West Prairie High School in Colchester, Illinois on DonorsChoose

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Students browse, choose books that interest them, read independently, talk with classmates, and recommend titles to one another. The variety of formats has been especially meaningful for students who may not have seen themselves as readers before. A student who feels intimidated by a long novel may begin with a graphic novel or a book in verse, experience success, and then feel more willing to try something new. We are seeing students carry books with them, ask about sequels, and share titles with friends.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping us build a stronger culture of literacy at West Prairie. These books are doing more than filling shelves—they are helping students discover stories, perspectives, and reading identities that can stay with them long after they leave our classrooms.","fullyFundedDate":1776563998866,"projectUrl":"project/turning-pages-changing-lives-growing-r/10181448/","projectTitle":"Turning Pages, Changing Lives: Growing Readers at West Prairie","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Sullivan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8077875"},{"teacherId":10284601,"projectId":9762528,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your kind donation to help us start our Tabletop Gaming Club at West Prairie Junior/Senior High School. By providing a variety of board games and resources to play Dungeons & Dragons, these contributions remove financial barriers and make the club accessible to more students, allowing it to grow into an inclusive and engaging group. \r\n\r\nTabletop games help students build essential skills in an enjoyable, low-pressure environment. Board games promote critical thinking, problem-solving, strategy, and mathematical reasoning, while also reinforcing reading comprehension and rule interpretation. Dungeons & Dragons in particular encourages creativity, storytelling, collaboration, and improvisation as students work together to build worlds, develop characters, and navigate complex scenarios. Players practice communication, leadership, and decision-making as they negotiate challenges and support their teammates.\r\n\r\nAdditional benefits include stress relief and improved well-being. 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About this school

West Prairie High School is a rural public school in Colchester, Illinois that is part of West Prairie Community School District 103. It serves 155 students in grades 9 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 10.3:1. Its teachers have had 6 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Supporting this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Grades 9 - 12

155 Students

15 Teachers

600 S Hun St

Colchester, IL 62326 View local requests

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

West Prairie High School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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West Prairie High School Demographics

56%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

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.

West Prairie High School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Jul 12, 2026

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