{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Crossroads Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":42.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":9951803,"letterContent":"The Sphero BOLT is helping my students learn by turning abstract STEM concepts into hands-on, meaningful experiences. Instead of simply learning about coding, problem-solving, engineering, and technology through a screen or worksheet, students can write code and immediately see the results in the real world. They are learning to think critically, collaborate with others, test their ideas, identify mistakes, and make improvements. The Sphero BOLT gives students an opportunity to practice perseverance and computational thinking while connecting technology to math, science, and engineering concepts. It has made learning more interactive and has given students a chance to be creators and problem-solvers rather than simply consumers of technology.\r\n\r\nWhat excites my students most is seeing their code come to life as the Sphero BOLT moves, changes direction, responds to commands, and completes challenges they have designed. Students who may not always consider themselves \"technology students\" have become eager to experiment and try new ideas. I have especially noticed students who enjoy building, creating, and figuring out how things work becoming highly engaged with Sphero. Some students are naturally drawn to coding, while others become excited by the challenge of troubleshooting and improving their designs. It has been wonderful to see students encourage one another, celebrate successful code, and become more confident when they realize that a mistake is simply another opportunity to learn and try again.","fullyFundedDate":1789586887760,"projectUrl":"project/bolting-into-coding/9951803/","projectTitle":"Bolting Into Coding","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10550542,"letterContent":"Receiving the four farmhouse wall sconces and six rechargeable LED lights has transformed the way we showcase student work in our STEM lab. My students now have a special space where their engineering designs, STEM challenges, and creative projects can be displayed and celebrated. During a recent project, students proudly created and completed their STEM designs and were thrilled to see their work placed under the new lights. The added lighting makes each project stand out and helps students feel that their hard work is important and worth displaying. When the materials first arrived, my students were excited to see the lights and immediately began imagining which projects could be featured in our new display areas.\r\n\r\nThese resources have also helped create a classroom environment where students can learn from one another's ideas. As we move forward with our current STEM lessons, students will continue designing, testing, improving, and sharing their creations. We will use the new display areas to highlight successful designs as well as projects that show growth and perseverance. My goal is for every student to have the opportunity to see their work proudly displayed and to recognize themselves as a young engineer, inventor, and problem-solver. Thank you to my generous donors for helping make our STEM lab a place where student creativity and accomplishments can truly shine!","fullyFundedDate":1788814919412,"projectUrl":"project/framing-future-engineers/10550542/","projectTitle":"Framing Future Engineers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10427606,"letterContent":"Receiving the two Tech-A-Sketch devices has already made a wonderful impact on my students in our STEM lab. The technology gives students an opportunity to explore engineering and problem-solving in a hands-on, engaging way. As students use the Tech-A-Sketch, they are practicing skills such as following directions, spatial reasoning, creativity, fine motor skills, and perseverance. They quickly learn that engineering often involves trying an idea, seeing what happens, and making adjustments when something doesn't work the first time.\r\n\r\nWhat excites my students most is being able to create their own designs and immediately see their ideas come to life. They are fascinated by how turning the controls can create lines, shapes, and pictures. The Tech-A-Sketch has been especially exciting for students who enjoy building, drawing, and figuring out how things work. I have also seen students who may not always be eager to participate in traditional classroom activities become more engaged because the technology gives them a fun and different way to learn. These devices are helping my students see STEM as something they can actively create and explore, rather than something they simply read about. Thank you to my generous donors for providing this opportunity and helping make learning more exciting for my students!","fullyFundedDate":1788814920816,"projectUrl":"project/sketch-it-think-it-build-it/10427606/","projectTitle":"Sketch It. Think It. Build It!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10554855,"letterContent":"My students and I are so excited to use our new LEGO K–2 Science Kit! These resources have given my students more opportunities to explore science and engineering through hands-on building, problem-solving, and creativity. Instead of simply learning about science concepts, students can now design, build, test, and improve their own creations. One of our favorite moments was when students were challenged to build a structure that could solve a specific problem. They immediately began brainstorming, choosing LEGO pieces, building their designs, and testing them. Watching students work together, make changes when something didn't work, and celebrate when their designs succeeded was such a wonderful example of authentic STEM learning.\r\n\r\nWhen the LEGO materials first arrived, the excitement in the classroom was contagious! Students were eager to open the boxes and immediately started talking about all the things they wanted to build. Many students were surprised to learn that LEGO could be used for science and engineering challenges, not just free building. The materials have encouraged students to be creative while also developing important skills such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and perseverance. Students are learning that engineers do not always get their designs right the first time—it is okay to try, test, redesign, and try again.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue using the LEGO Science Kit during our current STEM lessons as students explore how structures, movement, and simple machines work. Students will be given new engineering challenges that require them to apply what they have learned, work collaboratively, and improve their designs based on testing. I am especially excited to see how students take what they have learned from one challenge and use those ideas to solve a completely new problem. Thank you to our generous donors for helping make these hands-on learning experiences possible. Your support is giving my students the opportunity to learn science by building, creating, testing, and discovering!","fullyFundedDate":1788380439213,"projectUrl":"project/building-science-one-brick-at-a-time/10554855/","projectTitle":"Building Science, One Brick at a Time","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10427652,"letterContent":"The Sphero RVR robot is giving my students an exciting, hands-on way to learn about STEM, coding, engineering, and problem-solving. Instead of simply learning about computer programming from a screen or worksheet, students can write code and immediately see their ideas come to life through the robot. They are learning to create sequences, troubleshoot errors, think critically, and make adjustments when their code does not work as expected. The RVR also encourages collaboration as students work together to plan, build, test, and improve their solutions.\r\n\r\nThe most exciting part for my students is being able to program a real robot and watch it respond to their commands. They are fascinated by the fact that their own code can make the Sphero RVR move, change direction, and complete challenges. This makes abstract concepts such as algorithms, sequencing, variables, and cause-and-effect much more meaningful and memorable. The robot has turned coding into an experience that feels like play while still developing important skills students will use throughout their education.\r\n\r\nStudents who may not always consider themselves \"tech experts\" have especially warmed to the RVR because it gives them an opportunity to learn through experimentation. I have seen students become more confident when they discover that making a mistake in their code is not a failure—it is an opportunity to troubleshoot and try again. Students who enjoy building, creating, or solving puzzles are particularly drawn to the robot, while students who may be quieter in traditional lessons often become active participants when working with their classmates on a robotics challenge. This technology is helping students see themselves as coders, engineers, problem-solvers, and creators.","fullyFundedDate":1788380982002,"projectUrl":"project/rolling-into-the-future-robotics-in-our/10427652/","projectTitle":"Rolling Into the Future: Robotics in Our STEM Lab","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10385470,"letterContent":"The VINCIBots are helping my students learn by turning STEM concepts into a hands-on, engaging experience. Instead of simply learning about coding, robotics, engineering, and problem-solving through a lesson or video, students are able to build, program, test, and improve their own creations. The VINCIBots encourage students to think critically, work collaboratively, and persevere when their first design or program does not work as expected. They are also giving students an opportunity to see how technology and computer science can be used to solve real-world problems.\r\n\r\nThe most exciting part for my students is being able to make the robots move and respond to their own commands. They are amazed that something they build and program can actually come to life! Students are especially excited to experiment, make changes, and see what happens. The technology has been particularly exciting for students who may not always consider themselves \"STEM students.\" Students who are typically hesitant to participate have become eager to work with a partner, try new ideas, and take on leadership roles. The VINCIBots have created an environment where students are comfortable making mistakes because each mistake becomes an opportunity to troubleshoot, redesign, and try again. Seeing their confidence grow as they realize, \"I built this, and I made it work!\" has been one of the most rewarding parts of this experience.","fullyFundedDate":1788381507897,"projectUrl":"project/smart-tech-smart-kids-vincibots-in-ste/10385470/","projectTitle":"Smart Tech, Smart Kids: VinciBots in STEM","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10385471,"letterContent":"Our new Dash Robot is giving students an exciting, hands-on way to see how technology can be used to solve problems, think creatively, and bring their ideas to life. Students are learning the foundations of coding, sequencing, problem-solving, collaboration, and engineering as they program Dash to move, respond, and complete different STEM challenges. What excites our students most is being able to create a program and then immediately watch Dash follow their instructions—it makes coding feel like play while building important skills. Students who may not always see themselves as \"STEM kids\" have especially warmed to Dash because it provides a fun, interactive way to learn through trial and error. Our students are eager to work together, test their ideas, troubleshoot when something doesn't work, and celebrate when they successfully accomplish a challenge. This robot has opened the door for students to become confident creators of technology rather than simply consumers of it, and we are incredibly grateful to our donors for making this experience possible.","fullyFundedDate":1787764140755,"projectUrl":"project/dash-into-coding/10385471/","projectTitle":"Dash Into Coding","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":5492654,"projectId":10011515,"letterContent":"Your donation is already impacting our art classes! With the markers we received, I was able to replace our failing supplies and the students are beyond thrilled. They have made comments about how much better this is than when they left at the end of the school year.\r\n\r\nWe are just starting to dive into our art curriculum, so the kids will be exploring color and line with these new supplies. 2nd, 4th and 5th grade will be making bold stripes into the world of zentangles and exploring Gustav Klimt by creating trees of lines.\r\n\r\nThank you again so much for your donation to our classroom! The kids appreciate it, and so do I. Thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1778590215693,"projectUrl":"project/mark-us-up/10011515/","projectTitle":"Mark Us Up","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hale","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5492654_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y154&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1697037194798","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/caitlin-thompson"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10112597,"letterContent":"The addition of games to our STEM lab has been incredibly valuable in strengthening problem-solving skills, fostering team bonding, and building meaningful relationships between students and teachers. We are using these new resources during structured STEM challenges where students must collaborate, think critically, and adapt their strategies in real time. One memorable moment was watching a group of students work through a particularly difficult engineering game—after multiple failed attempts, they began encouraging one another, rethinking their approach, and ultimately celebrating together when they succeeded. When students first saw the materials, their excitement was immediate; they were eager to explore, curious about how the games worked, and highly motivated to jump in. Looking ahead, our next steps involve integrating these games into more complex design challenges where students will apply the strategies they've learned to open-ended projects, deepening both their problem-solving abilities and their capacity to work effectively as a team.","fullyFundedDate":1776445646593,"projectUrl":"project/teamwork-makes-the-dream-work-in-stem/10112597/","projectTitle":"Teamwork Makes the Dream Work in STEM","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10112571,"letterContent":"The addition of games to our STEM lab has been incredibly valuable in strengthening problem-solving skills, fostering team bonding, and building meaningful relationships between students and teachers. We are using these new resources during structured STEM challenges where students must collaborate, think critically, and adapt their strategies in real time. One memorable moment was watching a group of students work through a particularly difficult engineering game—after multiple failed attempts, they began encouraging one another, rethinking their approach, and ultimately celebrating together when they succeeded. When students first saw the materials, their excitement was immediate; they were eager to explore, curious about how the games worked, and highly motivated to jump in. Looking ahead, our next steps involve integrating these games into more complex design challenges where students will apply the strategies they've learned to open-ended projects, deepening both their problem-solving abilities and their capacity to work effectively as a team.","fullyFundedDate":1776444816984,"projectUrl":"project/connection-fuels-innovation/10112571/","projectTitle":"Connection Fuels Innovation","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":10112600,"letterContent":"The 12 picture frames in our STEM lab have become an essential part of how we showcase and extend student learning. We use them to display student-created blueprints, engineering designs, coding pathways, and visuals from ongoing activities. During a recent robotics mapping project, students designed their own maps and programmed robots to travel specific routes. We placed their maps and coding sequences into the frames, transforming our lab into an interactive gallery of problem-solving. Students frequently walk around to view each other's work, sparking conversations, new ideas, and meaningful peer feedback.\r\n\r\nWhen students first saw the frames, their reaction was immediate excitement and pride. They were eager to have their work displayed and quickly began asking how they could be featured. The frames helped elevate the importance of their work, making the classroom feel more like a professional lab or gallery space. This sense of ownership motivated students to put extra effort into their projects, knowing their designs and thinking could be shared with others.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, students will use the displayed work to reflect and improve their own designs by analyzing their peers' ideas and identifying ways to refine their projects. As we begin our next engineering challenge, students will create prototypes and document each step of their process. These stages will be showcased in the frames so others can learn from their thinking and problem-solving approaches. The frames are helping us build a classroom culture centered on creativity, reflection, and pride in STEM learning.","fullyFundedDate":1776104656099,"projectUrl":"project/framing-future-engineers/10112600/","projectTitle":"Framing Future Engineers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"},{"teacherId":2333117,"projectId":9951816,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of the VEX Robotics kit to our STEM lab! Because of your support, my students are able to engage in hands-on, technology-rich learning that goes far beyond what a textbook can provide. With this robotics kit, students are building, coding, testing, and improving their own designs, which helps them develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills in a real-world context. What excites them most is the ability to bring their ideas to life—seeing a robot they built actually move and respond to their code is incredibly empowering. I have seen several students, especially those who don't always shine in traditional academic settings, truly come alive during these activities. They are taking on leadership roles, collaborating with peers, and gaining confidence as they experiment and innovate. Your donation is not just providing materials—it's opening doors for creativity, curiosity, and future career interests in STEM. Thank you for making such a meaningful impact in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1774379855468,"projectUrl":"project/vex-go-robotics/9951816/","projectTitle":"VEX Go Robotics","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clemens","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2333117_orig.jpg?crop=1351,1352,x0,y446&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724089087836","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2333117"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_99638","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":435,"numTeachers":30,"percentFrplEligible":92,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":85,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":6,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":5,"gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"14.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":57.2,"schoolId":99638,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Crossroads Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Crossroads Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/kentucky/bullitt-county-public-school-district/crossroads-elementary-school/99638"}