Samir "I get by with a little help from my 'stache" Patel

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Beyond my wildest expectations.

That's the headline. I proposed this project, which your generosity enabled, based on a distant memory, a sense of my students' potential after teaching here for a year and a half, and a hunch.

I thought, at worst, they might learn a bit of geometry or, at best, they'd produce some nice portfolio work. However the degree to which so many of the students took ownership, pride - a sense of mission - has left me profoundly humbled.

Yes, the students have learned elements of descriptive geometry and some architectural history. Yes, they have produced some absolutely beautiful work. (The school principal can't decide which panel to take and hang in her office. Other faculty are angling for a panel for their room. Others still are asking if they might be auctioned off...no, they're priceless.)

The real gain is the deep sense of pride and satisfaction these students earned. And they did earn it. The more they worked, the harder they worked. The better the panels emerged, the harder they worked toward excellence.

The degree to which these high school juniors demanded a sense of craft and accuracy in their work has exceeded everything I'd seen beforehand. They matured over the duration of this project. And that is a gift few can lay claim to offering. You can. You did.

Thank you so much for helping my students prove to themselves what they can do. They won't forget and I won't let them. The completed panels will soon be prominently displayed throughout the school for all to savor.

I wish I could send you the pictures of each completed panel. For now, please know the pictures offered on the site are but a fraction of the record of something special which really happened.”

With gratitude,

Mr. Phillips

Thank you so much for your kind and generous donations. Thanks to all of you, we were able to realize our dream of obtaining a cart which will be used for a portable school store. We will learn math skills, economic skills, and teamwork all as a result of you supporting our project. The money raised will be used to support many school wide activities as well charitable endeavors. Currently, we have a Thanksgiving Food Drive every year, and the cart will be a great help in gathering the donated canned goods from our three floors of classrooms. We also provide toys to some of our families for Christmas.

Fund raising efforts this school year enabled us to travel by train to Washington D.C. which included a visit to the White House. You can imagine our excitement! Our wonderful memories will remain with us always.

Above all, as we grow into adulthood, we will strive to give back as you have so generously given to us. Our future goal is to someday be donors like you! Once again, please accept our heartfelt thanks and appreciation.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Patrylow

Thank you so much for your contribution that will help my students so greatly. We now have books to assist in our Africa unit for Social Studies as well as a video camera that will make interactive projects possible for my students. My students have a focus on Uganda based on their participation with the Invisible Children organization. This Fall my students raised over $3,000 for a partner school in Uganda, and we now have books that will teach the the history of the conflict that has been occurring in Uganda for 25 years. Thank you so much for being part of the impact that learning about this topic will have on them. They are students living in Philadelphia, and some have never ventured outside of the city, so by learning about the entire world, and how they can have an impact in it, they gain so much.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Bankert

Again, many thanks for the generous donation. One class has finished their projects and another just started. Students have used the cameras to take pictures in the community, of their friends, and in their homes and then used the pictures to create "stories," including: The True Story of Humpty Dumpty, What Teachers Do After School, and Bringing Sexy Back.

The students have been introduced to photo editing, PowerPoint, audacity, movie maker, i-movie, and Garageband thanks to your donation.”

With gratitude,

Mr. Hogan

The Crayola Model Magic you generously provided us with is being put to excellent use! In the short time we have had this material, hundreds of students have been able to engage in art making and creative expression, and hundreds more will get the opportunity to work with it in the months that come. We have already made animal sculptures, pottery and architectural tiles. The possibilities that Crayola Model Magic can be used for are truly endless.

The School District of Philadelphia is currently facing a budget deficit totaling over 600 million dollars. This will cause many art programs to be cut and the remaining art program budgets to be significantly decreased. Provided we are already working with less then $1/child for the entire year's worth of art supplies, the future of our inner city art programs remains highly uncertain.

You have shown us that there are still people who care deeply about the arts in inner city schools and recognize the undeniable importance that art making holds for these individuals, many of whom live in areas plagued with high poverty and crime. Your immensely generous donation provided us with an art supply that we could simply not have afforded. You placed creative expression directly into the hands of inner city adolescents who needed it most. For your selfless dedication to supporting the arts, we deeply thank you. We are deeply touched and humbled by your kindness”

With gratitude,

Ms. Westle

This is just a small token of my appreciation for your generous donation to my classroom. The rugs that you donated helped make the classroom warm and inviting. We use the shapes and locations on the rug for many academic endeavors. My students bring books to the rug and read stories to each other. They use many hands on manipulatives to enhance learning and they are so excited to be "playing" on the rug.

Our school is facing budget shortfalls in all areas. Without donors like you we wouldn't be able to have such a great place to learn. I have many second language learners in my room and this rug helps them identify many important concepts needed to succeed.

I can't thank you enough. Donors like you make our world a better place.

Thank you so Much!”

With gratitude,

Mr. Ginsberg