Grants

Classroom Furniture Giveaway Seeks Dream Learning Space Design

• By Rhea Kelly
• 09/06/24

Educators have a chance to design their ideal K-12 learning space in a contest recently announced by classroom furniture manufacturer KI. The company's third annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway will award up to $40,000 worth of KI furniture to each of four winners; three of the prizes will go to individual classrooms, and the fourth will go to a library or media center. In addition, eight runners-up will each receive a set of 30 Ruckus whiteboards.

Eligible learning spaces include classrooms, libraries, makerspaces, esports labs, art or music rooms, and more, the company explained in a news announcement. Participating teachers must be employed at a U.S. educational institution, work with grades pre-K through 12, and be at least 21 years old.

To enter, participants will use KI's online Classroom Planner tool to design their ideal learning space, including "a detailed rendering of the proposed space and a brief explanation of how the design reflects the educator's teaching philosophy and meets the needs of their students," the company said. K1 will select three classroom design finalists and one library design finalist in each of three geographic regions (Eastern, Western, and Central); final winners will be determined by online public vote.

"We're thrilled to continue our Classroom Furniture Giveaway, offering educators the opportunity to create diverse and dynamic learning environments," said Bryan Ballegeer, vice president of education markets at KI, in a statement. "Our goal with this initiative is to empower educators and students by giving them a voice in the design of their learning spaces. We celebrate the pivotal role that teachers play in shaping environments where creativity and collaboration can thrive."

The entry period will be open from Oct. 1 to Oct. 25. Winners will be announced on Nov. 20. For more information, visit the KI site.