Past projects 6
Wordless Picture Books?! Oh, I See What You Mean...
Funded Aug 13, 2021You are rock stars! I am humbled by your dedication to early literacy. I can’t wait to see the kids’ faces when they see their new books! Your generosity will contribute to a new generation of successful learners. Thank you for supporting my ability to create confident and enthusiastic readers!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Escobar-Ausman
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 3 other donors.Joy, Laughter, & a Beautiful Place to Read
Funded Nov 28, 2018Can imagine eating dinner in the home of your favorite chef? Or playing an instrument in the studio where your favorite artist recorded their first album? THAT'S how amazing my first feel interacting with creations of Mo Willems while sitting our Elephant and Piggie carpet. They feel inspired, connected, and full of joy. How can I tell? My students' smiles, giggles, and palpable energy (and the fact that they "pet" the carpet!) make it pretty obvious they are in love with our newest classroom addition.
We use the carpet during our literacy centers, library reading, and activity times. Students read, play games, and create memories every day and the only problem we've encountered is that we can't fit the whole class on there at once. If you know 6-year-olds, you'll know the idea of turn taking isn't very popular—but with time on the carpet at stake, patience and compassion are being developed alongside literacy, math, and language skills. This is just the type of stimulation students needed to craft their very own Pigeon stories!
The last part of our grant gifted us with Elephant and Piggie take-home book bags. Kids received their bags with pride and awe ("Ours? To keep?" they asked). The adorable bags are an incentive to share with family at home and read the precious books inside. We will be seeking out additional themed items—bookmarks, awards, posters, plushies—to make our classroom a true sanctuary for any fan of humor, simple illustrations, and stories of friendship and dreams. THANK YOU for your support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Escobar-Ausman
Math is Magic!
Funded Sep 30, 2015I wish you were able to see the looks of joy on my students' faces when they use these materials! The day our materials arrived, there were shouts of excitement that could be heard by neighboring classrooms!
The materials have made groups run so smoothly and the students are constantly excited to travel to the next activity. We received a wonderful variety of math tools and have been able to use math skills in a variety of ways for the multiple levels of skills in our classroom.
What I found most exciting was the level of community that was fostered through the use of Magna tiles and Legos! I purposefully purchased cooperative games to improve rapport among students—what I didn't anticipate was the level of team work that came out of using math building tools.
Thank you for your dedication and support. We are beyond thrilled with the items your generous contribution provided.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Escobar-Ausman
Choose, Explore, And Play!
Funded Mar 13, 2014The materials from this project have transformed our classroom. Kids cheer when it's time for centers. They can't wait for their turn to "play" and it is amazing to see them learning content in such an engaging manner!
The reader's theater scripts have brought dramatic flair into our classroom, giving students the opportunity to plan, rehearse, choreograph, and create sets and propsâall while developing reading fluency and comprehension.
The novelty of the new materials at the end of the year has renewed students enthusiasm for learning. Thank you for supporting our classroom!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Escobar-Ausman
This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 10 other donors.Sitting on a Rainbow
Funded Dec 5, 2013Beautiful. Pretty. Soft. Amazing. Wonderful. Wow! Ours? YAY!
These were some of the words uttered by my students as they walked into their classroom and saw the carpet for the first time.
The carpet is large, taking up nearly 1/4 of the open floor space in the classroom. It's presence was a welcome splash of beauty that promoted safety from day 1! We have not had one tripping incident since receiving our rug and the students take great pride in their colorful seats.
We sit quickly, we form groups easily, the room is brightened, and our hearts are happy. We are immensely grateful for your wonderful donation and the addition of this beautiful and important resource.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Escobar-Ausman
Abracadabra-cords Be Gone!
Funded Oct 7, 2013It has been such a pleasure seeing my students use this wonderful resource. They sit down and get right to enjoying books. They were so excited about the inclusion of another technological resource in the classroom and they have learned how to use them quickly.
Students are comfortable and relaxed, giving more of their attention to reading. This week, we are using the listening station to read and sing along with Christmas carols. The students' only complaint is when their turn ends!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Escobar-Ausman