Past projects 11
Sewing the Seeds of Independence and Creativity
Funded Dec 12, 2024Thank you for your generous donation and support for my classroom! Your funding of two sewing machines will give my students the opportunity to practice essential sewing skills and explore a potential trade. These hands-on experiences will not only foster creativity and independence but also open doors to future employment opportunities. Your kindness and belief in their potential make a lasting difference in their lives, and I am so grateful for your investment in their growth. Thank you for being part of their journey to success!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
Filling in the Holes of our State Curriculum
Funded Jul 6, 2020Thanks to your generosity, my classroom has been transformed into a space where every student can see themselves and others in the stories we read. The books we received offer rich, diverse perspectives that reflect the unique cultures and experiences of people across our country. These texts have helped my students explore themes of identity, community, empathy, and resilience in ways that are both meaningful and engaging.
We've focused on several key skills with these books:
-Critical thinking: Students analyze characters' decisions and discuss how culture and background shape those choices.
-Text-to-self connections: We use prompts that encourage students to reflect on how their lives mirror or differ from the characters'.
-Building empathy: Through group discussions, we explore how understanding others' experiences fosters kindness and acceptance.
What Reading Looks Like in Our Classroom:
-Reading time is now a lively, interactive part of the day! Students sit together in small groups, eagerly diving into their books and sharing their thoughts. We have "book talk circles" where students present their favorite stories, leading to deep, thoughtful discussions. The buzz of excitement is palpable as students make connections and debate characters' choices.
Student Highlights:
-One student, pseudonym Triangle, has particularly connected with a story featuring a Latinx protagonist who is navigating two cultures. Seeing herself in this character has boosted her confidence in class discussions. Another student, pseudonym Trapezoid, who was previously reluctant to read, has been captivated by a book about a young inventor from a historically underrepresented group. His enthusiasm has sparked a newfound love of reading.
Because of you, our classroom library reflects the diverse world we live in, and my students are more engaged and motivated than ever. Thank you for empowering these young learners to read, think, and dream big!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 7 other donors.Whisking Up Confidence: Empowering Students With Life Skills Through Cooking
Funded Oct 29, 2024Thank you so much for your generous support of my classroom. Your donation is helping the EMPOWER Team bring hands-on, practical skills to life for our students, giving them the confidence and experience they need to prepare for life beyond high school. These contributions directly impact their journey toward independence, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
Knowing that there are people like you who believe in and support their growth means so much to us. Your kindness reinforces our mission and helps us create a learning environment where every student feels empowered and capable. Thank you for being an invaluable part of their journey.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
This classroom project was brought to life by Johnson Ohana Foundation and 8 other donors.Stitching Toward Independence: EMPOWERing Students with Sewing Skills
Funded Oct 19, 2024Thank you so much for your generous support and interest in my classroom! Your donation will make a huge difference in the lives of my students by providing them with hands-on tools to learn valuable life skills. With your help, they will gain confidence, develop independence, and build a stronger connection to school. I truly appreciate your belief in our mission to EMPOWER these incredible students as they prepare for their futures. Thank you for making this possible!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
This classroom project was brought to life by .Representation Matters
Funded Jul 7, 2020Thank you so much for contributing to my project! I am floored at how quickly it funded and I appreciate your generosity. I know my Luciani Leaders will love these new books.
Having books in the classroom that students can see themselves in will inspire them to be as great as the leaders portrayed in the books.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 5 other donors.Expeli Ignorantia! (Expel Ignorance!)
Funded Feb 29, 2020Our school owls were too busy to deliver the great news. Thank you all for your support in providing a class set of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to room 18.
We will use these books to explore how authors use figurative language, character thoughts, detailed descriptions of settings, and dialogue to develop a world for us to escape to.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
A Book That Reflects Me
Funded Dec 3, 2019Your donations were put into action the moment they were pulled from their shipping containers! My students were thrilled to see that smile shaped arrow come into our class, and when they heard there were books inside, the cheers could be heard down the halls!
Slam dunk! was a slam dunk. President of the Whole Fifth Grade was voted as a must read. Finally, my students went nuts for Calvin Coconut.
Beyond just getting students excited to read interesting books, these specific texts added diversity to a lacking library.
I thank you, and most importantly, the students of room 18 thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and one other donor.Flex the Space to Strengthen the Brain
Funded Jun 12, 2019Thank you very much for your kind and generous donation to my students' learning. With only being in school for 6 days, the seating arrangements which were provided via your monetary donations have already been a huge success!
My classroom has a variety of seating arrangements from the traditional desk and chair, to green yoga donut balls. The rolling ball chairs are easily transported around the room by little hands, ensuring success wherever a child may sit. The standing desks are a large success for students who feel fatigue after too much sitting. Finally, the lap desks provide students with a space anywhere on the floor! This has especially been successful during beginning of year assessments where students choose to sit as far from distractions as possible.
It is not uncommon for public school teachers to be provided with the bare essentials of a classroom. Through your monetary donations, I have been able to adjust my classroom to meet various levels of need, hopefully providing the accommodation needed for any student's need who walks through my door.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and one other donor.It All STEMs From Here!
Funded May 7, 2019We are writing this letter to thank you for your
generous donation to our classroom's education. The money you donated was used to help provide us with some really cool Science, Technolo, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activities, books about problem solving, a book about scientific female role models, and some fun math puzzles.
Even though our school year is almost over, Mr. Luciani wanted to make sure we got to enjoy your gift first and let us test it all out; so much fun! We know that future Cougars are going to love these items just as much as we did. The best part is that we get to act like the inventors themselves and recreate their famous inventions! This makes the reading and writing we do THAT much more interesting.
Thank you again SO much for such a GENEROUS donation to ours, and future Cougars', education. It really means a lot to us and Mr. Luciani that you cared so much about us.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and one other donor.Autism Awareness Through Literature
Funded Apr 16, 2019We are writing this letter to thank you for your generous donation to our classroom's education. The money you donated was used to help provide us with wobble chairs (which we love to use to get our wiggles out), and some really great books that help us understand that our choices make use who we are and not what some people call disabilities.
Our school hosts an annual Ability Awareness Event where we get to listen to speakers of various abilities talk about how they may move, talk, and/or think differently, but that is what makes them great! These books help us remember all we learned during this event so that we do not miss out on possible friendships
These awesome books and seats will really help us learn. Thank you again so much for your generous donation and for helping us learn more than just math and reading.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Luciani
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and one other donor.