Speechless is the best way to describe Christine Taylor’s reaction to seeing her renovated classroom. It is exactly what she wished for her students: colorful, inviting, superhero themed with Lego learning kits.
“I am convinced that inside each one of my students, there is a Superhero waiting to emerge. I would like to see my classroom renovated to reflect ‘Super Heroes.’ It would be beneficial to have additional furnishings to create well-defined learning centers around the classroom with sufficient educational games/materials,” Taylor, a first grade teacher at OCPS Academic Center for Excellence, wrote in her application. “By winning the Renovate to Educate Contest, my students would see images around the classroom representing success and take on the positive attitude of becoming a ‘Hero’!"
Taylor expressed her gratitude to the Addition Financial and OCPS stakeholders who played a pivotal role in this gift. She was excited to share the moment with her three children. Two were able to attend in person and the other watched her mother’s reaction via FaceTime, courtesy of her brother.
“It is an honor and a blessing. When you have support, you can help close the achievement gap,” Taylor said. “I am so grateful. Thank you all so much.”
Taylor first learned she won the Addition Financial Foundation’s Renovate to Educate contest back in February. Then she participated in a brainstorming session with a Seminole State College interior design intern to help bring her ideas to life. After the meeting, the intern designed the space and only revealed the creation to the AFF team who approved and moved forward with ordering supplies and renovating the classroom during summer break. The secret keeping pays off when teachers, like Christine Taylor, see their renovated classroom at the start of the new school year.
The Renovate to Educate program benefits K-12 and higher education. A K-12 teacher receives the gift of a new classroom design and a college student receives the real-world experience of working with a client on a budget while getting paid for the internship. The three-way partnership benefits one lucky teacher in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola county.
For those interested in this unique opportunity for your classroom, make sure to follow Addition Financial on Facebook. Applications typically post in November.