{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"University Academy","outOfStateSupporters":56.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10246192,"projectId":9758589,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in helping our classroom purchase the PocketLab Voyager 2 sensors. Your donation has already made an incredible impact on my eighth-grade scientists—especially the young ladies in my class whom I hope to inspire to pursue futures in STEM. To honor trailblazing women in science, we named each of our PocketLab Voyager 2 sensors after influential female scientists such as Dr. Joycelyn Elders, Joan Higginbotham, and Dr. Marie Maynard Daly. My students were thrilled by this, and several shared how empowered they felt working with tools that carried the names of such powerful role models.\r\n\r\nOne of our first investigations using the sensors explored how the color of objects affects thermal energy. Students followed a hands-on procedure:\r\n\r\n1. Connected the PocketLab Voyager 2 to their Chromebooks\r\n2. Immersed the connected temperature probe into the water in the water bottle.\r\n3. Shined a spotlight directly on the bottles that were wrapped in different colored construction paper.\r\n4. Used the light intensity sensor while holding it within the light beam against a paper and recorded intensity\r\n4. Record the temperature in intervals of 10 minutes.\r\n\r\nStudents designed tests to see whether the color of an object affects how much heat it absorbs, opening even more opportunities for inquiry-based learning. In this investigation, my scientists used the temperature probes to measure the temperature of water in water bottles wrapped in different color construction paper. \r\n\r\nThe best part? I overheard scientists whispering with excitement about how \"cool\" it was to use the sensors and how they felt like real scientists gathering real data. Several were already brainstorming future investigations, asking with genuine curiosity, \"What else can we use these for?\" Thanks to you, they didn't just learn science—they experienced it!\r\n\r\nYour generosity has given my students tools that make science tangible, joyful, and empowering. You have helped cultivate confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging in the scientific community—especially among the girls who are beginning to see themselves as the scientists they are becoming. Thank you for making this possible for them, and for believing in our classroom.\r\n\r\nMay you be granted more blessings, miracles, and discoveries as we will with your amazing gifts!","fullyFundedDate":1759437199768,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-science-without-phones-pocketl/9758589/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Science Without Phones: PocketLab to the Rescue! 2","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Farr","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10246192_orig.jpg?crop=2510,2510,x250,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757285206979","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10246192"},{"teacherId":10246192,"projectId":9693340,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in helping our classroom purchase the PocketLab Voyager 2 sensors. Your donation has already made an incredible impact on my eighth-grade scientists—especially the young ladies in my class whom I hope to inspire to pursue futures in STEM. To honor trailblazing women in science, we named each of our PocketLab Voyager 2 sensors after influential female scientists such as Dr. Joycelyn Elders, Joan Higginbotham, and Dr. Marie Maynard Daly. My students were thrilled by this, and several shared how empowered they felt working with tools that carried the names of such powerful role models.\r\n\r\nOne of our first investigations using the sensors explored how the angle of sunlight affects light intensity on Earth's surface, connecting directly to our study of seasons. Students followed a hands-on procedure:\r\n\r\n1. Connected the PocketLab Voyager 2 to their Chromebooks\r\n2. Shined a flashlight directly (high angle)\r\n3. Used the light intensity sensor while holding it within the light beam against a paper and recorded intensity\r\n4. Shined the flashlight at a slanted (low) angle and recorded again\r\n5. Compared their readings to determine which angle produced higher energy\r\n\r\nThrough this inquiry, students discovered that lower-angle sunlight spreads over a larger area, decreasing the light's intensity rendering the heating effect of the energy less impactful—which explains why winter is cooler than summer.\r\n\r\nThe best part? I overheard scientists whispering with excitement about how \"cool\" it was to use the sensors and how they felt like real scientists gathering real data. Several were already brainstorming future investigations, asking with genuine curiosity, \"What else can we use these for?\" Thanks to you, they didn't just learn science—they experienced it!\r\n\r\nYour generosity has given my students tools that make science tangible, joyful, and empowering. You have helped cultivate confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging in the scientific community—especially among the girls who are beginning to see themselves as the scientists they are becoming. Thank you for making this possible for them, and for believing in our classroom.\r\n\r\nMay you be granted more blessings, miracles, and discoveries as we will with your amazing gifts!","fullyFundedDate":1758726605586,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-science-without-phones-pocketl/9693340/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Science Without Phones: PocketLab to the Rescue!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Farr","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10246192_orig.jpg?crop=2510,2510,x250,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757285206979","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10246192"},{"teacherId":9560249,"projectId":8433273,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your contribution to my classroom. Your contributions gave my students the opportunity to use their free time to explore learning in a way that was relevant to them. In that time, students were able to move around the classroom, collaborate with friends and have the ability to choose their own activities. This easily became many student's favorite part of the day.\r\n\r\nThe uploaded photos will show how your donations were used. The donations really helped me create a space that was appropriate for kindergarten use and gave the students opportunities to exercise their independence.\r\n\r\nThank you again! Your generosity is very much appreciated!","fullyFundedDate":1720455988677,"projectUrl":"project/whole-body-learning/8433273/","projectTitle":"Whole Body Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Johnson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9560249_orig.jpg?crop=1728,1728,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1717137493963","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9560249"},{"teacherId":8280798,"projectId":7658872,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your thoughtful contribution to our classroom! The additional chair pockets you helped provide have made a tremendous difference in our daily routine.\r\n\r\nThese chair pockets are more than just storage—they've brought organization, efficiency, and a sense of independence to our students' learning environment. Now, students have a designated space to keep their notebooks, pencils, textbooks, rulers, calculators, and other important materials within easy reach. No more digging through backpacks or searching for lost supplies!\r\n\r\nThe result? Fewer distractions, smoother transitions, and more time focused on learning. Students feel more responsible and proud of their organized spaces, and it's helped create a classroom that runs more smoothly from start to finish.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping us create a more functional and empowering environment for our learners. Your generosity has made a lasting impact, and we are so grateful!","fullyFundedDate":1691948801830,"projectUrl":"project/teaching-organization-skills/7658872/","projectTitle":"Teaching Organization Skills!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Brown","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8280798_orig.jpg?crop=818,818,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1643816217654","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cyrene-brown"},{"teacherId":8280798,"projectId":7420052,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom! Because of your kindness, we were able to add fluorescent light shade panel covers to our learning environment—and what a difference they've made!\r\n\r\nStudies have shown that these covers not only reduce glare and harsh lighting, but also help improve focus, boost alertness, and support a more positive mood. We've seen that firsthand in our classroom. The softer lighting has created a calmer, more welcoming atmosphere where students feel comfortable and ready to learn.\r\n\r\nThis simple change has had a big impact. Students are more engaged, transitions are smoother, and the overall classroom environment feels more peaceful and productive.\r\n\r\nWe are so grateful for your support and for helping us create a space that nurtures both learning and well-being. Thank you for investing in our students and making a real difference in their day-to-day experiences.","fullyFundedDate":1690136426929,"projectUrl":"project/simulated-sunlight-increases-performance/7420052/","projectTitle":"Simulated Sunlight Increases Performance","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Brown","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8280798_orig.jpg?crop=818,818,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1643816217654","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cyrene-brown"},{"teacherId":9068136,"projectId":8404793,"letterContent":"Thank you for your donations. I was able to provide organized indoor fun for my students. I was also able to start the beginnings of my math small groups and tutoring sessions. The students have enjoyed the groups so much and it has truly made an impact on their scores. The activities and tools have been used regularly and will continue to be used until they fall apart. Lol\r\n\r\nThank you for making it possible. As a newer teacher and mother the money for resources are sometimes hard to cover on my own. But these students deserve the best and you helped.","fullyFundedDate":1718622835033,"projectUrl":"project/fun-all-around/8404793/","projectTitle":"Fun All Around","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Thomas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9068136_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1687037704112","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9068136"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_69900","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1082,"numTeachers":16,"percentFrplEligible":67,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":95,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":2,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"67.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":43.8,"schoolId":69900,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about University Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"University Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/missouri/missouri-department-of-education/university-academy/69900"}