{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Muessel Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":50.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7084941,"projectId":8876833,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your part in helping to fund our Book Vending Machine Project through Donors Choose. Our amazing book vending machine was purchased several years ago using money from our Federal Title 1 Grant and we were all thrilled when it arrived. It took its place of honor in our main hallway right next to the main office for all to see when they pass by. Kids are constantly stopping, peering inside, and smudging up the glass while standing in front of it deciding which books they would choose. It is a uniquely brilliant way to get students excited about owning books and allow them the opportunity to have choice in their ownership. Everything about the book vending machine is wonderful. Except the cost of purchasing books to keep it stocked. Books are not cheap. The kinds of books kids want to own are not cheap. Constantly having the newest, freshest, most exciting books that get kids excited about reading takes money. Even young students who may not yet be ready to read popular chapter books like Dog Man or Diary of Wimpy Kid still want to pick those books when they earn their opportunity to choose and the cost of those chapter books adds up. We never want to stand in the way of a child's enthusiasm of selecting a book that appeals to them and this project provided many book sets of the popular chapter books that we just can't seem to keep in stock. For many of our students, the books that they get to choose from our vending machine may be the only books they have at home- and that they were able to choose for themselves!\r\n One of the best parts of my day is the end of it when I go around to the rooms to collect students who have met the requirement to visit the vending machine. When I knock on those classroom doors and kids see me, they get so excited and bust at the seams to come line up with me and head down to the vending machine. If it's their first time and they've never done it before, they are amazed when I tell them that the book they get to pick is theirs to keep forever. If it is a repeat trip, they may actually be more excited than the first time because they know what special treat is in store for them. They love \"helping\" a younger student or one who is earning their first book by showing them where to put the coin in, how to push the buttons, and they eagerly crouch down and push the flap up to help little hands reach in and grab their books. It is heartwarming to see students come together and bond over their shared experience. After everyone makes their selection, we always stand and take a picture with our new books to be displayed on the hallway bulletin board and kids are always stopping to look at those pictures throughout the day as they walk by the bulletin board..\r\n Education today is tough enough. Being in a high poverty, urban school constantly brings challenges and issues that can get us down. However, being able to provide these moments of pure joy and giving- and giving the gift of reading no less- is a true gift. Your part in this should be applauded and it is. I truly mean this when I say thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1735327035957,"projectUrl":"project/stock-our-book-vending-machine-promote/8876833/","projectTitle":"Stock Our Book Vending Machine- Promote Student Ownership of Books!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Lawwill","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7084941"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_19851","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":295,"numTeachers":17,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":62,"percentWhite":17,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":7,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"17.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"UNCLASSIFIED","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":49.7,"schoolId":19851,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Muessel Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Muessel Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/indiana/south-bend-community-school-corporation/muessel-primary-ctr/19851"}
Join the 157 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Muessel Elementary School is
an urban public school
in South Bend, Indiana that is part of South Bend Community School Corporation.
It serves 295 students
in grades Pre-K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 17.4:1.
Its teachers have had 80 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
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of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
69%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Muessel Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Dec 4, 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.
Muessel Elementary School
$29,231
raised using DonorsChoose
80
projects
funded
22
teachers
funded
157
donors
2
projects
for
basic supplies
3
projects for
technology
7
projects for
books
13
projects
for
art supplies
Muessel Elementary School has received support from
78 individuals from Indiana and
79 individuals out-of-state.