{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cesar Chavez Academy Lower Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":38.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":1127160,"projectId":9927257,"letterContent":"Thank you for making our Fun Friday project such a meaningful and exciting experience for my students! Because of your generosity, my class of 25 students now has something truly special to look forward to at the end of each week.\r\n\r\nFun Friday is a celebration of excellent behavior, effort, and positive choices. Throughout the week, students earn tickets for demonstrating responsibility, kindness, and focus. On Friday, those tickets turn into an opportunity to choose from a variety of fun and engaging activities made possible by your support. The student with the most tickets selects first, and we continue down the list until everyone has chosen an activity.\r\n\r\nWhile not every student gets their first choice each week, every student participates—and that is where the real impact happens. This process motivates students to reflect on their choices and strive to do even better the following week so they can earn more tickets and a higher spot in the selection process. It has created a positive, encouraging system that promotes accountability, goal-setting, and perseverance in a way that feels joyful rather than punitive.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, Fun Friday has brought energy, excitement, and community into our classroom. Laughter fills the room, students cheer each other on, and we end the week feeling proud of our accomplishments together. None of this would be possible without you.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students and helping us celebrate positive behavior in such a fun and meaningful way. Your support has made a lasting impact on our classroom culture, and we are so grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1764737537716,"projectUrl":"project/fun-friday/9927257/","projectTitle":"Fun Friday!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Abela","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1127160"},{"teacherId":3841884,"projectId":9480219,"letterContent":"Thank you for providing my students with birthday presents. I love being able to make their birthday a special occasion at school. They were so excited when I showed them what they would be getting on their birthday and I was able to gift five students right away!\r\nThe Smencils (scented pencils) seem to be the biggest hit so far. We generally do community supplies, but a few of my students started using those right away. The students who haven't had their birthday yet this school year know that they'll get a special pencil on their birthday and can't wait until it's their birthday. Quite a few students are looking forward to getting the toys in their birthday bag because they love the little squishy toys.\r\nYour support and generosity is greatly appreciated in helping fund this project. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1758231437348,"projectUrl":"project/birthday-surprises/9480219/","projectTitle":"Birthday Surprises","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Adamski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3841884_orig.jpg?crop=1638,1638,x0,y147&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1648873050403","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-adamski"},{"teacherId":8280473,"projectId":9624961,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our second grade classroom in Detroit. Your donation of new student tables has transformed our learning environment in the most meaningful way. With sturdy, comfortable, and collaborative workspaces, my students can now engage more confidently in group activities, hands-on learning, and daily academic tasks.\r\n\r\nThese tables have created a more organized, welcoming classroom where students feel proud of their space and excited to learn each day. Your kindness has made a real difference in their school experience, and we are truly grateful. Thank you for believing in our students and investing in their success!","fullyFundedDate":1755972727104,"projectUrl":"project/a-seat-for-everyone-new-tables-for-lear/9624961/","projectTitle":"A Seat for Everyone: New Tables for Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mashike","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8280473_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1642695420914","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8280473"},{"teacherId":3096788,"projectId":9636730,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation that helped to provide my students with Scholastic News articles for this entire school year! \r\nThese weekly articles often include current events that help to bridge a connection to the real world in ways that are age appropriate. The articles are very engaging and students get excited to see what they will be learning about each week. These articles also help boost comprehension. The online platform provides me with comprehension questions that we discuss and complete together.\r\nI've been using Scholastic News articles in my classroom for years and was so disappointed when I found out that my school could no longer afford to provide them to students. I am so grateful that this project was funded and that my students get to experience the joy of receiving their weekly Scholastic News!","fullyFundedDate":1758230798357,"projectUrl":"project/learning-with-scholastic-news/9636730/","projectTitle":"Learning with Scholastic News","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Blake","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3096788_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1535773282671","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3096788"},{"teacherId":8280473,"projectId":9600489,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our birthday project. Thanks to you, we are able to celebrate all students' birthdays and make them feel super special. It is a joy seeing their faces light up when they receive their stuffed animal, scented pencil, bookmark, and birthday crown. You can tell that they feel loved and special!\r\n\r\nWe could have made this happen without the kindness of donors like you. You are making a real, tangible difference in the lives of children in Detroit.\r\n\r\nAgain, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1755723047382,"projectUrl":"project/making-every-birthday-special-in-our-cla/9600489/","projectTitle":"Making Every Birthday Special in Our Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mashike","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8280473_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1642695420914","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8280473"},{"teacherId":1127160,"projectId":9484307,"letterContent":"Thank you so much to the DonorsChoose community for funding Scholastic News for my class — your generosity gives 25 students fresh, engaging reading material each week that sparks curiosity and builds literacy. Seeing their excitement as they read current events and classroom articles has already deepened discussions and strengthened their confidence as readers. Your generosity and support mean a great deal to us and will make a real difference in our learning. We appreciate your kindness and are excited to share the joy of reading and discovery with every student because of you.","fullyFundedDate":1755727346584,"projectUrl":"project/current-event-learning-with-scholastic-n/9484307/","projectTitle":"Current Event Learning with Scholastic News","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Abela","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1127160"},{"teacherId":7331244,"projectId":9438463,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our \"Building Lifelong Reader\" project. The donated books have made a noticeable difference in our classroom. These new texts introduce a wide range of skills: vocabulary development through rich, varied language; comprehension strategies like predicting, summarizing, and making connections; and critical thinking through discussion prompts and inferencing. Many books also build background knowledge across topics, which helps students better understand new material and ask deeper questions. I model these strategies during read-alouds and small-group lessons, then provide guided practice so students can apply the skills independently.\r\n\r\nReading time in our classroom is lively and purposeful. Students rotate through independent reading, partner reading, and teacher-led small groups; during independent reading they practice stamina and self-select books that match their interests and reading levels. Guided groups focus on comprehension strategies and close-read skills, while partners use leveled texts to practice fluency and discussion. The variety of donated titles has allowed more students to find books that spark curiosity from graphic novels and high-interest nonfiction to engaging picture books which increases both engagement and confidence.\r\n\r\nSeveral students who were reluctant readers are now especially enjoying the new books. A handful of students who struggle with decoding are more willing to try challenging words when the content excites them. Overall, the donations have deepened choice, boosted motivation, and provided meaningful entry points for all readers. Thank you again for helping us grow to become lifelong readers.","fullyFundedDate":1758230812494,"projectUrl":"project/building-lifelong-readers/9438463/","projectTitle":"Building Lifelong Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kulikowski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7331244_orig.jpg?crop=547,547,x0,y49&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1751144624260","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7331244"},{"teacherId":4630697,"projectId":9429394,"letterContent":"Thank you for the subscription to Scholastic News 2. This resource is filled with nonfiction, current events for my Second Graders. Each edition is informative and engaging for 7-8 year olds. \r\n\r\nEvery week on Friday, Scholastic News is our Reading resource. Each student receives their own copy of the magazine. They follow along as the digital version reads it aloud. Then they reread the issue with a buddy. We stop and discuss throughout our lesson. There is a building background video, vocabulary slides, a dance move brain break, and even an interactive game for each issue.\r\n\r\nThe students are so engaged and love to participate. The connections they make are amazing. They are able to respond to what they learned by using the skill set sheets. It varies, but there are Writing, comprehension, and standards based activities. They love to keep these issues and get to take them home to share with their families. \r\n\r\nThank you for bringing the real world into their lives at a level they can comprehend and learn.","fullyFundedDate":1753923379403,"projectUrl":"project/lets-bring-the-world-into-our-classroom/9429394/","projectTitle":"Let's bring the World into our Classroom!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Murray","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4630697_orig.jpg?crop=515,515,x137,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753489455738","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4630697"},{"teacherId":1127160,"projectId":9308353,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for contributing to our classroom project! My students love working with the lights off and using the lamps to illuminate their work space. We are still working on our beginning of the year procedures and routines and I am looking forward to implementing the book bins in the coming weeks. The children will love having seasonal books to read and enjoy at their tables!\r\nI truly appreciate your thoughtfulness and contribution to our classroom and am grateful for the support that it offers us!","fullyFundedDate":1746471152809,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-refresh/9308353/","projectTitle":"Classroom Refresh","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Abela","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1127160"},{"teacherId":2186887,"projectId":9344487,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of crayons and pencils to our classroom! Your kindness and support have made a meaningful impact on our students. With these supplies, our children are better equipped to learn, create, and express themselves with confidence and joy. Every crayon stroke and pencil-written word is a reminder of the care and encouragement you've shared. Your generosity helps create a brighter, more engaging learning environment. We are truly grateful for your support and investment in our students' success and growth. Thank you for being a part of our classroom community!","fullyFundedDate":1747389198702,"projectUrl":"project/crayons-and-pencils/9344487/","projectTitle":"Crayons and Pencils","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Barajas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2186887_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1669963464379","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cbarajas"},{"teacherId":2186887,"projectId":9106831,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation of toothbrushes, toothpaste, and flossers. Your thoughtful contribution helps teach our young learners the importance of good dental hygiene from an early age.\r\nThanks to your kindness, our students not only have the tools they need to take care of their smiles, but also feel cared for and supported. It truly makes a difference, and we are so grateful for your support to our classroom. \r\n\r\nMy students were excited to receive them and excited to use them. Thank you so much for spreading kindness to our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1748735449686,"projectUrl":"project/oral-hygiene-in-kindergarten/9106831/","projectTitle":"Oral Hygiene In Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Barajas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2186887_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1669963464379","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cbarajas"},{"teacherId":5694887,"projectId":9262346,"letterContent":"We finished the year with a bang! Thanks to your donation my class was able to end the year the best way ever! \r\n\r\nThey were so excited to get awards in our class award ceremony. They were so excited to play and make memories. \r\n\r\n\r\nMy students have worked incredibly hard this year, showing so much growth, resilience, and joy in their learning. They bring their best selves to class each day, and I couldn't be prouder of them. The resources requested will support us in several key ways: tools for testing will help students stay focused and confident, end-of-year books will encourage a love for reading all summer long, and small gifts will let each child feel recognized and celebrated for their amazing work.\r\n\r\nThese items will bring both purpose and fun to the final weeks of school—helping us wrap up the year with pride, excitement, and a big smile!","fullyFundedDate":1746464653162,"projectUrl":"project/work-hard-play-hard-finishing-the-year/9262346/","projectTitle":"Work Hard, Play Hard: Finishing the Year Strong!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hobson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5694887_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1540144298290","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5694887"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_63887","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":465,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":77,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":48,"percentWhite":30,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":10,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 2","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR District Weighted Average","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":null},"inStateSupporters":61.4,"schoolId":63887,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cesar Chavez Academy Lower Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cesar Chavez Academy Lower Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/michigan/michigan-department-of-education/cesar-chavez-academy-elementary-school/63887"}