Past projects 17
Inside Outside STEPS Garden
Funded May 22, 2024The 2024-25 School Year is off to a great start, thanks in part to your kind and generous donations. My adult learners have STEPped into the school year ready to grow and learn. In case you are not aware, STEPS is a M-DCPS initiative for special needs students who have graduated and elect to remain in school until they are 22.
My day is spent working on Life Skills, Vocational and Career Skills, and Independent Functioning Skills. The items I request from Donors Choose help me guide my adult learners to the level of independence they are able to achieve.
"Inside Outside STEPS Garden" is a project to teach my students about growing their own food and taking pride in watching it grow. Once the vegetables are ready, we will then teach them to cook a healthy and nutritious meal. Many of our students have never seen, let alone eaten, home grown vegetables.
I cannot express how thankful and appreciative I am of your donations and compassion for my adult learners.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by Newman's Own Foundation and one other donor.What's In Your Pantry?
Funded Aug 17, 2024The 2024-25 School Year just began and my project was fully funded!!! Thank you for helping my students STEP up to the new year!! They will make you proud!!
Older Special Needs students are often forgotten, but not with my donors!! I consider my students the hidden gems of our school system, and you continue to help them shine!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 6 other donors.Getting Ready for the 2023-24 School Year
Funded Aug 3, 2023What an amazing school year it has been thus far. We officially Dedicated our James L Medina Copy & Print Enterprise with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on October 13th. Our business is up and running and fully functional thanks to our many supporters. This gives my adult learners an opportunity to add additional skills to their resumes. Not only that, it allows them an opportunity to be of service to others, by making copies for the teachers in the Exceptional Student Education Department at our school.
Throughout my career I have been blessed by having Donors Choose Donors support my classroom with the materials and supplies I need to give my students the very best opportunity for success!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 8 other donors.James L. Medina Copy and Print Enterprise
Funded May 11, 2023What an amazing few weeks it has been!! After a year of planning, training, and sweat (and some tears) we had the Ribbon Cutting and Dedication of the James L Medina Copy & Print Enterprise on Friday October 13th. Mr. Medina's family and former colleagues were present for the Ribbon Cutting and were taken on a tour of the business. We are in James Medina's former office which has been transformed into a beautiful and professional business room, thanks to generous donors as well as the school administration.
The students are learning not only to make copies and print, but to laminate, shred, answer the phone, and monitor the email account to make sure copies are made expeditiously for teachers. The experiences they will gain will ultimately make them more employable and offer a new skill set to add to their resume.
None of this would be possible without the generosity of our Donors Choose Donors. The impact of your donation will be felt long term at our school. On behalf of my students, my colleagues, Mr. Medina's family, and myself... THANK YOU!!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and 6 other donors.Stepping into the Future
Funded Aug 10, 2022Thank you for your kind and generous donation to my classroom project. We have been very busy organizing the classroom and utilizing the materials we received. My students are learning critical vocational and career skills in the classroom setting. The goal of my program is to have the students who are employable employed prior to their exit from M-DCPS.
With that being said, I feel each student should have materials and supplies that are theirs alone to use. The students are responsible for organizing and cleaning their headphones, mouse, mousepad, and laptop after each use and placing them in the correct bin. All materials are organized by color and each student chose "their" color. This creates a sense of ownership and pride which are vital life skills for them to have.
My students are appreciative of donations they receive. I am fortunate to have students who value the generosity and kindness of others and I have seen them "Paying it Forward" with kindness and compassion for their classmates. You have made it possible for me to teach them through example that it is great to receive, but even greater to give.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 8 other donors.A STEP in the Right Direction
Funded Feb 14, 2022I am humbled and honored that due to your kind and generous donation my project "A STEP in the Right Direction" was fully funded. The materials arrived quickly, however I did not begin using them until this school year. The make-up of my class changed drastically, but in a good way.
For the first time in many years we have enough students to have two groups. The AM group is my students who for the most part are non-verbal and learn through practice, repetition, and the use of manipulatives. The coloring books are for this group. We have a Safety/Community Sign of the Week and the culminating activity is to complete the corresponding sign in their coloring book. So far, this has proved to be quite successful.
My afternoon group is my students who spend the first half of the school day in a program called Project Victory where they participate in Job Training at a local grocery store. Upon their return, we work on driver's education as many hope to get their licenses. In addition, they complete all their assignments on a Districtwide online platform and submit it to me electronically. I am fostering independence as well as providing them with opportunities to use technology in a non-threatening manner. I am pleased at the manner at which they have embraced technology.
Once again, I offer my gratitude and appreciation to you for your continued and generous support of my STEPS students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
STEP into Our Kitchen(ette)
Funded Aug 12, 2021Words seem inadequate to express my sincere appreciation for your donation to my Donors Choose Project. Returning back to school this fall with all of my students was wonderful. It was definitely needed and welcomed!
We moved into a new classroom this year which is more conducive to cooking and teaching life skills to my students as they prepare for their transition to Post School Adult Living. We have a sink in the classroom, which is equivalent to hitting the lottery!! Each week we either cook or prepare a snack to teach a variety of skills on levels that meet my students needs. Having the supplies needed to prepare meals has been truly appreciated. We have a "Pantry" in our room and the students have learned how to stock and organize the pantry with utensils, supplies, and food. Each time we cook a different pair is on kitchen duty. They wash the dishes and utensils and put them away in the correct place. This is teaching them a life skill that can be transferred to their homes.
Thank you again for your donation and continued support of my STEPS program. You are indeed, making a difference in the lives of students who make a difference in my life everyday!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective and 3 other donors.STEP Right Up... to the Air Fryer
Funded Aug 2, 2021Words seem inadequate to express my sincere appreciation for your donation to my Donors Choose Project. Returning back to school this fall with all of my students was wonderful. It was definitely needed and welcomed!
We moved into a new classroom this year which is more conducive to cooking and teaching life skills to my students as they prepare for their transition to Post School Adult Living. We have a sink in the classroom, which is equivalent to hitting the lottery!! Each week we either cook or prepare a snack to teach a variety of skills on levels that meet my students needs. We made pizza bagels in the air fryer and have heated up leftovers to make them crispy. Both are skills that enable my students to feel a little more independent.
Having an Air fryer in the classroom has made our classroom feel a little more like home. Thank you again for your donation and continued support of my STEPS program. You are indeed, making a difference in the lives of students who make a difference in my life everyday!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective and 3 other donors.Next STEP... Using the Microwave
Funded Jul 31, 2021Words seem inadequate to express my sincere appreciation for your donation to my Donors Choose Project. Returning back to school this fall with all of my students was wonderful. It was definitely needed and welcomed!
We moved into a new classroom this year which is more conducive to cooking and teaching life skills to my students as they prepare for their transition to Post School Adult Living. We have a sink in the classroom, which is equivalent to hitting the lottery!! Each week we either cook or prepare a snack to teach a variety of skills on levels that meet my students needs. So far we have made subs, spaghetti and meatballs, black bean tacos, hot chocolate, and pizza bagels to name a few.
Having a "modern" in the classroom has made our classroom feel a little more like home. Our former microwave was from 1999... as old as some of my students!! Thank you again for your donation and continued support of my STEPS program. You are indeed, making a difference in the lives of students who make a difference in my life everyday!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective and 2 other donors.Making the STEPS to Independence Cooler
Funded Jul 30, 2021Words seem inadequate to express my sincere appreciation for your donation to my Donors Choose Project. Returning back to school this fall with all of my students was wonderful. It was definitely needed and welcomed!
We moved into a new classroom this year which is more conducive to cooking and teaching life skills to my students as they prepare for their transition to Post School Adult Living. We have a sink in the classroom, which is equivalent to hitting the lottery!! Each week we either cook or prepare a snack to teach a variety of skills on levels that meet my students needs. So far we have made subs, spaghetti and meatballs, black bean tacos, hot chocolate, and pizza bagels to name a few.
Having a refrigerator in the classroom has made our classroom feel a little more like home. Thank you again for your donation and continued support of my STEPS program. You are indeed, making a difference in the lives of students who make a difference in my life everyday!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dahl
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective and 6 other donors.