Past projects 3
Level Up Our Esports Program!
Funded Aug 6, 2021Thanks to your help, we've finally been able to implement our Esports program face-to-face. We were able to purchase computer peripherals and streaming equipment, allowing us to publicize and further promote our program.
The students are loving this equipment! Thanks to a donation from SRT communications, we now have two gaming PCs here at the school, and the keyboards, mice, headsets, and streaming cards were all purchased through your donations to our DonorsChoose campaign. Our students have loved learning the basics of live-streaming to Twitch, especially when our "Free-For-All Fridays" hit and chaos ensues. You can catch us streaming at https://www.twitch.tv/mhsmagi.
What started as just a crazy question -- "Wouldn't it be neat to have an esports team?" -- has grown into a roster of 35 students competing weekly against teams from around the country. It is no joke to say that we wouldn't be doing ANY of this without your assistance. Your support means the world to our coaches and students.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Thomas
BYOD Charging Station & Supplies
Funded May 12, 2016Your contribution to our classroom has certainly not gone unnoticed! The charging station has been a lifesaver for a good number of my students, many of whom use their phones heavily throughout the day and then have to fly off to work immediately after school, leaving them in dire situations if they forgot a charger at home or have depleted their batteries after a long day at school. These students are unbelievably grateful.
When I first introduced your gift to my students, many of them were excited and couldn't believe that such a thing even existed -- some of them even suggested that the school should provide them in each and every classroom throughout the building! I explained that, while that would be an ideal situation in a BYOD building, such a goal just isn't attainable with shrinking school budgets and old technology needing to be replaced. You understood our situation, and your help has been much appreciated by these students!
In addition, the portable hard drive has made projects for my media class much easier to transfer around, and it has also provided me with peace of mind knowing that I have backups of everything in case my school laptop crashes or our network is down, a frequent occurrence in an older building like ours!
All in all, your gift has made our lives so much less stressful for a number of reasons, allowing us to focus instead on the high academic standards and creative uses of technology that will hopefully enrich everyone's life someday. There aren't many words that can express just how we feel. Hopefully we'll be able to show you soon!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Thomas
BYOD (Or Take One Of Mine): Chromebooks For My Classroom
Funded Dec 13, 2012I don't know if there is any way to fully express my gratitude for your donation, but I can certainly keep trying! The Chromebooks we've received have made a world of difference for my classroom and my students. Students have used them for writing essays, giving presentations, checking grades, submitting assignments, completing homework through the online component of their class, and, just today, as review stations for the ACT next week. As you can see, the Chromebooks are being put to good use!
While technology is available in the school, it's so nice to have an inexpensive alternative for students to take home if necessary, and many have already taken advantage of this opportunity. In addition to helping my classroom, your donation has inspired other teachers to purchase Chromebooks for their own rooms through various grants; proof that one good deed has the ability to travel much further than intended. On behalf of my students, school, and community: thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Thomas