Past projects 96
Wiggling and Learning in Early Elementary
Funded Sep 2, 2019Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your support! You have made learning accessible to lots of very wiggly learners! I wish you could have heard the squeals of excitement when we opened our boxes of wiggle stools. The wiggle stools continue to be a much loved learning tool in our classroom. My kiddos choose to use a stool at their desk while they are working, which lets them wiggle, while still learning. The bouncy bands are another favorite, and each of my students has one at the bottom of their chair in class. They can bounce their feet on the bands as they work at their desks.
My little ones love to wiggle, which used to get in the way of their learning. Thanks to your help- their wiggles don't get in the way anymore. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 6 other donors.Everything You Need to Know You Learn in Pre-K!
Funded Apr 5, 2019The school year is off to a great start and thanks to your help, our Pre-K students are soaring! These students are new to school and so making this start to the school year a great one is very important. Because of your help, each of our Pre-K students has received a coloring and activity book with a brand new box of crayons. My students have been so proud of their new activity books. Additionally, our new students have been able to benefit from special books about their school experiences, made especially for them. Research shows that for kids with disabilities, especially for kids with autism, books written for their individual experiences are a great way for them to learn expectations and routines. The lamination and ink you provided has helped us to write, print and laminate these books so that the kids can read them over and over to help them to learn about their school environment.
Your support means that some amazing little ones have started their school careers off on the right foot. Thank you for believing in little learners!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
This classroom project was brought to life by PNC Grow Up Great® and 11 other donors.Bright Shirts for a Bright Start to the Year
Funded Aug 13, 2019Oh my goodness! The joy and excitment, and most importantly, a sense of belonging and friendship that you have given to my kids has been exciting! Our Peer to Peer program is in full swing and thanks to you- my students with autism and other disabilities join their general education peers once a week for fun and exciting interaction. We have played games, had picnics, made fun snacks to enjoy together. The most exciting and most meaningful activity by far, however, has been the tie dying activity that we could only do because of you! All students involved in the program (all 45 of them!) spent an afteroon helping eachother pick colors and dye shirts. Each shirt is different, just like each of the students, but marvelous in its' own right. The shirts have our school's name and the title of the program on them and are wonderful! The kids wear the shirts on Fridays and the shirts really have helpd the kids feel like they are part of something special. My students with autism, who haven't had many friends in the past, love to wear their shirts and see their friends throughout the day- also wearing their fun, amazing shirts! Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 2 other donors.Sometimes It's the Little Things That Really Count!
Funded Aug 6, 2019Thank you, thank you, thank you! In the world of special education, it really is the little things that count. The little things like those that make learning accessible to students who struggle to read, write or remember tasks, are huge. The little things like the small baby steps forward that my students take every day that are worthy of huge celebrations and the supplies that you provided, that have made a huge difference this school year already. We have used the dry erase markers to practice our writing skills, we have used the lamination to preserve our daily schedule and we have used the paint brushes to make amazing self-portraits. Thank you for believing in the little things; the school supplies, the baby steps, the little kids; who, though little, are really the most important things.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
This classroom project was brought to life by Neukom Family Foundation and one other donor.Backpacks and Books for Brand New Learners!
Funded Mar 27, 2019Thank you for believing in the importance of early learning. These backpacks have been a wonderful addition to our Early Childhood Special Educaiton Program. These pre-school sized backpacks are given to each child as a welcome to their new school. Each child, thanks to your kindness, receives a backpack filled with books to encourage learning and reading at home and to celebrate the beginning of their school journey. When we meet with parents and help the child pick their backpack, we always show them the special book inside about school and encourage the parents to read it to their child before their big day. The addition of these backpacks has made the beginning of school for these special little ones, even more exciting. Thank you for supporting excitement about school!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 7 other donors.Building Friendships With ALL Kids
Funded May 13, 2019Thank you, thank you, thank you! Building friendships is hard, getting along despite our differences is hard and yet, because of your help, I can absolutely say that my amazing kids have friendships figured out! It was amazing to watch students with special needs, and students without, learn to get along and interact with each other.
The materials you provided helped my amazing kiddos to form friendships with each other. A group favorite were the Squigs- fun little suction cup building toys that became the center of lots of our group play. The kiddos also enjoyed the bubbles and the chalk once it was nice enough to go outside this spring. The materials helped friendships to bloom, which in turn, helped kids to bloom and really, made our Peer to Peer time magical. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
This classroom project was brought to life by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and 6 other donors.Every Child Is an Artist
Funded Apr 18, 2019Thank you, thank you, thank you! The art we were able to create this year (and have the supplies for next year) is amazing. Art is not offered in our school and yet art is so, so, important for kids. Art is especially important for kids who struggle to feel success in school due to disabilities and is important for kids who have experienced difficult life experiences as many of my kiddos have.
This spring we created pinch pots, painted them and planted flowers as a final celebration of our art learning. My students with autism loved the sensory input that the soft, squishy clay gave them and loved painting the pots with bright, vibrant paint. The chance to experience art is an amazing gift you have given some very special students. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 3 other donors.Lots of Snow, We Need Boots!
Funded Jan 30, 2019Well, its mid-April and only yesterday did the last of the snow begin to melt. It has been such a long, cold winter, with so much snow. I really don't know what we would have done without the boots you provided us. The snow was so deep this year, and so many of my kids walk to school. Thanks to you, "too much snow" wasn't a reason to not come to school this year, for my neediest students. The best part was that these boots were brand new- and for most of my kids- they had never owned anything new in their lives. These boots became prized possessions and helped my amazing kids stay warm and dry during our long winter. Thank you for believing in boots for every child.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
Winter Coats for Michigan Kids
Funded Dec 5, 2018Thank you, thank you, thank you! It is officially winter and the temperatures have gotten quite cold. It is far too cold to be outside without a warm winter coat and yet for many of my students, this was the reality before your support. Now, my neediest students are all bundled in warm winter coats. They are no longer cold and I'm no longer worried about them being cold!
One of the most fun things about the coats that you provided is that they are brand new- with tags included. For kids who have never had a brand new, all their own, winter coat- this is a HUGE deal. I love to scan the playground at recess and see all of the beautiful coats my students have because of you! I see the purple coat worn by one of my 8-year-old little girls who came to school wearing her mom's button-up shirt as a coat in January. I see the blue and red coat worn by the little boy who was sharing his coat with his brother, one child coming to school on Monday, the brother on Tuesday, because there was only one coat- you made amazing things happen for amazing kids. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger
We Need New Books to Grow Our Brains!
Funded Mar 19, 2019Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Wow- you have never seen such happy and excited kids. The books absolutely made so many kids' days. Squeals of excitement over the new Bad Guys books and the new Who Would Win series. When kids have books that they are interested in, they fall in love with reading, and kids who love to read are kids who become great readers. Thanks to you, my students have been found reading at lunch, during free time and on the playground. They are falling in love with reading thanks to you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Griesinger