{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Von Steuben Metro Science Center","outOfStateSupporters":33.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8398503,"projectId":9486891,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping bring our Care Closer to life at Von Steuben! What started as a small idea for my classroom, became something bigger. We were able to share supplies with our English Language Program Teacher, the counseling department and other teachers who had students asking for supplies. Students were shy at first to ask for things, but over time, they began opening up. They now confidently ask for personal care items like hair ties, deodorant, body wipes, and even dental hygiene products. \r\n\r\nThe Care Closet has created a stronger sense of support in my classroom and our school. Students know this space is for them, and it's helping them feel seen. Our next step is to create a more organized system where students from the entire school can submit a request for a care package and be confidently delivered. Once again, thank you so much for your generosity and showing up for our students in such a meaningful way.","fullyFundedDate":1755700822092,"projectUrl":"project/clean-confident-and-ready-to-learn/9486891/","projectTitle":"Clean, Confident, and Ready to Learn!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ocampo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8398503_orig.jpg?crop=427,427,x0,y31&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753130890828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ocampo97"},{"teacherId":196570,"projectId":9726832,"letterContent":"As cold and flu season arrives in Chicago, your generous donation of 48 boxes of tissues will be distributed among several chemistry and physics classrooms, helping to ensure students don't have to use their sleeves for runny noses.\r\n\r\nYour generous donation of 400 band-aids will be distributed among our science classrooms to help soothe the many minor cuts and scrapes that have students asking for help each week.\r\n\r\nWhen items like tissues and band-aids are readily available, it directly minimizes lost learning time. Students can quickly handle a runny nose or a small cut without having to leave class for the bathroom or the nurse's office. Your generous donation of both items will go a long way in helping our students stay engaged in their lessons.","fullyFundedDate":1759161608090,"projectUrl":"project/get-out-the-snot-and-cover-that-wound/9726832/","projectTitle":"Get Out the Snot, and Cover that Wound","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Halliday","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/196570"},{"teacherId":3946917,"projectId":9262908,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our project, \"Printing the Future: Empowering Students with Professional Research Tools.\" Your contribution has made a significant impact on our students here at Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center.\r\n\r\nWith the new printing capabilities, our AP Physics 1 students were able to transform their end-of-year projects into professional-quality posters that reflected their deep understanding of complex physics concepts. For many of our students—especially those who may not have access to these kinds of tools outside of school—this was their first experience producing work that looked and felt like it belonged in a college research symposium or professional science setting.\r\n\r\nThis elevated level of presentation helped build their confidence, communication skills, and pride in their learning. Several students expressed how validating it was to see their work displayed so prominently and professionally. It gave them a sense of belonging in the academic world and encouraged them to push their thinking further.","fullyFundedDate":1745782818353,"projectUrl":"project/printing-the-future-empowering-students/9262908/","projectTitle":"Printing the Future: Empowering Students with Professional Research Tools","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Huang","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3946917_orig.png?crop=350,350,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1589848205171","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/brian-huang"},{"teacherId":1050715,"projectId":9174436,"letterContent":"My students and I are so grateful for your generosity in bringing snacks to our office space. It's hard to say exactly how many students benefitted from this project, but I'd estimate that at least 75 different students enjoyed these snacks over the last few months! My office became quite a happening place because (not so shockingly), teenagers, love to eat! Between students on my caseload and our social work groups, so many students benefitted from this project.\r\n\r\nThey fully enjoyed the wide variety of pistachios, cheddar popcorn, fruit snacks, Scooby graham cracker snacks, and baked chips. We still have a few snacks left - maybe about 30 or 40 (about 10% of our original supply), which I'll pass out to students on the last day of school if they aren't consumed by then. I find that snacks can be a morale booster for many of my students. Not only does it provide literal sustenance, but it can help lift a student's mood. I think that snacks have helped to add to the comforting feeling that our office provides, which is a haven for some of my students in a loud and happening school with about 1700 kids. \r\n\r\nThank you again - you've made a difference in more ways than I can express!","fullyFundedDate":1743927759115,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-for-social-work-through-june/9174436/","projectTitle":"Snacks for Social Work Through June","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Westerberg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1050715_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723740271436","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/westerberg"},{"teacherId":1050715,"projectId":9085690,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity in making our social work space more private and serene. The bulk fidget set has come in handy as I've passed out some to students who appear to need some extra tools to regulate their emotions. I'm happy to still have half that supply to hand out to students next school year. The. rock fountain is very calming, and I keep it flowing in the office on days when I am there. \r\n\r\nI haven't posted pictures just yet, as I plan on hanging up the curtain set once we move to our smaller office space... sometime around the last day of school, or the first day next year. I'll post pictures then, as I can provide a clearer picture of how we've used and will continue to use the resources from this project. \r\n\r\nThanks to you and other generous donors, our office has really come a long way in becoming a calming and serene space for students to get away from all the noise of the hallways and classrooms in our high school, which has about 1700 students. One of my students commented the other week... \"there's no other room like this in all of Von Steuben.\" It made me realize - maybe there isn't! With the $250 (soon to be $300) budget that CPS gives us, it simply isn't enough to provide me or other educators with what we need to make our space student-friendly. Thank you for helping me making our office so warm and welcoming for students this last year. We'll be moving to our smaller office space at the end of the year, and all the resources that you and others have helped to provide us will move to our new space, with the exception of a large rug, which will now be part of a math classroom! Once that move has occurred, I'll post pictures - thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1738879499339,"projectUrl":"project/a-calming-and-private-social-work-space/9085690/","projectTitle":"A Calming and Private Social Work Space","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Westerberg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1050715_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723740271436","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/westerberg"},{"teacherId":1050715,"projectId":8917449,"letterContent":"Thank you for providing with Legos to last for the rest of the school year (and maybe beyond!). Last week, my students finished the pictured mint green retro radio set. It was a team effort among five individual students or so, who helped build it in various stages of the project. It even has a sound function when turn it \"on\" and turn the lever! \r\n\r\nIn addition to the Legos you graciously funded for us, I also showed a couple more Lego sets from my own home that I brought to Von. I adore Legos myself, and so do many of my students! It's been a great way for many of my students and I to bond. I'm a former STEAM teacher, so this is up my alley. :) \r\n\r\nI really appreciate all your support in making my classroom/office fully stocked! I'm so grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1738879499358,"projectUrl":"project/lego-sets-for-social-work/8917449/","projectTitle":"LEGO Sets for Social Work","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Westerberg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1050715_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723740271436","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/westerberg"},{"teacherId":1050715,"projectId":9120750,"letterContent":"It's only been about two weeks since you helped fund this project, but already you have made a huge impact! I gave about 25% of the snacks to Von's other two social workers so they would have snacks for the remainder of the year for their SPARKS group -- a group that supports students with executive functioning and coping skills in school. I have also given snacks out to students in group and individual sessions with the students on my caseload. I wish you could've seen the expression on many of my students' faces when they saw that I now had snacks in my office. Many of my students swing by my office on days when they don't have a session to say hello and politely ask for a snack. In addition to providing energy, snacks can also be a morale and mood booster. My students and I are so appreciative of your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1741099897745,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-for-social-work/9120750/","projectTitle":"Snacks for Social Work","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Westerberg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1050715_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723740271436","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/westerberg"},{"teacherId":1050715,"projectId":8731033,"letterContent":"I am incredibly grateful for your generous donation in fully funding this project! As you can see from the pictures, the teal bookshelf came in SO handy at my elementary school office (Ebinger Elementary School). The other bookshelf is from another fully funded project, and it's holding a number of the games and social-emotional tools you provided! \r\n\r\nYour donation actually impacts upwards of 100+ students as I share these resources with other social workers at Ebinger and Von Steuben. They have been used by many students during our individual and group sessions. One amazing game is displayed in the picture! It is a game where students learn more about each others' interests and preferences. It has been a hit with my second graders at Ebinger. \r\n\r\nAt the start of this school year, I was a brand new social worker and I had a limited number of critical resources, like social-emotional games and activities. Thanks to you and other generous donors, I am now stocked. This means I am able to do my job more effectively, because I have the tools I need! These resources have been critical in supporting my students in identifying their strengths and building on them to become more successful students and citizens around school. THANK YOU!","fullyFundedDate":1735653045729,"projectUrl":"project/social-emotional-tools-for-social-work-s/8731033/","projectTitle":"Social-Emotional Tools For Social Work Services","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Westerberg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1050715_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723740271436","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/westerberg"},{"teacherId":1050715,"projectId":8915840,"letterContent":"I don't even know where to get started on how grateful I am. Over the course of just a couple weeks, both offices I work out of are completely transformed! This actually impacts upwards of 100+ students as the Ebinger office is shared with another social worker and her caseload of students. \r\n\r\nThanks to the generous donors of this project, I was able to take the small rug I already had for Von Steuben and bring it to Ebinger to brighten that space. I was also able to bring the teal bookcase I had at Von (from another funded DonorsChoose project) to Ebinger to make that space more organized. As you can see from the pictures, I now have two much more organized and welcoming spaces! The bookshelf was especially transformative for the Ebinger space, where many of the games and SEL materials were in piles on the floor. It just looked messy! A few of my K-2 students made \"ooo\" and \"ahh\" sounds commenting on how pretty and different the room looks now with a bookshelf. \r\n\r\nStarting fresh in a new role at the start of the school year was very daunting. CPS only offers $250 in supply reimbursement (and they're very particular about what gets reimbursed). That really didn't go very far!\r\n\r\nI'm always so grateful when I am able to get the resources my students need without breaking the bank. The resources you have provided through this project and others will last for years to come. \r\n\r\nAs a school librarian, my \"need list\" was never-ending because there will ALWAYS be new, amazing books to add to a collection, not to mention the need for updated technology. It's a surreal feeling to now be very much set in my role as social worker. I feel like I have what I need to finish the school year strong, and start next year strong! I am deeply grateful for your support in setting me and my students up for success.\r\n\r\n- Leslie","fullyFundedDate":1738879499413,"projectUrl":"project/creating-a-welcoming-social-work-office/8915840/","projectTitle":"Creating a Welcoming Social Work Office","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Westerberg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1050715_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723740271436","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/westerberg"},{"teacherId":1050715,"projectId":8832772,"letterContent":"I am eternally grateful for your contribution as it totally turned around our social work room! Whenever people enter, I receive compliments on how welcoming the space is for our students to use. The sofa is cozy, and my students greatly appreciate having the side table to complete their work on. I have a small heater next to it, and it really makes for a comforting space to decompress. Sometimes, my students just need a calming space to get some work done after our social work sessions. I am so grateful that I am now able to offer such a space to my students, and so are they!","fullyFundedDate":1728788290209,"projectUrl":"project/a-decompressing-corner-in-the-social-wor/8832772/","projectTitle":"A Decompressing Corner in the Social Work Room","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Westerberg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1050715_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723740271436","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/westerberg"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5301","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1668,"numTeachers":95,"percentFrplEligible":75,"percentAsian":14,"percentBlack":9,"percentWhite":16,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":55,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"17.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":66.3,"schoolId":5301,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Von Steuben Metro Science Center on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Von Steuben Metro Science Center","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/von-steuben-metro-science-ctr/5301"}