{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Long Branch Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":46.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7028094,"projectId":10329380,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our 8th-grade Color War! Your generosity is helping us create an experience that is about so much more than wearing team colors. It is about building connections, showing school spirit, encouraging one another, and creating memories that our students will carry with them long after middle school.\r\n\r\nColor War gives our students the opportunity to come together as a team, step outside their comfort zones, cheer for their classmates, and celebrate what it means to be part of a community. The shirts, accessories, and other spirit supplies help bring that excitement to life and allow our students to show their pride in a BIG way!\r\n\r\nLast year, our students brought incredible energy and spirit to the competition, and we are excited to build on that tradition. As teachers, we know that some of the most meaningful moments in school happen outside of a textbook. They happen when students laugh together, encourage a teammate, demonstrate good sportsmanship, and feel like they belong.\r\n\r\nYour support helps make those moments possible. Thank you for investing in our students, their happiness, and the sense of community that makes middle school special. You are helping us create not just a Color War, but memories, friendships, and connections that will last far beyond the final competition!\r\n\r\nWith gratitude and lots of school spirit,","fullyFundedDate":1787842514876,"projectUrl":"project/creating-lasting-memories-with-color-war/10329380/","projectTitle":"Creating Lasting Memories With Color War Spirit","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bidner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7028094_orig.jpg?crop=2233,2233,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588072714060","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/bidnercoolteacher"},{"teacherId":7028094,"projectId":10714531,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and for helping provide snacks for my students! Food insecurity is a real challenge for many of our families, and having snacks available in the classroom makes a much bigger difference than you might imagine. When students are hungry, it is difficult for them to focus, participate, and give their best effort. Being able to offer a snack helps them recharge, refocus, and get back to learning. It truly makes a difference in our classroom, helping students stay engaged and ready to learn.\r\n\r\nThe snacks mean so much to my students. Sometimes, a snack might seem like a small thing, but to a hungry student, it can mean everything. When I told my students that our project had been funded, they actually CHEERED! Their excitement said it all. Knowing that we would continue to have snacks available brought them so much happiness, and it reminded me just how meaningful this simple act of kindness is to them.\r\n\r\nOne of the most rewarding parts of teaching is being able to meet a student's needs in the moment, whether that means helping them understand a difficult concept or simply making sure they aren't sitting through class with an empty stomach. Something as simple as saying, \"Here you go, have a snack!\" can remind a student that someone cares about them. It allows me to focus on teaching while knowing my students' basic needs are being met.\r\n\r\nIn my family, feeding others has always been an act of love, and I try to bring that same spirit into my classroom. Thanks to your kindness, I can continue showing my students that they are valued, supported, and cared for. Your generosity is nourishing more than just their bodies; it is helping create a classroom where students feel safe, connected, and ready to learn. Thank you for being part of our classroom family and for making a real difference in the lives of my students!","fullyFundedDate":1791076553067,"projectUrl":"project/food-for-thought/10714531/","projectTitle":"Food for Thought","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bidner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7028094_orig.jpg?crop=2233,2233,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588072714060","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/bidnercoolteacher"},{"teacherId":7028094,"projectId":10651389,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and for helping provide snacks for my students! Food insecurity is a real challenge for many of our families, and having snacks available in the classroom makes a much bigger difference than you might imagine. When students are hungry, it is difficult for them to focus, participate, and give their best effort. Being able to offer a snack helps them recharge, refocus, and get back to learning.\r\n\r\nOne of the most rewarding parts of teaching is being able to meet a student's needs in the moment, whether that means helping them understand a difficult concept or simply making sure they aren't sitting through class with an empty stomach. Something as simple as saying, \"Here you go, have a snack!\" can remind a student that someone cares about them.\r\n\r\nIn my family, feeding others has always been an act of love, and I try to bring that same spirit into my classroom. Thanks to your kindness, I can continue showing my students that they are valued, supported, and cared for. Your generosity is nourishing more than just their bodies; it is helping create a classroom where students feel safe, connected, and ready to learn. Thank you for being part of our classroom family!","fullyFundedDate":1790184566548,"projectUrl":"project/food-for-thought/10651389/","projectTitle":"Food for Thought","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bidner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7028094_orig.jpg?crop=2233,2233,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588072714060","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/bidnercoolteacher"},{"teacherId":7028094,"projectId":10330010,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our Color War/Field Day project! Your generosity will help make this special day even more fun, exciting, and memorable for our students. The team shirts will build school spirit, encourage camaraderie, and give our students a sense of pride and belonging as they represent their team. They will also help us keep everyone organized and safe throughout the event.\r\n\r\nMy homeroom students are already so excited about all their Color War swag! Their enthusiasm has been contagious, and students from other homerooms have even wanted to join our group because it looks like so much fun. It has been wonderful to see how this excitement is spreading throughout our school. I also hope our project inspires other teachers to give DonorsChoose a try so they can get supplies for their own Color War teams and create these same kinds of memorable experiences for their students.\r\n\r\nOur students look forward to Color War/Field Day as a chance to celebrate teamwork, sportsmanship, and school community. Thanks to your kindness, they will be able to show off their team color and make even more wonderful memories together. We truly appreciate your support in making this day extra special!","fullyFundedDate":1787843733510,"projectUrl":"project/united-by-color-connected-by-community/10330010/","projectTitle":"United by Color, Connected by Community","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bidner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7028094_orig.jpg?crop=2233,2233,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588072714060","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/bidnercoolteacher"},{"teacherId":591917,"projectId":10678802,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our Warmth, Care, and Hunger project! Your generosity has helped provide snacks and food items for our students, making a meaningful difference in their school day.\r\n\r\nMany of our students face challenges outside the classroom, and having access to food and simple comforts can make a real difference in their ability to focus, learn, and feel supported. Knowing that there are snacks available when they are hungry helps students feel cared for and reminds them that their school community is looking out for them.\r\n\r\nBecause of your kindness, we can help meet some of our students' basic needs while creating a more welcoming and supportive learning environment. When students feel comfortable and know they are cared for, they are better able to concentrate on their learning and participate in classroom activities.","fullyFundedDate":1791220968388,"projectUrl":"project/warmth-care-and-comfort-a-classroom-s/10678802/","projectTitle":"Warmth, Care, and Comfort: A Classroom Safety Net","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Careri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp591917_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1516888776537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-careri"},{"teacherId":8797053,"projectId":6900841,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom by providing translators for our students! Your generosity is giving our students something incredibly important: the ability to fully understand, participate, and feel confident in their classroom experience.\r\n\r\nIn our school community, we have students who speak a variety of languages and are still developing their English skills. Sometimes a language barrier can make a student feel hesitant to ask a question, participate in a discussion, explain an idea, or show what they truly know. Having translators available helps remove that barrier and allows students to communicate more independently and confidently.\r\n\r\nThese translators will make a meaningful difference during hands-on STEM and sustainability activities, where communication is especially important. Students need to understand directions, collaborate with classmates, ask questions, record observations, and explain their thinking. Instead of struggling to understand the language of an assignment, students can focus on the actual learning and problem-solving.\r\n\r\nThe impact goes beyond academics. Being able to communicate helps students feel that they belong. It allows them to participate in group activities, build relationships with classmates, and share their ideas without worrying that their language skills will prevent others from understanding them.\r\n\r\nI have seen firsthand how much more engaged students become when we provide them with the tools they need to succeed. These translators will help create a classroom where language is not a barrier to curiosity, creativity, or achievement.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, your donation sends a powerful message to my students: Your voice matters. Your ideas matter. You belong here.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping us create a more welcoming, equitable, and inclusive classroom. Your generosity will have an impact every time a student uses these translators to understand a direction, ask a question, contribute an idea, or proudly demonstrate what they have learned.","fullyFundedDate":1666796030304,"projectUrl":"project/do-you-understand-me-now/6900841/","projectTitle":"Do You Understand Me Now?","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ortega","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8797053"},{"teacherId":7028094,"projectId":10220346,"letterContent":"I honestly don't know how to adequately thank you for funding my entire Food for Thought project. You did so much more than provide snacks—you helped make the end of the school year a happier, lighter, and more joyful experience for my students.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, my students knew there would always be something to eat. No one was sitting in my classroom hungry. No one had to try to learn while thinking about an empty stomach. Instead, there were snacks, happy kids, genuine smiles, laughter, and so many little moments of connection that made our classroom feel like a community.\r\n\r\nAs a teacher, I know that sometimes the things that seem small can make the biggest difference. A snack shared with a friend, a child realizing someone thought about them, or simply knowing that there is something waiting for you when you walk into a classroom—those moments matter.\r\n\r\nYou helped create those moments for my students over and over again.\r\n\r\nYou didn't just fund a project. You helped take care of my kids. You helped me make them feel comfortable, cared for, and ready to learn, and you helped me create the kind of classroom environment where kids could simply be kids.\r\n\r\nI am incredibly grateful for your generosity, but even more grateful for the heart behind it. Thank you for consistently showing up for my students and for helping make the end of their school year so special.\r\n\r\nI truly can't thank you enough.","fullyFundedDate":1777988254725,"projectUrl":"project/food-for-thought/10220346/","projectTitle":"Food For Thought","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bidner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7028094_orig.jpg?crop=2233,2233,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588072714060","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/bidnercoolteacher"},{"teacherId":591917,"projectId":10498682,"letterContent":"For our students, football is about so much more than what happens on game day. Practices teach them discipline, teamwork, communication, perseverance, and accountability. They learn to listen to their coaches, support their teammates, push through challenges, and understand that improvement comes from consistent effort.\r\n\r\nHaving quality practice equipment also means that more of our students can fully participate. Not every student has access to athletic equipment outside of school, so the resources provided through DonorsChoose help ensure that our athletes have what they need when they step onto the field.\r\n\r\nYour donation is helping create a safer and more productive practice environment where our students can learn, compete, and grow. Every drill with these blocking pads represents another opportunity for a student to improve a skill, gain confidence, and contribute to the team.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our students and supporting their athletic experiences. We are incredibly grateful for your generosity and for helping make sure our young athletes have the equipment they need to practice, learn, and play their best!","fullyFundedDate":1789602176701,"projectUrl":"project/block-tackle-protect/10498682/","projectTitle":"Block, Tackle, Protect!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Careri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp591917_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1516888776537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-careri"},{"teacherId":591917,"projectId":10573580,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom! We are incredibly grateful for your donation of flexible seating and classroom materials. Your generosity is helping us create a classroom environment where students can feel comfortable, supported, focused, and ready to learn.\r\n\r\nThe floor cushions and sensory seating options are already making a meaningful difference in the way our students experience our classroom. Every student learns differently, and having a variety of seating choices gives students the opportunity to find a space and position that helps them feel comfortable and engaged. Some students work best sitting at a traditional desk, while others benefit from being able to move, sit on the floor, or use a sensory-friendly cushion while they work.\r\n\r\nThe Wiggle Feet Sensory Cushion is especially helpful for students who benefit from movement and sensory input while learning. Having appropriate ways to move while remaining engaged can help students participate more comfortably in lessons, independent work, group activities, and STEM challenges. Instead of expecting every student to learn in exactly the same way, these materials allow us to provide choices and meet students where they are.\r\n\r\nThe colorful floor cushions also give us additional opportunities to create flexible learning spaces throughout our classroom. Students can use them during small-group instruction, collaborative projects, reading, independent work, or classroom activities. A comfortable and welcoming learning space can make a big difference in how students feel about coming to school and participating in the learning process.\r\n\r\nThe laminator is another incredibly useful addition to our classroom. It will allow us to create durable learning materials, activity cards, visual supports, STEM resources, games, classroom signs, and hands-on activities that can be used again and again. Being able to laminate materials means we can protect them from everyday classroom wear and make resources that are accessible for students throughout the school year.\r\n\r\nTogether, these donations are helping us build a classroom that is more flexible, organized, welcoming, and responsive to our students' individual needs. They give us additional tools to create an environment where students can focus on learning while also having appropriate opportunities for movement, comfort, and choice.\r\n\r\nWe are especially thankful because your donation is about so much more than providing classroom supplies. You are helping us create an environment where students can feel successful and supported. You are showing our students that their comfort, learning needs, creativity, and individuality matter.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our classroom and in our students. Your generosity helps us provide learning experiences and classroom supports that can make a lasting difference. We are excited to put these materials to use and watch our students learn, collaborate, create, and grow!","fullyFundedDate":1788965733716,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-spaces-focused-minds/10573580/","projectTitle":"Flexible Spaces, Focused Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Careri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp591917_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1516888776537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-careri"},{"teacherId":591917,"projectId":10614785,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our STEM DonorsChoose project! We are incredibly grateful for your donations and for the opportunity to provide our students with hands-on materials that make learning exciting, meaningful, and memorable.\r\n\r\nToday, we were able to put some of the donated materials to use during our SAE SAM Challenge, and the students had an amazing time! The gummy worms were a fun and engaging part of the challenge and gave our students the opportunity to work together, think creatively, solve problems, and apply STEM concepts in a hands-on way. Watching the students collaborate, experiment, laugh, and encourage one another reminded us how powerful hands-on learning can be.\r\n\r\nYour donations are helping us create learning experiences that go beyond simply reading about STEM concepts. Our students are able to design, build, create, test ideas, make adjustments, and learn from both their successes and their mistakes. These experiences help students develop important skills such as communication, teamwork, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.\r\n\r\nThe wooden keychain blanks, basswood sheets, macrame cord, rings, clasps, acrylic blanks, and other craft materials will continue to provide our students with opportunities to design and create their own projects. These materials allow students to explore engineering and design while also expressing their creativity. Even something as simple as creating a keychain or working with different materials can become an opportunity for students to practice planning, measuring, designing, building, and revising their ideas.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, your support helps our students see themselves as creators and problem-solvers. When students have access to materials they can touch, manipulate, build with, and experiment with, they become more engaged in the learning process. They begin to see that STEM is not just something they learn from a textbook—it is something they can experience and use to create something of their own.\r\n\r\nWe are so thankful that you chose to support our classroom and invest in our students. Your generosity is helping us provide experiences that our students may not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy. Thank you for helping us make our classroom a place where students can be curious, creative, collaborative, and excited to learn.\r\n\r\nWe truly appreciate your generosity and the difference you are making in the lives of our students. Thank you for helping us turn everyday materials into meaningful learning experiences!","fullyFundedDate":1789566165790,"projectUrl":"project/sweet-stem-from-prototypes-to-products/10614785/","projectTitle":"Sweet STEM: From Prototypes to Products","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Careri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp591917_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1516888776537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-careri"},{"teacherId":591917,"projectId":10313332,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our 3D filament project! Your generous donation will give our students the opportunity to use 3D printing to turn their creative ideas into real, hands-on projects. Students will learn how to design, build, test, and improve their creations while developing important problem-solving and engineering skills.\r\n\r\nWe are excited to combine the 3D filament with materials already available in our classroom, including cardboard, small zip-top bags, toothpicks, soil, recycled containers, seeds and plants, string or yarn, paper, and pencils. Students will be able to experiment with different materials and discover how 3D-printed pieces can be incorporated into their projects.\r\n\r\nYour support is helping bring creativity, technology, and hands-on learning into our classroom. Thank you for giving our students the chance to explore 3D printing, learn from their mistakes, and bring their ideas to life. We truly appreciate your generosity and the learning opportunities you are providing for our students!","fullyFundedDate":1780585239924,"projectUrl":"project/every-last-inch-turning-filament-scraps/10313332/","projectTitle":"Every Last Inch: Turning Filament Scraps Into STEM Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Careri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp591917_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1516888776537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-careri"},{"teacherId":591917,"projectId":10191889,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our 3D filament project! Your generous donation will give our students the opportunity to use 3D printing to turn their creative ideas into real, hands-on projects. Students will learn how to design, build, test, and improve their creations while developing important problem-solving and engineering skills.\r\n\r\nWe are excited to combine the 3D filament with materials already available in our classroom, including cardboard, small zip-top bags, toothpicks, soil, recycled containers, seeds and plants, string or yarn, paper, and pencils. Students will be able to experiment with different materials and discover how 3D-printed pieces can be incorporated into their projects.\r\n\r\nYour support is helping bring creativity, technology, and hands-on learning into our classroom. Thank you for giving our students the chance to explore 3D printing, learn from their mistakes, and bring their ideas to life. We truly appreciate your generosity and the learning opportunities you are providing for our students!","fullyFundedDate":1776446345084,"projectUrl":"project/printing-possibilities-fueling-steam-wi/10191889/","projectTitle":"Printing Possibilities: Fueling STEAM with 3D Filament","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Careri","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp591917_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1516888776537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-careri"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_81714","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1142,"numTeachers":97,"percentFrplEligible":82,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":11,"percentWhite":19,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":65,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":2,"gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"11.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":53.9,"schoolId":81714,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Long Branch Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Long Branch Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-jersey/long-branch-school-district/long-branch-middle-school/81714"}