Past projects 8
What Does It Mean to Be Independent?
Funded Dec 31, 2024Thank you for your remarkable generosity in funding my project, What Does It Mean to Be Independent? The MacBook Air has allowed me to create a dynamic and engaging financial literacy project that offers my students invaluable knowledge and skills. Teaching in a low-income, high-need community, I see firsthand how rare it is for students to gain exposure to true financial literacy—and how transformative it can be.
This project is designed to equip students with practical tools to navigate real-world financial decisions, such as budgeting, understanding taxes, and evaluating career choices. It empowers them to envision a future of independence and stability while fostering conversations at home, where parents may not have had access to this information before. By learning these essential skills, students can not only plan for their own success but also become a resource for their families.
As an educator, it is profoundly rewarding to create a project that bridges classroom learning with practical application, sparking curiosity and confidence in my students. Your support has made this vision a reality, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to impact lives beyond the classroom. Thank you for helping to lay the foundation for a brighter future for my students and their families.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fray
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community & an Anonymous Partner and 7 other donors.HomePod Harmony: Revolutionizing Learning
Funded Jan 21, 2024I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. Today, I am thrilled to share with you the profound impact your generous support has had on our special education classroom, thanks to the integration of the Apple HomePod 2nd generation.
Imagine a classroom where every student receives the attention and interactive learning experience they deserve. This is no longer a dream. The HomePod has become an invaluable teaching assistant, offering an independent learning station that empowers our students to explore, question, and self-assess. One student, with wide eyes and a curious heart, stood over the device, marveling at its responsiveness. Their relentless queries were met with immediate, informative feedback, turning a moment of wonder into a powerful learning experience.
As a special education teacher, the HomePod has revolutionized the way I connect with my students. The voice command and auditory feedback features facilitate dynamic interactions, catering to individual learning styles, especially for those who thrive on auditory stimuli. This technology is not just a boon for our students but a catalyst for my professional growth, linking me to an expansive network of educators and resources.
Your contribution has enabled us to foster an inclusive and engaging classroom atmosphere. The HomePod's ability to play educational content, music, and interactive quizzes captivates students, including those with attention challenges. It encourages intellectual risk-taking and active participation, key components of modern education.
This isn't just about technology; it's about shaping future leaders. By aligning ability with content and skill, we're meeting our students at their level, engaging them in what sparks their interest. The HomePod is instrumental in adapting to our students' diverse needs, preparing them for a rapidly evolving world.
Ultimately, your generosity has not just provided a piece of technology; it has opened doors to innovative learning and teaching methods. The joy, engagement, and growth we witness daily are a testament to the significant difference your support makes. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to our students' futures and hope to continue this journey of educational excellence together.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fray
This classroom project was brought to life by Someone who cares about New York City and 3 other donors.Equity and Equality
Funded May 10, 2023I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous contribution towards the purchase of iPads for my students. Your support has made a remarkable difference in their educational journey, and I wanted to share with you the positive impact these iPads have had on their learning.
Since the introduction of iPads in our classroom, I have witnessed a remarkable transformation in how my students engage with their studies. The iPads have provided them with a gateway to interactive learning experiences, where they can actively explore educational apps, simulations, and multimedia content. This hands-on approach has significantly increased their enthusiasm for learning, resulting in improved motivation and academic performance.
The iPads have fostered a collaborative learning environment among my students. Through shared documents, group projects, and real-time communication apps, they have developed essential teamwork and communication skills. Collaborative assignments like their Summer Road Trip Project have sparked creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, as students work together to accomplish common goals. The iPads have truly transformed our classroom into a vibrant hub of collaboration and intellectual exchange.
Access to educational resources has expanded exponentially with the iPads. My students now have a wealth of information at their fingertips. This accessibility has broadened their knowledge beyond the confines of traditional textbooks and has encouraged independent inquiry, allowing them to explore their interests and delve deeper into subjects that intrigue them.
I have also noticed a significant boost in creativity and self-expression among my students. With the array of digital tools available, they have embraced multimedia projects and digital storytelling. The iPads have become a platform for them to unleash their imagination, showcase their talents, and develop their artistic and technological skills. Witnessing their growth and witnessing the pride they take in their creations has been incredibly rewarding.
Not only have the iPads improved the learning experience, but they have also equipped my students with valuable digital literacy skills and technological competence. In an increasingly digital world, these skills are essential for their future success.
I cannot emphasize enough the profound impact your contribution has had on my students' education. Your generosity has opened doors to new possibilities and empowered them to reach their full potential. I am truly grateful for your support, and I want you to know that your investment in their education will have a lasting impact on their lives.
Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unwavering dedication to the betterment of education. Your belief in the power of technology to transform learning has been vindicated through the accomplishments and growth of my students. They are the true beneficiaries of your generosity, and I am honored to be a witness to their remarkable journey.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fray
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors Corporation and 26 other donors.Breaking the Cycle
Funded Mar 22, 2023We truly can't thank you enough for your generous gift to our Breaking the Cycle campaign. Your support allows us to provide underserved children with not only the resources to grow academically, but also to feel loved and appreciated. Children are the people in our community who need them most, they are our future. People like you truly make a difference in the world, and we're incredibly grateful! Our 6th graders have immediately used the technology to begin research on their class projects.
We continue to look for support as we endeavor to gain a class set of technology through our Equity and Equality project (https://www.donorschoose.org/project/equity-and-equality/7256059/). Thank You! We hope to have your continued support on current and future projects as well.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fray
Closing the Gap
Funded Dec 30, 2022There aren't enough words to describe how grateful we are to you for your generous donations. The confidence in our students has increased and so has their overall performance. Students are ready and engaged when they walk into class. They love that they are able to move to a corner and work on building themselves up. Most of all, your donations told them that they matter and as an educator of 17 years, there isn't an obstacle a child won't try to overcome when they know you really care and that you are in their corner. Thank you for giving them the tools that they need to believe and succeed.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fray
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 27 other donors.21st Century Skills in Marble Hill!
Funded Sep 29, 2022First and foremost, thank you again so much you for your support. I immediately began utilizing the Apple Library to find different ways to impact my students. I've already immersed myself in learning about how to "flip my classroom" and implement it it in my classroom. Finding ways to ensure that my students can maximize their potential by developing my own pedagogy is beyond exciting.
My students were quite frustrated by the lack of everyday practice in the classroom. When we announced to them that their homework will consist of tangling with brand new content each night and having the opportunity to master it in the classroom with ample practice, they were thrilled.
I'm excited to share my Financial Literacy project with students. In lower income school communities like the one I teach in, finances have a huge impact but are rarely a part of the discussion in a way that could possibly change their lives forever. Being able to utilize these resources to gather copious amounts of specialized information that I can impart on them is truly a blessing. Thank you for your support. I have an additional project coming up for a class set of iPads. I hope that we can continue to count on your support in the future.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fray
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Classroom Supporter and one other donor.Making a Maestro!
Funded Mar 27, 2018I cannot begin to tell you how your donation has helped me in my career. The Google Pixelbook, Pen, and Logitech remote have allowed me to infuse technology into my classroom in a way I had not been able to do so before. I've been able to watch videos of unique, hands-on science activities, and watch presentations by leaders in the field of education. It has propelled my thinking. The Google Pen allows me to highlight images on the spot to do quick research. Studying for me now looks like an adventure or rather a real-world classroom with no walls and no doors.
Every bit of my research in one way or another is given directly to my students. Being in a self-contained, special education classroom, I have students that rely on being entertained and engaged largely before their educated. I'm able to infuse the stories and activities learned through the use of these tools and convey them to my students in ways that keep them on their heels. The Logitech remote connects to almost all things digital in my classroom and my students jump on the opportunity to be responsible for something that helps us get started.
Without donors like you, I don't know if any of this is ever realistic for students like mine. Thank you for your generosity and kindness.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fray
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and one other donor.TI: Working on a Blended & Flipped Classroom
Funded Mar 9, 2016Dear Donors:
To many of the kids we service everyday, having the ability to use technology isn't a given. Like most middle school students, ours love video games. Google provides the perfect, open source platform for our students to spread their wings in a world that is very new to them: coding. Two of the images that were included show some of the games that students have been able to develop utilizing the new technology. These Chromebooks allow us to create an incubator of invention for our young minds and we cannot thank you enough for making this all possible.
To be honest, the most exciting thing about the product to our students is the fact that they are brand spanking new. We are not a 1 to 1 tech school just yet, but we truly want to be able to provide a 21st century education to each and everyone of our young learners. Being able to break the seal and be the very first to use these Chromebooks was a big deal to them. They were also excited about being able to have their smartphones communicate with the computers via different forms of wireless means.
The two students who have especially warmed to this new technology are the two pictured behind the keyboards. They are amazed by the speed of the computers and how well the graphics are displayed as they work on developing their video games. It has been an eye opening experience for them to see how far technology has come in comparison to some of the older computers they have had to work with. Again, none of this is possible without your enormously generous contribution. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our scholars.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fray