{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Thunder Bay Junior High School","outOfStateSupporters":25.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":294857,"projectId":9985617,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our Makerspace's most beloved activity — LEGO Technic building challenges — has grown to reach even more young engineers. What makes this project special isn't just the building; it's what happens after the initial build is complete. Students are challenged to modify their design, reimagine it entirely, or in our most advanced challenge, work around intentionally missing pieces to complete the project a completely different way. That constraint — fewer parts, same goal — is where the real learning happens.\r\nWatching students wrestle with that challenge is one of the most rewarding experiences in our Makerspace. They test, fail, rethink, and rebuild with a persistence that's genuinely inspiring. What begins as a LEGO kit becomes a lesson in mechanical reasoning, creative problem-solving, and engineering design thinking. Students who might disengage in a traditional classroom setting come alive when handed a bag of bricks and an open-ended challenge.\r\nBecause of your investment, we've been able to put more kits in more hands. A project that once had a waiting list can now serve our entire student population. Your generosity didn't just add supplies to a shelf — it opened the door for more students to discover that they are capable, creative, inventive thinkers. One brick at a time, you're helping build the next generation of problem-solvers.","fullyFundedDate":1769195151288,"projectUrl":"project/building-the-future-one-brick-at-a-time/9985617/","projectTitle":"Building the Future: One Brick at a Time","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thomson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp294857_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1456393939131","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-thomson"},{"teacherId":294857,"projectId":9792379,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our students have done something remarkable — they've built a real, working technology solution to a problem affecting families right here in our community. Using ESP32 microcontrollers, pH sensors, and temperature monitors, students designed and programmed a small sensor unit that sits inside a septic tank and wirelessly transmits data to a display station inside the home. To demonstrate how it all works together, they even constructed a scale model smart house. This isn't simulated learning or a textbook exercise — it's authentic engineering from problem identification all the way through to a functioning prototype.\r\nWhat excites students most is that their invention actually works — and could genuinely help people. Watching real-time data appear on the display station they built themselves is a powerful moment. Suddenly, programming loops, sensor calibration, and waterproof enclosure design aren't abstract concepts — they're the reasons their device succeeds or fails. Students who once struggled to connect classroom skills to real life now talk confidently about data thresholds, wireless connectivity, and environmental monitoring. The technology isn't just a tool for learning; it's become evidence of what they're capable of.\r\nSeveral students have especially shined through this project. Students who are quieter in traditional settings have emerged as leaders during build and troubleshooting sessions, taking ownership of circuit design and code debugging with remarkable confidence. Your investment didn't just fund sensors and microcontrollers — it created the conditions for students to discover their own potential as engineers, environmental stewards, and community problem-solvers.","fullyFundedDate":1768258402123,"projectUrl":"project/alert-before-it-hurts-smart-septic-moni/9792379/","projectTitle":"Alert Before It Hurts: Smart Septic Monitoring","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thomson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp294857_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1456393939131","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-thomson"},{"teacherId":294857,"projectId":9536499,"letterContent":"Your support has equipped my 45 students with the GoSense Marine Kit, transforming them from learners reading about water quality to researchers actively monitoring it. Students are now collecting real temperature and pressure data from Thunder Bay, documenting thermal stratification patterns that reveal ecosystem health. This technology has bridged the gap between \"learning about science\" and \"doing science\"—students are conducting authentic research that matters to our community.\r\nWhat's most exciting is watching students make connections between the data they collect and real environmental issues. When they discovered temperature gradients in our local waters, they immediately began asking how climate change might affect fish habitat and oxygen levels. The GoSense Marine Kit has given them the tools to investigate these questions themselves rather than waiting for scientists to provide answers. Several students are now designing their own research protocols to monitor seasonal changes and identify pollution sources.\r\nThis project has particularly engaged students who previously felt disconnected from environmental science. One junior who lives on the Thunder Bay River became fascinated by the pressure data and is now planning a longitudinal study comparing shallow- and deep-water temperatures across seasons. Another student used the kit to document conditions near a local storm drain and presented findings to her family about watershed protection. Your generosity has shown 45 students that they don't need to wait until college or graduate school to contribute to meaningful environmental research—they can make a difference right now in their own backyard.","fullyFundedDate":1757511572197,"projectUrl":"project/freshwater-acidification-research-projec/9536499/","projectTitle":"Freshwater Acidification Research Project","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thomson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp294857_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1456393939131","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-thomson"},{"teacherId":294857,"projectId":9556963,"letterContent":"Your generosity has transformed abstract engineering concepts into tangible learning experiences. The LEGO Technic sets you funded are teaching my 260 students about gears, structural design, and mechanical advantage in ways that stick. When students build the Bugatti Bolide or the NASCAR Camaro, they're not just following instructions—they're discovering why certain gear ratios create speed versus torque, and why frame geometry matters for stability. These aren't just toys; they're engineering labs on every desk.\r\nWhat excites students most is seeing their builds actually work. There's something powerful about turning a gear and watching an entire mechanism spring to life. The 3-in-1 Creator sets have become particularly popular because students love the challenge of reverse-engineering how one set of parts can become three completely different models. Several students who typically struggle with traditional worksheets have become the class experts on gear trains and structural engineering simply because the LEGO models make the concepts visible and testable.\r\nThe impact has been especially noticeable with students who haven't traditionally seen themselves as \"STEM kids.\" One sixth grader who was convinced she \"wasn't good at building things\" spent three weeks perfecting her Lamborghini Huracán's suspension system and is now helping classmates troubleshoot their mechanical problems. These hands-on experiences are showing students that engineering isn't about being naturally talented—it's about persistence, creativity, and learning from what doesn't work.","fullyFundedDate":1755698150359,"projectUrl":"project/making-and-creating/9556963/","projectTitle":"Making and Creating","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thomson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp294857_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1456393939131","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-thomson"},{"teacherId":294857,"projectId":9731660,"letterContent":"Your generosity has transformed our ROV lab into a true research facility. The Blue Robotics depth and temperature sensors you funded are giving our students the same tools that oceanographers and marine researchers use in the field. Watching their faces light up when they realized they could now collect real scientific data—not just pilot a robot around—was incredible. One of our sophomores, who struggled with confidence earlier in the year, has taken ownership of the sensor integration and is now teaching others how to interpret the depth readings in real-time during dives.\r\nThe watertight penetrators and buoyancy foam have been game-changers for our design process. Students are learning that professional engineering isn't just about making something work—it's about making it work reliably under pressure (literally!). Our freshmen are discovering that calculating buoyancy and understanding water pressure are more than textbook problems; they're critical engineering challenges. Several juniors who've been building ROVs since elementary school have commented that this is the first year they feel like they're building something that could actually be deployed for real research missions.\r\nThank you for believing in our team of 25 students and giving them tools that match their ambitions. You've helped us move from \"underwater robots\" to true \"underwater research robotics.\"","fullyFundedDate":1758844526834,"projectUrl":"project/underwater-research-robotics/9731660/","projectTitle":"Underwater Research Robotics","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thomson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp294857_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1456393939131","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-thomson"},{"teacherId":294857,"projectId":8929509,"letterContent":"Thanks to your contribution, our students are now deep into their Off-Road Learning project, where engineering meets adventure right in our classroom. Our teams have been utilizing CAD software to design vehicles that can navigate our obstacle course, which features steep ramps, loose gravel sections, and tight turns that replicate real-world terrain challenges.\r\n\r\nA Specific Classroom Moment: Just last week, Team Alpha discovered their initial design was too top-heavy after their prototype tipped over on the banked turn. Instead of being discouraged, they immediately huddled around the computer, pulled up their CAD model, and began redesigning the chassis with a lower center of gravity. Watching them problem-solve in real-time—moving seamlessly between digital design and hands-on testing—showed me exactly why this project matters.\r\nThe Moment They Saw the Materials\r\n\r\nWhen the build kits arrived, the excitement was infectious. Students immediately started examining every component - the motors, wheels, chassis pieces, and sensors. One student exclaimed, \"Wait, we get to build actual vehicles that move?\" The materials transformed an abstract engineering concept into something tangible they could hold, modify, and control.\r\n\r\nLooking Ahead: Next month, we plan to host an \"Engineering Showcase\" where students will present their final designs to younger classes, explaining their problem-solving process and demonstrating their vehicles. This peer teaching component helps solidify their learning while inspiring the next generation of innovators.\r\n\r\nYour support has given our students more than just materials - you've provided them with the tools to think like engineers, fail safely, iterate boldly, and succeed confidently. These are skills that will serve them far beyond the walls of our classroom.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in our students and making hands-on STEM learning possible.","fullyFundedDate":1736777330820,"projectUrl":"project/off-road-learning/8929509/","projectTitle":"Off-Road Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thomson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp294857_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1456393939131","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-thomson"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_66556","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":796,"numTeachers":43,"percentFrplEligible":75,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":90,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":3,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"18.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_REMOTE"},"inStateSupporters":74.5,"schoolId":66556,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Thunder Bay Junior High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Thunder Bay Junior High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/michigan/alpena-public-schools/thunder-bay-junior-high-school/66556"}