{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Science & Math Institute","outOfStateSupporters":21.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9973155,"projectId":10244213,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous support of our project and for helping bring these graphic novels and adapted texts into our classroom. Because of your donations, our students now have access to engaging versions of important works, including Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You, 1984: The Graphic Novel, The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees, and Fahrenheit 451.\r\n\r\nWhen the books arrived, students were immediately drawn to the colorful illustrations and eager to explore the stories. For many of our students with IEPs, these graphic novel adaptations provide a more accessible pathway to complex grade-level content. The combination of visuals and text helps students better understand key themes, characters, and historical contexts while reducing some of the barriers that traditional texts can present.\r\n\r\nThese resources have allowed students to participate more confidently in class discussions, make deeper connections to the material, and engage with challenging topics alongside their peers. As a teacher, I have been able to provide multiple ways for students to access the curriculum while maintaining high expectations for learning.\r\n\r\nCommunity is a cornerstone of our school, and your generosity helps ensure that all students have meaningful access to the curriculum. Our goal is to spark excitement and a sense of connection with the books students are reading, and these resources are helping us do exactly that. Thank you for investing in our students and supporting a classroom where every learner has the opportunity to succeed.","fullyFundedDate":1779370974880,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-all-readers-through-accessibl/10244213/","projectTitle":"Empowering All Readers Through Accessible Texts","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Middleton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9973155_orig.jpg?crop=271,271,x332,y296&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1742572362556","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9973155"},{"teacherId":9973155,"projectId":10462865,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom project. When we handed out the pencil pouches, the students were instantly excited. There is nothing quite like receiving new school supplies that are truly their own.\r\n\r\nWe took time to sit down with each student, explore the contents of their pouch, and discuss how each item could help them be successful in school. Students learned that pencils are useful for math work, assignments that may need corrections, and even creating artwork. Pens can be used when they want their work to look polished and professional. Highlighters help with note taking, studying, and organizing important information. Post-it notes give students a place to jot down questions while reading, record reminders, or mark important ideas. Sensory stickers provide a reminder to take a brief moment to refocus. The pouch itself helps students keep their materials organized and accessible throughout the school day.\r\n\r\nOne of the most meaningful additions was a laminated copy of each student's IEP accommodations, sized to fit inside their pouch. Students can now carry this important information with them throughout the school day. We talked about the importance of self-advocacy and reminded students that every student has a voice. Having their accommodations readily available helps them recognize the supports they are entitled to and gives them greater confidence to communicate their needs.\r\n\r\nAs we continue teaching self-advocacy and organizational skills, students will use these supplies daily in their classes. Our next steps include helping students become more independent in requesting accommodations, organizing their materials, and using effective learning strategies. Thanks to your generosity, our students have practical tools that support both their academic growth and their confidence as learners.\r\n\r\nThank you again for making a difference in our school!","fullyFundedDate":1788181230558,"projectUrl":"project/small-supplies-big-impact-helping-stud/10462865/","projectTitle":"Small Supplies, Big Impact: Helping Students Get Started","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Middleton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9973155_orig.jpg?crop=271,271,x332,y296&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1742572362556","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9973155"},{"teacherId":9432889,"projectId":10215612,"letterContent":"I have been teaching There There for the last several weeks now, and I cannot express enough how overwhelmingly positive this experience has been. After reading just the Prologue, students shared their surprise and frustration that they had only ever been taught a shallow version of Indigenous history in the United States. This novel has helped them understand far more deeply the importance of learning and honoring Indigenous peoples and communities. Further, they have reaffirmed my love of teaching literature through their revelations and keen insights. \r\n\r\nThank you for your generous donation. This is a novel, and unit, that I plan to teach for many years.","fullyFundedDate":1778018545926,"projectUrl":"project/stories-that-matter-centering-indigenou/10215612/","projectTitle":"Stories That Matter: Centering Indigenous Voices in Literature","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lacombe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9432889"},{"teacherId":9182651,"projectId":10161915,"letterContent":"Thank you for the water bottles and supplies! Day 1 we did not have the water bottles and students noticed. We had to choose shorter routes that prioritized water fountains.\r\n\r\nBy the second day of the program we had the water bottles! Students were excited to pick a color and decorate them as their own. They worked to learn basic skills to put water bottle cages on their bike. Each day students would proudly fill their water prior to our rides.\r\n\r\nIn our Spring program students averaged over 80 miles of biking across the week. Thank you for making this possible.","fullyFundedDate":1778859049830,"projectUrl":"project/pedal-strong-water-bottles-for-student/10161915/","projectTitle":"Pedal Strong: Water Bottles for Student Cyclists","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Hashagen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9182651"},{"teacherId":9285176,"projectId":10113594,"letterContent":"Thank you again so much for your generous donations. The funds helped support classroom materials including pencils, erasers, and paper for our art projects. These materials are essential for every step of the process. In addition, we were also able to share materials with the Field Biology and Human Life Drawing classes. \r\n\r\nThe items not only served this year but are enough to support next year's mid-term and final pieces. \r\n\r\nThis semester the donations supported a total of 3 artistic projects including\r\n-A midterm where students combined two unique animals into one, research-based fantasy animal\r\n-A midterm that combined an limited resource with an endangered/at-risk animal\r\n-A final that emulates the artistic commission process for zoo staff\r\n\r\nWe look forward to using finished student work to craft thank-you cards, graphics for PDZA/SAMi zoo trainings (instead of stock photos and AI), and portfolio pieces for our aspiring artists. Your support has meant so much to us!","fullyFundedDate":1772045359614,"projectUrl":"project/fundamental-art-supplies-for-spring-seme/10113594/","projectTitle":"Fundamental Art Supplies for Spring Semester","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Maxx","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9285176_orig.jpg?crop=1028,1028,x0,y137&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1695342437249","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9285176"},{"teacherId":9144466,"projectId":10222412,"letterContent":"Our hygiene shelf has already been a go-to spot for students to get the things they need this year! It is so helpful to have this resource available to all students so that they can stay focused on learning when they're at school. \r\n\r\nMany students ask, \"Who buys these supplies?\" and when I tell them the shelf is funded by generous donors, they always ask me to pass on a thank you. Knowing that people in the community care for them and want them to be successful in school gives them confidence and a sense of community. \r\n\r\nThank you again for all you do to support our students' needs!","fullyFundedDate":1778017553595,"projectUrl":"project/high-school-hygiene-shelf/10222412/","projectTitle":"High School Hygiene Shelf","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jawer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9144466"},{"teacherId":9144466,"projectId":10122091,"letterContent":"One of the greatest moments as an English teacher is watching your students engage with not only the material, but with each other. Students have carried their conversations about their books beyond the walls of my classroom, talking with peers outside of their usual friend groups to discuss what they're reading. This shows true engagement with their books! \r\n\r\nA reluctant reader approached me the other day and told me jokingly that he was angry with me. I'd given him a book to read that pulled him in and made him want to keep reading (Pet by Akwaeke Emezi). His joking frustration confirmed that the books I was able to offer them through this donors choose project were exactly what my students needed to engage with my class.","fullyFundedDate":1772402348976,"projectUrl":"project/magical-realism-literature-circles/10122091/","projectTitle":"Magical Realism Literature Circles","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jawer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9144466"},{"teacherId":9973155,"projectId":9202512,"letterContent":"Graphic novels have been such a win in our full inclusion setting, and El Deafo has easily been the favorite. The mix of pictures and short text helps all students follow the story without feeling overwhelmed, and they naturally build skills like sequencing, understanding emotions, and making inferences just by paying attention to the panels. El Deafo really stood out because students connected with Cece's experiences, challenges, and humor. It sparked great conversations about fitting in, differences, and self-advocacy in a way that felt natural and meaningful for everyone.\r\n\r\nIn our classroom, reading graphic novels is relaxed, social, and student-driven. Students read independently or with a partner, often stopping to point out funny moments or talk about what the pictures are showing. El Deafo especially grabbed students who don't usually choose longer books. They stayed engaged. It's been really powerful to see students across abilities engage with the same text, feel successful, and genuinely enjoy reading together.","fullyFundedDate":1744290648342,"projectUrl":"project/graphic-novels-for-students-with-ieps/9202512/","projectTitle":"Graphic Novels for Students with IEPs","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Middleton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9973155_orig.jpg?crop=271,271,x332,y296&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1742572362556","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9973155"},{"teacherId":9285176,"projectId":9856237,"letterContent":"Thank you again for your generous donations to our art program. With your help, we were able to purchase the paper and paints necessary to complete multiple art projects, including a mock commission project and an animal empathy project.\r\nFor the commission project, students worked with clients from the zoo staff, completing art requests and tracking a hypothetical expenditure form. Here are some quotes from their experience:\r\n\r\n\"This project taught me that my time is worth more than I thought, and about the commissioning process.\" – Alyna W\r\n\"It is important to gather as much information as possible to understand the vision and ideas of the client.\" – Rainey T\r\n\"This project taught me that a commission is give and take. They are paying for your style but also for their vision, which means you should cater to their wishes as much as possible while still using your vision to give the piece life.\" – Emery\r\n\"This project taught me to turn a client's request into a piece of art and give the project more value. I also feel their requests helped me enhance my artwork.\" – Orion\r\n\"The commission process is something that I never thought about prior to this project. I learned about meeting client needs and how to make an accurate price for your artwork.\"\r\n\r\nFor the animal empathy project, students focused on animals with negative reputations (sharks, bats, wolves, etc.) and reimagined them in places of excellence. Examples included using positive colors, facts, or symbolism to celebrate the animal.\r\nWhen I originally posted the DonorsChoose project, it was funded in under 10 minutes. The commitment of our families filled me with gratitude. I promptly shared this excitement with students, who were shocked and thrilled to know how quickly our community came together to support our classroom.\r\n\r\nThe provided supplies will last us until the end of the year. I am so excited and grateful knowing how beloved the arts are in our community. The students at SAMi have such a unique and crucial experience collaborating with the Point Defiance Zoo and supporting their conservation efforts. Stay tuned for future projects and galleries!","fullyFundedDate":1761587037489,"projectUrl":"project/animal-inspired-student-created-art-fo/9856237/","projectTitle":"Animal Inspired, Student Created: Art for Conservation Education","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Maxx","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9285176_orig.jpg?crop=1028,1028,x0,y137&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1695342437249","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9285176"},{"teacherId":5213700,"projectId":9604347,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity in helping my students receive a class set of The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green. The book brought new energy to our classroom and gave students a fresh way to think about nonfiction. They learned how writers use voice, structure, and personal reflection to explore the world, and our reading time quickly became full of discussion, questions, and genuine curiosity. Many students shared that they had never realized nonfiction could feel so engaging.\r\n\r\nThe impact carried into their writing as they used the book as a model for their own reflective essays. They experimented with storytelling, made insightful connections, and worked with more confidence than I have seen in a long time. Your support did more than place books in their hands. It helped them grow as readers and writers, and we are truly grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1755663084961,"projectUrl":"project/lets-get-the-anthropocene-reviewed-in-s/9604347/","projectTitle":"Let's Get The Anthropocene Reviewed in Students' Hands!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Skaggs","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5213700"},{"teacherId":9182651,"projectId":9706144,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generosity. The resources have already been put to work. A couple days mentor groups have used the equipment to challenge another group to pickleball. This was a fun team building opportunity, while making use of the beautiful surroundings of Pt. Defiance.\r\n\r\nThe resources have also been used by a Wednesday afternoon A&A and there are plans for one of our PE classes to make use of them too. All around it has been a way to add some fun to our SAMI curriculum and remember a former staff member along the way.\r\n\r\nI appreciate the support and generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1758636694080,"projectUrl":"project/sami-pickleball-project/9706144/","projectTitle":"SAMI Pickleball Project","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Hashagen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9182651"},{"teacherId":9973155,"projectId":9195889,"letterContent":"The new graphic novels are great for teaching a mix of reading and thinking skills in a very accessible way. Students are learning how to follow a story using visual clues, understand sequence, and notice how pictures and text work together to show meaning. Lessons on symbolism are a huge hit. They practice making inferences based on facial expressions or actions in the illustrations, and they're building vocabulary through context rather than long blocks of text. Because the way graphic novels are, it feels less intimidating to read them. Students are able to focus more on comprehension, storytelling, and making connections instead of just \"getting through\" a \"long\" book of words.\r\n\r\nIn our classroom, reading graphic novels is interactive and fun. Students read independently, share panels they find interesting, and talk about what's happening in the story using both the text and the artwork. We often pause to discuss what a picture is showing or how it adds information beyond the words. Some students who were previously reluctant readers are especially loving these books. I love that they are actually finishing the books, rereading favorites, and excitedly discussing characters and plot twists. The graphic novels have helped boost confidence and enthusiasm, and students are truly seeing themselves as readers.","fullyFundedDate":1746644641620,"projectUrl":"project/books-for-access-to-full-inclusion/9195889/","projectTitle":"Books for Access to Full Inclusion","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Middleton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9973155_orig.jpg?crop=271,271,x332,y296&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1742572362556","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9973155"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_100789","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":607,"numTeachers":26,"percentFrplEligible":74,"percentAsian":7,"percentBlack":7,"percentWhite":53,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":14,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":14,"gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"23.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":79.0,"schoolId":100789,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Science & Math Institute on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Science & Math Institute","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/washington/tacoma-public-schools/science-math-institute/100789"}