of the materials can be tough to come by. That is why it was so great that you could donate to us. \r\nMy students are great kids who deserve every type of help to succeed in life. Your generous donation helped with quite a few lessons for the kids. It is important they know all aspects of a Healthy Lifestyle.","fullyFundedDate":1773844355917,"projectUrl":"project/healthpe-materials/10134410/","projectTitle":"Health/PE Materials","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. M.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp29507_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1489263475796","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/29507"},{"teacherId":10439351,"projectId":10112683,"letterContent":"The use of the \"survival guide\" is for students to have their coping skills, do's and don'ts, journals, and many other things at their leisure. The survival guides give students time to review things they have learned in individual instruction and group instruction. This is a project that they can keep beyond their elementary school days. I encourage students to keep their guides throughout life as a token to learning to be better each and every day. Students are the Captain of their own ship and with the creation of their guides they began to realize it more. So thank you all very much for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1773841923262,"projectUrl":"project/my-own-survival-guide/10112683/","projectTitle":"My Own Survival Guide","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Townsend","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10439351"},{"teacherId":9241237,"projectId":9933656,"letterContent":"I want to start off by saying thank you for your support. These resources have been very helpful in discussing topics related to self-esteem and confidence. One of the most popular materials from the project was the puppets. My students have been able to use these puppets when engaged in various conversations during sessions or when reading some of the books that were part of this project. The puppets have been a good resource with expressing thoughts, feelings, as well as with modeling positive self-talk and affirmations. \r\n\r\nAdditionally, I have been incorporating the use of the books that were a part of this project to encourage students to reflect on making mistakes, demonstrating perseverance and seeking help when they need it. I have seen students practice positive self-talk through the use of these books and other resources. It has been great to see how engaging all the materials have been. Once again, thank you so much!","fullyFundedDate":1773841420474,"projectUrl":"project/building-self-esteem-through-books/9933656/","projectTitle":"Building Self-Esteem Through Books","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Navarrete","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9241237_orig.jpg?crop=1399,1399,x583,y412&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1695228555393","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/osbeyda"},{"teacherId":29507,"projectId":10134555,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping my volleyball players get some new equipment to improve at their favorite sport. It means so much to me when someone can take money out of their pocket to help my kids. My student-athletes have such a big love for volleyball and your donation helped them continue their success. \r\nI think sports are more important than they have ever been in my life. Many of our students lack social skills and sports help them with this. There are so many students that are less active than any time I can remember. Sports is a great outlet for those kids to get active. So, please continue to support Physical Education.","fullyFundedDate":1773859110000,"projectUrl":"project/new-volleyball-nets/10134555/","projectTitle":"New Volleyball Nets","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. M.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp29507_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1489263475796","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/29507"},{"teacherId":5805051,"projectId":9960870,"letterContent":"On behalf of the students and staff at Lara Academy, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude for your generous donation to our school gardening & school beautification project. Your support has officially turned our heavily trampled dirt patches into the beginnings of a thriving garden!\r\n\r\nWith your contributions we have been able to purchase essential supplies including heirloom seed mixes, live boxwood bushes and FOUR large, raised garden beds that are metal, sturdy and not prone to rusting.\r\n\r\nBecause we are in Chicago and the weather is not conducive to gardening just yet, we are doing some of the prep work behind the scenes. Our school officially has a GARDENING CLUB! It has truly been inspiring to see the students' faces light up when they saw the size of the garden beds. They enjoyed picking out the spots where we will place them. I am certain the first sprouts breaking through the soil will bring the even more joy. Your investment is doing more than just growing plants; it is cultivating a sense of responsibility and a love for nature at our school. \r\n\r\nI am uncertain if I will be able to add more photographs to this letter in the future but I will definitely try, when our first blooms appear! Thank you again for your incredible generosity and for believing in our vision.","fullyFundedDate":1766507561977,"projectUrl":"project/our-school-is-blooming/9960870/","projectTitle":"Our School Is Blooming","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5805051_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1662572235409","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-alvarez-talavera"},{"teacherId":29507,"projectId":9913065,"letterContent":"You can begin to understand the impact your donation has had to my school. The biggest impact has been with my cluster programs at school. Physical Education class can be tough to do with a group of students who all have some kind of difficulty in learning. They present challenges the other classes do not present. One of them is what equipment can be safe for them.\r\nThis is where your equipment came into perfect use. The kids were not able to break the equipment so easily. They also loved playing with it. They are great students who deserve everything that general education students get. Your donation helped make this happen.","fullyFundedDate":1772656987583,"projectUrl":"project/beginning-our-sports-journey/9913065/","projectTitle":"Beginning Our Sports Journey","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. M.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp29507_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1489263475796","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/29507"},{"teacherId":29507,"projectId":9567133,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating. The balls are a big hit with the little kids. They love them. It is so great to teach them a sport and not have to worry about the ball hurting them. You don't know how many times a basketball has hit a kid in the head or jammed a finger. The balls you helped purchase are great. There have been no injuries, knock on wood, and the balls are so soft that the special education classes love them also. Please continue to donate to Physical Education programs because exercise and sports are so important to a child's growth.","fullyFundedDate":1763695229360,"projectUrl":"project/introduction-to-sports/9567133/","projectTitle":"Introduction to Sports","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. M.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp29507_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1489263475796","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/29507"},{"teacherId":4022146,"projectId":9189109,"letterContent":"Thank you for the generous donations. Thanks to you my middle school students have hygiene products to help them stay clean and healthy so they can focus on learning. Students have access to all materials you donated in our highway bins so they can take what they need when they need it. The toothbrushes and deodorant have been especially helpful in helping increase our attendance. Female students appreciate the variety of sizes and strength of all pads and have been in charging of restocking our supply when necessary. My students are extremely grateful and hope you continue to support us in the future.","fullyFundedDate":1745807244286,"projectUrl":"project/hygiene-helping-our-mental-health/9189109/","projectTitle":"Hygiene Helping Our Mental Health","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hanney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4022146_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1582253002461","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-piggy"},{"teacherId":12316,"projectId":9298810,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous gift of the beautiful book A Letter from Our Teachers. Your kindness and thoughtfulness have brought so much warmth and inspiration to our classroom. From the moment we opened the book, my students were captivated by its colorful illustrations and the powerful message of encouragement that runs through every page.\r\n\r\nThis story has quickly become one of our class favorites. Each time we read it together, we pause to talk about the lessons it teaches—about kindness, perseverance, and the power of believing in yourself. My students love hearing the words of encouragement from the teachers in the story, and many of them have said, \"That sounds like you, Ms. Chin!\" It has opened up so many meaningful conversations about what it means to learn, to grow, and to care for one another.\r\n\r\nFor many of my young learners, books like this help them see themselves as part of a loving and supportive classroom family. The message of A Letter from Our Teachers reminds them that their teachers believe in them, even when learning feels hard. It helps them understand that mistakes are part of growing, and that they are capable of amazing things when they try their best.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has not only given us a wonderful book—it has given us a daily reminder of the importance of love, encouragement, and community. Thank you for helping us fill our classroom with stories that inspire confidence and hope. We are so grateful for your support and for believing in the power of reading to shape young hearts and minds.","fullyFundedDate":1755700237838,"projectUrl":"project/a-letter-from-your-teacher/9298810/","projectTitle":"A Letter From Your Teacher!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Chin","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp12316_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1452989399373","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jeannechin1"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5604","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":360,"numTeachers":23,"percentFrplEligible":91,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":4,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":92,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":1,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"15.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":63.9,"schoolId":5604,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Augustin Lara Elementary Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Augustin Lara Elementary Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/agustin-lara-elementary-academy/5604"}
Join the 944 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Augustin Lara Elementary Academy is
an urban public school
in Chicago, Illinois that is part of Chicago Public School District 299.
It serves 360 students
in grades Pre-K - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 15.7:1.
Its teachers have had 506 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Supporting this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.
Public School
Title 1
Data about Title 1 status comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
Grades Pre-K - 8
360 Students
23 Teachers
4619 S Wolcott AveContact info is sourced from our partners at MDR Education, and DonorsChoose updates our site ahead of each school year.
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of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
96%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Augustin Lara Elementary Academy Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Sep 19, 2026
DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students
in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
Augustin Lara Elementary Academy
$211,153
raised using DonorsChoose
506
projects
funded
53
teachers
funded
944
donors
31
projects
for
basic supplies
44
projects for
technology
85
projects for
books
27
projects
for
art supplies
Augustin Lara Elementary Academy has received support from
603 individuals from Illinois and
341 individuals out-of-state.