2011 Berwyn Challenge

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Thank you so much for the wonderful materials that you and your generosity provided for my class. My students have had a wonderful time expanding their learning and getting to have fun with reading. On multiple occasions, I have had students ask to keep using the materials you provided for us. It is hard to keep them away! I love seeing them so excited about school and learning and it is all thanks to you! I really appreciate your help in funding my project and while I won't ever get to say it enough...thank you so much!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Richey

Thank you so much for the gift you have given us! We use the art supplies you have given us all the time. Between the 8th graders backdrop projects, show posters, and even set pieces, I think every marker, pair of scissors and bottle of glue has already been used at least once.

As I teach over 500 students every year, art supplies run out quickly. Our kids can't afford to bring in their own supplies either.

Your donation has made it possible for each student to have an opportunity to create a design element for his/her play without money become an obstacle. We really appreciate all you do.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Shariffskul

Your donation to my project has allowed my students a table to replace the desks. The table impacts several groups of students ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade. These students are now able to have more space to work cooperatively in reading groups. The students have more space to spread out materials that are necessary for the activities that we work on. The students have enjoyed having the space to use a computer and paper on the same work space. They are able to gather together in order to complete center activities and group projects. Students are also able to spread out and work independently.

My students are all struggling readers who face obstacles on a daily basis. We appreciate you helping to remove the obstacle of space.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Bless

Dear Donors,

This note is merely a small token of thanks for your generosity to my classroom. My students were excited and enthusiastic to read when the new books that you donated arrived. They are eager to start our new guided reading unit that incorporates books that you donated. The students have vocalized how good the books smell, how clean the pages are, and how exciting it is to have new books! These small aspects of a new book are ones that my students are ecstatic over.

The students have also stated that they hope one day they can donate books or supplies to classrooms like ours. I hope that your generosity has set an example that will live with them forever. Once again, thank you for your kindness and willingness to make a difference in the lives of so many children. ”

With gratitude,

Ms. Timpe

Thank you so much for your generous contributions to my classroom! My students were absolutely thrilled when we opened the packages, and, two months later, the students can not wait to use the puppets and building materials.

The puppets have been such a wonderful resource! We have used the puppets every week to talk about characters, setting, plot, beginning/middle/end, and other features of a story. Having a concrete object, like a puppet, to use when explaining these concepts has made a world of difference for them. For example, when learning about point-of-view, students used the puppets to re-tell the story from that character's point-of-view. It was not only a great learning experience for them, but it was so much fun for me to watch! They were having such a great time!

The Linking Logs, Magna Tiles, and other building sets have been so wonderful as well! At five and six years old, they are constantly learning to navigate social situations, share and cooperate, and work with peers. Using these new materials have led to great teachable moments where the students don't even realize they are learning- for them, it just feels like play! I often give pairs of students a picture or shape and have them work together to construct it. The conversation and turn-taking that occurs naturally with a project like that is amazing! The students have to listen to each other's ideas, wait their turn, explain their thinking, and more. The language and social skills that are built through what they think is just play is fantastic to watch! They have quickly come to realize that the best castles, houses, airplanes, etc. are built when they work together!

I can not thank you enough for your generosity! Please know that these resources are well-loved and much-used. Thank you!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Surma

Thank you all so much again for your generous contributions to my project. Prior to receiving the order of books, there were very few books in our classroom in Spanish. At the beginning of the year, the children could enjoy looking at the pictures, and because their reading skills were limited, having books in Spanish did not matter as much. Now that the children are becoming readers, however, they are benefiting greatly from having books in Spanish that they can actually read. On many occasions, I have seen a child (even struggling ones!) pick up one of the new books and independently read the words. They are thrilled to have interesting books in Spanish that they can read!

I also read the books aloud to the children. Prior to receiving the book shipment, nearly every book I read to them was from the library. Although our local library is a great resources, it is, of course, time consuming to have to check out every single book for a read aloud (and expensive, for lost books!). Now we have books for reading aloud AND the kids can later enjoy them in the classroom library and read them independently. What a blessing your donations have been to our classroom!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Ryan

I'd like to express my gratitude for your generous donation to my second grade classroom. When my students opened the package and pulled out a brand new digital camera, their eyes lit up. They immediately wanted to bring their book reviews to life! My students are avid readers, and they like to share their favorite books with their peers.

Bringing technology into the classrooms helps my students stay actively engaged, and thanks to you, my second graders are on their way to becoming fluent readers and proficient writers. They use the digital camera to videotape each other giving their review of a favorite book, with which they typed and memorized a script they created. Sharing these digital book reviews with one another has given my students such joy and confidence.

My students and I greatly appreciate the gift you have given us. Not only did you help us get a digital camera, but more importantly you have given my students a new attitude for learning. They are now more eager than ever and look forward to the successes they know they will get to experience.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Wagner

By donating math materials to our classroom, you allowed my students to approach math in a fun, understandable way. These activities provided three invaluable tools for my students: repeated practice with math concepts, motivation, and independence.

Many of my students have trouble maintaining focus. However, it takes lots of practice for my students to become comfortable with new math topics. These activities allow them to practice the same strategies without getting bored or frustrated. Keeping their interest allows me to fill in the motivation gaps during the day to maximize their learning time. They feel like they are playing games, but really they are just working on curricular concepts!

You have also helped my students feel more independent and confident in their math skills. Not only do the learning centers you donated provide fun practice, their instructions are simple and straight-forward. Rather than working as a class or in small groups with a teacher, my students are able to take a learning center back to their desk and work by themselves or with a partner. My students often need assistance with academic tasks, so being able to work on something fun without needing an adult is very empowering for them.

Again, thank you so much for improving our classroom and giving us fun ways to add to our knowledge of math. We would not be as excited about math if it were not for you!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Walte

I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to see that my project had been fully funded! Thanks to your thoughtful donations, I can't wait to tell my students about all the new books they will be getting! They are so excited when any new books join our collection, so I know they will be thrilled to see such a large box!

Literacy is such an important part of not only successful students' lives, but successful people's lives. Thank you for helping me push my students to become life-long readers and learners!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Hanley