{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Newberry Math & Science Academy","outOfStateSupporters":32.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9497724,"projectId":9226226,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students now have a beautiful new collection of books that is already making a difference in our classroom. We are using these resources during our daily independent reading time, in small reading groups, and for shared class discussions. Just last week, we started a project where students chose a book from our new collection and created a \"book talk\" to share with their peers. This project not only helps build reading comprehension but also gives them confidence to speak in front of others.\r\n\r\nWhen the books first arrived, the excitement was contagious. Students eagerly unpacked the boxes, flipping through pages, pointing out favorite characters, and exclaiming, \"I've always wanted to read this one!\" Several of my reluctant readers immediately picked up titles that spoke to their interests and were fully engaged from the very first day.\r\n\r\nRight now, we are working on building stronger reading fluency and comprehension. The next step in our classroom is for students to use these books as part of literature circles, where they will read, discuss, and make connections together in small groups. This collaborative work will help them deepen their understanding, strengthen social skills, and develop a real love of reading that extends beyond our classroom walls.\r\n\r\nYour support has brought joy, motivation, and opportunity to my students. Thank you for giving them the gift of books and helping them grow as readers and learners.","fullyFundedDate":1751386745535,"projectUrl":"project/developing-better-readers/9226226/","projectTitle":"Developing Better Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Micah Espiritu","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9497724"},{"teacherId":4368405,"projectId":9283968,"letterContent":"Words feel inadequate, yet I must try to find the perfect ones to express the sheer depth of gratitude that my students and I feel for your incredible support of our DonorsChoose project, \"A Good Word.\" When we first launched this campaign, the goal seemed ambitious: to equip every student with their own high-quality dictionary and to provide copies of Nikki Grimes' powerful novel, Bronx Masquerade. The reality of watching these resources arrive and seeing them immediately incorporated into our 7th-grade literacy curriculum has been nothing short of transformative. The arrival of the personal dictionaries has introduced a new kind of independence and ownership into our reading time. Students no longer wait for me to define vocabulary; instead, they instinctively reach for their books, their fingers tracing the spines, the physical act of finding a definition becoming a quiet, empowering ritual. This tangible, individualized tool fosters a sense of scholarly responsibility, turning vocabulary acquisition from a passive chore into an active, hands-on investigation. We have seen immediate evidence of this shift in their writing, as they integrate new, precisely defined words with confidence, having moved past vague estimations to truly grasp and apply the nuances of language. This foundational gift of reference materials will serve as the bedrock for all future learning, helping them decode everything from their social studies texts to their science diagrams, ensuring that every 7th grader has the necessary tools to unlock the complexity of the world around them. Thank you, not just for the books, but for giving them the personal key to lifelong literacy.\r\n\r\nThe impact of the novel, Bronx Masquerade, moves far beyond mere vocabulary building; it has fundamentally reshaped our approach to identity, voice, and community within the classroom walls. We chose this novel specifically because of its focus on the power of poetry and the diverse inner lives of students attending a fictional high school in the Bronx. For our 8th graders, many of whom are navigating the challenging search for their own self-definition, seeing characters struggle with and ultimately articulate their identity through the raw, honest medium of poetry has been a profound experience. The book follows Wesley Boone, who starts an open mic session in the school cafeteria, allowing his classmates, previously defined by their surface appearances or stereotypes, to reveal their true selves. Since receiving the copies, our classroom has transformed into a living poetry café, where students, inspired by the book's format, are now writing and sharing their own deeply personal narratives. They are using the dictionaries to ensure they select the most perfect, impactful mot juste for their poems—a beautiful synergy between the two donated resources. Discussions about the novel have been richer and more nuanced than any literary analysis we have done previously, simply because every student has been able to annotate, highlight, and own their copy, making the story a personal journal as much as a class text. We discuss themes of courage, vulnerability, and the importance of truly listening to one another. Moments of recognition have been incredibly powerful: a student realizing they share a fear with one of the characters, or another feeling empowered to share a piece of their family history because the novel modeled that bravery. Your donation didn't just provide 30 copies of a book; it provided a shared cultural experience, a mirror for them to examine their own lives, and a safe stage for them to find and use their own unique voice, turning abstract ideas about self-expression into concrete, courageous action.\r\n\r\nFinally, we want to extend a tremendous thank you to everyone who not only funded the \"A Good Word\" project but also took the time to share it with your networks. That act of sharing is just as valuable as the monetary donation itself, as it amplifies the needs of public school classrooms and brings new allies to the cause of education. You turned a local classroom need into a successful, community-supported initiative. These dictionaries and novels are not fleeting resources; they are permanent fixtures that will remain in the classroom library, influencing countless future classes of 7th graders who walk through these doors. Your generosity has established a lasting legacy of literacy and artistic freedom here, ensuring that hundreds of future students will benefit from owning a tool to define the world and from reading a text that encourages them to define themselves. Thank you for believing in the power of books, for supporting the hard work of these young scholars, and for giving them the essential equipment to become strong, articulate, and confident communicators. We are eternally grateful for your partnership in making literacy a priority.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\nJoel Spears 7th/8th Grade ELA Teacher\r\nWalter Newberry","fullyFundedDate":1746675115413,"projectUrl":"project/a-good-word/9283968/","projectTitle":"A Good Word","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Spears","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4368405_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1524081091998","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-spearsandroom214"},{"teacherId":5519603,"projectId":8481720,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generosity in donating to our classroom project. Basic school supplies like pencils, markers and crayons are such important materials to have stocked in the classroom. These supplies are used daily by students but always seem to run out. This project helped restock our supplies to make sure the students have everything they need for the second half of the school year. When I get supplies donated that is one less thing my students need to worry about since they can just take what they need.","fullyFundedDate":1723081472025,"projectUrl":"project/pencils-for-all/8481720/","projectTitle":"Pencils for All","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Trigsted","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5519603_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532918263571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-shydlowski"},{"teacherId":5519603,"projectId":8360547,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generosity in donating to our classroom project. Basic school supplies like pencils, markers and crayons are such important materials to have stocked in the classroom. These supplies are used daily by students but always seem to run out. This project helped restock our supplies to make sure the students have everything they need for the second half of the school year. When I get supplies donated that is one less thing my students need to worry about since they can just take what they need.","fullyFundedDate":1715287557948,"projectUrl":"project/supply-restock/8360547/","projectTitle":"Supply Restock","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Trigsted","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5519603_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532918263571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-shydlowski"},{"teacherId":5519603,"projectId":8117882,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generosity in donating to our classroom project. Basic school supplies like pencils, markers and crayons are such important materials to have stocked in the classroom. These supplies are used daily by students but always seem to run out. This project helped restock our supplies to make sure the students have everything they need for the second half of the school year. When I get supplies donated that is one less thing my students need to worry about since they can just take what they need.","fullyFundedDate":1704415774127,"projectUrl":"project/supplies-restock/8117882/","projectTitle":"Supplies Restock","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Trigsted","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5519603_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532918263571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-shydlowski"},{"teacherId":18566,"projectId":8615430,"letterContent":"Thank you so very much for making this project come to life!! As you can see, the kids had an incredible time at our Fall Festival, which we turned into a Sneaker Ball!!\r\n\r\nThe kids had such a great time, and the smiles were from ear to ear!! When it was over, they were asking for another Sneaker Ball to happen again as soon as possible!\r\n\r\nThe kids had a great time and this was such a special, fun, and memorable night for them. Thank you so much for your donations, which had a lasting impact on so many of our students.","fullyFundedDate":1726684914523,"projectUrl":"project/please-help-us-give-our-students-a-fall/8615430/","projectTitle":"Please Help Us Give Our Students a Fall Festival Celebration!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. McGovern","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp18566_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1469626385350","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsmcgovernteaches"},{"teacherId":18566,"projectId":8485886,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for this amazing Promethean Board! We learned so much this year, did amazing research projects on why outdoor recess is a huge need, and learned that kids their age spend 6 1/2 hours a day on devices! We used the Promethean board to work on math problems. We practiced our typing skills, and this board helped to make a world of difference. \r\n\r\nThe kids love seeing our morning message each day and we get our day off to a great start with a check in on how they're feeling, and a fun, silly question that all the kids enjoy. \r\n\r\nThank you so very much for this amazing gift to our classroom and I sincerely apologize for posting this late.","fullyFundedDate":1726528263717,"projectUrl":"project/a-promethean-board-is-a-need-not-a-want/8485886/","projectTitle":"A Promethean Board Is a Need, Not a Want!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. McGovern","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp18566_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1469626385350","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsmcgovernteaches"},{"teacherId":2997046,"projectId":9268081,"letterContent":"We have used the resources you so graciously supplied for our classroom to create our own robots! This project was the perfect way for us to celebrate the end of the school year and our reading of \"The Wild Robot\". We had an entire morning dedicated to brainstorming, drawing, and building/creating robots. Then, the following day students were able embellish and decorate their robots with all the craft supplies we received. \r\n\r\nThe students had so much fun with this project! It was an exciting time in the classroom and everyone was able to get their creative juices flowing by turning on their creation and art minded brains. They loved showing each other their robots and no two robots were the same, which makes this memory even more special. The kids brought their projects home to share with their families. Thanks so much for helping make this event so amazing for my fourth graders!","fullyFundedDate":1746787040044,"projectUrl":"project/my-robot/9268081/","projectTitle":"My _____ Robot","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bonanno-Lersch","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2997046_orig.jpg?crop=1411,1411,x201,y796&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726427410746","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2997046"},{"teacherId":5519603,"projectId":9030669,"letterContent":"Thank you so very much for your generosity in donating to our classroom project. We have been working extremely hard to build our robotics department in the STEAM Lab to allow us to be 1 to 1 for robots and students. In doing so, students are able to engage more with the robots and spend more time focusing on learning to code the robots. \r\n\r\nRobots are one of our favorite aspects of STEAM and projects like this help make robots accessible to all of my students no matter their grade level or coding skill!","fullyFundedDate":1746627589227,"projectUrl":"project/robot-fun/9030669/","projectTitle":"Robot Fun!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Trigsted","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5519603_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532918263571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-shydlowski"},{"teacherId":4368405,"projectId":9101085,"letterContent":"We are writing to express our deepest gratitude for your generous contribution that enabled us to acquire a class set of \"Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You\" (a remix). This powerful book has proven to be so much more than just assigned reading; it has ignited vital conversations within our classrooms that extend far beyond the printed page. Students have engaged in thoughtful and often deeply personal discussions about identity, history, and the complexities of race in our society. We've witnessed a remarkable increase in their critical thinking skills as they grapple with challenging concepts and learn to articulate their perspectives with greater empathy and understanding. Your support has directly empowered our students to become more informed, engaged, and compassionate members of our community.\r\n\r\nThe impact of having these books readily available has been transformative. Instead of simply absorbing information, students are actively dissecting ideas, questioning assumptions, and building bridges of understanding with their peers. We've seen students initiating conversations outside of class, sharing insights with their families, and demonstrating a newfound commitment to creating a more equitable world. This ripple effect, sparked by your investment in their education, is truly invaluable. Thank you once again for believing in our students and providing them with the resources to engage in such meaningful and impactful learning experiences.","fullyFundedDate":1739394290906,"projectUrl":"project/a-history-book-that-increases-merit-thro/9101085/","projectTitle":"A History Book That Increases Merit Through Diversity Knowledge","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Spears","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4368405_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1524081091998","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-spearsandroom214"},{"teacherId":2997046,"projectId":9237529,"letterContent":"We can't thank you enough for funding our \"A Book in Their Hands\" project. This helped us complete a novel study in our fourth grade classrooms with actual books in our students hands. We were able to teach exciting lessons via read-alouds, choral reading, and our independent reading periods were a sight to see. All our students were able to spread around the room, get comfy, and enjoy an amazing book. The kids were thrilled to read and discuss this book and the fact that all of them had their own copy of the book to enjoy was meaningful.\r\n Even the most reluctant readers were engaged in their reading and the work we completed based upon the text. Our previous novel study was completed via text shared digitally, and I really can't express how more impactful and powerful reading can be when a child actually has a physical copy of the book in their hands to read. Thanks for making this a reality for my fourth graders.","fullyFundedDate":1744212159813,"projectUrl":"project/a-book-in-their-hands/9237529/","projectTitle":"A Book in Their Hands","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bonanno-Lersch","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2997046_orig.jpg?crop=1411,1411,x201,y796&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726427410746","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2997046"},{"teacherId":5519603,"projectId":8360691,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom project to brink chicken eggs to our classroom. We are currently on day 20 of incubating our first set of eggs and the students are so excited to witness the chicks start hatching tomorrow! Bringing an incubator has been a great lesson for students to learn about life cycle, responsibility and more! \r\n\r\nThis project will allow for us to have years of lessons and experiences with hatching chickens. Something that students in the building can look forward to year after year!","fullyFundedDate":1715170515455,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-the-farm-to-the-classroom/8360691/","projectTitle":"Bringing the Farm to the Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Trigsted","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5519603_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532918263571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-shydlowski"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5297","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":327,"numTeachers":34,"percentFrplEligible":78,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":70,"percentWhite":3,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":18,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"9.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":67.5,"schoolId":5297,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Newberry Math & Science Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Newberry Math & Science Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/newberry-academy/5297"}