{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Waukegan High School - Brookside","outOfStateSupporters":29.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9403030,"projectId":9781567,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous support of our project, \"Focused Minds: Desk Dividers for Better Testing.\" Your contribution has made a meaningful difference in our classroom.\r\n\r\nThe desk dividers have created a calmer and more focused testing environment for our students. By reducing visual distractions and helping students maintain personal space, they were able to concentrate better, manage test anxiety, and work more independently. Many students shared that they felt more confident and less pressured during assessments.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, our classroom now promotes fairness, focus, and academic confidence—especially during quizzes and exams. We truly appreciate your investment in our students' success and learning experience.","fullyFundedDate":1764694961045,"projectUrl":"project/focused-minds-desk-dividers-for-better/9781567/","projectTitle":"Focused Minds: Desk Dividers for Better Testing","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. RDC","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9403030_orig.jpg?crop=1536,1536,x1509,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756675904592","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9403030"},{"teacherId":8623201,"projectId":9739016,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to my project of loaner Chromebooks. It made a great positive impact. \r\n\r\nLoaner Chromebooks make a significant difference in maintaining an equitable and effective learning environment. They ensure that students who forget, lose, or temporarily cannot use their assigned devices still have full access to classroom instruction and digital learning tools. This reduces learning disruptions, allows students to stay engaged with lessons, and keeps them on track academically.\r\n\r\nOverall, loaner Chromebooks promote fairness, continuity, and productivity in the classroom. They help create a learning environment where every student has the tools they need to learn, regardless of day-to-day challenges.","fullyFundedDate":1764694964292,"projectUrl":"project/loaner-chromebooks-a-lifeline-for-learn/9739016/","projectTitle":"Loaner Chromebooks: A Lifeline for Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Khairunissa Hussaini","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8623201"},{"teacherId":9215769,"projectId":9604064,"letterContent":"I want to extend my deepest gratitude for your generosity and support of our classroom. Thanks to you, my history students now have access to materials that make our lessons more interactive, comfortable, and engaging. The coloring supplies, magnets, charging strips, double-sided tape, STEM building blocks, and Magna-Tiles have already become essential parts of our daily routine. Your contribution has brought a new level of energy and organization to our classroom, and my students feel truly valued and excited to learn.\r\n\r\nHow we are using the new resources in history class\r\nIn our history lessons, the coloring supplies and magnets have been the biggest game changers. My students use the coloring supplies for interactive notebooks, mapping activities, and visual summaries of key events and concepts. Whether they're illustrating the rise and fall of ancient civilizations or color-coding a cause-and-effect chart, having high-quality markers and coloring tools has made them more invested in the work. Many of my students come from low-income backgrounds and don't have access to their own supplies, so simply having materials that are new, bright, and fully stocked makes them feel confident and prepared.\r\n\r\nThe magnets have allowed us to set up rotating \"history stations\" on our whiteboards. Students move from board to board analyzing primary sources, matching vocabulary, placing events in chronological order, and answering quick review questions. This movement-based learning keeps them active and focused, especially during more challenging content. The double-sided tape has been incredibly helpful for hanging charts, timelines, and student-created posters that support our year-long units.\r\n\r\nThe charging strips have helped us more than I can express. We use online readings, documentaries, articles, and writing tools constantly in history, and dead devices used to cause major disruptions. Now that students can plug in at a central location, we've cut down on lost time and confusion. It makes our classroom run smoothly, especially during research days and digital assessments.\r\n\r\nHow students reacted when the materials arrived\r\nWhen my students first saw the new supplies, the excitement was immediate and genuine. Many of them were surprised, asking, \"All of this is really for our class?\" As a teacher in a school with high failure rates and engagement challenges, seeing them light up over new materials was incredibly meaningful. Students eagerly opened the coloring supplies and immediately started discussing how they would use them in their next map assignment. Others went straight to the magnets and began planning how we could create new station setups. Even something as simple as updated tape and charging stations made them feel like their classroom was becoming more professional, organized, and supportive.\r\n\r\nThe STEM building blocks and Magna-Tiles created a different type of reaction—pure joy. Even though these items are not part of our daily history lessons, they play a huge role during our monthly makeup/SEL days. My students loved that we now have hands-on materials for creative breaks and team-building activities. For many, these days are essential opportunities to reduce stress, practice communication, and reconnect with school in a positive way. Your donation allows those days to be meaningful and constructive instead of just \"catch-up time.\"\r\n\r\nWhat's next for our class\r\nOur upcoming history unit focuses on civilizations and cultural development, and the new supplies will help us create interactive timelines, illustrated summaries, and primary-source stations. The magnets will play a large role in our timeline-building activity, where students will physically place major historical events on the board and discuss their significance. The coloring supplies will help students produce high-quality notebook pages and visual projects. The charging strips will continue to support our digital research assignments as we explore geography, government systems, and cultural achievements across different empires.\r\n\r\nOn our next SEL/makeup day, the STEM blocks and Magna-Tiles will be used for a teamwork challenge where groups will build structures that represent different civilizations, connecting creativity to the history content we've been studying.\r\n\r\nYour contribution has not just improved our classroom—it has elevated the learning experience for every student who walks through my door. You have given them tools that help them stay organized, focused, and excited about history. Thank you for believing in my students and supporting their education in such a tangible, meaningful way.","fullyFundedDate":1758854591603,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-history-to-life-engaging-stude/9604064/","projectTitle":"Bringing History to Life: Engaging Students Through Interactive Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Indo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9215769_orig.jpg?crop=373,373,x578,y189&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692823957621","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9215769"},{"teacherId":9384363,"projectId":9675923,"letterContent":"This project, \"Unlocking Physics for English Learners with Classroom Technology,\" has leveraged the extra computer to create a more equitable and effective learning environment, particularly for English Learners (ELs). The technology's primary benefit is its ability to bridge language barriers and make abstract physics concepts concrete.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the ability to record lessons into self-paced, on-demand tutorials ensures that students who need extra time or processing support are never left behind, transforming the learning experience from passive consumption to active, independent mastery.","fullyFundedDate":1757526163396,"projectUrl":"project/unlocking-physics-for-english-learners-w/9675923/","projectTitle":"Unlocking Physics for English Learners with Classroom Technology","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. May","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9384363_orig.jpg?crop=1200,1200,x0,y200&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1701396617841","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9384363"},{"teacherId":9389305,"projectId":9725159,"letterContent":"Thank you! Your generosity funded \"Bringing Science to Life with Colors,\" and the impact on my Physics classroom has been immense.\r\n\r\nHow We're Using the Resources\r\nThe new resources—including high-contrast color markers, large magnetic whiteboard diagrams, and color-coded materials—have transformed abstract physics principles into tangible, visual experiences. They allow my students to clearly differentiate and trace complex variables and forces during problem-solving, moving beyond pencil and paper to dynamic, collaborative work.\r\n\r\nThe breakthrough moment is seeing my students' faces light up when a difficult, conceptual problem suddenly makes sense because of the clarity and distinction provided by the new colors. It has immediately increased both the accuracy of their work and their conceptual understanding.\r\n\r\nStudent Reactions\r\nWhen the materials arrived, the students were filled with engagement and focus. The ability to use different, vibrant colors for different components (e.g., vectors, light rays, energy states) instantly increased the accessibility and interest level of every lab and problem-solving session. They now see physics concepts not just as mathematical equations, but as visible, governable forces and phenomena.\r\n\r\nWhat's Next\r\nYour support has launched us into more complex explorations in dynamics and optics. We will continue to use these visual tools to model and analyze multi-step problems, helping my students apply core principles like Newton's laws and the properties of waves to real-world engineering challenges.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving my students the tools to visualize the forces and light that govern their world!","fullyFundedDate":1760723213656,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-science-to-life-with-colors/9725159/","projectTitle":"Bringing Science to Life with Colors","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Athena Mercado","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9389305_orig.jpg?crop=2294,2294,x1041,y332&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1746893216143","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/athenajil-mercado"},{"teacherId":9451583,"projectId":9688347,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, these iPads have become an essential lifeline in our classroom. They serve as reliable loaner devices for students who forget their Chromebooks or are waiting for repairs. Instead of falling behind or feeling embarrassed, students can immediately grab an iPad and jump right into their work. They use them to access EverFi, NGPF, and other online simulations in our personal finance lessons—programs that are most effective when students can participate in real time. Your support ensures that every student has the opportunity to stay engaged, on pace, and confident in their learning.\r\n\r\nStudents love how easy and intuitive the iPads are to use. The touchscreen makes our interactive finance simulations feel more like a hands-on experience than a traditional assignment. They get excited to budget, invest, and explore financial scenarios with just a tap or swipe. What could have been a stressful moment—like realizing they left their Chromebook at home—quickly turns into relief and even enthusiasm when they see an iPad available to help them stay connected.\r\n\r\nA few students who frequently struggle with broken or unreliable Chromebooks have especially appreciated having the iPads as a backup. One student told me they felt \"caught up for the first time in weeks\" after using an iPad to complete EverFi modules they had been behind on. Another student who often gets anxious when their Chromebook malfunctions said the iPad made them feel more prepared and less stressed about coming to class. These moments—small but meaningful—are reminders of how powerful your support truly is in keeping students motivated and supported.","fullyFundedDate":1757526162815,"projectUrl":"project/empower-10th-grade-financial-literacy-wi/9688347/","projectTitle":"Empower 10th-Grade Financial Literacy with iPads","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Agpuon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9451583_orig.jpg?crop=1742,1742,x0,y58&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723182402863","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9451583"},{"teacherId":9384363,"projectId":9714240,"letterContent":"My project, \"From Paper to Pixel: Fueling My Future with an iPad,\" has fundamentally changed how I teach and how my students learn. The iPad has transformed my craft by enabling personalized feedback and grading through voice notes and digital annotations, significantly reducing administrative time while ensuring feedback is timely and actionable. Furthermore, it allows for dynamic lesson delivery—I can project live demonstrations and integrate interactive simulations instantly—and facilitates the easy creation and curation of differentiated digital content, making instruction flexible and highly responsive to individual student needs.\r\n\r\nThe impact on students centers on fostering independence and equity. This was clearly seen when I used the iPad's capabilities to teach Free-Body Diagrams (FBDs) in physics. Instead of drawing FBDs on a whiteboard, I project a live, step-by-step drawing of the diagram using the stylus and iPad .This instantly clarifies the vectors, forces, and motion components in real-time, making complex, abstract concepts concrete.","fullyFundedDate":1757969979306,"projectUrl":"project/from-paper-to-pixel-fueling-my-future-w/9714240/","projectTitle":"From Paper to Pixel: Fueling My Future with an iPad","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. May","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9384363_orig.jpg?crop=1200,1200,x0,y200&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1701396617841","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9384363"},{"teacherId":9375576,"projectId":9684079,"letterContent":"I am deeply honored that this specific project came to life. The students really happy seeing the result and outcomes of the project. One of the portions of the activity was doing the reflection, and they discussed that authentic assessment, like this, makes them realized the application of Mathematics (Geometry) in real life. \r\n\r\nThrough this activity, the students had the chance to use the laser lights and mirrors to create an image or any geometrical shape. However, it is not just an image, but they need to connect these images into the skills and standards that they have learned. \r\n\r\nOne of the things that we really enjoyed, not just the cognitive part, but the other skills like collaboration and communication to other peers. \r\n\r\nI am grateful that with the help of you, the students saw the beauty of Mathematics, and the sense of it in real life.","fullyFundedDate":1760723213962,"projectUrl":"project/light-art-and-mathematics-a-stem-ge/9684079/","projectTitle":"Light, Art and Mathematics - a STEM - Geared Activity","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. U. Garcia","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9375576_orig.jpg?crop=600,600,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1700491723660","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9375576"},{"teacherId":9375576,"projectId":9331928,"letterContent":"With this help, the students are able to see the advancement of the reality of program code into this technology. Also, with this, we were able to try different program codes and arcade games using this laptop. I am really happy that the students are able to make their imagination works in reality. I am so glad that the students enjoyed the activities. \r\n\r\nWith the help of this technology, they have created different fun games by group and this activity helps them realize that their skills that they learned can really apply in real life. \r\n\r\nAgain, thank you so much for this help and kindness to my students.","fullyFundedDate":1755881147495,"projectUrl":"project/ai-authentic-integration-of-computer-p/9331928/","projectTitle":"AI (Authentic Integration) of Computer Programming in Real-Life","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. U. Garcia","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9375576_orig.jpg?crop=600,600,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1700491723660","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9375576"},{"teacherId":3374091,"projectId":9615579,"letterContent":"We are so very grateful for your support! Our students have been able to access their classroom environment with their hearing equipment without the added stress of being able to afford hearing aid batteries and cleaning supplies. It has been such a huge help!\r\n\r\nNext steps for us is to continue working on self-advocacy skills regarding their hearing equipment (when to use them, how to clean them, who to go to when they are not working, etc.). Once they leave high school, they'll be responsible for maintaining their own equipment, so we'll make sure they're ready!\r\n\r\nThank you again for all of your support. We are so appreciative!","fullyFundedDate":1755697917395,"projectUrl":"project/help-supply-our-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing/9615579/","projectTitle":"Help Supply Our Deaf and Hard of Hearing Classroom!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. LeClair","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3374091_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1543509087154","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/shannon-leclair"},{"teacherId":5099139,"projectId":9755359,"letterContent":"When our \"A Gentle Home for Our Books\" project was funded, it completely transformed the atmosphere of our classroom. Before, our books were stacked in boxes and piled on counters; students had to dig to find something that interested them. Now, thanks to your generosity, our novels, graphic texts, bilingual books, and poetry collections finally have a calm, organized, and \"gentle\" home on sturdy shelves and in clearly labeled bins. My students helped sort and organize the library by genre and language, and that process alone sparked so many conversations about what they like to read and how books can reflect their lives and cultures.\r\n\r\nI will never forget the moment they first walked in and saw the new space. Several students immediately went to the shelves and started touching the books, saying things like, \"It looks like a real library now,\" and \"Can I check this one out today?\" One student who is usually very quiet picked up a book and whispered, \"This one has my country in it.\" They took pictures of the shelves, recommended books to each other, and very quickly began to treat the area with respect and pride—like something that truly belongs to them.\r\n\r\nRight now, we are using these resources for independent reading, small reading conferences, and short book-talk presentations. Students choose books that match their level and interests, then set personal reading goals and reflect in their reading journals. Our next steps are to launch small book clubs, where groups will read the same title and discuss it together, and to create short projects (posters, one-pager reflections, and digital slides) that connect their books to themes like identity, resilience, and hope.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving our books—and our readers—a safe, beautiful home. Your support is helping my students see themselves as real readers who matter.","fullyFundedDate":1760022393580,"projectUrl":"project/a-gentle-home-for-our-books-and-our-rea/9755359/","projectTitle":"A Gentle Home for Our Books, and Our Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. Arregui","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5099139_orig.png?crop=500,500,x16,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741741221581","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5099139"},{"teacherId":9384363,"projectId":9762871,"letterContent":"The \"Cut, Glue, Listen, Learn\" project uses technology primarily as a powerful tool for personalized learning and equity, moving beyond simple communication or entertainment. The core function is providing audio-supported and self-paced instruction, which acts like a personal tutor. This allows students to listen to complex concepts, pause, and rewind, enabling them to achieve mastery of the MELCs at their own pace. Crucially, the audio feature promotes equity by ensuring students with reading challenges or those learning English can access high-quality content, preventing the digital divide from becoming a learning divide. This integration effectively bridges the gap between theory and practice by supporting hands-on activities ('Cutting and Gluing') with clear, multi-sensory digital explanations.\r\n\r\nWhat most excites students is the feeling of control and independence over their education. The framework gives them agency: they manage the learning process by hitting play and pause, minimizing classroom downtime. By delivering instructions digitally, the project frees up class time for more engaging, learner-centered activities and collaboration. Students appreciate having immediate access to support; if they forget a step, they can check the digital tool silently without needing to ask the teacher, which maximizes their time on task and minimizes frustration.\r\n\r\nThis technology has proven to be a \"Tool for Equity\" for students who traditionally struggled with text-heavy instruction. Specifically, students with reading or comprehension gaps show a visible surge in confidence and performance, as the audio support allows them to bypass the reading barrier and focus entirely on content mastery and the hands-on activity. Additionally, shy or unprepared students benefit significantly, utilizing the technology as a silent, non-judgmental resource for repeated instructions. This has led to better prepared students, higher quality project submissions, and a crucial increase in their voluntary participation during collaborative work, resulting in students demonstrating a genuine, deep understanding of the MELCs rather than just compliance.","fullyFundedDate":1760723213394,"projectUrl":"project/cut-glue-listen-learntools-for-learn/9762871/","projectTitle":"Cut, Glue, Listen, Learn:Tools for Learning, Tools for Equity","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. May","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9384363_orig.jpg?crop=1200,1200,x0,y200&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1701396617841","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9384363"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_30399","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":4355,"numTeachers":280,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":11,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":82,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"15.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":70.5,"schoolId":30399,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Waukegan High School - Brookside on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Waukegan High School - Brookside","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/waukegan-community-unit-school-district-60/waukegan-high-school-brookside/30399"}