4 Educators Win Classroom Makeovers in KI Giveaway -- THE Journal

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4 Educators Win Classroom Makeovers in KI Giveaway

By Rhea Kelly
12/02/24

Furniture manufacturer KI has announced the results of its third annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway. Four winners will receive up to $40,000 worth of KI furniture to implement their ideal classroom design: Anna Zibro of Rensselaer Park Elementary School in Troy, NY; Jennifer Childers of Kellyville Academy Alternative Education School in Kellyville, OK; Melissa Weiner of Woodway Elementary School in Fort Worth, TX; and Jenann Elias of Moore Middle School in Redlands, CA.

All entrants submitted designs for their dream learning space using KI's online Classroom Planner tool. KI selected 12 finalists for a nationwide public vote, which resulted in the following winning designs (as described in a news announcement):

At Rensselaer Park Elementary School, Zibro designed a third grade classroom with zones to support various activities and meet students' different learning styles, abilities, and social-emotional needs.
At Kellyville Academy Alternative Education School, Childers created a versatile high school classroom that embraces color theory and tactile learning, and enables students to easily switch between arts, sciences, and learning life skills.
Weiner of Woodway Elementary School designed a vibrant, inclusive special education space to accommodate students with different learning and mobility needs and support independent, group, and pre-vocational learning.
For the library media center at Moore Middle School, Elias created a modern hub with an adaptable layout to support student autonomy, creativity, and collaboration — as well as larger groups and hands-on programming.

In addition, eight runners-up will each receive 20 Ruckus whiteboards.

"We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Anna, Jennifer, Melissa, and Jenann," said Bryan Ballegeer, vice president of education markets at KI, in a statement. "Each of our winners demonstrates a deep commitment to understanding their students' perspectives, meeting their individual needs, and supporting their learning journeys. We're thrilled to help make these inspiring designs a reality."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

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