Date: April 2026

School: Idaho Arts Charter School

Wish Delivered: Buddy Benches

Teacher Erin Bass says "A Buddy Bench provides a safe, nonverbal way for students to ask for companionship, helping to reduce anxiety and normalize help-seeking behavior. Having two benches reinforces that this support is school-wide and consistently available to all students. I have seen Buddy Benches successfully used at my previous school, and students truly responded positively to them. The impact extends to all students. Those who sit on the bench gain confidence and a sense of belonging, while those who respond have opportunities to practice empathy, kindness, and leadership. My fifth graders are eager to lead by example for our younger students and are hoping to have two 60” sand-colored Buddy Benches installed on our playground by March 6, 2026. This timeline would allow them to introduce the concept to younger students while continuing to use the benches themselves. Over time, this shared responsibility strengthens peer relationships, reduces playground conflicts, and helps build a more inclusive and positive school culture."

Wish Amount: $1,927

Date: April 2026

School: Park Intermediate School

Wish Delivered: Classroom supplies

Teacher Mari Cluff says "This wish list supports the creation of an extended resource room in a rural Idaho school designed to provide students with explicit instruction in life skills, functional academics, and entrepreneurial thinking. The requested materials will allow students to engage in hands-on, real-world learning experiences that build independence, responsibility, and employability. Kitchen equipment, storage systems, and organizational tools will be used to teach daily living skills such as meal preparation, cleaning routines, inventory management, and workplace expectations, while STEM materials and a 3D printer will introduce students to design, problem-solving, and small-scale product creation, supporting entrepreneurial skills and innovative thinking."

Wish Amount: $1,434

Date: April 2026

School: Garfield Elementary

Wish Delivered: Classroom supplies

Teacher Whitney Taylor says "These OG+ Decodable Reader sets are the missing piece for my multilingual learners during our reading intervention time. Right now, my students often work from a plain, printed page, which can be challenging and overwhelming. For a student learning English, a page of just text can be abstract because it doesn't contain visuals to help them understand the meaning behind the words they are reading.By providing these Fiction and Nonfiction volumes, we are giving them vital visual support. These books use high-quality imagery to provide immediate context and comprehension clues. When a student decodes a new word, the accompanying visual helps them instantly connect that English sound to a real-world concept. This aids in their reading comprehension."

Wish Amount: $608.13

Date: April 2026

School: Chief Tahgee Elementary

Wish Delivered: Classroom supplies

Teacher Lorinda Sowell says "As a Kindergarten teacher living in Idaho, we have many recesses inside. To keep my Kinders happy I try to do something fun, although it does not replace the large motor activity they may have had while being outside, I like to build the small motor skills when we do stay inside for recess. We go through many school supplies, these supplies are in dire need of replacement to best facilitate learning and hands on experiences. Not only do students need to have supplies, but some of the tools students use to explore and create need to be replaced quite a bit."

Wish Amount: $502.47