{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Illini West High School","outOfStateSupporters":17.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9556134,"projectId":9907682,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classroom has become a much more interactive and engaging learning space. The adhesive magnetic whiteboards and magnets are now a daily part of our Spanish lessons. Instead of simply writing answers in their notebooks, students come up to the boards to build sentences with vocabulary magnets, sort words into categories, and collaborate to solve language challenges together. One of my favorite moments happened during a vocabulary activity when students worked in teams to create silly but grammatically correct Spanish sentences using the magnets. The room was full of laughter, creativity, and students encouraging each other to try new words.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, the excitement was immediate. Students were eager to get up and start writing on the walls and moving the magnets around. Several students said it felt more like a game than a lesson, and even some of my quieter learners jumped right in to participate.\r\n\r\nThe mirrors have also made a huge impact with our cheerleaders. They now have the opportunity to watch their motions, adjust their technique, and build confidence during practice. Being able to see themselves while they practice has helped them improve synchronization and performance as a team.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we are continuing to use the magnetic boards for collaborative activities as we work through new Spanish units. Students will be using them to build stories, practice conversations, and review vocabulary together. These tools are helping create a classroom where students feel comfortable participating, taking risks with language, and celebrating their progress. Your support has truly helped make learning more active, collaborative, and fun for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1766441406983,"projectUrl":"project/tools-to-help-students-learn-create-an/9907682/","projectTitle":"Tools to Help Students Learn, Create, and Perform","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Miller","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9556134"},{"teacherId":9886431,"projectId":9748229,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for taking the time to find our project and donate to provide students with necessary classroom and laboratory essentials. Since the arrival of the supplies, we have been able to complete numerous classroom activities between four separate classrooms as well as in the lab. \r\n\r\nOne of the projects in the pictures is fairly recent, as we were covering DNA. We started by coloring the different nitrogenous bases of DNA using your donated pencil boxes and colored pencils, then we cut them out using the scissors from you, and finally glued all of the pieces of a strand of DNA together using both glue bottles and glue sticks that you so generously donated. \r\n\r\nAll of the students have been so grateful to you and everything that you donated to them. Thank you, again, for your generous donation to our classrooms and laboratory.","fullyFundedDate":1761258367290,"projectUrl":"project/science-classroom-and-laboratory-essenti/9748229/","projectTitle":"Science Classroom and Laboratory Essentials","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Luzadder","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9886431"},{"teacherId":584953,"projectId":9771183,"letterContent":"Thank you for the generous donation of more than 65 books and supplies for book projects for our high school classroom. Because we do several independent reading book projects a year, the students appreciate a varied selection of books to read. These diverse titles meet the interests of most of the students. This year the students will make posters, book jackets, and make book recommendations for their peers. Your generous donation makes it possible to implement these projects for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1761258367622,"projectUrl":"project/building-a-stronger-classroom-library-fo/9771183/","projectTitle":"Building a Stronger Classroom Library for Independent Reading and Projects","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Shupe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/584953"},{"teacherId":8988509,"projectId":9731242,"letterContent":"This project has had an immediate and meaningful impact on our Driver Education classroom by allowing students to learn through hands-on, real-world applications. The new stoplight, prop road signs, and classroom materials have helped transform abstract traffic laws into concrete experiences that students can see, touch, and practice.\r\n\r\nInstead of only reading about traffic control devices, students now build intersections using popsicle sticks, colored pencils, glue sticks, and paper. They physically place road signs, design traffic patterns, and model right-of-way situations. This approach has been especially effective for visual and kinesthetic learners, helping them better understand how signs, signals, and roadway design work together to keep drivers safe.\r\n\r\nThe most exciting part for students has been the ability to actively participate rather than passively listen. Engagement has increased noticeably, and students are more confident when explaining traffic laws and making safe driving decisions during class discussions and activities. Several students who typically struggle with traditional worksheets have shown improved understanding when given the opportunity to learn through building and collaboration.\r\n\r\nOverall, these materials have created a more interactive, inclusive learning environment that better prepares students for real-world driving. We are incredibly grateful to our donors for providing resources that make learning meaningful, memorable, and safety-focused for our students.","fullyFundedDate":1761258368105,"projectUrl":"project/building-strong-students-in-the-classro/9731242/","projectTitle":"Building Strong Students: In the Classroom, Weight Room, and on the Road","teacherDisplayName":"Coach Lafferty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8988509"},{"teacherId":9997039,"projectId":9757996,"letterContent":"Thanks to this project, our students now have access to a new treadmill and a set of fitness bands that have significantly improved the quality and variety of workouts in our school weight room. While many donors may be familiar with treadmills or resistance bands at home, having this equipment available at school allows students to learn how to use fitness tools safely, correctly, and with purpose. Students are not just exercising—they are learning about cardiovascular endurance, pacing, heart rate awareness, proper form, and how resistance training supports overall health.\r\n\r\nThe most exciting part for students has been the variety these new tools bring. The treadmill has been especially popular because it allows students of all fitness levels to participate comfortably, whether they are walking, jogging, or running. The fitness bands have added new stations and exercises that feel fresh and engaging, breaking up the routine of traditional weight room workouts. Students enjoy experimenting with different resistance levels and quickly see how small adjustments can make exercises more challenging or accessible.\r\n\r\nSeveral students have especially benefited from this equipment, including those who may be hesitant with free weights or are newer to fitness. The treadmill has been a confidence-builder for students who prefer a more controlled, individual workout, while the bands have been great for students rehabbing minor injuries, building foundational strength, or needing low-impact options. Overall, this project has helped create a more inclusive, motivating, and educational fitness environment—and our students are more engaged, active, and excited about physical fitness because of it.","fullyFundedDate":1761258367124,"projectUrl":"project/building-strength-one-step-at-a-time/9757996/","projectTitle":"Building Strength, One Step at a Time!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Lafferty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9997039"},{"teacherId":9362827,"projectId":9732919,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom. The students have been enjoying the games and are most assuredly the beneficiaries of your generosity. These games are making my students think in ways they haven't before in the classroom, with a level of intrigue and competition that continues to keep them interested and engaged in the topic. They have also been learning in an entirely different and new way, referencing historical events to the games that they have been playing as well as the other way around. Again, I thank you for your donation and hope to continue to work with you in the future.","fullyFundedDate":1761258367951,"projectUrl":"project/strategizing-critical-thinking-probl/9732919/","projectTitle":"Strategizing, Critical Thinking, & Problem Solving","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Rodeffer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9362827"},{"teacherId":10073522,"projectId":9751825,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donation to my classroom! Because of your donations, I was able to purchase a class set of Suzanne Collins' \"The Hunger Games\" and Tim O'Brien's \"The Things They Carried.\" My juniors have just finished our unit on \"The Things They Carried\" and are currently writing reflection papers on how the depiction of the Vietnam war in the novel affected their understanding of war as well as how talking to a guest veteran speaker helped them to understand the impact of war better than when we began the unit. I'm extremely pleased with how the unit went and with how my student's learning was deepened due to their ability to read such a great novel.\r\n\r\nWe will be starting our unit on \"The Hunger Games\" in the spring where students will be participating in a mock Hunger Games where the school will get to vote every week on who to remove from the 'arena,' which will help the students to understand the importance of agency and socio-political consciousness as we read the novel. I'm very excited to start the unit because it will give students a better grasp on why social justice is important in their everyday lives. Thank you so much for your generous contribution to my classroom and to my students!","fullyFundedDate":1759327336561,"projectUrl":"project/class-novels-for-two-reading-units/9751825/","projectTitle":"Class Novels for Two Reading Units","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. G","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10073522_orig.jpg?crop=4000,4000,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752016772314","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/miss-gindlesberger"},{"teacherId":7766483,"projectId":9722729,"letterContent":"This curriculum that I was able to buy with your donation has helped me tremendously. I have been able to add to what I already do with more simulations and hands on activities. The cell parts cut outs that I was able to laminate and place on my board was a great asset, because students could build the cells and we could do oral quizzes. They were also able to see it everyday to help them learn the parts. \r\nMy anatomy class has benefited, especially during the muscle unit, because they were able to utilize the skeleton models and clay and work at their own pace instead of waiting around for my instruction or other students. \r\nMy students have enjoyed all the activities and manipulations that I have been able to purchase, and it has made my classes more interesting. Thank you so much for your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1758605311773,"projectUrl":"project/from-cells-to-ecosystems-inspiring-stud/9722729/","projectTitle":"From Cells to Ecosystems: Inspiring Students with New Biology Curriculum","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Cook","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7766483"},{"teacherId":9886431,"projectId":9577114,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating these resources for my students to use on their projects. I have found that the students in my life science class respond well to more hands-on assignments and tend to do better with projects like the cell T-shirts instead of tests. \r\n\r\nThey seemed interested in the project as soon as I brought it up, even the students that typically act like they are too cool for school. The students' faces lit up when they saw all of the supplies that they were able to use and became even more excited when they realized that all of this was free for them. \r\n\r\nStudents used these materials to model plant and animal cells for the rest of the class. They created 3D models of these cells on their shirts and then had to present to the class by walking the makeshift runway in my classroom. Even students that would never volunteer to stand at the front of the room were excited to present their shirts to the classroom.\r\n\r\nWe never would have been able to do this without donors like you!","fullyFundedDate":1757526656771,"projectUrl":"project/cell-fashion/9577114/","projectTitle":"Cell Fashion","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Luzadder","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9886431"},{"teacherId":9360090,"projectId":9910152,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our project. I am continually inspired by how caring, creative, and community-minded my students are. Each one brings unique ideas and perspectives to our classroom, and they take great pride in using their artistic talents to make a positive difference in our school and community.\r\n\r\nBecause of your contribution, we now have the acrylic paints needed to repair and restore the remembrance mural at the baseball field—a meaningful piece of our school's history that has begun to peel and fade. As my students work to bring the mural back to life, they will learn valuable artistic skills such as color blending, layering, and preparing surfaces, all while practicing patience, collaboration, and attention to detail.\r\n\r\nOne of the most impactful aspects of this project is the opportunity it creates for students of all abilities to work together. By involving our special education students in meaningful roles—selecting color palettes, prepping surfaces, painting designated sections, and collaborating with art club members—we are fostering an inclusive environment where every student can contribute in ways that feel empowering and valued. This shared experience encourages teamwork, peer support, and the kind of problem-solving that strengthens our school community.\r\n\r\nThis project is so much more than repainting a mural. It is an opportunity for students to take ownership, honor important memories, and witness firsthand how art can bring people together. Your generosity makes it possible for them to build confidence in their creativity, grow their collaborative skills, and experience the joy of creating something meaningful for others.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in my students, for supporting inclusive learning, and for helping us bring new life to a project that means so much to our community.","fullyFundedDate":1763830440031,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-color-back-restoring-our-remem/9910152/","projectTitle":"Bringing Color Back: Restoring Our Remembrance Mural","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Sturlic","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9360090_orig.jpg?crop=397,397,x0,y3&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699561167846","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9360090"},{"teacherId":6551954,"projectId":9758059,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our project. My students are naturally curious, creative, and full of imaginative ideas, and your donation gives them the opportunity to bring those ideas to life in meaningful and innovative ways.\r\n\r\nWith the addition of a 3D resin printer and the necessary supplies, my students will be able to blend art with technology—designing, testing, and refining their creations while developing real-world problem-solving skills. This experience will not only deepen their artistic abilities but also strengthen their understanding of STEM concepts, building confidence and sparking innovation that will serve them long into the future.\r\n\r\nYour generosity provides them with tools that expand their horizons and empower them to create, experiment, and discover. Thank you for believing in their potential and for helping inspire the next generation of makers and thinkers.","fullyFundedDate":1761258368230,"projectUrl":"project/from-imagination-to-creation-3d-resin/9758059/","projectTitle":"\"From Imagination to Creation: 3D Resin Printing in the Classroom\"","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Buxman","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6551954_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y772&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758642786353","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/illiniwestart"},{"teacherId":10073522,"projectId":9452348,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom! My students and I are exceedingly grateful for the materials your donations have afforded us in the classroom. With the donations you have given us, we were able to secure clear, plastic tubs with carrying handles, extra large, lined notecards, and yellow highlighters for our senior research paper project. In this project, all of my senior students will receive a plastic tub, a pack of notecards, and two yellow highlighters that they will carry with them for almost all of next semester. Their tubs will be what they use to keep all of their research clearly organized and stored as they write a research paper on a topic of their choosing. My students were curious as to what the materials were for at first and admittedly not excited about the paper, but the idea of them getting their own tub is exciting to them. The next steps for are project will be the students choosing their paper topics by January and getting to work! Thank you again for your donation to my classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1755704995371,"projectUrl":"project/senior-research-paper/9452348/","projectTitle":"Senior Research Paper","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. G","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10073522_orig.jpg?crop=4000,4000,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752016772314","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/miss-gindlesberger"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_25545","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":330,"numTeachers":25,"percentFrplEligible":48,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":92,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":4,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"13.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_REMOTE"},"inStateSupporters":82.5,"schoolId":25545,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Illini West High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Illini West High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/illini-west-high-school-district-307/illini-west-high-school/25545"}