{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Alexandria City High School - M Howard","outOfStateSupporters":38.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10244932,"projectId":10252410,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my young mathematicians as they prepared for their Virginia Geometry SOL! The resources from this project helped us make the final weeks before testing focused, encouraging, and a little more fun.\r\n\r\nThe Teachers Pay Teachers gift card allowed me to provide students with targeted review activities and practice materials as we revisited concepts from throughout the year. The pencils and other supplies meant students had what they needed without worrying about bringing everything themselves, while snacks and small prizes brought some extra energy and encouragement to our review sessions.\r\n\r\nOne of my favorite moments came on test day itself. I parked my cart outside the testing rooms with snacks for my students, and most stopped by to grab one or two to eat before the test or save for later. There were lots of smiles, high fives, last-minute words of encouragement, and treats as they headed in to show what they knew. After working together all year, it felt like a wonderful way to send them into the test feeling supported and knowing that someone was cheering them on.\r\n\r\nAnd their hard work paid off! More than 70% of my students passed their Geometry SOL. I was especially proud of students who had struggled with mathematics or doubted their abilities earlier in the year and finished with evidence of just how much they had learned and grown.\r\n\r\nAs we finished the year, I wanted my students to leave my classroom with more than a test score. I wanted them to recognize themselves as capable mathematicians who can persevere through something difficult and succeed. Thank you for helping me give them the resources, encouragement, and confidence to put their best work forward. Your support helped us end the year with a lot to celebrate!","fullyFundedDate":1778350484871,"projectUrl":"project/supporting-our-young-mathematicians/10252410/","projectTitle":"Supporting Our Young Mathematicians","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Schulz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10244932_orig.png?crop=664,664,x45,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757217504616","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10244932"},{"teacherId":10244932,"projectId":10201983,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping my students put their best foot forward as we prepared for our Virginia Geometry SOL exam! The snacks and prizes you provided became an important part of our final push toward the end of the year.\r\n\r\nStudents stayed after school for extra review sessions, where having a snack waiting for them made it a little easier to spend another hour working on mathematics after a long school day. During class, we used prizes in review games and activities, giving students another reason to participate, take risks, and keep practicing the skills they had developed throughout the year.\r\n\r\nAnd all of that hard work paid off! More than 70% of my students passed their Geometry SOL exam. I was incredibly proud of what they accomplished, especially knowing how many of them had begun the year unsure of themselves as mathematics students. Our school also saw tremendous growth overall, with the publicly reported Geometry pass rate rising from 37% the previous year to 61% this year.\r\n\r\nSome of my favorite moments weren't about test scores at all, though. They were watching students get excited when they solved a difficult problem, help a classmate understand something they had once struggled with themselves, or realize that maybe they really could be a \"math person\" after all.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping us finish the year strong. Your support gave my students a little extra fuel, encouragement, and fun when they needed it most—and helped us celebrate just how much they had grown.","fullyFundedDate":1777982681577,"projectUrl":"project/best-foot-forward/10201983/","projectTitle":"Best Foot Forward","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Schulz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10244932_orig.png?crop=664,664,x45,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757217504616","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10244932"},{"teacherId":7180677,"projectId":10167371,"letterContent":"Your support for \"The Language of Life\" has transformed our interdisciplinary collaboration with the science department into an immersive, hands-on reality. By bringing biotech tools like PCR and gel electrophoresis directly to our students, we turned our classroom into a forensic laboratory where equations came alive. Instead of solving abstract variables on a worksheet, students acted as real-world analysts, applying systems of equations, rates of change, and mathematical ratios to measure how variables like molecular weight, temperature, and time create predictable biological patterns. Seeing algebraic logic directly applied to DNA analysis shifted their perspective, proving that mathematics is the foundational engine behind modern scientific discovery.\r\n\r\nThe impact on our English Language Learners has been especially powerful. The tactile, interactive nature of this \"Lab in a Box\" provided essential visual scaffolds that transcended language barriers, allowing ELL students to master complex scientific vocabulary and mathematical probability through direct experience rather than relying solely on translated text. As they mapped geometric patterns in gel profiles and calculated genetic matches, they simultaneously built their academic English fluency and quantitative literacy. Your generosity provided the exact tools needed to create an equitable, high-energy environment where every student, regardless of language background, could thrive as a data-driven scientist.","fullyFundedDate":1774317911852,"projectUrl":"project/the-language-of-life-mapping-biological/10167371/","projectTitle":"The Language of Life: Mapping Biological Systems Through Algebraic Logic","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E. Jones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7180677_orig.png?crop=549,549,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588728630723","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/essie-jones"},{"teacherId":10488194,"projectId":10238490,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contribution to our classroom. Your belief in my students has brought a renewed sense of confidence and excitement to our room. Because of your support, we received the AP Computer Science textbooks, the mobile laptop desk, and the wireless presenter remote, and the relief on my students' faces when we unpacked them was truly priceless.\r\n\r\nThese resources have perfectly bridged the gap between our hands-on, project-based learning and the rigorous demands of the AP exam. The new textbooks have given them the structured review they were craving, completely transforming their previous exam anxiety into focused preparation. They no longer feel like they have to choose between building meaningful applications for our community and mastering the specific details needed to succeed on test day.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the mobile desk and clicker have elevated our project showcases to a professional level. When my students stand up to present the apps they've built to solve local problems, they now have the tools to share their work with pride and authority. You haven't just funded classroom supplies; you've invested in the next generation of confident problem-solvers and computer scientists. Thank you for making a lasting impact on their education and their futures.","fullyFundedDate":1778248618285,"projectUrl":"project/computer-science-principles-the-complet/10238490/","projectTitle":"Computer Science Principles: the Complete Student","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Johnson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10488194"},{"teacherId":8951445,"projectId":10075703,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our students were able to select free books and reading resources to take home and enjoy throughout the summer. This project helped us send students into summer not simply with a suggested reading list, but with books they personally chose, were excited to read, and could keep as part of their own home libraries. The new books introduced and reinforced important literacy skills. Most importantly, students were encouraged to see reading as something they could choose to do for enjoyment—not simply an assignment connected to a class or a grade. \r\n\r\nIt was especially rewarding to see students who do not always identify themselves as readers become excited when they discovered a book that reflected their interests and created bookmarks, keychains, and other resources for their mental well being during summertime. Some students were drawn immediately to graphic novels and manga, while others searched for stories with characters and experiences they could relate to. Students enjoyed browsing the books, talking with friends about their selections, and realizing that the books were theirs to keep. \r\n\r\nYour support helped us put books directly into students' hands and allowed them to enter summer with something of their own to read, enjoy, share, and revisit. It was a joy!","fullyFundedDate":1773850820223,"projectUrl":"project/summer-reads/10075703/","projectTitle":"Summer Reads","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8951445_orig.jpg?crop=1707,1707,x485,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1676218715689","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/rebellious"},{"teacherId":10244932,"projectId":9979094,"letterContent":"This project was an incredible success! My students spent a week designing and building bridges that demonstrated what they had learned about triangles while giving them tremendous freedom to be creative. Because the goal wasn't simply to build the strongest bridge, students had to intentionally incorporate different types of triangles into their designs. The result was more than 30 completely unique bridges decorated with colorful sticks, feathers, rhinestones, and plenty of personality!\r\n\r\nThe level of student engagement exceeded anything I expected. One student who had been skeptical about many of our activities all year repeatedly told me, \"This is the best project ever!\" Several teams even asked if they could stay after school to continue working on their bridges—despite having an entire week of class time to complete them. One of those students later told me, \"Staying after school to work on my bridge with my friends is my best memory from this year.\" As a teacher, it is hard to ask for better feedback than that.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, students were doing mathematics throughout the creative process. They had to identify, incorporate, and explain the geometric features in their designs, turning concepts we had studied on paper into something they could build with their own hands. Students who express themselves in very different ways all found opportunities to contribute, whether through mathematics, construction, problem-solving, or artistic design.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving my students the materials to create something they were genuinely proud of. The bridges may have been made from popsicle sticks and hot glue, but the creativity, collaboration, and memories my students built with them will last much longer!","fullyFundedDate":1772895001414,"projectUrl":"project/building-bridges-to-mastery/9979094/","projectTitle":"Building Bridges to Mastery","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Schulz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10244932_orig.png?crop=664,664,x45,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757217504616","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10244932"},{"teacherId":10244932,"projectId":9884447,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for making this project possible! The snacks you provided became a regular part of our classroom community throughout the year. Students knew that if they stayed after school for extra help, to finish an assignment, or simply to work alongside their classmates, there would be something to eat after a long school day. What began as a small after-school tutoring group grew to include up to 20 students, and I loved seeing students choose to spend that extra time working on their mathematics together.\r\n\r\nSome of my favorite moments were also the quiet ones. Students would occasionally ask if they could take another snack for later or bring one home to a sibling. Because of your generosity, I was able to simply say yes.\r\n\r\nYour support also provided me with new instructional resources through Teachers Pay Teachers that I used throughout the year to make our geometry lessons more engaging, accessible, and responsive to different learners. These resources gave students more opportunities to practice, collaborate, and interact with mathematics in ways that went beyond our standard curriculum.\r\n\r\nThis project helped me create the kind of math classroom I want for my students: a place where they can ask for help, work together, feel cared for, and keep trying when the math gets difficult. Thank you for helping me support the mathematician in every one of them!","fullyFundedDate":1765153186401,"projectUrl":"project/motivating-the-mathematician-in-everyone/9884447/","projectTitle":"Motivating the Mathematician in Everyone","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Schulz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10244932_orig.png?crop=664,664,x45,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757217504616","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10244932"},{"teacherId":7180677,"projectId":9911145,"letterContent":"RCA Experience: Investing in Joyful Student Achievement\r\n\r\nFrom the moment I arrived at the grand, dragon-gated doors of the Ron Clark Academy, I knew this experience would be transformative. I was warmly welcomed into an electric environment filled with cheering staff, singing and dancing students, and incredible hospitality before heading into an inspiring opening session led by Ron Clark himself. Over two days of high-octane professional development, I observed master educators demonstrating what true, full-capacity engagement looks like in the classroom. I sat in on live lessons where teachers used chin-mounted microphone systems, strategic voice inflections, tactile hand gestures, and energetic music cues to transform content into an immersive experience. Students were continuously on their feet, using creative memory techniques to break down complex formulas and problem-solving procedures, all fueled by relentless positive reinforcement and a joyful classroom atmosphere.","fullyFundedDate":1776122358581,"projectUrl":"project/rca-experience-investing-in-joyful-stud/9911145/","projectTitle":"RCA Experience: Investing in Joyful Student Achievement","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E. Jones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7180677_orig.png?crop=549,549,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588728630723","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/essie-jones"},{"teacherId":7180677,"projectId":10200764,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in funding \"Operation Heartfelt Home: Hygiene & Hope for Our Heroes.\" When the boxes arrived and my students first saw the supplies, the classroom erupted with pure excitement! They didn't hesitate for a second—everyone jumped right in to set up an assembly line. They meticulously opened, organized, and packed the deodorant, soap, dental care, and snacks into the care packages. It was an amazing moment watching them transform into active community leaders, working together with so much pride and focus to ensure our service members felt valued.\r\n\r\nThe troops were so surprised when they received their care packages. One soldier stated she was so relieved to see the toothpaste as she had forgotten to pack any. Another soldier was happy to see those vacuum packing bags. Your support truly brought a piece of home to our heroes and taught my students that no distance is too great for a kind heart.","fullyFundedDate":1777392195224,"projectUrl":"project/operation-heartfelt-home-hygiene-hope/10200764/","projectTitle":"Operation Heartfelt Home: Hygiene & Hope for Our Heroes","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E. Jones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7180677_orig.png?crop=549,549,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588728630723","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/essie-jones"},{"teacherId":7180677,"projectId":10185455,"letterContent":"Thank you for making \"Calculating Success: A Grand Math Finale\" a reality. Your generosity allowed us to culminate a year of rigorous standards and collaborative \"Systems Projects\" with a spectacular, formal outdoor banquet hosted in the great outdoors at Great Falls National Park. By pivoting our celebration into nature, we were able to use the formal table settings, buffet sets, and materials you funded to create a dignified, catered-style reception against an inspiring natural backdrop. For our diverse scholars—including many ambitious English Language Learners—seeing their hard work honored with personalized picture frames and formal certificates in front of their peers built an unforgettable sense of pride and belonging that completely transcended language barriers.\r\n\r\nThis unique \"point of intersection\" where academic milestones met heartfelt recognition had a profound impact on our students' community and confidence. Celebrating their achievements in such a majestic, high-level setting sent a clear message to our math stars that their perseverance is valued and worth celebrating. The presentation resources and banquet materials you provided didn't just honor their hard work this year; they have established a lasting tradition of excellence and hospitality that our department will carry forward to inspire future classes. Thank you for giving our students a celebration of success they will cherish for a lifetime.","fullyFundedDate":1778126198356,"projectUrl":"project/calculating-success-a-grand-math-finale/10185455/","projectTitle":"Calculating Success: A Grand Math Finale","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E. Jones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7180677_orig.png?crop=549,549,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588728630723","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/essie-jones"},{"teacherId":7180677,"projectId":10137165,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting the \"Chemistry of Independence: Inking Our Past and Preserving Our Future\" project. By merging mathematics and science in a collaborative Project-Based Learning (PBL) initiative, your generosity allowed us to bring a uniquely rich, cross-curricular experience to our students. Tied to our Ecology unit on water resources, students engaged in a legislative caucus model where they used modern 21st-century ecological knowledge to draft sustainable water policy proposals for our founding fathers. A highlight of the project was the hands-on research into producing authentic oak gall ink—the very ink used to sign the Declaration of Independence—providing a profound tangible link to our nation's 250th anniversary celebration.\r\n\r\nYour investment directly enhanced our students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they navigated authentic academic hurdles. They had to think deeply to resolve the time-intensive filtration process required to make the ink, while simultaneously wrestling with the cognitive challenge of adapting advanced 21st-century environmental science into realistic 18th-century policy. Your support gave our scholars the invaluable opportunity to see how data, science, and history intersect to shape the laws of society. Thank you for providing the resources that allowed our students to become active scientific researchers and historical policy makers.","fullyFundedDate":1773779799639,"projectUrl":"project/chemistry-of-independence-inking-our-pa/10137165/","projectTitle":"Chemistry of Independence: Inking Our Past and Preserving Our Future","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E. Jones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7180677_orig.png?crop=549,549,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588728630723","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/essie-jones"},{"teacherId":7180677,"projectId":10141344,"letterContent":"To our incredible donors, thank you for investing in \"A PLC Push for College Readiness.\" Your generosity allowed our three-teacher Professional Learning Community to implement high-quality digital assessment preparation tools and introduce a highly motivating PBIS incentive system across our classrooms. Navigating test prep and college readiness can be incredibly daunting for students at a massive urban high school, but the resources you funded completely transformed their experience. These aligned digital platforms allowed our team to streamline our curriculum, track student progress collectively, and deliver consistent, rigorous preparation that met each scholar exactly where they were.\r\n\r\nThe impact of your support is beautifully reflected in our spectacular end-of-year data. Thanks to having these specialized data-driven preparation tools, 100% of the Algebra 2 students who were present for the full school year successfully passed their math SOL exam! Your investment did so much more than buy classroom resources and motivational snacks; it broke down systemic barriers, built unwavering mathematical fluency, and provided our scholars with the tangible confidence they needed to master high-stakes testing. Thank you for fueling our community-wide celebration of achievement and directly launching our students toward higher education.","fullyFundedDate":1773334189977,"projectUrl":"project/a-plc-push-for-college-readiness/10141344/","projectTitle":"A PLC Push for College Readiness","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. E. Jones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7180677_orig.png?crop=549,549,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588728630723","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/essie-jones"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_60037","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":900,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":72,"percentAsian":6,"percentBlack":22,"percentWhite":26,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":37,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":4,"gradesServed":"9 - 9","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR District Record","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":null},"inStateSupporters":61.8,"schoolId":60037,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Alexandria City High School - M Howard on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Alexandria City High School - M Howard","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/virginia/alexandria-city-public-school-district/minnie-howard-school/60037"}