{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Walter Payton College Preparatory High School","outOfStateSupporters":33.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":1539352,"projectId":9192438,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your continued support of public education. The equipment you donated will allow my students to feel successful because their animals will thrive with efficient filters and low-energy LED light fixtures. Furthermore, even though the Aquarium Club has only about 30 students, the tanks are housed in many classrooms, giving our whole student a chance to experience natural biotopes every time they walk into a room with one of our aquariums. 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Because of you, my students were able to engage with a powerful, challenging, and deeply relevant text that left a lasting mark on their understanding of the world and their place in it.\r\n\r\nReading Caste together transformed our classroom into a space of critical inquiry, empathy, and courage. We approached the book not only as readers, but as investigators—unpacking complex themes around power, hierarchy, history, and justice. Many of my students had never before encountered a framework like Wilkerson's, and watching them grapple with her ideas—questioning, analyzing, discussing—was a powerful reminder of how literature can open minds and ignite meaningful dialogue.\r\n\r\nIn our class, reading is never passive. We annotate, debate, write, connect. With Caste, our discussions centered on the students' eagerness to understand how systems of inequality have shaped both history and their own lived experiences. The book challenged them—but in the best possible way. It demanded their attention, their thoughtfulness, and their honesty.\r\n\r\nOne student shared that this was the first time she truly felt seen in a classroom conversation about race and power. Another began independently researching caste systems in other countries and even wrote his final paper comparing Wilkerson's framework to social dynamics in his own community. \r\n\r\nAs seniors preparing to step into the wider world, my students needed more than just academic skills—they needed a framework for understanding the world's complexities and their role in shaping its future. Caste gave them that. Your support made it possible.\r\n\r\nThank you again for believing in the power of education, literature, and young people's voices. Your generosity made a lasting impact—and not just on their reading lives, but on their growth as thinkers, citizens, and changemakers.","fullyFundedDate":1744065577087,"projectUrl":"project/wilkersons-caste-empowering-equitable/9076018/","projectTitle":"Wilkerson's Caste: Empowering Equitable Leaders","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gillick","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9905097_orig.jpg?crop=233,233,x0,y1&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1737577939330","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9905097"},{"teacherId":2904965,"projectId":9230517,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting our Don Quixote Spain trip by donating these beautiful Penguin cloth-bound copies of the novel. My students have greatly enjoyed reading the first few chapters of Quixote's adventures and are already looking forward to bringing literature to life in Spain. 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Walter Payton College Preparatory High School

Join the 749 supporters who believe in this school.

About this school

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School is an urban public school in Chicago, Illinois that is part of Chicago Public School District 299. It serves 1,257 students in grades 9 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 20.3:1. Its teachers have had 97 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Grades 9 - 12

1,257 Students

62 Teachers

1034 N Wells St

Chicago, IL 60610 View local requests

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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Walter Payton College Preparatory High School Demographics

75%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

59%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

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.

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School

$106,073

raised using DonorsChoose

projects funded

teachers funded

749

donors

projects for basic supplies

project for technology

projects for books

project for art supplies

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School has received support from 502 individuals from Illinois and 247 individuals out-of-state.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season! Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School

About this school

Equity Focus School

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School Demographics

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.