{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Esther Salas Academy","outOfStateSupporters":27.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10302553,"projectId":9794542,"letterContent":"When my students first walked into the room and saw the new materials, their reaction was pure excitement and amazement. Their faces lit up. Many of them had never had the opportunity to hold real percussion sticks before, and they were immediately eager to learn the correct grip and feel how the fulcrum of the sticks changed their sound, control, and confidence. You could feel the energy in the room as they realized, \"We get to be real musicians.\"\r\n\r\nThe boomwhackers brought an entirely new level of joy. Their bright, colorful appearance instantly drew students in, and the color-coding made music feel welcoming and possible for everyone. Students were excited to choose their own notes, experiment with sound, and create music together. For many of them, this was the first time music felt accessible, hands-on, and fun.\r\n\r\nThese materials played a critical role in helping my students prepare repertoire for our Winter Showcase Concert. Without them, many students simply would not have been able to participate. Because of our donors, every student had a place in the ensemble, a sound that mattered, and a moment on stage to feel proud of their hard work.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, these materials will continue to shape our classroom in meaningful ways as we prepare for our Spring Showcase. Students will learn three new bucket drumming pieces and use the boomwhackers to learn scales, develop steady beat, and grow as an ensemble. Most importantly, they will continue building confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong connection to music — all made possible through your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1760693793122,"projectUrl":"project/instrumental-music-kick-off/9794542/","projectTitle":"Instrumental Music Kick Off!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bailey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10302553_orig.jpg?crop=662,662,x42,y67&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1761829231914","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-ebailey"},{"teacherId":8346780,"projectId":9698317,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, my students and I are using the new classroom resources every single day. From the moment the supplies arrived, they immediately became part of our daily routines—students grabbing composition notebooks to draft responses, using highlighters and Post-it notes to annotate challenging texts, and working together with scissors, glue, and chart paper during collaborative activities.\r\n\r\nOne meaningful classroom moment happened during a recent reading lesson when students worked in small groups to analyze a text and share their thinking on Post-it anchor chart paper. Every student was able to participate fully because they had the tools they needed. The room was filled with thoughtful discussion, and students confidently shared their ideas with the class.\r\n\r\nWhen students first saw the materials, they were genuinely excited and relieved. Several commented on how nice it felt not to worry about borrowing supplies or going without. Having access to basic materials like pencils, notebooks, and organizational bins helped them feel prepared and focused, which made a noticeable difference in their engagement and confidence.\r\n\r\nYour support truly gave you a peek into our classroom. These supplies have helped create a welcoming, organized, and comfortable learning environment. Even items like tissues, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes have made a big impact by helping us stay healthy and focused on learning.\r\n\r\nOur next steps include continuing our current reading and writing unit, where students will use their notebooks to draft and revise written responses and annotate texts more deeply. We will also build on collaborative lessons that encourage discussion, critical thinking, and peer learning.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students and helping make our classroom a place where they can do their best work every day.","fullyFundedDate":1758820245064,"projectUrl":"project/organized-minds-organized-materials-bu/9698317/","projectTitle":"Organized Minds, Organized Materials: Building Strong Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Reich","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8346780_orig.jpg?crop=2212,2212,x0,y383&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1651208597473","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/a-reich"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_134482","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":null,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":null,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":77,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":false,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Not specified","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR District Record","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"UNCLASSIFIED","ncesMetroType":null},"inStateSupporters":72.7,"schoolId":134482,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Esther Salas Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Esther Salas Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-jersey/union-city-public-schools/esther-salas-academy/134482"}
Join the 11 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Esther Salas Academy is
a public school
in Union City, New Jersey that is part of Union City Public Schools.
Its teachers have had 2 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
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The percentage of students that qualify for free or
reduced price lunch is not available.
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
79%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Esther Salas Academy Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Jan 13, 2026
DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students
in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
Esther Salas Academy
$1,131
raised using DonorsChoose
2
projects
funded
4
teachers
funded
11
donors
1
project
for
basic supplies
Esther Salas Academy has received support from
8 individuals from New Jersey and
3 individuals out-of-state.
