Past projects 14
Sensational Sensory
Funded Dec 31, 2024My village has done it again! Thank you so much for your endless generosity. My students are so lucky to have the materials to explore and learn, but they are even luckier to see what good can come out of a supportive community. I am endlessly grateful. Happy new year!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community & an Anonymous Partner and 3 other donors.Healthy Hearts and Creative Minds: Nurturing the Early Years
Funded Aug 6, 2024With my whole heart I appreciate each and every one who made this project possible. Thank you for believing in the power of early childhood education and the power of the little minds that will be using the materials. I am able to provide my students with quality educational experiences because of generous donors like you! Thank you so much.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
Snack Attack
Funded Sep 20, 2023Since receiving our snacks from Donor's Choose, my students have had full bellys and smiles on their faces. We have been able to utilize these snacks during various times throughout the day. We have enjoyed these snacks at breakfast, lunch, snack time, and even for students who have edible reinforcers in their IEPs.
When my students first saw all of the snacks when they arrived, their eyes grew so large. They couldn't believe how many snacks we had in our classroom. My class consists of students 3 years to 5 years old, and about half of my class is on the Autism spectrum. There are many times they do not want the food that was provided for mealtime due to their age or food aversions. Having kid-friendly snacks available in my classroom means my students will never have to feel hungry though out the day.
Students who have full bellies are happier and ready to learn and explore in their classroom. I never want my students to have to worry about being hungry while they're at school. Thank you for your donations and helping me make that possible.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.Freshen Up The Fun!
Funded May 18, 2023It is difficult to put into words how much love those materials have received already. When the materials arrived, the children could not wait to open all of the boxes. My students have used a portion of the materials from this project daily since the day they have arrived. We are currently talking about families in the classroom, and the kids have loved taking out the little people house during centers time and pretend to be a family. During work rotations, the puzzles and Eric Carle magnets have been a great addition for an independent center.
I am so happy that my students have the opportunity to play with fresh, new, and exciting toys in our classroom. We have established such a loving classroom community and seeing the children laughing and having fun with each other has been wonderful to see. Thank you so much for making these happy times possible.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Foundation and 7 other donors.Sitting Sensory Style
Funded Nov 29, 2022My class and I would like to personally thank you for helping us achieve our project goal. Being able to have seating for my students that accommodate their needs has been a game changer. From the little desks to the sensory disks used to keep them relaxed during circle time, these items have transformed the way they feel about having to sit at whole group.
When the items arrived, the students were very excited to help me open the boxes. We carved out time at the end of our day so they could help me put the desks together. Giving them responsibilities and having them be a part of assembling the items made them feel proud of themselves and helped them see how important they are to the classroom community. They got to help me use the tools to put desks together and they were so excited. They also got to use their imaginations to pretend play with the boxes once all of the items were taken out.
We use these materials the most during circle time. This can be a difficult time for the students because it requires them to sit and participate in activities that are not always preferred. One thing I like to do is make little task boxes they can take with them to the desks. These task boxes help them stay in their seats and focus on the circle time activities. Whether they're tracing on the sequin disks or rolling playdoh between their hands, the items we have received from this project has made sitting a wonderful sensory experience.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 4 other donors.Radiant Reinforcers
Funded Aug 10, 2022The reinforcers you helped provide for my students have been nothing short of a big hit! We use our reinforcers constantly through out the day. From the time they come in off of the bus until the time they go home in the afternoon, they are working towards earning a reinforcer. Not only are they able to earn them after completing their work, they have also been a great de-escalation tool we have been able to use when the students are experiencing strong emotions. The toys have bright colors, fun movements, and engaging activities that go along with them. These features keep the students engaged and willing to work for them. I thank you again for your kindness and generosity.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 8 other donors.Fine Motor Fun!
Funded Apr 7, 2022I can not thank you enough for your generous donations that helped me bring fun and engaging fine motor activities to the hands of my students. Every morning after breakfast my students have 3 task boxes they have to complete before we head to circle time. A task box activity is supposed to be something they can do independently. Having the materials like the color-sorting peacocks or the wooden fruit lacing activities makes task box time fun for the children. The bright colors and sensory stimulating pieces keep the children focused on the activity and excited to complete. Seeing how proud they are when they complete their activities makes me even more thankful for donors like you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose community & an Anonymous Partner and 4 other donors.Learning Across the Spectrum
Funded Nov 15, 2021I would like to start by expressing my sincerest gratitude. From the day we received our materials, my students have been enjoying and utilizing them to the fullest. A lot of times my students become over-stimulated and need to decompress. Having the items like the box of fidget toys and the trampoline have been a huge help with that. They know that they can go right to the box or right to the trampoline and seek that sensory experience they need. Having those resources help them get their bodies ready to learn. Thanks to you, my kiddos have fun, engaging items to use when they learn. We are so thankful!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by Valhalla Foundation.Learning at a Distance
Funded May 10, 2020Words could not begin to describe how thankful I am for your generosity. Teaching remotely during a pandemic is a challenge I never imagined I would face. I was full of both anxiety and unanswered questions. I was unsure how I was going to be able to provide meaningful and engaging lessons to preschool children over a screen. Thankfully with your help I was able to acquire fun and interesting learning materials for my students.
When my student saw all of our new materials, they were eager for me to open the boxes and show them what was inside. They have especially loved the circle time center. I used to do circle time through an online program, but I have found the students enjoy this way of doing circle much more. They love the vibrant and tangible items we get to use to complete circle time. I also enjoy how the center includes all the important preschool skills such as letters, numbers, calendar, weather, colors, and phonologic awareness. These activities have helped my class tremendously with building their vocabulary and building their confidence at school. The magnetic letter builders have also been very helpful when teaching the letter of the week. I can emphasize whether we need a straight or curve line when forming a letter. The large letter cards the activity comes with is also helpful to remind the children how to form the letter.
I cannot wait until the day comes when it is safe to return to school. I cannot wait until my students can hold and manipulate our amazing materials. Until then I will continue to provide my students with engaging educational experiences with priceless learning materials.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 5 other donors.Learning Through a Screen- Staying Engaged While Distance Learning
Funded May 11, 2020Words could not begin to describe how thankful I am for your generosity. Teaching remotely during a pandemic is a challenge I never imagined I would face. I was full of both anxiety and unanswered questions. I was unsure how I was going to be able to provide meaningful and engaging lessons to preschool children over a screen. Thankfully with your help I was able to acquire fun and interesting learning materials for my students.
When my students saw all of our new materials, they were eager for me to open the boxes and show them what was inside. They have especially loved the alphabet tubs and the building language lotto games. These activities have helped my class tremendously with building their vocabulary and sorting into categories. The colorful 3D objects and vibrant cards keep the children engaged and participating. They also love when I take out the felt board with the puppets. They have a wonderful time retelling a story or finding the puppet we need to sing our song. The mix and match magnetic animal game is a big hit. Even though most of the students have to use this activity over the screen, they love telling me which animal body part to use net and using their imagination to create a silly animal.
I cannot wait until the day comes when it is safe to return to school. I cannot wait until my students can actually hold and manipulate our amazing materials. Until then I will continue to provide my students with engaging educational experiences with priceless learning materials.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. DeMarzio
This classroom project was brought to life by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and 2 other donors.