Date: March 2025

School: Buhl High School

Wish Delivered: Laptops and computer supplies

Teacher Jeff Margulieux says "Within our high school robotics elective our students are able to apply technology and science concepts through engaging hands-on projects as they work together to build and design a robot. Each year our students design and build an amazing robot and compete in FIRST Robotics Competition, an inspirational and challenging program for high school students in which they learn and incorporate crucial STEM skills. In addition to building, students are responsible for coding the robot for both autonomous commands and a “teleoperated” mode in which they will use xbox controllers to maneuver the robot. For programing and robot communication requirements, we need dedicated laptops rather than students’ chromebooks. We would like to purchase two new laptops for Java programming that will replace our singular outdated laptop and allow more students to code together at the same time."

Wish Amount: $749.98

Date: March 2025

School: McMillian Elementary

Wish Delivered: Art Supplies

Teacher Trudy McMullen says "These items will help my classroom by providing the tools to support art education. Student will get to use their creativity, problem solving skills and learn perseverance while learning about master artists. I can remember a tiger I drew and colored in with my elementary school art teacher. I never thought I was good at art, but she encouraged me to keep trying. I was always proud of the result of that project and think about it often. I want to help create these kinds of memories with my students. Due to low socioeconomic status, many of our students do not have access to galleries, art classes, and exposure to community art events. We have an amazing opportunity to partner with community members for art education within our school walls. We utilize a program called Meet the Masters. Each month, members of the community come in and teach art lessons to each classroom. They not only do a project, but learn about master artists such as Warhol, Degas, and Monet to name a few. They are learning art vocabulary, history, elements and then they are guided in creating a piece of art."

Wish Amount: $2008.30

Date: February 2025

School: Lowell Scott Middle 

Wish Delivered: Sensory items

Teacher Tessie Smith says "My classroom is a special education classroom. Many of my students struggle with sensory processing. These are all tools to help them calm their senses and make it easier to focus and learn. The game is for my social skills class. We need many games that help them interact appropriately with each other."

Wish Amount: $352.89

Date: February 2025

School: Maple Grove Elementary

Wish Delivered: Classroom Books

Teacher Krimra Parsons says "Decodable books are an excellent tool for teaching reading, especially for beginning readers. These books are designed to provide practice with specific phonetic patterns and sight words, helping children decode words as they read. As mentioned on Charge Into Reading’s site, “Compelling storylines paired with a strict scope and sequence make for a series that children won’t just be ABLE to read, but that they will actually WANT to read.” My teaching partners and I will share the 352 decodable books in grades 1 and 2 to provide beginning readers more opportunities to read books that match our phonics focus for each week. These books would be used by at least 40 students each week for several years. These books are great tools for helping students develop the skills they need to read independently, and they can be used in both the classroom and at home. This would be an amazing supplement to our curriculum to keep kids reading!"

Wish Amount: $813.12