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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Helgerson from Washington, DC is requesting supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Helgerson is requesting

Accessing Our Environment: Sensory Integration for Everyone

My students need sensory toys and tools in order to be able to attend to activities, process their environment, and build motor strength during the school day.

  • $987 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Helgerson for her next project!

Help Ms. Helgerson

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Helgerson for her next project!

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

Can you imagine trying to study while someone turns the lights on and off repeatedly? What about paying attention to a lesson while wearing clothes that are way too tight or scratchy? These are just some examples of how you may begin to imagine learning as a child with sensory challenges.

The 3, 4, and 5 year old students in my class are all eager to learn and grow.

They are a diverse bunch of kids bringing with them individual lives and minds, not to mention needs and desires. Our classroom is part of a Title 1 public elementary school in Washington DC. My class is a special education class in which all students have moderate to severe developmental delays. This means they may have delays in social-emotional, cognitive, physical, language, and/or academic skills. This does not mean they should not get to experience everything a typical school environment can provide. Many students with developmental delays have difficulty processing parts of their environments or sensory stimulation. This is connected to hyperactivity, aggressiveness, and speech delays.

My Project

With the resources I am requesting, my students will be able to further access the curriculum and enjoy their school experience. There are items that will allow children to receive the sensory stimulation they require in order to pay attention and focus on an activity or another person. Other items will be for improving proprioceptive (awareness of one's body in space) and tactile senses. These materials will give my entire class the ability to engage with their learning in a deeper more meaningful way without the road blocks of sensory challenges.

Any support toward this project will go directly toward making a huge change in my student's experience of school.

They will now have the opportunity to discover what works best for them and to have their schooling tailored to their needs. With these materials, my classroom will no longer be bogged down with the side effects of sensory processing challenges. Each child will be more free!

Ms. Helgerson Harriet Tubman Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Ms. Helgerson

Washington, DC View local requests

More than half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

10 students impacted 26donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Helgerson is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Movin' Sit Jr. • Kaplan Early Learning Company $41.95 3 $125.85
MASSAGER JIGGLER ELEPHANT AND GATOR PR/2 • Abilitations, Inc. $18.99 2 $37.98
KIT CHEWY SAMPLET SET • Abilitations, Inc. $96.89 1 $96.89
CHEWLERY NECKLACE BRACELET RED ST • Abilitations, Inc. $11.39 2 $22.78
KIT WHISTLE KIT ASSORTED • Abilitations, Inc. $23.74 1 $23.74
EA295 - 10-Minute Sand Timer • Lakeshore Learning $14.95 1 $14.95
EA294 - 5-Minute Sand Timer • Lakeshore Learning $14.95 1 $14.95
AA931 - Giant Sight & Sound Tubes • Lakeshore Learning $69.95 1 $69.95
RE148 - Stack & Nest Sensory Toys • Lakeshore Learning $19.95 1 $19.95
TIMER VIBRATING ULTRAK • Abilitations, Inc. $28.49 3 $85.47
DD210 - Multipurpose Headphones with Volume Control - Each • Lakeshore Learning $8.95 4 $35.80
TC172BU - Mold & Play Moon Sand - Blue • Lakeshore Learning $19.99 1 $19.99
TC172RD - Mold & Play Moon Sand - Red • Lakeshore Learning $19.99 1 $19.99
UB90 - Drawstring Ball Bag • Lakeshore Learning $3.95 1 $3.95
UB65 - Easy-Grip Football • Lakeshore Learning $8.90 1 $8.90
UB80 - Basketball • Lakeshore Learning $7.90 1 $7.90
UB8 - 8 1/2" Lakeshore Playground Ball • Lakeshore Learning $7.40 2 $14.80
UB10 - 10" Lakeshore Playground Ball • Lakeshore Learning $9.40 2 $18.80
CG308 - Boomwhackers • Lakeshore Learning $24.95 1 $24.95
LL182 - Side-To-Side Balance Board • Lakeshore Learning $24.95 1 $24.95
LL181 - All-Around Balance Board • Lakeshore Learning $29.95 1 $29.95

Materials cost

$722.49

Vendor shipping charges

 $26.69

Sales tax

 $43.35

3rd party payment processing fee

$10.84

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$838.37

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$147.95

Total project goal

$986.32

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $986.32

23 Donors

-$976.61

Donations toward project cost

-$838.37

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$138.24

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$9.71

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Helgerson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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