Rainier Junior Senior High School in Rainier, Oregon on DonorsChoose

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Each student used the new supplies to personalize their creation, applying measurement, cutting, assembly, and finishing techniques. It was incredible to see their pride when the finished birdhouses were displayed around campus. These projects not only taught them technical skills but also gave them a deep sense of accomplishment and ownership.\r\n\r\nCurrently, we're working on building small wooden stools. This project is more advanced, requiring careful attention to balance, weight distribution, and joining techniques. Thanks to the quality supplies you helped provide, students are learning real-world construction skills while developing patience and perseverance.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, our students are more engaged, confident, and better equipped for success—not just in shop class, but in life. 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More than that, they engage with themes of survival, displacement, and longing—universal experiences that resonate far beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains.\r\n\r\nIn my classroom, reading isn't a passive experience. We analyze language, pick apart the historical context, and make connections to our own lives. My students are learning to recognize literary devices, understand narrative structure, and unpack symbolism in a way that deepens both their comprehension and appreciation of the text. Many of them are also grappling with how dialect shapes character and how Inman's journey mirrors larger questions of war, identity, and belonging. This novel challenges them, but it also rewards their effort with rich storytelling and complex characters that keep them engaged.\r\n\r\nSome students, in particular, have really connected with the novel. One student, who has always been drawn to stories of perseverance, told me they couldn't put it down because they saw themselves in Inman's struggle to find his way home. Another, fascinated by language, has been diving into the Appalachian dialect, researching how it evolved and comparing it to their own family's way of speaking. These moments remind me why literature matters—it builds bridges between places and people, helping students see both the unfamiliar and the deeply familiar within its pages.","fullyFundedDate":1733269632661,"projectUrl":"project/cold-mountain-gem-of-appalachian-litera/8787910/","projectTitle":"Cold Mountain: Gem of Appalachian Literature","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9274038_orig.jpg?crop=1284,1284,x0,y141&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1694618762334","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9274038"},{"teacherId":9620674,"projectId":8815216,"letterContent":"Safety is my top priority when teaching hands on skills that are in high demand and through your partnership we have made my welding classes a safe and productive learning environment. When students are active in the learning environment there is a lot of things that get misused or broken so we always have a need for replacements, especially with PPE that each student must wear to participate. Thanks to your partnership it has eased the financial burden to my small rural district and has sparked a positive attitude amongst my students when they see the new items you helped provide and they realize people outside the \"system\" care about them.","fullyFundedDate":1732388646742,"projectUrl":"project/learning-to-weld/8815216/","projectTitle":"Learning to Weld","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Vanderford","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9620674_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724202544641","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9620674"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_87671","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":366,"numTeachers":23,"percentFrplEligible":65,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":78,"percentIndigenous":2,"percentLatinx":11,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"7 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"15.9:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":57.1,"schoolId":87671,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Rainier Junior Senior High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Rainier Junior Senior High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/oregon/rainier-school-district-13/rainier-junior-senior-high-school/87671"}

About this school

Rainier Junior Senior High School is a rural public school in Rainier, Oregon that is part of Rainier School District 13. It serves 366 students in grades 7 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 15.9:1. Its teachers have had 16 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Grades 7 - 12

366 Students

23 Teachers

28170 Old Rainier Rd

Rainier, OR 97048 View local requests

http://www.rainier.k12.or.us

Evidence-based impact

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

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

Rainier Junior Senior High School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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Rainier Junior Senior High School Demographics

65%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

14%

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.

Rainier Junior Senior High 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.