Past projects 5
Extra, Extra! Read All About It!
Funded Oct 9, 2023The clear bigger book bins are just what we needed to make the class library more inviting, and easily organized so that the children could readily find books of their interest. They really enjoyed helping to sort all the books into their appropriate bins, and the experience allowed them to see all the books available to them.
Since the re-organization of the library the children have been more excited about going to the library for independent reading time or even choosing time. They can easily find the books that they love to read and clean up time is really fast and the children are super successful with the new system.
In closing, I would like to say "THANK YOU" with my whole heart for your generosity and steadfast support! All of you help to make what we do that much easier.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Andress
Pre-K are Programmers, too!
Funded Aug 17, 2019Words cannot begin to express my gratitude for your selfless contribution to our class project. I was skeptical while creating my project, thinking that it would never be fully funded. My skepticism was mainly because of the total needed for full funding, but also because I didn't believe that there would be enough people out there that still believed in our public education system so much so that they were willing to invest in it. I must say your overwhelming support and the speed at which we were fully funded not only brought me to tears, but also restored my faith in my fellow man! Thank you for that as well!
The kids were so happy to see the new Beebots and mats and could not wait to get their chance to go to the technology center to learn how to use them. Every day I get witness a new ah-ha moment as they figure out how to get their Beebots from point A to point B. Watching them work together to plan their routes and re-work those plans when they do not go as planned. There is never a dull moment :-)!
The materials provided in this project allow me to provide learning experiences to my students that are meaningful and thought provoking. It builds their confidence and helps all of us to feel like programmers. I also finds that it slows them down and helps them to think through other processes and procedures in their daily lives, which helps them become more critical thinkers.
So, in closing, thank you once again for believing in me and helping to fund my project! I have been teaching Pre-Kindergarten for 17 years and am constantly asked, "Do you like teaching?", and my immediate response is, "No, I love teaching!" How could I not???? Children are the best of what we have to offer this world and I get to help and watch them grow! It never gets old!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Andress
This classroom project was brought to life by PNC Grow Up Great® and 9 other donors.Mama Goat Needs Some Privacy!
Funded Dec 28, 2018Thank you so much for donating to our project! This project is a little different as it benefits our entire school community, not just my classroom. So, your contribution will serve many students as well as the nanny goat, Stinkerbelle, and the generations of baby goats "kids" to come! This project was a little unorthodox in that the materials requested were fencing materials and hardware; therefore, it was loaded onto our loading dock area and remained there until we were ready to install the fence. So, the children didn't really get to look at the materials, but we did talk to the children about Stinkerbelle's need for additional fencing to allow her time alone with the babies and to keep them safe from the other goats that wouldn't be as gentle with them as their mother. The students have all expressed their excitement for and willingness to help the fence to be put up.
I am very excited to say that we already have a volunteer labor force ready to put the fence up, in the form of our local boy scout troop. We have been the beneficiary of several Eagle Scout projects, and this will be our latest! Due to the paperwork involved in the process, he will not be able to start until early June, but it will be done! We have a strong school community that has always answered our calls for help in the past, and I have all the faith in the world that this will be the case when it comes to getting our fence up.
So, in closing, thank you for your support of our little farm! Thank you for your belief in our vision, and most of all Thank You for believing in our children!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Andress
BCS Had a Farm!
Funded Oct 2, 2017Thank you, thank you, thank you! This project was a little unorthodox and I worried that it may not receive the funding it so richly deserves. There are not many inner-city schools that are able to provide their students with such a rich hands-on experience, and I pray that it will continue long after I have left this earth. Many children over the years have expressed to me how much the Nature Center means to them, how it calms them on days they are feeling anxious, mad or sad.
We had quite a turn out from our parents and others in the community for our workday, which happened to have been on a Saturday! We spent an entire day hand digging a 6-8 inch deep trench along the perimeter fence. This work was very hard, but the commitment and dedication to this task by all the people involved really touched my heart.
The kids have expressed their joy for the thought that the animals will be more secure and safe from the stray dogs in the area. They were saddened by the attack and the loss of Promise, our nanny goat, she was very patient and gentle with both her kids and ours. They now feel confident that everyone in the Nature Center will be safer during periods of extended vacation times.
The materials provided in this project allow us to fortify existing fences, erect a new fence, and replace fencing that has been damaged by weather and exuberant goat activity. We have been contacted by local Eagle scout troops that were inspired by your generosity and have offered to complete these projects for us and will contribute any materials we are lacking. So, thank you for being that inspiration!
So, in closing, thank you for your support of our little farm! Thank you for your belief in our vision, and most of all Thank You for believing in our children!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Andress
We Learn As We Play
Funded Oct 25, 2013Words cannot begin to express my gratitude for your selfless contribution to our class project. I was skeptical while creating my project, thinking that it would never be fully funded. My skepticism was mainly because of the total needed for full funding, but also because I didn't believe that there would be enough people out there that still believed in our public education system so much so that they were willing to invest in it. I must say your overwhelming support and the speed at which we were fully funded not only brought me to tears, but also restored my faith in my fellow man! Thank you for that as well!
The kids were so happy to see the new costumes and could not wait to get their chance to go to pretend center. Every day I get a new story being told among the children as they discover a new aspect to the costumes or the accessories. There is never a dull moment :-)!
The materials provided in this project allow me to provide learning experiences to my students that are meaningful and thought provoking. Watching a video or reading a book about a visit to the dentist allows me to introduce the idea of a "dentist" to my children, but when you can transform their pretend center into an actual dental office and you get to see and hear them using the vocabulary that you have introduced or mimicking their personal experiences from visiting their own dentists. Well, that's just a whole other ball game. They are in charge of taking this learning experience where ever they may want it to go. They sometimes introduce new vocabulary words to their friends that they have gotten from their own visits to the dentist. All of this helps to build their vocabulary, and studies have shown that students with high vocabulary or successful vocabulary acquisition are often more successful readers.
So, in closing, thank you once again for believing in me and helping to fund my project! I have been teaching Pre-Kindergarten for 12 years and am constantly asked, "Do you like teaching?", and my immediate response is, "No, I love teaching!" How could I not???? Children are the best of what we have to offer this world and I get to help them grow!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Andress