{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Richard T Crane Med Preparatory High School","outOfStateSupporters":40.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":4837865,"projectId":5458466,"letterContent":"From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting our \"Have a Heart\" project. Your generous contributions brought learning to life at a time when my students needed it most. Navigating remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging, but your support delivered a hands-on, interactive science experience directly to my students' front doors.\r\n\r\nBringing Hands-On Science Home\r\nMy students represent diverse neighborhoods across Chicago. They are curious, dedicated, and determined future medical professionals, and almost all of them will be the **very first in their families to attend college**. My goal is to give them the rigorous, high-quality learning environment they deserve—no matter the circumstances.\r\n\r\nDuring remote learning, keeping students truly engaged through a screen was no small task. For most of the school year, traditional lab work felt impossible. Thanks to your kindness, each student received their very own individual clay kit, giving them their first opportunity of the year to engage in a tactile, hands-on project right from home.\r\n\r\nEach customized kit included:\r\nTerra Cotta Clay: To sculpt the heart muscle wall.\r\nRed Clay: To build the oxygen-rich arteries.\r\nBlue Clay: To trace the veins.\r\nBone Clay: To construct the delicate *chordae tendineae* (heart strings).\r\n\r\nReal Outcomes & Deeper Understanding\r\nBuilding an anatomically correct heart out of color-coded clay transformed a complex biology unit into an exciting, unforgettable discovery process. Instead of staring at flat diagrams on a computer monitor, my students were active sculptors and scientists.\r\n\r\nThrough this project, my students successfully mastered key learning outcomes:\r\n\r\nInternal Structure: Accurately building and labeling the internal chambers and features of the human heart.\r\nCirculatory Pathways: Mapping and demonstrating the precise direction of blood flow.\r\nAnatomical Functions: Explaining the vital role of heart valves.\r\nComparative Anatomy: Articulating the structural and functional differences between the left and right sides of the heart.\r\n\r\n\"Because of your gift, my students weren't just memorizing facts for a screen test—they were building a deep, lasting understanding of the human cardiovascular system with their own hands.\"\r\n\r\nGratitude from Our Virtual Classroom\r\nYour investment in these kits did far more than provide art supplies; it sent a clear message to my students that their education, dreams, and future medical careers matter to the broader community. You brought joy, excitement, and true academic engagement into their homes during a difficult time.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this vision a reality. Your kindness and generosity will always be remembered.","fullyFundedDate":1615676162890,"projectUrl":"project/have-a-heart/5458466/","projectTitle":"Have a Heart!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lee","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4837865_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1506607521991","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4837865"},{"teacherId":4837865,"projectId":5473491,"letterContent":"I want to extend my deepest, most sincere thanks for your generous contribution to our classroom. I am beyond excited to share how your support is making a direct, transformative difference for my students!\r\n\r\nMeeting Our Future Medical Professionals\r\nMy students come from diverse backgrounds and neighborhoods across Chicago, but they all share a singular, powerful goal: to attend college and lead meaningful, productive lives. For almost every student in my room, they will be the very first in their families to step onto a college campus.\r\nAs aspiring medical professionals, they are remarkably curious, dedicated, and determined. My charge is to help them hone the critical academic skills required to succeed in high school, college, and beyond—and your gift helps me provide them with the best possible learning environment to do just that.\r\n\r\nTransforming Anatomy: From Rote Memorization to Real Discovery\r\nThe arrival of these clay Manikens has fundamentally changed how my students interact with science. Instead of relying on static textbook diagrams or repetitive memorization, our classroom now thrives on active, inquiry-based learning.\r\nHere is how these Manikens are fueling their growth:\r\nA First-Hand View Inside the Human Body: For many of my students, building a body on the Maniken offers their very first opportunity to actually \"see\" inside human anatomy layer by layer.\r\nHands-On & Inquiry-Based: Students construct organs and muscle groups with clay, turning abstract concepts into concrete understanding.\r\nInstant Authentic Assessment: The Manikens provide immediate, visual feedback—both for me as an educator and for the students evaluating their own work.\r\nCollaboration & Independence: The models naturally encourage teamwork and group problem-solving while still allowing space for independent focus.\r\n\"While my students are 'building' a human body, they are building the exact confidence and critical thinking skills they will need in the medical field.\"\r\n\r\nLooking Ahead\r\nYour support has truly shifted my students' learning into hyperdrive. The energy in the room is electric, and I cannot wait for you to see the results. When my students start building their next anatomical systems, rest assured, I will post pictures so you can see your gift in action.\r\nYour kindness is helping shape the next generation of healthcare leaders, and your impact will not be forgotten.","fullyFundedDate":1618861851086,"projectUrl":"project/anatomy-in-clay/5473491/","projectTitle":"Anatomy in Clay","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lee","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4837865_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1506607521991","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4837865"},{"teacherId":8804187,"projectId":9715907,"letterContent":"Thank you for funding my project to ensure students have access to charging no matter where they are. We had 10 new students enroll since the start of the school year and none of them were delayed in being able to use the Chromebooks even though they did not start school at the same time as other students. We have also year to today replaced 20 chargers that have been damaged, frayed, or otherwise failed. Staff have noted more students are coming to school with charged devices and this shift allowed the school budget to focus on larger tech upgrades to failing projectors in different spaces. Attached to the thank you is a photo of one of the seniors in the technology club doing a quick unboxing of one of the new chargers before removing the plastic packaging to prepare it for distribution.","fullyFundedDate":1764598845033,"projectUrl":"project/recharge-the-reserves-replacing-broken/9715907/","projectTitle":"ReCharge the Reserves: Replacing Broken Chargers","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Kuszynski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jjkuszynski2"},{"teacherId":10314126,"projectId":9833820,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom. Because of your kindness, I was able to purchase microscope slides and blood typing kits that truly brought science to life for my students.\r\n\r\nThese materials gave students the opportunity to move beyond textbooks and experience science firsthand. Using real equipment allowed them to observe, question, and think like scientists, making lessons more engaging and meaningful. The excitement and curiosity they showed during these activities made it clear how powerful hands-on learning can be.\r\n\r\nYour donation directly impacted my students by providing them with experiences they will remember long after the lesson ends. The students had so much fun using the blood typing kits to \"solve a murder\" at the school, using what they had learned of genetics and how blood reacts to certain substances and antigens. They continue to talk about this experiment and ask when we can do something similar again. I am incredibly grateful for your support and for believing in the importance of quality science education.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in our classroom and in the learning of my students.","fullyFundedDate":1761049786532,"projectUrl":"project/high-school-biology-supplies/9833820/","projectTitle":"High School Biology Supplies","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kaminski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10314126"},{"teacherId":8804187,"projectId":9078395,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible support in funding our project to provide students with take-home chargers. Your donation has made a significant difference in the lives of our students, helping to bridge the digital divide and ensure they have the tools they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom. With your gift, students no longer have to worry about their devices dying during critical homework sessions or while studying for exams. This project is especially timely as our district is transitioning to a new digital textbook platform, which requires consistent access to charged devices. Your contribution ensures that every student can reliably access these new resources, leveling the playing field for all learners.\r\n\r\nThe impact of your generosity extends beyond just a single class period; it fosters a sense of equity and reliability that is crucial for modern education. Providing students with their own chargers gives them ownership over their learning and eliminates a common barrier to completing assignments and engaging with online content. This simple but powerful resource is not just a piece of technology; it's a key to unlocking greater access to digital resources and a more seamless learning experience for all. We've already seen the positive effects in our classrooms, and we are so grateful for your belief in our students' potential.","fullyFundedDate":1746785509690,"projectUrl":"project/power-up-learning-providing-chargers-fo/9078395/","projectTitle":"Power Up Learning: Providing Chargers for Student Devices","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Kuszynski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jjkuszynski2"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_105093","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":282,"numTeachers":30,"percentFrplEligible":87,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":82,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":16,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"9.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":59.4,"schoolId":105093,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Richard T Crane Med Preparatory High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Richard T Crane Med Preparatory High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/richard-t-crane-rtc-medical-preparatory-high-sc/105093"}