{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Taos High School","outOfStateSupporters":55.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7413414,"projectId":9880563,"letterContent":"I am writing to share just how much your generous donation has meant to our students. The supplies and resources you provided are not simply classroom materials—they are tools that are opening doors, building confidence, and creating real-life skills our students will carry with them for years to come.\r\nEvery day, our students rely on these resources to support their regular coursework. Having consistent access to the supplies they need allows them to stay focused, prepared, and engaged in their learning. Instead of worrying about whether they have the materials to complete an assignment, they can now devote their energy to understanding, creating, and growing.\r\nIn addition, the materials you donated are making a tremendous impact in our upcycling and repurposing class. Students are learning how to transform everyday items into something useful and meaningful. Through this work, they are developing practical problem-solving skills, creativity, teamwork, and resourcefulness. They are beginning to see possibilities where others might only see waste. These are life skills—skills that teach them resilience, innovation, and independence.\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, their reaction was unforgettable. They were genuinely surprised and deeply touched to learn that people from outside their state cared enough to invest in them and their future. For many of them, this was more than a donation—it was a powerful reminder that they matter. That encouragement has motivated them to work harder, participate more confidently, and take pride in what they are building.\r\nYour generosity is doing more than supplying a classroom. It is inspiring hope, strengthening determination, and equipping students with tools for lifelong success.\r\nThank you for believing in our students and for being part of their journey. Your kindness is making a lasting difference.","fullyFundedDate":1762980816808,"projectUrl":"project/supplies-for-success/9880563/","projectTitle":"Supplies for Success!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fincher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7413414_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720725313729","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/fincherclassroom"},{"teacherId":9773921,"projectId":9581329,"letterContent":"I cannot begin to thank you enough. The Color of Water started our second semester off beautifully. My students read it over Christmas break, and they came back early in January telling me how much they enjoyed the book. Before leaving for the break, I gave them each a copy of the book and told them that it is their copy and they should annotate it as they read. Wow! What an impactful skill they practiced. Many of my students raved about how helpful it was to be able to take notes and write down their ideas in the novel. \r\n\r\nThis novel was a springboard for the entire semester. Our overarching focus is social justice, and reading the stories of James McBride and his mother was a great way to start this unit. In the novel, James's mother Ruth has unique perspective because of her experiences, and throughout the book she emphasizes the importance of getting a good education. She indicates to the author and his eleven siblings that education levels the playing field and is the largest factor in being successful. James realizes through his education and experience that his identity is also a contributing factor, and this novel was a part of his journey in truly understanding his identity. So many students this age (16-17 years old) share this same longing to understand who they are to make the most of their opportunities and fight for justice for themselves as well as others around them. \r\n\r\nBecause so many of my students are Hispanic and Native American, this novel offered a dramatically different perspective through the eyes of a biracial man and his Jewish mother who completely abandoned her childhood home and family because of the mistreatment she received. Many of my students told me that it is refreshing to read about someone who defied the odds and had a successful life despite other people's lack of faith. This motivation is absolutely vital to my students because so many of them do not see that they are opportunities beyond their small hometown. \r\n\r\nAgain, I am forever indebted to you for your generosity and support for what I am doing in my classroom. God bless you, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.","fullyFundedDate":1755702762146,"projectUrl":"project/social-justice-in-action/9581329/","projectTitle":"Social Justice in Action","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Thibadeau","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9773921_orig.jpg?crop=953,953,x3,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727467937277","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9773921"},{"teacherId":9773921,"projectId":9625385,"letterContent":"My students come to school on a daily basis asking for food and needing supplies to complete their assignments not only for my class but for others as well. Your generous donation helps motivate students by showing them that someone genuinely cares about their success, which allows them to concentrate on the critical thinking and learning they need to help them be successful not only in their classwork, but in their futures. Your help fosters their creativity and promotes teamwork. Without your help, my students would not be able to thrive and prepare for their futures. I am truly grateful for your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1762980813816,"projectUrl":"project/basics-for-learning/9625385/","projectTitle":"Basics for Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Thibadeau","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9773921_orig.jpg?crop=953,953,x3,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727467937277","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9773921"},{"teacherId":7413414,"projectId":9159957,"letterContent":"The laptop that you have provided me to use in this classroom has already helped so much even in the second day of school. With it being a newer computer, I am able to connect to newer technology that I was unable to connect to before. This will allow me to connect to our promethan board and present movies, 3-D digital tours, lectures, make side by side comparison charts and so much more! This MacBook will help us maximize our learning potential in the classroom! The students may not ever truly understand the impact, but it will be evident in the amount of learning that will happen this year because of your generosity. \r\n\r\nI am truly grateful!","fullyFundedDate":1752176189756,"projectUrl":"project/teaching-tools-for-success/9159957/","projectTitle":"Teaching Tools for Success!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fincher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7413414_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720725313729","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/fincherclassroom"},{"teacherId":9566175,"projectId":9164609,"letterContent":"This project was successful in giving students valuable tools for expressing themselves creatively and giving them emotional support, creating a positive and inclusive environment where students could grow and achieve.\r\n\r\nOur end-of-year poster projects were an opportunity for the students to show off the knowledge they had gained throughout the year, and gave them a way to enhance their creativity and understanding while moving towards a platform of meaningful self-expression.\r\n\r\nFor students who have sensory processing disorders, painting is a much-needed way to relieve stress and provide cognitive stimulation. The way they hold and move a brush against canvas, the colors they mix, the textures they layer, and the smells of the paint are all good immersive experiences that help ground the students and bring them to a calm and focused state. For students who have disabilities that affect their ability to process information, we know that hands-on experiences help them form and retain the concepts they are struggling to understand. In the last few years, I have developed a better understanding of how this applies to many of my students.\r\n\r\nThe comfort items and fidget toys given to the students addressed many of the daily hurdles they encounter when dealing with anxiety. By donating these resources, we played a part in making their anxiety levels lower and their environments calm enough that they could concentrate better in the last two weeks of school. Honestly, our project was probably way more beneficial than I can even conceive for the low-income and neurodivergent students we serve.","fullyFundedDate":1742954722903,"projectUrl":"project/end-of-year-gear-snacks-supplies-for/9164609/","projectTitle":"End-of-Year Gear: Snacks & Supplies for Creative Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Chavez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9566175_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y579&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721606941182","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9566175"},{"teacherId":9566175,"projectId":8975626,"letterContent":"Looking back over the past several months, one can discern quite clearly that this project had a major impact on a number of students in our school. With the use of effective organizational tools and the maintenance of appropriate conditions in the classroom, we effected a kind of metamorphosis that saw some students—in our judgment—transition to a state of heightened engagement and learnership. We think the supply room is now \"five times better,\" and not just because we now actually have supplies to use. We think the supply room is better because we see the gear that have been so thoughtfully procured by our donors. We see bins, blessed bins, that serve the crucial need of organization—organization crucial in any space, but maybe most important in a space inhabited by our students. We see drawer units that we think might be better than the drawers some of us have at home.\r\n\r\nFor students with ADHD and autism, the structured environments we devised were not just beneficial; they were necessary. Clear visual prompts and organized surroundings allowed them to manage their time, materials, and tasks more efficiently. This support helped diminish the frustration and anxiety that so easily befall these students when they try to learn in an environment that is not 100 percent conducive to learning. Even our most organized students, who are neurotypical, are not always at ease when they are learning in spaces that are too flexible, too chaotic, or too cluttered.\r\n\r\nIn addition, the studies we examined illuminated how much physical spaces affect mental health. Our attempts to create a serene and orderly classroom helped give the students a sense of structure that diminished stress and anxiety, especially for those who have a tough time with sensory overload or regulating their emotions. So this is something that we did not try this year, but I still think is a good practice to keep in mind in our future classrooms.\r\n\r\nThis project was a big success, and it showed that Rita Pierson had it right. \"Every child deserves a champion—an adult who will never give up on them,\" she said. Through our collective efforts, we became those champions. More importantly, we created an environment where our students could build self-confidence and achieve things academically.\r\n\r\nWe thank you again for your commitment to this significant initiative. The influence we have exerted together will reverberate in our students' lives for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1735842604136,"projectUrl":"project/new-year-all-clear-start-fresh-and-fin/8975626/","projectTitle":"New Year, All Clear: Start Fresh and Finish Strong!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Chavez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9566175_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y579&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721606941182","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9566175"},{"teacherId":9566175,"projectId":8957541,"letterContent":"I want to take a moment, as we end the spring semester, to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous support of our classroom project. Your contributions have significantly impacted my students' educational experiences, especially in our rural community, where resources are limited.\r\n\r\nThis semester, my students have explored the spellbinding realm of scientific reactions and their real-world applications, heightening their comprehension of chemistry and physics. But the road to scientific discovery is paved with more than just theories and equations. It's about providing the sort of environment and resources that allow students to learn and think. With your help, my students had access to the materials that they needed to properly explore these concepts.\r\n\r\nMany of my students put in hours of work on their projects outside normal classtimes, and the coffee station that you helped fund was a vital support for that work. The access to coffee, tea, and hot water for oatmeal and instant soup serves several purposes. First and foremost, it fueled our work sessions and gave us that ُI-can't-possibly-stop-now vibe. But it also offered us a comforting touch during the chilly months of early spring. And then there's the business of keeping our class snacks healthy and not-too-high-in-empty-calories. (It's hard to focus for two hours when your stomach is growling and all you've had is half a bagel and 4oz of orange juice)\r\n\r\nOur curriculum has many highlights. One of the best is the annual battery-powered DIY car contest. This project permits students to apply creative and hands-on academic science in a contest that sets them up for all the vital teamwork and critical thinking skills they need, not just for school but for life. Fostering that kind of environment is your gift to the students. I can't thank you enough for it. Your generosity with materials makes sure that every student, no matter what their background or learned style, can participate, and that ups the wattage on the kind of vitality we're becoming known for.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, our classroom is dedicated to forming a welcoming space for neurodivergent students. When we focus on project-based learning and inquiry-based investigations, we can adjust the kinds of tasks we give and the ways we assess our students to serve all of them better. Those two strategies also afford quite a bit of opportunity for differentiation, which makes it easier for us to meet diverse learning requirements.\r\n\r\nOnce again, I thank you for your support, which is genuinely valued and so helpful. Your generosity and support make it possible for me to work with students—many of whom struggle day-to-day just to exist—in an environment where they and their dreams are validated. I wish you a glorious summer! May it be filled with as much joy and success as my students are currently experiencing.","fullyFundedDate":1738256023729,"projectUrl":"project/springing-forward-with-science-fresh-fu/8957541/","projectTitle":"Springing Forward With Science: Fresh Fun for a New Semester","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Chavez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9566175_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y579&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721606941182","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9566175"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_82869","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":755,"numTeachers":39,"percentFrplEligible":79,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":19,"percentIndigenous":7,"percentLatinx":70,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"19.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_REMOTE"},"inStateSupporters":44.6,"schoolId":82869,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Taos High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Taos High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-mexico/taos-municipal-school-district/taos-high-school/82869"}