Past projects 114
Read all about It! Laptops for Journalism!
Funded Aug 12, 2016Thank you for providing the funds for two laptops. The pictures really do not serve to show how much learning has occurred thanks to this new bit of technology. The magazine profiles students created for our journalism unit were brilliant. Students interviewed teachers and administrators in our building, members of the clergy, local business owners and entrepreneurs, and members of law enforcement. They were able to practice journalism tasks like conducting an interview, and they had the opportunity to learn about people in our community.
Some students in my class do not have access to computers at home and cannot make it to the public library in the evenings due to sports or work schedules. These laptops helped immensely.
In addition to our journalism unit, students have been able to use the laptops to collaborate and prepare for presentations. Thank you so much for your commitment to public education and my classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 3 other donors.Kid-Inspired: Students Seeking Nutritious Snacks
Funded Sep 2, 2016I'm not sure you can imagine the looks on my students' faces when the boxes of juice and snacks arrived. They assumed that it was for some sort of fundraiser and that I would be selling the goodies. Once I started handing out juice and told them they could each pick a nutritious snack, they were humbled by your generosity. At first I got some strange looks from my juniors and questions like, "Really? Are you sure we don't have to pay for this?" I explained that the food came from generous donors through DonorsChoose.org, and my students were very grateful.
Having a delicious and nutritious granola bar or pack of trail mix helps my students pay better attention in class. I noticed a difference in their concentration and in their writing on the day that each student chose a snack. Thank you for providing the juice and snacks for my students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
This classroom project was brought to life by Target and one other donor.Empowering Students Through Art: Writing Poetry
Funded May 17, 2016As I anticipated, creating original poems proved to be difficult for my juniors and seniors. Sitting there, staring at a blank page can be intimidating, especially when you are expected to produce a creative piece of poetry that will move your readers and make an impact on their lives. That is not actually what I require of my students, but they certainly feel that way when it comes to writing poetry.
That is why the collage poem, as my students have decided to call it, is so important. Without the resources you provided including post-it notes, scissors, glue sticks, card stock, and more – I would not have been able to assign this poetry task to my students and they would not have been able create the beautiful pieces of art you see in the photos. They searched, cut, categorized, organized, regrouped, and glued for days to create the perfect piece of poetry.
Now, when we move on and work on other original writing pieces, students will remember this experience and remember that poetry is accessible. It is to be embraced, not feared.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 2 other donors.Healthy Hands for High School Students (Part 2)
Funded Mar 29, 2016Thank you for helping us to complete our project and continue our goal of encouraging the students in our school to stay healthy. This project is the second half of our two-part proposal. Thanks to Donors Choose and donors like you, we already have four hand sanitizer dispensers in our building. Now we get to add four more. We spread these last four throughout the building. One is near the elevator, one is by the art rooms, one is outside of the weight room, and the last one is near our math and science classrooms. We chose high-traffic areas to encourage more students to use them.
The most important thing we learned through this project is that there are people out there who care about us - people we don't even know. It's encouraging to know that people like you care about us, our school, and our education.
We thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
Healthy Hands for High School Students
Funded Mar 9, 2016Thank you for providing the funds to purchase four hand sanitizer dispensers and hand cleaner. We were very excited when the dispensers arrived and immediately agreed that two of them should go in our cafeteria. It took us awhile to determine the best places to put the other two. One is near the gym and the other is in the library. These are both high-traffic areas.
Our goal was to find a way to keep students healthy so they would not spread germs and miss school. I think we are on our way to accomplishing this goal. Students appreciate the hand sanitizer and use it frequently. The teachers agree that this was a great project.
Thank you for supporting our school and public education.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
This classroom project was brought to life by Ashoka & Think It Up Supporters and one other donor.Operation Hydration
Funded Mar 9, 2016Dear Donors,
Now that we have a water bottle-filling station on the second floor, students spend less time outside of class and everyone has the opportunity to be healthier. Before this project was funded, I had to hike to the first floor by the gym to fill up my water bottle or get a drink. Now I have another convenient location to get a cool drink. This project was important to me because I run cross country and track and to be able to perform at my best I need to stay hydrated throughout the day.
There are two major landfills where I live, each in neighboring towns. In less than two months, this water fountain has refilled over 1700 bottles, preventing those bottles from going into these landfills. This project has opened my eyes when it comes to our planet. I want to keep the earth clean and try to stop people from throwing away their bottles. I am proud to say that my friends and I are making my school and our planet better places.
Thank you for supporting our project.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation & Think It Up Supporters and 2 other donors.Lax Attack: Lacrosse Gear for High School Students
Funded Mar 9, 2016Many thanks to you for funding our first lacrosse project and getting us helmets, shoulder pads, and elbow pads! Our goal has always been to help offset the cost of lacrosse for new players and for current players whose families don't have the money to buy the necessary equipment. We want our friends and others not to worry about cost so they can be more focused on the game and having a fun time. Lacrosse is a great sport to take part in and is very fun to play. Thank you for making our team even better.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation & Think It Up Supporters and 3 other donors.Standing Desk for a Healthy Lifestyle (Part 2)
Funded Dec 19, 2015Thank you for providing the funds to purchase a second standing desk for my classroom. My goal is to obtain five standing desks before the end of the school year.
I want to encourage students to live a healthy lifestyle by making small changes. One small change we can all make is to choose to stand a little more and sit a little less. The students were intimidated by the standing desks at first, but now they are warming up to the idea. Students have come to me privately to ask if they can work at the standing desk instead of sitting during class. My study hall students take advantage of the standing desks the most. They have discovered that they are more productive and focused when they stand.
Thank you for your generous donation. My students and I appreciate your commitment to public education.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
Life Essentials: Fill our Bellies! (Part 2)
Funded Mar 9, 2016Thank you for providing the funds to purchase hand sanitizing soap and snacks for my students. This is the second time I have written a proposal for snacks, and my students are very appreciative. It amazes me how much they can accomplish after just a bottle of juice and a granola bar. Once the hunger pains are at bay and students can focus, their writing is vastly improved.
Many students here receive free and reduced lunch, but sometimes that just is not enough to get them through the school day. These snacks help the students stay awake and focused during long writing tasks.
Thank you for your commitment to public education.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart
Standing Desk for a Healthy Lifestyle (Part V)
Funded Mar 9, 2016Thank you for providing the funds to purchase a fourth standing desk for my classroom. My goal is to obtain five standing desks before the end of the school year.
I want to encourage students to live a healthy lifestyle by making small changes. One small change we can all make is to choose to stand a little more and sit a little less. The students were intimidated by the standing desks at first, but now they are warming up to the idea. Students have come to me privately to ask if they can work at the standing desk instead of sitting during class. My study hall students take advantage of the standing desks the most. They have discovered that they are more productive and focused when they stand.
Thank you for your generous donation. My students and I appreciate your commitment to public education.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Marquart