{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Hillcrest Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":45.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":3792568,"projectId":9758295,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and support of our Title I preschool classroom. Because of you, my students will receive books and alphabet fishing games that will make a meaningful difference in their learning.\r\n\r\nWhat makes this gift especially powerful is that my students will be able to take the books and games home to share with their families. Many of my preschoolers do not have access to books or educational games at home, so this opportunity helps extend learning beyond the classroom and encourages family engagement and a love of reading.\r\n\r\nThe books will support letter recognition, while the fishing games will help build fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and confidence. Seeing my students' excitement as they receive these materials to bring home will be incredibly rewarding.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in my students and supporting early learners in such a meaningful way. Your generosity truly warms my heart.","fullyFundedDate":1767375282866,"projectUrl":"project/holiday-cheer/9758295/","projectTitle":"Holiday Cheer","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hilse","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3792568_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756688807031","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-hilse"},{"teacherId":3792568,"projectId":9807961,"letterContent":"Thanks to you, my morning Art Club has been thriving. With access to a wide variety of materials, students have been free to create whatever their hearts desire. I've been so impressed by their artwork and love hearing their laughter as they create together—they truly are little Picassos.\r\n\r\nMy goal was to build a supportive community where students feel encouraged to be creative and have fun, and thanks to your generosity, that goal has been achieved.\r\n\r\nI'm so grateful for your support and excited to share that I currently have another project live on DonorsChoose that celebrates all my students have accomplished this year and includes books for summer reading. Thank you again for making such meaningful experiences possible for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1766433549648,"projectUrl":"project/art-from-the-heart/9807961/","projectTitle":"Art From the Heart","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hilse","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3792568_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756688807031","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-hilse"},{"teacherId":3792568,"projectId":9820836,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for your very generous donation and for making the holidays extra special for my students. The looks on their faces when I gave them their bags of holiday cheer were absolutely priceless. The gift of reading is one of the greatest gifts a child can receive, and giving them their very own books helped encourage reading throughout the winter break.\r\n\r\nTeaching children to love and enjoy reading is one of the most exciting parts of my job. Most of my PreK students begin the school year with very little knowledge of letters and sounds. They start learning letters through their own names and the names of their classmates. During read-alouds, I model how to track print, and they quickly make the connection that letters come together to form words. They love sitting and listening to stories, and they especially enjoy \"reading\" familiar books by retelling the story using the pictures. One of their favorite activities is acting out books together in class.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, I was able to send my students home with books for the holidays, and I am so grateful. I'm also excited to share that I currently have another project posted on DonorsChoose that celebrates all my students have accomplished this year and includes books for summer reading. I am hopeful this project will be funded so my students can continue their reading journey and build a love of reading that will last a lifetime.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your generosity, kindness, and belief in my students. You truly helped make my vision a reality.","fullyFundedDate":1764439390198,"projectUrl":"project/spreading-cheer/9820836/","projectTitle":"Spreading Cheer","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hilse","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3792568_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756688807031","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-hilse"},{"teacherId":3730168,"projectId":9907799,"letterContent":"This project has already made a meaningful impact on **our school community**. The new books give **our students** access to engaging texts that match their interests and reading levels, helping them build confidence, comprehension, and reading stamina.\r\n\r\nReading in our school now feels joyful and student-driven. **Our students** are excited to choose their own books, talk about what they're reading, and recommend favorites to friends. The vending machine has turned reading into something special, not just another assignment.\r\n\r\nSome of our most reluctant readers have shown the biggest growth. Students who once avoided books are now eager to earn a turn at the machine and proudly share their choices. None of this would be possible without our generous donors.","fullyFundedDate":1764091507904,"projectUrl":"project/fill-the-machine-inspire-a-reader/9907799/","projectTitle":"Fill the Machine. Inspire a Reader.","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hughes","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3730168_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y586&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1763645394889","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3730168"},{"teacherId":8574009,"projectId":9762847,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our class was able to complete a novel unit using Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This shared text allowed us to focus on key reading skills while enjoying a story together during daily story time, with the teacher reading aloud and students taking turns reading parts of the text.\r\n\r\nThrough this novel, students practiced identifying character traits, making inferences, and discussing themes such as kindness, responsibility, and consequences. Reading aloud together supported comprehension, vocabulary development, and listening skills, especially for students who benefit from hearing fluent reading modeled.\r\n\r\nStory time became a highly engaging part of our day. Students were eager to participate, discuss characters, and make predictions. Several students who typically struggle with independent reading were especially motivated by the humor and imagination of the story and confidently joined in during discussions.\r\n\r\nThis novel unit created a shared reading experience that strengthened both literacy skills and classroom community. We are truly grateful for your support.","fullyFundedDate":1761446089676,"projectUrl":"project/sweet-success-with-charlie-and-the-choc/9762847/","projectTitle":"“Sweet Success With Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wands","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8574009_orig.png?crop=1224,1224,x0,y73&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1659719479988","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8574009"},{"teacherId":8574009,"projectId":9567646,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting our classroom with these social-emotional learning books. Stories like Go Left, The Great Paper Caper, and The Book of Mistakes have given my students meaningful opportunities to explore important life skills such as resilience, responsibility, empathy, problem-solving, and perseverance. Through these texts, students learn that mistakes are part of learning, choices matter, and everyone has a role in caring for their community.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom is interactive and reflective. We use these books during read-alouds, class discussions, and journaling activities. Students are encouraged to share their thoughts, connect the stories to their own experiences, and talk about feelings in a safe and supportive environment. These books spark thoughtful conversations and help students develop the emotional vocabulary they need to express themselves and understand others.\r\n\r\nSeveral students have connected deeply with these stories, especially those who struggle with confidence or managing emotions. I've seen students reference the books when facing challenges, reminding themselves that it's okay to make mistakes or try a different approach. Your generosity has helped create a classroom culture rooted in kindness, growth, and emotional awareness. These lessons will stay with my students long after the final page is read.","fullyFundedDate":1758815785428,"projectUrl":"project/instant-engagement/9567646/","projectTitle":"Instant Engagement","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wands","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8574009_orig.png?crop=1224,1224,x0,y73&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1659719479988","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8574009"},{"teacherId":8574009,"projectId":9567780,"letterContent":"We've started using the new motivational prizes as part of our daily participation and behavior system, and the impact has been immediate. One of our favorite classroom moments happened during a review game where students earned points for teamwork, respectful communication, and accurate answers. The prize bin brought an extra layer of excitement—students leaned in, supported one another, and stayed focused because they knew their effort mattered. The prizes helped turn routine practice into a moment of joy and engagement.\r\nThe students were absolutely thrilled. When I revealed the new prize bin, their eyes lit up and the room filled with excited whispers. Several students said, \"We get to earn these?!\" and immediately started brainstorming ways they could gain more points through participation and good choices. The positive energy changed the tone of the whole day—students were eager to demonstrate their best behavior, answer questions, and take on extra challenges.\r\nRight now, students are working on strengthening their daily academic habits—participating in discussions, showing work clearly, collaborating respectfully, and meeting classroom expectations consistently. The next step is to continue using the prize system to reinforce these skills and help students build intrinsic motivation. As they experience success, they're learning that their effort truly makes a difference. Our upcoming lessons will incorporate more opportunities for students to earn recognition for perseverance, growth, and taking academic risks.","fullyFundedDate":1756498897026,"projectUrl":"project/motivation-matters-student-prize-fund/9567780/","projectTitle":"Motivation Matters: Student Prize Fund","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wands","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8574009_orig.png?crop=1224,1224,x0,y73&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1659719479988","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8574009"},{"teacherId":9592780,"projectId":9518867,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom project. As a preschool teacher in a Title I public school, I see every day how meaningful it is for our young learners to have access to high quality books, many of which they may not otherwise experience. Your support has helped us start the school year with a bright, inviting collection of new stories that my students are already eager to listen to as well as open on their own. Many of my students came in with very little letter knowledge but through reading many of our new books they are growing so much.\r\n\r\nThese books are helping our children build early literacy skills, develop a love for reading, and discover the joy of learning. For many of my students, this may be their first introduction to books they can explore independently and share with friends. All of the new books also help many of my English language learners become exposed to so much vocabulary! Pete the Cat is one of their favorites. The easy to use book bins worked well for the children to reach the books and put them away. Your kindness has truly made our classroom a more enriching, welcoming place. We now have books to go with almost every theme we discuss throughout the year. The large Sharpies help my Para and myself label everything and make fun new charts and posters!\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in my students and investing in their earliest years of education. Your generosity has made a lasting impact, and we are so grateful. It's supporters like you who help us build a classroom where every child feels safe, valued, and inspired to learn. We just read our new Thanksgiving themed books and made turkeys afterward. Attached is a picture of their turkey work as a huge thank you to YOU! I currently have a new project I am hoping to get funded for the holiday season! The Preschool team dresses up as a Gingerbread family and gives books and gifts to the children to enjoy at home! \r\nThank you for being a part of their journey and making my teacher's heart full every single day!","fullyFundedDate":1756317508070,"projectUrl":"project/ready-set-learn-a-strong-start-for-my/9518867/","projectTitle":"Ready, Set, Learn! A Strong Start for My Preschoolers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Nancy Martinez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9592780_orig.jpg?crop=1800,1800,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721066208137","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9592780"},{"teacherId":3792568,"projectId":9445560,"letterContent":"I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you again for your very generous donation. Creating these scrapbooks and documenting all of the fun, creative ways we learn in my preschool classroom is truly one of my favorite parts of teaching. As you can see in the photos I shared, I love displaying pictures of my children throughout our classroom and on our hallway bulletin boards. Thanks to your support, I have already begun creating scrapbook pages for their End-of-Year Scrapbooks.\r\n\r\nOne of the greatest joys is watching my students share stories about the moments captured in these photos with their families—their eyes light up, their voices fill with excitement, and you can feel how proud they are. A picture really is worth a thousand words, and with the rising cost of printing, having my own photo printer and ink has saved so much time and money. Because of you, I will be able to present each child with a scrapbook filled with photos and artwork that celebrate their growth, their friendships, and our wonderful year together. It means so much to me to send them off to kindergarten knowing how proud I am of them. Thank you for helping make these lasting memories possible and for making our End-of-Year Celebration even more special.\r\n\r\nI currently have three more projects I am hoping will be funded as well. Two of them will help spread holiday cheer by sending my students home with books and games that encourage family time. The third supports my Friday morning Art Club, where 3rd–5th graders come to school early to create, explore, and express themselves like little Picassos. I continue to be blown away by the generosity of donors like you, and I thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart.","fullyFundedDate":1757423954791,"projectUrl":"project/memories-that-will-last-a-lifetime/9445560/","projectTitle":"Memories that Will Last a Lifetime","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hilse","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3792568_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756688807031","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-hilse"},{"teacherId":3792568,"projectId":9451365,"letterContent":"I wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping make my vision a reality. At Back to School Night, I shared globe keychains with parents along with a note reminding them that their children are their world, and that we are now a team working together for their child. This small gesture truly helped set the tone for building positive relationships, and my families this year have been wonderful about communicating. We are off to such a great start.\r\n\r\nThe children absolutely loved all of the new books your support provided. I love reading to them, and my goal is to spark a lifelong love of reading in each of my students. Teaching children to enjoy stories is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Many of my Pre-K students came in with very little knowledge of letters and sounds, but they are already learning through their own names and the names of their classmates. When we read together, I model tracking print, and they quickly begin to understand that letters make words. They love listening to stories, retelling them by using the pictures, and even acting them out as a group. It brings such joy to our classroom.\r\n\r\nThe Play-Doh you provided has also been a huge hit—especially all of the fun colors! My students love using it during small groups and choice time. Play-Doh is such an important tool for developing finger muscles and fine motor skills. Rolling, squeezing, and shaping it strengthens their hands and fingers, preparing them for writing, scissor skills, and so many everyday tasks.\r\n\r\nI currently have three more projects I am hoping will be funded. Two will help bring holiday cheer by sending each child home with books and games to encourage family time over the break. The third supports my morning Art Club, where 3rd–5th graders come to school early on Fridays to create and express themselves like little Picassos.\r\n\r\nI am always blown away by your generosity. Thank you, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, for supporting my students and helping us grow. Your kindness makes a real difference every single day.","fullyFundedDate":1756759307689,"projectUrl":"project/getting-preschool-ready/9451365/","projectTitle":"Getting Preschool Ready","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hilse","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3792568_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756688807031","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-hilse"},{"teacherId":9220755,"projectId":9417382,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our classroom Dual Language Library has opened up a world of stories, voices, and connections for my students! These new bilingual books have created daily opportunities for children to see their languages, cultures, and families reflected in what we read together.\r\n\r\nReading time in the classroom is now more vibrant than ever. Students gather with excitement, choosing books in English and Spanish to read alone, with a partner, or during small-group read-alouds. We explore vocabulary, discuss story elements, and make comparisons between languages—all while building comprehension and confidence. These new texts also help students strengthen phonemic awareness, decoding skills, and fluency as they see and hear words in both languages.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, my students are not only becoming stronger readers—they are also becoming bridge builders between languages and cultures. You've helped me show every child that their voice and language matter.","fullyFundedDate":1753114574983,"projectUrl":"project/the-dual-language-library/9417382/","projectTitle":"The Dual Language Library","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hawkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9220755_orig.jpg?crop=2298,2298,x312,y574&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722959425866","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/teach-msbhawkins"},{"teacherId":9220755,"projectId":9413153,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my classroom has been filled with meaningful conversations, laughter, and emotional growth through our Tiny Bodies, Big Feelings book collection! These books have helped my students explore big ideas about emotions—how to name them, understand them, and express them in healthy ways.\r\n\r\nIn the classroom, reading time is interactive and full of energy! Students gather on the carpet to listen, share, and make connections. We pause often to talk about what characters might be feeling and how we might feel in similar situations. Through these stories, children are developing vital early literacy skills—like identifying main ideas, making predictions, and connecting text to personal experiences—while also learning empathy, self-regulation, and communication skills.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, my students aren't just learning how to read—they're learning how to understand themselves and others. Thank you for helping me make social-emotional learning a joyful part of our literacy journey!","fullyFundedDate":1751644674325,"projectUrl":"project/tiny-bodies-big-feelings/9413153/","projectTitle":"Tiny Bodies, Big Feelings","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hawkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9220755_orig.jpg?crop=2298,2298,x312,y574&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722959425866","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/teach-msbhawkins"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_82168","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":452,"numTeachers":43,"percentFrplEligible":54,"percentAsian":14,"percentBlack":25,"percentWhite":6,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":49,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"10.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":55.0,"schoolId":82168,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Hillcrest Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Hillcrest Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-jersey/franklin-township-public-school-district/hillcrest-elementary-school/82168"}