Ms. Jess Hinds' Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 134

• Early Readers for 1st Grade Featuring Latinx and Pakistani Characters

  Funded Jan 17, 2025

  Thank you SO much for believing in our mission to introduce children to reading through characters, stories and cultures that resemble their own. Early reader books can be some of the most bland items in literature, devoid of personality or flavor, but it's imperative that we search high and low for the best possible books for our youngest readers. When they are introduced to reading this way, their eyes are opened to the possibilities!!!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 10 other donors.

• Tadpoles to Frogs, Beta Fish and Hermit Crabs!

  Funded Jan 13, 2025

  Wow, thank you SO much for making my students' dreams come true! Students come into the library every day excited to see the fish and amphibian here. We are excited to raise frogs from the tadpole stage, and learn more about hermit crabs and how to raise them humanely and lovingly. We are grateful to you for seeing the connections between literacy, research and inquiry. Our library is a lively place full of growth and change. Thanks for helping us reach more readers!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 8 other donors.

• Aquaponic Garden Pond for Our Library

  Funded Jan 13, 2025

  We are SO excited for an aquaponic garden at our school! My students are going to be psyched! As we merge library, research and STEAM education in a hands-on way for students in grades K-8, we are especially eager to see how aquaponic gardening looks.

  Thank you for helping us bring literacy and inquiry to life with STEAM education!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

  This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon and 12 other donors.

• STEAM Building Blocks to Create Celestial Cozy Reading Castles!

  Funded Dec 29, 2024

  Thank you for your visionary imagination as you picture a beautiful school library in a diverse area of Queens, New York, where children will fall in love with libraries! The astronaut and outer space theme makes this library a joyful and exciting place to be. I greatly appreciate your magical vision of my library. Thanks for helping make kids' dreams come true!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

  This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon and 11 other donors.

• Let's Raise Ladybugs, Butterflies and Snails in Our School Library!

  Funded Oct 14, 2024

  Thank you for believing in hands-on STEM learning in the library! Interactive and engaging experiences will foster learning and a love of nature. Team work and cooperation will build friendships and community and a lifetime of happy school memories. The library often speaks to kids who don't enjoy other parts of school. I value all learners in my enriching space. Thanks for your support!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 8 other donors.

• Caribbean Poetry Extravaganza!

  Funded Aug 30, 2024

  It was a pleasure and honor to share one of my favorite poets with my students! I hope to do it again very soon. Samantha Thornhill performed poetry about her life as a new immigrant coming from Trinidad and Tobago and moving to the Bronx in New York City.

  The theme of her poetry day was "Self and Community Love" and she shared stories and poems about learning to love herself when she felt like an outsider as a new immigrant. When she moved to New York City, kids made fun of her accent, but she learned to embrace her individuality and culture through poetry and stories.

  Thornhill is a fascinating poet and author who performs dramatic and exciting poems to our elementary and middle school students. She got everyone clapping!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and 5 other donors.

• Caribbean Poetry Extravaganza Ii

  Funded Jul 7, 2024

  When students meet working poets, they are inspired, invigorated and awakened to all the possibilities of the written word.

  Samantha Thornhill is a fascinating poet and author who performed spoken word poetry in a dramatic and exciting way to our elementary and middle school students. The theme of her poetry is "Self and Community Love" and she shared stories and poems about learning to love herself when she felt like an outsider as a new immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago. When she moved to the Bronx in New York City, kids made fun of her accent, but she learned to embrace her individuality and culture through poetry and stories.

  It was a pleasure and honor to share one of my favorite poets with my students! I hope to do it again very soon.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

• Help Me Be a Better Reading Teacher

  Funded Jan 24, 2024

  Thank you for understanding the power of professional development to help support and revitalize educators working in a challenging, rigorous and always rewarding environment. The science of reading has swept over our schools as the new standard method of teaching reading, and in a short time we have completely changed our understanding of the importance of phonics. It was meaningful and helpful to me to educate myself on this new research.

  I purchased materials and embarked on professional learning that helped me broaden my understanding of what ELA teachers were doing, so that I could be the best librarian I can be.

  Thank you for helping me grow and thrive as a lifelong learner and educator.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

• Virtual Poetry Visit: Self-Love Poetry

  Funded Apr 11, 2024

  It was beyond inspiring to hear poet Samantha Thornhill speak about her accomplishments and read poetry aloud to our students.

  Ms. Thornhill was just as powerful a speaker with the 1st grade students as she was with our 7th and 8th grade. Whether she was reading aloud from a visceral poem about being bitten in the face by a German Shepard as a child, or she was reading from a story about a children's talent show for a young audience, she was embraced by everyone. Students and teachers alike were inspired by her visit and she helped us transform the space into more of an active library this year! Thanks for celebrating literacy with us.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

  This classroom project was brought to life by Center for Disaster Philanthropy and 6 other donors.

• Story Time, Hot Chocolate & Fairy Lights

  Funded Jan 18, 2024

  Thank you for valuing reading and embracing the power of communities to create a warm, welcoming library space in Harlem.

  We are grateful for your help getting through the winter months and keeping students' spirits high. We had hot chocolate and fairy lights in our cozy reading corner, and by spring students left their "hibernation" ready to read even more! Now as we approach the summer months, I believe students will carry this love of reading with them and continue building their literacy skill. When the days were darker, you gave us a bright and cheerful library!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Jess Hinds

  This classroom project was brought to life by Someone who cares about New York City and 2 other donors.