{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"River Park Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":24.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9492,"projectId":9039427,"letterContent":"Thank you for your support. I used the funds to buy presentation supplies for all classrooms in our school. Teachers and students worked to prepare demonstrations, posters, and a series of vocabulary activities for a science topic.\r\nThe students enjoyed preparing for the event by creating poster displays and practicing their demonstrations. The students were very excited to teach other students and their families. The first-grade table included live creatures, rocks, and soil samples. It was a huge hit. A second-grade station included tools from their weather station, and our English as a Second Language teacher shared her work with kindergartners on positional words. The fourth graders taught others about sound, the phases of the moon, Earth's rotation, and the butterfly life cycle.\r\nTwelve groups of students and teachers presented a science topic to others at the Science Showcase, which was part of our Spring Carnival. This was a valuable leadership opportunity. More than 100 students visited the showcase event! Some of our guests commented, \"This is so cool, I don't want to leave!\" and \"How can I be part of this next time?\" Both comments demonstrate interest in the event, which I hope to replicate and expand next year.","fullyFundedDate":1737076303975,"projectUrl":"project/science-showcase/9039427/","projectTitle":"Science Showcase","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. McCurdy","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp9492_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1479164925564","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mcteachnc"},{"teacherId":9492,"projectId":8937921,"letterContent":"Each winter, students endure many long assessments to help us measure their growth since August. The Illuminate Our Learning grant provided fun, engaging learning activities to balance academic rigor with experiential learning.\r\n\r\nThis year I expanded our study of the moon's phases and causes of day and night. These grant funds help me upgrade the flashlights for our grade level so 100+ students could explore in pairs for optimal engagement. They modeled Day & Night and learned how the moon's light is like a mirror reflecting light from the sun. They used flashlights and mirrors to shine a beam of light past the Earth, onto the moon, and reflect moonlight on the dark portion of Earth. During this activity students experienced productive struggle and were proud of themselves when they succeeded in this challenge. Experiential learning is such a powerful supplement to reading scientific texts. Many students commented, \"Oh, thats how it happens! I GET it now.\"\r\nThe opportunity to model what they have read is particularly impactful for students with learning differences, language barriers, low reading proficiency, and behavioral challenges.\r\n\r\nThe students were excited to paint glow-in-the-dark models of the moon's phases and illuminate them in our black light. 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River Park Elementary School

Join the 361 supporters who believe in this school.

About this school

River Park Elementary School is a town public school in Hillsborough, North Carolina that is part of Orange County School District. It serves 523 students in grades K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 12.5:1. Its teachers have had 65 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Public School

Grades K - 5

523 Students

42 Teachers

240 St Marys Rd

Hillsborough, NC 27278 View local requests

http://www.orangecountyfirst.com/cp/

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

River Park Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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River Park Elementary School Demographics

35%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

30%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

River Park Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

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.

River Park Elementary School

$35,765

raised using DonorsChoose

projects funded

teachers funded

361

donors

projects for basic supplies

projects for technology

projects for books

River Park Elementary School has received support from 273 individuals from North Carolina and 88 individuals out-of-state.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season! Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

River Park Elementary School

About this school

River Park Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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River Park Elementary School Demographics

River Park Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

River Park Elementary School

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.