Great American Classroom Makeover Winners

And the winners are...

Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry into our first ever Great American Classroom Makeover contest. We appreciate everything educators do to create positive, engaging learning environments. Every teacher deserves recognition and support for their dedication to their students.

It was a difficult decision, but we are proud to announce the five winners for this year’s contest. These teachers will receive $2,000 to purchase the items their classroom needs most! We also awarded four teachers with Honorable Mentions, and they will receive $1,000 for their classrooms!

Grand Prize Winners:
	Cynthia Haydon Union Elementary Petaluma, CA Grades K-6 This one-room school is 113 years old. The 13 students who currently attend Union School have to stuff their belongings into a cramped cubby area that was poorly designed. As the teacher, principal, secretary and janitor, Cynthia needs funding to rebuild the student storage space.	Jennifer Criswell RJ Wollam Elementary Santa Fe, TX 1st Grade With damage from Hurricane Ike, Jennifer's students are "bunking" at the junior high in vacant space. At half the size of a normal classroom, she has no bookshelves, little storage and barren walls. Right now, the students are just sitting on carpet. A Great American Classroom Makeover will allow her to make their temporary space feel more like a real classroom.
	Pati Harper LEARN Oakdale, CT Grades 9-12 Teaching students with multiple disabilities in a renovated strip mall presents many challenges for this recipient. They lack many of the adaptations to their space that would allow the students to be more independent. This award will allow them to make their classrooms more accessible for their students.	Terri Bradshaw Harold R. Walker Elementary Canton, OH Grades 2-5 When the school district was consolidated, the only way to keep the elementary art program was to move into an old locker room. Sinks with no running water, a broken air conditioning unit and block and cement walls and floor make teaching, and learning, very difficult. Now, they'll be able to make their art room conducive to creativity.
	Yvonne Edman Borrego Springs Elementary Borrego Springs, CA Special Education Their special education classroom is located in a very old, portable building. Besides its overall shabby condition, it is filled with outdated and unusable equipment. New computers will allow them to purchase educational programs that can assist their special needs students.

Honorable Mentions:
	Amber Belbachir Laura Ferrell Learning Center Franklin, OH Grades 2-12 Physical education is crucial to Amber's work with students who have been removed from typical classroom settings. Although they would benefit from the physical, mental and emotional outlet of a structured PE program, they don't even have nets and standards to use the gym for racquet sports. They'll be able to positively channel the students' energy when they have basic equipment for indoor sports and games.	Jessyca Mathews Carman-Ainsworth High School Flint, MI Grades 9-12 Jessyca submitted a poem, "Dreams of the Overworked Teacher". She began saying, "An opportunity to change the room? To change the feeling of utterly gloom?" She continued on to say that new technology, bright paint to cover their "ugly wall" and cozy chairs will make a difference to cheer up the room. She is also looking to add some life through posters, new books and plants.
	Sonya Boyles John T. Simpson Academy Alternative Center for Education Easley, SC 9th Grade Teaching at-risk students, Sonya aims to enrich their lives with knowledge, hope and a positive attitude. But, with no library at the school, it's difficult to open up their eyes to all of the possibilities for their future. Being able to check out books to share in their homes would also broaden the horizons of the students' families. Having access to books will allow her students to "Dream Big" which she has posted on her classroom wall.	Steve Middleton Crook County High School Prineville, OR Grades 9-12 A traditional drafting lab using paper and pencil has been converted to a computer aided design lab. Unfortunately, the tall desks and stools that worked so well in the past are not appropriate for computer usage. Many of the stools are broken or have sharp edges from years of welding attempts to fix them. Students spend a long time in the lab, and new comfortable seats will allow them to learn without getting backaches.

Links of Interest:

Find out more information about Great American Financial Resources and all of the ways we support educators in and out of the classroom, visit www.GAFRI.com.

Access free financial literacy lessons to use in your classroom through a partnership from Great American Financial Resources and USA TODAY. Visit www.usatodayeducate.com/independentliving101.

Subscribe to the Great American Teachers' Club, an online resource from the Ron Clark Academy that is supported by GAFRI. This membership site gives you an all-access pass to inspiration, ideas, lessons and more from Ron Clark, Disney Teacher of the Year in 2000. Visit www.greatamericanteachersclub.com.

Learn more about the Great American Teacher awards from the Ron Clark Academy. Sponsored by GAFRI, the program will award exemplary teaching. Applications will be accepted December 1 through March 1. Visit www.ronclarkacademy.com/great-american-teachers-awards.aspx.