Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington on DonorsChoose

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They explored a variety of transfer methods, including Gelli plates, stencils, and silk screens, learning how pressure, layering, and negative space affect the final design. After printing, students cut out their desired shapes either freehand or by using cookie cutters or craft foam templates. They then used molds and forms to shape their slabs into finished objects such as coasters, ornaments, pendants, plates, bowls, trinket dishes, trivets, and more. One especially memorable moment was watching students compare their prints side by side and proudly point out how small changes in technique led to completely different results.\r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, students carefully refined their forms by cleaning edges and preparing their pieces for firing and glazing. A fellow teacher commented that the work looked really professional, which made them so proud. Students reflected on their design choices and documented their process, building both technical skill and artistic confidence.","fullyFundedDate":1741371387964,"projectUrl":"project/printing-on-clay/9143935/","projectTitle":"Printing on Clay","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Herold","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4960491_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1510873128727","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-herold"},{"teacherId":3625156,"projectId":9281757,"letterContent":"Please accept our profound thanks for your generous contribution to Ferris Manuafcturing, specifically for funding a presentation laptop for our engineering students.\r\n\r\nThis critical piece of technology will significantly enhance our students' ability to effectively communicate their complex ideas and projects in academic and professional settings. From capstone presentations to research symposiums, this laptop will be an invaluable resource, enabling high-quality, impactful delivery of their work.\r\n\r\nYour investment directly supports the professional development and success of our emerging engineers. We are truly grateful for your partnership in equipping them for future achievements.","fullyFundedDate":1747248943450,"projectUrl":"project/engineering-class-requires-a-good-comput/9281757/","projectTitle":"Engineering Class Requires a Good Computer","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Gillespie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3625156_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534253910311","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/trigman72"},{"teacherId":3625156,"projectId":9134054,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your truly impactful donation to Ferris Manufacturing! Your generosity has made it possible for us to acquire the robotic STEM kits, and we are incredibly excited about the learning opportunities they will provide.\r\n\r\nThese kits are more than just toys; they are powerful tools that will allow students to engage directly with the principles of engineering, coding, and design. Imagine the lightbulb moments when a student successfully programs their first robot, or the collaborative problem-solving as they work together to overcome a challenge. Your support directly creates these valuable experiences.\r\n\r\nWe believe these kits will inspire a new generation of problem-solvers and critical thinkers, and it's all thanks to your commitment to empowering young minds. We are so grateful for your partnership in making a real difference.","fullyFundedDate":1741109701619,"projectUrl":"project/engaging-students-in-stem-with-robotic-a/9134054/","projectTitle":"Engaging Students in STEM with Robotic Arms","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Gillespie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3625156_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534253910311","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/trigman72"},{"teacherId":8570460,"projectId":8974307,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support! Your donation of colorful whiteboard markers and Hot Wheels cars has brought excitement and hands-on learning into our physics classroom. The Hot Wheels have been an incredible tool for helping students explore concepts like velocity, acceleration, and energy transfer. One of our favorite projects so far has been designing ramps and measuring how different heights affect speed. Watching students collaborate, collect data, and refine their experiments has been amazing—these resources have truly made physics come to life!\r\n\r\nThe moment my students saw the Hot Wheels, their faces lit up with excitement. Some immediately started reminiscing about playing with them as kids, while others eagerly discussed how they could use them for experiments. It turned what could have been a routine physics lesson into something interactive and engaging. The colorful whiteboard markers have also been a game-changer, helping students visualize problems and work through equations in a way that makes learning more dynamic and collaborative.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we are diving deeper into concepts like kinetic energy and momentum. Students will be making predictions using physics equations and then testing their hypotheses with real experiments. The whiteboard markers will continue to help them sketch motion diagrams and work through complex problems together. Your generosity has transformed our classroom into a space where students can actively explore and apply what they're learning. Thank you again for making such a meaningful impact on our students' education!","fullyFundedDate":1739375701806,"projectUrl":"project/sparking-engagement-in-stem/8974307/","projectTitle":"Sparking Engagement in STEM","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lewis","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8570460"},{"teacherId":4960491,"projectId":2908566,"letterContent":"Thank you again for funding test prep through Albert. This has increased our school's ability to support AP students in preparing for a test that grants them college credit, and your donation was so appreciated. \r\nWe used Albert for weekly practice leading up to the spring test, and the students bettered their averages by 10 to 20%. Albert has some of the best prep materials around, and we would not have been able to afford this without your support.\r\nStudents did well on their tests that year, due to this generous gift.\r\nDonna","fullyFundedDate":1512447794806,"projectUrl":"project/ap-test-preparation-through-albert/2908566/","projectTitle":"AP Test Preparation through Albert","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Herold","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4960491_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1510873128727","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-herold"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_36612","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1660,"numTeachers":90,"percentFrplEligible":47,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":65,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":10,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"18.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":78.6,"schoolId":36612,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Ferris High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Ferris High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/washington/spokane-public-schools/joel-e-ferris-high-school/36612"}

About this school

Ferris High School is an urban public school in Spokane, Washington that is part of Spokane Public Schools. It serves 1,660 students in grades 9 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 18.4:1. Its teachers have had 10 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Public School

Title 1

Grades 9 - 12

1,660 Students

90 Teachers

3020 E 37th Ave

Spokane, WA 99223 View local requests

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

Ferris High School Teachers on DonorsChoose

Mr. Gillespie

Mrs. Herold

Ms. Lewis

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Ferris High School Demographics

47%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

17%

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.

Ferris High School 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.