Past projects 8
Wellness Tools for Our Title I School
Funded May 9, 2025I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for your generous support of my DonorsChoose project. As the school librarian serving all 340 students in our K–6 school, I am beyond grateful for your investment in our learning community.
Your donations will directly fund resources that support vital social-emotional learning (SEL) and yoga lessons—tools that help students calm their nerves, self-regulate, and create the mental space they need to grow as readers. These lessons will be integrated into our library curriculum and woven into our reading experiences, giving students a safe and supportive environment where they can thrive both emotionally and academically.
For many of our students, the library is not just a place for books—it’s a refuge, a space for connection, and a launchpad for lifelong learning. Thanks to your generosity, I will be able to guide them through SEL stories and activities that build empathy, resilience, and confidence—skills that go hand-in-hand with strong reading development.
Your kindness is already rippling outward, and I can’t wait to share the difference you’re making. Thank you for believing in our students and in the power of reading to change lives. I won't let you down.”
With gratitude,
Ms. DePriest
This classroom project was brought to life by The Peterson Family and 4 other donors.And They Read Happily Ever After
Funded Oct 18, 2022On behalf of my students, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your incredible support through DonorsChoose. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to add a beautiful selection of books to our classroom, and the impact has been nothing short of amazing!
The excitement and joy on the kids' faces as they explored the new books was priceless. They've been so eager to dive into reading, and it's clear that these books are sparking their imaginations and curiosity in ways we couldn't have hoped for. From discovering new characters to discussing the stories, the books have already created meaningful moments of connection and learning.
Your contribution is making a real difference in their lives, and we couldn't be more grateful for your kindness. Thank you for investing in our future through the power of books!
With heartfelt thanks,”
With gratitude,
Ms. DePriest
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.Books to Read for Pleasure and Delight
Funded Oct 26, 2022I am embarrassed it took me so long to write this to you. Our students were really awed by the books you sent! Getting new books is rare, and to get so many high interest books is a dream.
Getting partially funded by the Education Foundation of Sarasota is such an honor! They thought this project was worthy and I appreciate that so much.
Our students are reluctant readers and with higher interest and more popular books, the rate of finishing a book increases dramatically. Thank you for being part of this project and for your lasting impact.”
With gratitude,
Ms. DePriest
This classroom project was brought to life by Education Foundation of Sarasota County and 7 other donors.Irresistible Books for Middle Schoolers!
Funded Oct 21, 2021I can't describe the impact this variety of new books has had in my old library! Our middle schoolers are amazed at the bright covers, crisp spines, and interesting synopses on the backs of the books!
My readers came and dug right in, checking out the new books and making lists of which ones they'd read next, in which order. Some began asking when I'd order the next in the series of whatever they'd begun!
Many were awed when I explained that these books were not purchased by me, but donated to us by people we'd never met, who wanted them to have the opportunity to be enchanted by the magic of books. You are laying groundwork you cannot begin to imagine, my friends. Thank you. My cup runneth over.”
With gratitude,
Ms. DePriest
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and one other donor.An Amazing Stash of Books in Spanish
Funded Nov 24, 2021My students loved the books in their native language- Spanish! Many had not seen new books in a library in their tongue, and they were tickled to go through the books, read the synopses, and pick one to curl up with.
The Percy Jackson ones were nabbed immediately, and soon they were asking me to get the next few books in that series! This is the best reward- seeing that we are contributing to creating life-long readers.
My students are supported in their English classes, and learn how to pick out main ideas, theme, and nuance in their books. The English teachers at Lincoln appreciate the books, as well!”
With gratitude,
Ms. DePriest
Help Me Beat the Street With at-Risk 8th Graders
Funded Nov 18, 2021We are enjoying using We Beat the Streets in the classroom! The original project was created to start a boys' book club, but our teacher decided to teach it as a unit in class so it could reach more students! The girls are loving it, too, and all are impressed by how the authors communicate a similar upbringing to their own.
Students read aloud and then stop and discuss the page. They break down vocabulary, and have discussed emotions, tenacity, and how to fight the desire to quit. I am so impressed by this unit and the book.
Students K, T, W, and S have especially beelined for the library to share with me their thoughts on this book, and that they did not know people who had dreams like becoming a doctor. You've opened their eyes. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. DePriest
Color Our World
Funded Nov 4, 2021It is so exciting to be able to tell you how the color printer has expanded what I can do in the library for my students! It may seem such a small thing to some, but for us, it's huge. This morning, a student needed photos of his Ag project printed- I was able to do that for him immediately, and his face lit up to see a printed photo of himself with his cow poster.
Students don't always see the books I bring in for them- even though I try to display them creatively and in an eye-catching way. Not all students come into the library on a weekly or even monthly basis. So I printed (in color!) the covers of books and created a bulletin board with the covers and a synopsis of each book, so students see it as they pass by and are able to come in and check out the books they want!
I am also able to print rules posters for teachers, small encouraging posters to hang in restrooms, and flyers for our open house. This has been a game-changer in terms of how I see my ability to influence design and warmth in our school. As we work to change and create a positive school culture, these small steps cannot be underestimated. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. DePriest
Stocking Abandoned Library
Funded Jul 27, 2021I was amazed to have this project funded, and I am excited to share with you the impact these books have had on my students. I also love that we were able to order the books from an independent bookseller.
I am new to this middle school, and they have not had a librarian for over 5 years. I had not yet met the students when I put in my Donors Choose project, but I had seen the Media Center and knew our books were low in numbers, old, damaged, and not inviting (I loved Paula Danziger and Judy Blume growing up in the '80s, but these children needed more recent iterations of these wonderful authors).
The books you sent have brightly colored covers, contain characters that look, talk, and live like my students, and are varied in reading ability so that each student- lowest lexile to highest- has an option of a "new book" to read. This has whet my appetite for adding more new books to our system, including Sunshine State Readers and more Newbery and Hugo and Nebula and other award-winners. The graphic novels are especially a way to lure reluctant readers in- see TOON books by Françoise Mouly- and I am dreaming up ways to incorporate more of these into our collection. Thank you, thank you ,thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. DePriest