{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cardenas Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":35.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":26745,"projectId":9238067,"letterContent":"The students loved planting the seeds. Each student helped to fill the pots with soil and planted a few seeds, sadly the seeds did not grow. We read books about planting, and learned it was probably too cold for them to sprout by the air conditioning unit. In the spring they will plant again and place the pots in a different area to sprout. \r\n\r\nThe books, pots, soil and seeds are perfect for the class. The students loved learning about plant parts and growing the plants. They were sad that they did not grow, but excited to try again later in the year. Thank you so much for your generous donation.","fullyFundedDate":1746575673556,"projectUrl":"project/planting-seeds/9238067/","projectTitle":"Planting Seeds!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Steele","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp26745_orig.png?crop=271,271,x51,y21&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714505437961","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/26745"},{"teacherId":26745,"projectId":9237824,"letterContent":"The students loved glow day! They were so excited for the games and activities. Bowling was the class favorite. Counting and tallying how many pins they knocked over was great counting practice. They counted how many parts they used in their Marble run creations, and solved the problem when the marble did not go where they wanted it to go. Drawing was also popular with the highlighters. They were putting beginning sounds to their illustrations. Many times I heard, \" This is the best day ever,\" or, \"School is fun!\" Thank you for your generous donation.","fullyFundedDate":1747528229137,"projectUrl":"project/we-will-glow-up-to-first-grade/9237824/","projectTitle":"We Will Glow Up to First Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Steele","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp26745_orig.png?crop=271,271,x51,y21&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714505437961","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/26745"},{"teacherId":3875083,"projectId":9558545,"letterContent":"Thank you enormously for your generous donation. As a first-grade teacher, having a print-rich environment is incredibility important. Being able to have a printer in the classroom; especially one that prints in color makes a huge difference. It helps create a more inviting, vivid space for students and enhances their learning experience. Most importantly, it allows me to provide classwork in color so students can learn the best of their ability. \r\n\r\nColorful materials also help students better understand and retain information. When charts, vocabulary cards and reading passages are printed in color, students are more engaged and can more easily notice important details. Overall, your donation directly supports stronger comprehension, deeper focus, and more joyful learning experiences for every student in my classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1755744773498,"projectUrl":"project/printing-our-path-to-success-in-1st-grad/9558545/","projectTitle":"Printing Our Path to Success in 1st Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Lopez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3875083_orig.jpg?crop=960,960,x0,y60&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1552970100049","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3875083"},{"teacherId":2456859,"projectId":9280360,"letterContent":"Thank you for purchasing our digital citizenship books! Thanks to your kindness, my 2nd and 3rd grade students now have access to engaging, age-appropriate digital citizenship books. These books are already making a meaningful impact. Every Friday we read one of these books after completing our digital citizenship lesson from Common Sense Media. These books help spark great conversations about responsible technology use, digital kindness, and online safety. We've had thoughtful conversations about how to treat others with respect, how to recognize trustworthy information, and why it's important to balance screen time with offline activities. Perhaps the most powerful part of this project is how it bridges school and home. Students are excited to take the books home and share what they're learning with their families. Hopefully these books are a great starting point for parents to continue conversations about managing technology in our everyday lives. Your support is helping us grow smart, kind, and responsible digital citizens. Thank you for investing in these young learners.","fullyFundedDate":1753382795914,"projectUrl":"project/tech-time-smart-minds-books-for-being/9280360/","projectTitle":"Tech Time, Smart Minds: Books for Being Awesome Online","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Murtaugh","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2456859_orig.jpg?crop=1320,1320,x987,y1038&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1669062803505","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2456859"},{"teacherId":3046834,"projectId":9588030,"letterContent":"My third-grade students are excited to participate in our new Classroom Treasure Chest initiative, which rewards positive behavior and academic achievement. Through generous support from our donors, we've been able to stock the treasure chest with fun, meaningful prizes that motivate students to do their best each day. When students show kindness, teamwork, responsibility, or reach academic goals, they earn tokens that can be traded for items from the treasure chest. This system not only encourages a positive classroom environment but also helps students connect effort and achievement with real rewards, fostering pride, motivation, and a love for learning.\r\n\r\nWhen my third graders first saw the new classroom treasure chest and the prizes inside, their faces lit up with pure excitement and curiosity. They gathered around eagerly, whispering guesses about what might be hidden inside and how they could earn a chance to choose a reward. I explained that the treasure chest was made possible through generous donors who wanted to celebrate their good behavior, kindness, and academic growth. The students were thrilled and motivated, immediately talking about ways they could earn token by helping others, staying on task, and doing their best work. The classroom buzzed with positive energy and renewed enthusiasm for learning and teamwork. Thank you again for your generous donation!","fullyFundedDate":1760733333603,"projectUrl":"project/treasure-island/9588030/","projectTitle":"Treasure Island","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hamilton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3046834_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1652822176480","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3046834"},{"teacherId":115200,"projectId":9307087,"letterContent":"We are absolutely thrilled and profoundly grateful for your support in funding our \"Here Chickee Chickee\" project! Thanks to your incredible generosity, our classroom will soon be home to a fascinating, hands-on science lesson unlike any other: a professional-grade incubator and brooder box to raise chicks in the spring.\r\nYour donation is not just funding equipment; it's igniting curiosity, fostering responsibility, and bringing the full, cyclical wonder of life science directly into our students' hands. This project will transform abstract biology concepts into a tangible, memorable experience.\r\n\r\nThe incubator will allow our students to observe the entire embryonic development process, witnessing the miracle of life day by day—a truly unforgettable experience that aligns perfectly with our life science curriculum. Once hatched, the brooder box will provide a safe, warm environment where students will be responsible for caring for the chicks, learning about animal care, nutrition, and growth.\r\n\r\nThis project will provide powerful, real-world learning across multiple subjects:\r\n\r\nScience: Students will learn about embryology, life cycles, genetics, and ecology through direct observation and data collection.\r\n\r\nMath: They will practice measuring, tracking temperatures, calculating growth rates, and graphing data.\r\n\r\nLiteracy: Students will keep observation journals detailing the chicks' development, improving their descriptive writing and scientific note-taking skills.\r\n\r\nSocial-Emotional: Most importantly, they will learn empathy, patience, and the profound responsibility of caring for a living creature.\r\n\r\nThank you, again, for making this incredible learning experience possible. You've given our students a memory and a lesson that will last a lifetime.","fullyFundedDate":1755694835846,"projectUrl":"project/here-chickee-chickee/9307087/","projectTitle":"Here Chickee Chickee!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Teisinger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/115200"},{"teacherId":115200,"projectId":9650287,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation! My 3rd grade class is enjoying the books and are so eager to read them all. 3rd grade is a pivotal year in learning. While in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade they are learning how to read in 3rd grade they start to learn how to think about what they read. They are delving deeper into characters in stories and the problems they face and how the characters solve their problems. They start seeing the world in a new way and reading high-interest books allow them to be transported different worlds, times, and circumstances. We are also using the books to explore different genres such as historical fiction, fantasy, and realistic fiction. The students are become more sophisticated readers and this in turn is helping build a love of reading that will last a lifetime.\r\n\r\nReading in my classroom is based on a workshop model of guided reading, partner reading, and independent reading. The books that you donated are being used during the students' independent reading block. During this time students can check these books out of our classroom library. They then have 20 minutes of independent reading in class. They are allowed to bring the books home to continue reading, this allows high quality literature to be brought into the homes of families. Students also use these books to write weekly letters to me based on certain skills that are being focused on in class. Some of these skills include but are not limited to characterization, plot, author's purpose, summarizing, and story structure.\r\n\r\nThe books that you donated are being enjoyed by all students. My reluctant readers are really drawn to the series Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Man, and The Last Kids on Earth. These books are written in a funny appealing way that attract the students who have trouble finding books of interest. The higher performing students are enjoying the I Survived Series. They are exploring history from the perspective of a relatable child. The students reading these books are delving into history with such enthusiasm. They are seeking out other books related to topics in history, like WWII and the sinking of the Titanic. Finally, there is a group of students that are loving the Baby-Sitters Club books. They have even formed a book club that talks about the different books and the characters and how they are intertwined between the books. It has been so nice stocking my classroom with books that my students are interested in. Having these books in class has made a great improvement to my students' enthusiasm toward reading and I have no doubt that this is helping them develop a love for reading.","fullyFundedDate":1758824674825,"projectUrl":"project/fall-in-love-with-reading/9650287/","projectTitle":"Fall in Love with Reading!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Teisinger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/115200"},{"teacherId":130399,"projectId":9251490,"letterContent":"I want to take a moment to thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting my classroom project. Thanks to your generosity, I was able to give them a cozy and inviting library nook that completely transformed our classroom space and the way my students feel about reading.\r\n\r\nBefore this project, my classroom was welcoming, but it lacked that special area where kids could really settle in and enjoy books. Many of my students came to me feeling unsure about their reading abilities, and sometimes they even felt nervous about being pulled out for intervention. I wanted to create a space that immediately put them at ease—a place where they felt safe, wanted, and inspired the moment they walked through the door. Because of your donation, I was able to bring in a sturdy classroom couch and table that made this dream a reality.\r\n\r\nThe change in my students was almost immediate. When they saw the new couch for the first time, their faces lit up with excitement. That excitement was exactly what I had hoped for when I first wrote this project. By giving them an environment that is comfortable and cared for, you helped me spark more joy and motivation in their learning. I am so excited for students to enjoy these for years to come!\r\n\r\nThank you again for your generosity and for believing in the importance of nurturing young readers!","fullyFundedDate":1745970504758,"projectUrl":"project/comfort-is-key-in-a-cozy-classroom-corne/9251490/","projectTitle":"Comfort Is Key In A Cozy Classroom Corner!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Calderon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp130399_orig.png?crop=147,147,x0,y31&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744292169838","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/130399"},{"teacherId":5342404,"projectId":9173499,"letterContent":"Our Friday's have gotten even more FUN thanks to your generous donations to this project! Each week after a long week of hard work, focus, dedication, and learning we have been earning our fun but also educational explorative time with these materials. Fun Fridays have always been a hit because it is a time my students have free choice, independence, and socialization. It is an opportunity for connection and it gives us authentic ways to enhance our social emotional growth. Now with these materials my students work harder than ever to meet their learning goals during the week so they can have some fun creative time collaborating. Thank you for making this possible for my students and cheers to the many Fun Friday's we have ahead of us!","fullyFundedDate":1746814942675,"projectUrl":"project/fantastic-fidgets-for-fun-fridays/9173499/","projectTitle":"Fantastic Fidgets for Fun Fridays!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Calzada","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5342404_orig.png?crop=1042,1042,x0,y76&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1641497430709","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kinderkids102"},{"teacherId":5342404,"projectId":9058843,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting this book project! My students absolutely love books and they were thrilled to add these titles to our collection. We have been able to use these books across different subjects and to meet the varying interests of my students. When they complete their work, their number one ask is to read a book. Now we have these additional books as an option for students and they allow me to meet them at their different individual reading levels. My goal as a elementary school teacher is to help foster a strong love for reading so that my students grow into lifelong readers. Thank you for your generous donation and putting these beautiful books into our little hands!","fullyFundedDate":1745416813148,"projectUrl":"project/lovable-literature-for-our-littlest-lear/9058843/","projectTitle":"Lovable Literature for Our Littlest Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Calzada","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5342404_orig.png?crop=1042,1042,x0,y76&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1641497430709","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kinderkids102"},{"teacherId":9833001,"projectId":9600456,"letterContent":"I want to thank you for your contribution to my lunch bunch project. Over the past couple years that I have been a school counselor in Chicago Public Schools, I have noticed one thing; not matter what school I have been at, or what grade I teach, students, over and over again, enjoy the time I spend with them during lunch, talking with their peers, and just playing a board game together. \r\n\r\nThere is a sense of belonging in my classroom. A sense of trust and understanding. A sense of friendship and community. I still cant tell you exactly why that is, but its there. Over and over again. \r\n\r\nMy students get really excited when they see the options of games to bring to the table. The collaboration of choosing a game together, the disappointment of some when the game they wanted wasn't chosen, and the feelings of excitement when they agree on a decided game, is a production of more skills they learn together, that cant be taught. \r\n\r\nIt really is the smallest things that count.","fullyFundedDate":1755718249241,"projectUrl":"project/lunch-bunch-building-friendships-one-bi/9600456/","projectTitle":"Lunch Bunch: Building Friendships One Bite at a Time","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Renteria","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9833001_orig.jpg?crop=631,631,x0,y84&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1746816501452","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9833001"},{"teacherId":9281283,"projectId":9333261,"letterContent":"On behalf of our classroom community, I want to sincerely thank you for supporting our project \"Word Power\". Your generosity has made it possible for us to access engaging resources through the Teachers Pay Teachers website. The impact you are making in my students lives has been truly inspiring.\r\n\r\nI have seen a difference already. My students are using new words in conversations, feeling more confident in their reading and writing, and showing excitement about learning. By making vocabulary engaging, you've given them the power to express themselves more fully.\r\n\r\nThank you again for believing in my students and investing in their futures. Your support is opening doors of opportunity through the power of words.","fullyFundedDate":1747315224715,"projectUrl":"project/word-power/9333261/","projectTitle":"Word Power","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sierra","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9281283_orig.jpg?crop=450,450,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1695943120447","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9281283"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5844","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":763,"numTeachers":29,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":95,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"26.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":64.8,"schoolId":5844,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cardenas Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cardenas Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/cardenas-school/5844"}