Past projects 8
Odds and Ends
Funded Mar 26, 2025I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your generous donation of classroom supplies. Your kindness and thoughtfulness are truly appreciated, and your contribution will have a lasting impact on our learning environment. Because of your support, our students will have the tools they need to engage more fully in their studies and grow in their academic journey.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ruggiero
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.Calm and Cozy
Funded Jun 26, 2024Thank you for your generosity. Our students have been loving the cozy spaces we have been able to provide through this project. Whether it is used for a quiet spot to take a break or an area to work in comfort, our students have been utilizing these areas daily. Having a comfortable space to work changes the whole outlook of the students and their willingness to complete tasks and provide their best work! We look forward to use this space throughout the school year to support the needs of our students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ruggiero
Project Brainstorm
Funded Jan 17, 2024Thank you so much for your support. Our table was out of stock but we were able to purchase new and much needed bouncy ball chairs. These updated chairs give us the choice to bounce, rock and spin!
We are all getting the sensory input we need to stay focused. We have been able to complete some of our best work while sitting on the super comfy chairs.
The chairs also provide a great space to take a break and decompress after working hard. The children are really enjoying using them and we have to force them to take turns!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ruggiero
Instant Modified Activities
Funded Sep 27, 2021Thank you for your generosity! The children are so excited to use the iPad to create tools to assist them in the classroom like personalized behavior charts, mood meters to help them understand their feelings and how to regulate them and individualized posters and queue cards for their desks to help them stay on task.
Having a color printer in our classroom has made a world of difference. The students are constantly asking to have their work copied to be displayed and shared. They are excited to watch their ideas come to life and have even begun to help each other create charts, task cards and checklists to print and use during work periods.
We are forever grateful that we have these tools on hand in the classroom. They have helped us create a space in which each child can access the tools they need when they need it.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ruggiero
Read to Succeed!
Funded Feb 17, 2021My students reading has skyrocketed! Were have been using the Fundations curriculum daily and my students are reading with fluency, writing using proper letter formation and better able to write proper sentences. The pandemic has caused us to be together less than we anticipated and I started seeing major gaps in many of my students. Being able to implement this curriculum has ensured my students will not fall behind and are well prepared for the first grade!
From the bottom of my heart thank you for helping me give my students the gift of reading”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ruggiero
Odd Squad: Odds and Ends
Funded Nov 22, 2019The items that made the most impact have been out IPad cases. The students now have the ability to access the iPads independently and are more in control of their learning. Students especially love working on our reading program Imagine Learning and can be seen reading at all times of the day! The covers made it possible to incorporate technology into our lessons daily as now we don't have to worry about screens breaking. iPad covers may not seem like a big deal- but out has made a huge impact in student learning and independence!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ruggiero
Fun for the Senses
Funded Aug 12, 2018Your donations have made such an impact in our second grade classroom! The students love the timers and use them to help them get started, complete a task in a certain amount of time and to challenge themselves. They also use them for mental breaks when things become to much.
The Mad Dragon game has also drawn lots of attention. We have several students who have difficulty with emotions and with a variety of social difficulties (not to mention a group of very strong willed second grade girls who are constantly in competition with one another!) Mad Dragon has provided opportunities for students to discuss, roll play and become aware of their anger and how to manage it appropriately. It's been an amazing thing to see students who struggle with anger control come running over and say "So and so made me angry but I used that mad Dragon strategy to avoid being angry."
The body sock has also become a class favorite. Some students think it is just fun to get inside and stretch when needed, but it is truly helpful for the students who have sensory needs. The body sock provides comfort, resistance and sensory input for students who are being overloaded with certain stimuli or those just not getting enough input. It supports students in just the right way to help them still their minds and go back to work more focused than before.
You have no idea the impact that your generosity has made on these students! I am seeing independence and a sense of self-regulation that has not been evident in the past. Students are tuning in to their own needs and independently getting materials as they need them to support their difficulties. Taking breaks and using these materials helps them to clear their mind and still their body so they can become more productive in the classroom.
From the bottom of all of our hearts, THANK YOU for giving us the opportunity to learn, grow and have fun!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ruggiero
Love for Literacy
Funded Aug 17, 2018Your donations have made such an impact in our second grade classroom! The students love the skills practice activities because they are a disguised way of learning. They get to play games while strengthening their skills! The colored bins help keep materials organized and are easy to identify and handle for those students that have sensory and focus difficulties.
The writing folders have been tremendously useful as well. They students can organize their writing, their papers, and have some independence in determining where they are in the writing process. They have gained so much confidence in what they are writing, that they now all want to share their stories and writing with one another. We now have a new problem as the students argue to come on stage and use the microphone to share what they have created with one another ! (See included photo) It's a good day in any classroom when the students feel pride and excitement over their accomplishments.
You have no idea the impact that your generosity has made on these students! I am seeing a love of writing blossom within each and every student- especially those that struggle and have shown little confidence in the past.
From the bottom of all of our hearts, THANK YOU for giving us the opportunity to learn, grow and have fun!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ruggiero
This classroom project was brought to life by News Corp and 2 other donors.