Date: March 2026

School: Lakes Middle School

Wish Delivered: Woodworking Shop Supplies

Teacher Aaron Fox says "Our middle school woodshop program provides hands-on learning experiences that teach students craftsmanship, problem-solving, and pride in creating something tangible. Adding wood lathes to our shop will dramatically expand our students’ skills and creativity. Currently, our students are limited to flat and linear woodworking projects. Lathes will allow them to safely explore turning wood—making bowls, pens, handles, and other round forms that require precision, patience, and artistry. This equipment will introduce new STEM connections, support cross-curricular design challenges, and inspire students to think like engineers and artists. It will also prepare them for high school programs and future trades by developing hand-eye coordination, measurement accuracy, and tool safety awareness. The lathes will serve multiple grade levels and hundreds of students each year. They will bring new excitement to our program and give every student—regardless of background—the chance to experience pride and accomplishment through craftsmanship."

Wish Amount: $9,462

Date: March 2026

School: Forrest Bird Charter

Wish Delivered: Flight simulator

Teacher Kevin Kless says "This flight simulator equipment will establish a state-of-the-art laboratory to advance STEM education and workforce development in aviation at our Idaho high school, preparing students for high-demand careers as pilots, air traffic controllers, and UAV operators amid a national pilot shortage projected to require 17,000 new entrants annually. By integrating hands-on flight simulation with the Idaho National Laboratory's (INL) K-12 STEM initiatives—which have awarded nearly $5 million to align education with Idaho's energy and tech sectors—this program will foster critical thinking, teamwork, and real-world skills for underrepresented and rural students. Our school will leverage the equipment for the 2026 GAMA Aviation Design Challenge, a national competition for high school teams using X-Plane software to design and virtually test aircraft, earning complimentary curricula and prizes like industry tours and STEM labs to inspire participants. Additionally, we plan to host inter-school competitions with partners like Civil Air Patrol and EAA, promoting community engagement and Idaho's aerospace innovation hub."

Wish Amount: $8,68

Date: March 2026

School: Glenns Ferry Elementary

Wish Delivered: Classroom supplies

Teacher Amy Hill says "I teach in a rural school with a high population of Title I students, many of whom face economic barriers that limit their access to basic educational materials. Your support would have a direct and meaningful impact on my classroom by ensuring all students have equitable access to the tools they need to succeed. The requested supplies will support core instruction in literacy, writing, and the arts, while also fostering student engagement, organization, and confidence... The students I serve are hardworking and eager to learn, but many rely on school-provided materials as their primary access to educational resources. Funding these supplies would help ensure that every student in my classroom has the opportunity to learn, create, and grow in an equitable and supportive environment."

Wish Amount: $329.58

Date: February 2026

School: Sandcreek Middle

Wish Delivered: Fiction and Non-fiction books

Teacher Debbie Christmensen says "The students are so fun and love to read. The books in our library have a median age of 1992. One student was doing a research paper on gaming. I couldn’t let him check out the few gaming books we had because they were so old and not current. I had to pull the career books too because they are so old! We would love to have help updating our library so that it can be useful to our students. They work very hard on their research papers and assignments. They also have to read 30 books in the year for Language Arts class. We have a lot of wonderful books! But the books Are worn out. I apologize so many times to the students when they are checking out books because they are so worn out, ripped, and sometimes falling apart. Often, they check out one book and bring it back a few days later to trade it for a different copy so that I can glue the one they had. The students are very kind. They tell me not to worry about it and that the book reads the same if it’s older or new. Help from the Idaho lottery would be wonderful in replacing books that are so outdated and worn out. We would love for the students to have a great reading experience in middle school."

Wish Amount: $2,824

Date: January 2026

School: Frontier Elementary

Wish Delivered: VR Headsets for virtual field trips

Teacher Carolyn Knam says "We are seeking funding to purchase 25 Meta Quest Headsets for our students. This project will provide immersive virtual field trips that enhance the social studies curriculum, allowing students to explore historical landmarks, world geography, and cultural experiences they would otherwise not be able to access due to economic barriers. Frontier Elementary serves a majority low-income population, and many of our students have limited opportunities to travel outside their immediate community. Field trips are often restricted by budget and logistics, which limits students’ exposure to historical and cultural experiences critical to developing global awareness and historical understanding. Virtual reality (VR) offers a cost-effective, accessible alternative to physical travel that can bring the world to our students."

Wish Amount: $6,250

Date: January 2026

School: Lews & Clark Elementary

Wish Delivered: Classroom Enrichment Supplies

Teacher Jessica Westfall says "My goal is to create a classroom that supports not only academic growth, but also emotional well-being, creativity, and meaningful relationships among learners. Now in my third year of teaching, I have gained a deeper understanding of what truly engages and benefits my students. Each year, I learn more about how to create an environment that meets their academic needs while also nurturing their emotional and social development. This request reflects what I’ve seen make the biggest impact—resources that inspire joy, curiosity, and connection. I have already put so much money into my classroom and into my learners. I would love to have some help to continue to make my classroom what my learners need."

Wish Amount: $5,488

Date: January 2026

School: Bear Lake Middle

Wish Delivered: School Books

Teacher Daniel Bishop says "The Library is the heart of the school. It is in the library that all the stories are stored, all the knowledge is kept, and all the imagination is ignited. Thus, the library should not just be a storage closet for books. Over the last 5 school years BLMS has been working hard to make the library a place of learning, enjoyment, comfort, warmth and power. We have updated our computer system, taken out the hard plastic chairs and put in soft reading spaces, placed color and life on the walls, weeded out the out of date books and are now putting up-to-date books in their place. But we still have work to do. With our limited budget, we can only work so fast without help."

Wish Amount: $1,214

Date: January 2026

School: South Fremont Jr High

Wish Delivered: LEGO Robotics Kit

Teacher Emma McLaughlin says "I am teaching an elective class that uses Lego EV3 kits. Those no longer work because Lego no longer updates their apps so support new operating systems. I need to replace them with the Spike Prime Kits. I would need 7 kits to have enough for all my students in my elective class. If this doesn't happen we can no longer offer this elective to our students. This kits help teach students how to program and trouble shoot programing in real time with their robots completing actions they program."

Wish Amount: $2,799