Help Kids Become Awesome

Edit title

Thank you so much for the video camera and words of encouragement. In these times of need is refreshing to know there are generous people in this world. My students were excited to get the camera and surprised about the new resource. They came up with all kinds of ideas on how to use it.

We are using the camera to video performances in class. In November we recorded pantomime performances and then the students were be able to see themselves and improve their performances. Last month we recorded our production of Little Shop of Horrors and the students were able to view it and evaluate their performance. What fun! Most recently Advanced Theatre students have recorded each other for a public service announcement about the importance of the arts in education, specifically theatre arts. Next they will edit it and show it at registration. Currently students are writing scripts for commercials. They are in the process of creating story boards to be filmed, then shared, and evaluated. Students found the video camera a fun novelty at first, but began to realize the potential as we continued to use it.

The video camera has impacted my teaching in several ways. When I create a lesson, I think of how I can incorporate the use of the camera in the lesson. Students are being more creative and show improvement. I get excited about having them see themselves and in particular how they have grown as individuals. Students see how they have gained confidence. It has been a true blessing to have this resource.

Our theatre students will never be the same!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Giovannetti

Wow-my students really loved all of the special materials they received!!! They especially loved the floor map puzzles, and started to assemble them immediately- working through recess and their lunch. Their excitement was contagious as they eagerly finished the first puzzle ,and began working on the second puzzle.

The scholastic magazines really piqued the students' interest as they enthusiastically read each issue. These non-fiction articles were on their level, and helped to reinforce non-fiction reading which is a skill that is emphasized in the 4th grade curriculum. They help enhance our Science and Social Studies units of study. It really is rewarding to see the class so involved in literacy. The articles are colorful, meaningful and interesting. We even have some extra copies that I am able to share with my last year's class. The maps and globe are wonderful teaching tools. Most of my students are not familiar with any place outside of their own city, so these resources help to show them where other places exist in relation to New Jersey. I've read several of the holiday books at the appropriate occasion which the class thoroughly enjoyed. They love having stories read to them which provides them with information about different cultures. This complements our own multi-cultural study of different types of people and traditions that they share.

This funded project helped to make my class's learning relevant, informative and most of all interesting and fun! Thank you for helping my students, and providing them with the opportunity to experience hands-on learning.

Thank you again for caring about "our" children.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Reitsma

"What is that huge box??" That's what I heard the day the Blick Art Materials box arrived in our classroom. For weeks, I had them wait and wonder what special surprise I had in store for them. During those weeks, they learned how to take photographs and write poetry for the first time! The went from having no idea how to approach the writing to playing with words and expressing their feelings. I knew it was time. We gathered in a circle as I opened the box, gently removed the bubble wrap, and revealed our big project. "So we get to KEEP these? Really? Take them home, forever? AWE-SOME!"

Using previously donated cameras, the students took pictures of things that matter to them, both inside our classroom and outside during recess. Then they reviewed their pictures electronically and selected one to become the inspiration for their final poem. We spent several days writing, revising, and typing our poems as well as crafting "about the poet" pages. In the final days before our Poetry Slam, they used the donated art paper and frames to display their photos and poems together. These frames were the center point during our Poetry Slam. I then made a copy of each student's poem, photo, and "about the poet" to go in a class poetry anthology, The donated art portfolios made it possible for each student to have a class anthology of their own.

The art materials donated for this project really pushed my students to make their work "professional." They were so engaged and excited about creating something so special. It also allowed them to appreciate each others' work and how much they opened up and took risks through an artistic project. One of the students began to call our project "The Blick" because she saw the name on the cardboard box. "When are we doing our Blick?" is all I heard when the students came in every morning until we did writing time after lunch. They took much pride not only in writing poetry and taking photographs but also with planning and setting up their Poetry Slam, including inviting their parents. As another student told me after our celebration, "I'll never forget our Poetry Slam. It was so fun!"”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Perchalski

Let me begin by again expressing my gratitude for your amazing generosity in donating towards our school music stands. It is by the support of people like you that so many needs are met in high poverty schools such as ours. Knowing that there are those out there who support arts education such as yourselves is a comfort to music, and other art discipline teachers everywhere.

We received the music stands at the end of the 2012-13 school year. There was a noted difference in their attitude and focus as soon as they arrived. Their first expressions were of wonderment at how stands could tilt and move up and down! Each child has expressed how having a stand in front of them positively affects their performance. A huge number of my students are English Language Learners, and having their music and materials directly in front of their eyes is a great help to them. When we are beginning a new piece, it has become customary for many children to place their fingers on each note as we learn the pitches and rhythms. This helps their eyes to focus on one detail at a time, which is important for a child learning new languages, and learning to read music! This method of learning is not possible just using a Smartboard in the classroom.

The children and I are both extremely grateful for your gift. They take extreme care of the stands and I know that they will continue to grow as musicians much more rapidly than before with this important tool.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Voye

One of the things I tell my students when they enter my classroom is that I treat this space like my church. And, I need them to be able to feel like they can be creative in this room, different than some of their other classes. I am lucky in that I am able to teach them digital art this year, so they can have a place they can come for an outlet for students to come to so they have a place to balance out all the many things going on in their lives.

Thank you for helping to afford them the tools my students needed to be able to share some of their personal experiences.... to share some of their feelings and beliefs about what they've lived... and to let some of their soul out! I am already so excited to hear some of the new compositions they have written! I wish Donor's Choose would let me share some of their sound bytes to let you hear what they are making. Without that quality, however, I am happy to report they are creating many amazing multi-timbrel, multi-instrumental, collaborations and solo projects.

Again, thank you SO much for contributing to our students! I am deeply humbled by your generosity and belief in kids you've never met and my skill and devotion to my teaching vocation!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Hansen

As soon as we walk into my classroom, I start to hear, "Where are our iPads? What are we going to play today? or "Did you get any new games for us?" Our ipad is the greatest gift! We can buy new apps as they come out, read, make words, learn spelling strategies, and even publish our writing!

Technology has a sneaky way of always getting the kids exited about reading and learning because they can't wait to use it! I'm so glad that my students have the opportunity to learn with tools that encourage them to try harder. We are now learning to use our ipads to discover author's perspective in the upper grades! What a challenge that will be! In the lower grades, we are learning to make words that follow our spelling pattern.

The iPads have changed the way my kids feel about hard work! Thank you so much for helping us grow!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Hamilton

Sports has always been a motivation for the students at my school. At the end of the 2012 - 2013 school year, the 6th grade students played the staff in a fun and highly competitive game of soccer. It was close, but the staff edged by with a wonderful win.

The nets used in this game were generously given to the school by you. All of the additional soccer gear from additional soccer balls to pup-up goals are used by the entire school for Physical Education. Thank you so much for this fully funded project. As we start a new year, the staff and students will remember that with community support, education will always be successful.”

With gratitude,

Mr. Guglielmina

My students are very excited to receive the headphones.

My robotics students have quite a few videos to watch, and with the headphones, they can watch them individually, at their own pace without disturbing each other.

My game design class is very large, and with the headphones, they can each listen to their own music and shut the other students out. It helps their concentration level.

We'll soon need to start making our own sounds for the games class, and having microphones will allow them to make their own sounds.

Thank you very much the headphones and thank you very much for your support. It means a lot to us to have outside support for our projects.”

With gratitude,

Teacher

Thank you so much for your generous donation of art supplies for our classroom. It means so much to me, my staff, and my students. Art is a great way for many of our students to develop their creative thinking skills as well as their motor skills. You all have given us the opportunity to make learning fun for our students and the projects that we received are really motivating for them.

When the packages of supplies arrived to our room the kids were so excited and couldn't wait to see what was inside! They wanted to do a projects right then and there. So far we have already completed two projects with the supplies. The first was one for Father's Day where the kids made shirts and ties out of construction paper and attached them to the body shapes and decorated their faces with the pipecleaners; they turned out so cute! The second one we made and decorated sea horses to go along with the ocean unit that we have been working on.

With projects like these our kids love coming to school and we are able to provide them with a colorful and stimulating environment. Again, thank you so very much for your donation. You are truly wonderful people!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Sleichter