{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cass Lake - Bena Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":44.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5275330,"projectId":9841966,"letterContent":"The boxes of healthy snacks that were donated were received with many smiles from my fifth grade students! They were able to feel safe knowing that they would have a snack each day to help fuel their busy brains and bodies! They felt special knowing that others had cared enough to donate these healthy snacks to help them through their long days of active learning and fun! It made my heart happy to be able to provide them with that sense of safety and well-being each day! We don't eat lunch until 1:15 in the afternoon, so it was an absolute necessity and I cannot express how much it has made a difference for my amazing students! Shout out to the Donors Choose Student Hunger Fund for this opportunity!","fullyFundedDate":1763498165001,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-to-fuel-fifth-grade-busy-brains-a/9841966/","projectTitle":"Snacks to Fuel Fifth Grade busy brains and bodies!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Powers","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5275330_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1762634998136","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5275330"},{"teacherId":6171900,"projectId":9968850,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping build my STEM room inventory.\r\n\r\nLego Base Plates are going to be used for so many engineering challenges this year and in years to come. My Kindergarten and 1st grade students have been using their new base plates at a Lego Snowman challenge station, during a science of Snowflakes lesson. In a couple of weeks we will be using the base plates to make Lego marble mazes.\r\n\r\nIn the spring I will be teaching a city planning lesson where we will be using our magnetic blocks. I opened our new blocks after school with a student and we had fun giving them a try. My kindergarten helper was so excited telling me about all the things that could be made with them and she let me know, \"Everyone is going to love these Mrs. Raddatz!\"\r\n\r\nThank you again for gifting me these simple and useful tools for my STEM students and my STEM classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1768253369011,"projectUrl":"project/blocks-and-base-plates-building-in-style/9968850/","projectTitle":"Blocks and Base Plates-Building in Style","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Raddatz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6171900_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1595049588152","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6171900"},{"teacherId":6171900,"projectId":9968851,"letterContent":"Children are naturally fascinated by fish, and learning about various animal groups deepens their understanding of the world. Fish are also a traditional food source in our area, still enjoyed by many. My future lesson about fish will be highly engaging to my students. I will be blending science, technology, art, history, and culture. This printmaking kit will allow my students to make something to keep that will help them remember the lesson. Thank you for partnering with me to offer relevant, interesting, and a hands-on lesson for my students. This lesson will be enjoyed by hundreds of students this year and in years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1766796029916,"projectUrl":"project/fish-facts-fun-and-culture/9968851/","projectTitle":"Fish, Facts, Fun, and Culture","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Raddatz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6171900_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1595049588152","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6171900"},{"teacherId":7129187,"projectId":9962621,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for funding our Donor's Choose Project for our new table caddies! The 2nd graders were so excited to receive a special package in the mail and took pride in filling them up with our best supplies!\r\n We are grateful to have nice organizational tools to assist in teaching foundational life skills. I have experienced students demonstrating high expectations and care for their materials when taught how to use them appropriately. We hope to have these table supply caddies for just as long, if not longer than our last ones! Thank you again for supporting our classroom that we love.","fullyFundedDate":1768507567269,"projectUrl":"project/table-caddies-ours-have-seen-better-day/9962621/","projectTitle":"Table Caddies; Ours Have Seen Better Days!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Alger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7129187_orig.jpg?crop=2308,2308,x0,y177&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758421643876","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7129187"},{"teacherId":5716208,"projectId":9712118,"letterContent":"I want to thank you for your very generous donation. Your dedication to education and the students i work with melts my heart. My students love hands on learning and projects. It is so hard to get them the materials and supplies they need. Your donation gets these students the materials they need to soar. The budget cuts have made it incredibly difficult to get the students what they need. It is so fun to watch the students eyes light up when packages arrive. They cant wait to see what is inside. \r\n\r\nThank you!","fullyFundedDate":1759625906191,"projectUrl":"project/show-me-the-project/9712118/","projectTitle":"Show Me the Project!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hanson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5716208"},{"teacherId":3691373,"projectId":9665207,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping to fulfill this project for my class. We have been needing more play doh and magnets to use for creating as well as displaying projects. My class is beyond creative in what they do with the supplies we have in class. The magnets have been put to great use in showing off all they have done creatively in academics and free choice. They have also loved getting the birthday supplies so we can celebrate them on their special day. Without your help, they would've been without. Also, the dry erase markers for our classroom whiteboard have held up very well and are vibrant in color. These donations have made our classroom a success this year and I am forever grateful!","fullyFundedDate":1756940758936,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-needs/9665207/","projectTitle":"Classroom Needs","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Stalboerger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3691373_orig.jpg?crop=2432,2432,x0,y689&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1666331207098","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/bridget"},{"teacherId":3691373,"projectId":9742781,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting my classroom project in getting posters for my 5th grade classroom. Because of the varying subjects, they have been a huge help. The ones the students reference the most are in social studies for our map displays and the reading for the comprehension posters. As we study different regions of the world, the students can go over and look at where the region is and have a better idea of where we are learning. It has helped them to relate to literature and people around the world. \r\nIn reading, we have varying topics we learn throughout the school year relating to fiction and nonfiction texts so it makes it a challenge to display all of the topics as reference. Because of the posters, I am easily able to show the students some graphics to better understand the literacy vocabulary. Thank you for helping my class to gain access to all of these materials!","fullyFundedDate":1758807382258,"projectUrl":"project/posters-rulers-and-markers/9742781/","projectTitle":"Posters, Rulers, and Markers!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Stalboerger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3691373_orig.jpg?crop=2432,2432,x0,y689&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1666331207098","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/bridget"},{"teacherId":5586276,"projectId":9722725,"letterContent":"The students were very surprised when the STEM boxes rolled into the classroom. They were ready to fuel curiosity and power innovation when the STEM boxes were opened. Students couldn't wait to build and experiment with different shapes, rods, pipes, and magnets.\r\nIn the classroom, we use centers that engage in building. What makes a bridge strong? How do vehicles roll, tow, and carry things? Our engaging building centers will teach kids to look closer at real-life designs—and make original structures that use the same important elements! We would use magnetic rods and balls as geometric shape builders to see how strong a building or vehicle can be through play. The students giggled as they built, and things didn't go as planned, but they tried new ways to make it better and big smiles to show staff their building centers with friends in the classroom. The class says a BIG THANK YOU to all!\"","fullyFundedDate":1763561283430,"projectUrl":"project/building-bright-minds-powering-innovat/9722725/","projectTitle":"Building Bright Minds, Powering Innovation","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bergeron","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5586276_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532886823693","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5586276"},{"teacherId":9052708,"projectId":9827661,"letterContent":"Thank you doesn't feel big enough for what Warm Winter Wishes has meant for my students. Because of you, winter looks different in our classroom this year. Not colder, but warmer, safer, and filled with dignity.\r\n\r\nWhen the hats, gloves, boots, socks, and jackets arrived, my students were buzzing with excitement. But what stood out most wasn't the noise, it was the quiet moments. A student carefully choosing a pair of gloves and immediately putting them on. Another hugging a jacket tight and whispering, \"This one is really warm.\" These weren't just winter items; they were comfort, security, and reassurance that someone cares.\r\n\r\nWe are using these resources every single day. Students are able to head outside for recess fully prepared, without worrying about cold fingers or wet feet. More importantly, they're able to focus during lessons instead of being distracted by discomfort. One morning, after a particularly cold bus ride, a student came in, grabbed a hat from our bin, and said, \"I can actually think now.\" That moment said everything.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has also strengthened our classroom community. Students understand that these items are here for everyone, no questions asked. They've shown incredible kindness—reminding one another to grab gloves, helping zip jackets, and making sure no one is left out. You didn't just provide warmth; you helped create a culture of care.\r\n\r\nAs we move forward, our class is continuing to focus on learning routines, building independence, and showing responsibility—skills that extend far beyond academics. Because their basic needs are met, students are more confident, more engaged, and more ready to learn. Winter no longer feels like a barrier—it's just another season we're prepared to face together.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in my students and for giving them something every child deserves: warmth, comfort, and the feeling that they matter. Your kindness is felt every day in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1762724218218,"projectUrl":"project/wrapped-in-warmth-winter-care-for-every/9827661/","projectTitle":"Wrapped in Warmth: Winter Care for Every Student","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Garrison","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9052708_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760669236738","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9052708"},{"teacherId":9751232,"projectId":9719734,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of my DonorsChoose project, Brain Food for Bright Futures. My students are incredibly resilient, curious, and eager to learn, even when they are facing challenges outside of school. Many come from low-income households and may not always have access to snacks at home, but they arrive each day ready to give their best. Your donation helps ensure they have the nourishment they need to make it through the school day feeling supported and valued.\r\n\r\nProviding snacks like granola bars, fruit snacks, popcorn, crackers, and chips makes a meaningful difference in my classroom. These snacks help students stay focused, energized, and ready to learn, especially during long days when hunger can interfere with concentration. Beyond academics, your support helps create a caring and inclusive environment where students feel safe, comfortable, and free from worry or embarrassment. You are providing more than food; you are supporting dignity, confidence, and the foundation for learning. Thank you for helping me care for the whole child.","fullyFundedDate":1767201014193,"projectUrl":"project/brain-food-for-bright-futures/9719734/","projectTitle":"Brain Food for Bright Futures!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Zuehlke","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9751232_orig.png?crop=138,138,x5,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726518669389","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9751232"},{"teacherId":5518509,"projectId":9721078,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the help with purchasing a rug in our classroom. In the past, we have had to put masking tape on the floor and put their names on the tape so the students knew where to sit. Obviously this wasn't the most efficient way of rug spots. With the purchase of the rug, we are able to each have our own learning spot and this helps tremendously with staying focused in the classroom. The kids tell me every day they are so excited that we got a new rock. Thanks so much, I truly appreciated.","fullyFundedDate":1764740656755,"projectUrl":"project/circle-up-and-learn/9721078/","projectTitle":"Circle Up And Learn","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Alto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5518509_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1531285296290","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5518509"},{"teacherId":5518509,"projectId":9723851,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for contributing towards our classroom. We have after school stem classes, and these materials have helped to make it much more exciting for the kids. They are able to build towers and then share about them with their friends. It has been a great experience for the kids and the teachers. In the past, we were only able to work with five kids, and now we are able to work with 15 or more. The extra materials have supported the addition of more kids which is always a plus. Thanks so very much. It truly is appreciated","fullyFundedDate":1763561089011,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-curiosity-and-innovation/9723851/","projectTitle":"Fueling Curiosity and Innovation","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Alto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5518509_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1531285296290","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5518509"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_74404","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":450,"numTeachers":44,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":98,"percentLatinx":0,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 4","studentTeacherRatio":"10.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_REMOTE"},"inStateSupporters":55.1,"schoolId":74404,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cass Lake - Bena Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cass Lake - Bena Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/minnesota/cass-lake-bena-public-schools/cass-lake-bena-elementary-school/74404"}