KI Announces Winners of K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

Furniture provider KI recently announced the winners of its first-ever K–12 classroom furniture giveaway, according to a press release. Entrants used the manufacturer’s Classroom Planner to design an ideal learning space. Nine finalists came from a total of almost 20,000 votes, and then three teachers received a total of $40,000 in furniture to watch their learning space become reality.

According to the news release, the winners were Dylan Zuccarello of Lawton Chiles Elementary School in Tampa, Fla.; Hattie Llewellyn of New Berlin High School in New Berlin, Ill.; and Marisa Rinkel of Norco Elementary School in Norco, Calif.

“We extend our warmest congratulations to Hattie, Marisa, and Dylan,” said KI’s vice president of education markets, Bryan Ballegeer. “Each of these educators put their students’ safety, agency, confidence, and comfort at the forefront of their designs. At KI, we care deeply at improving the incomes of students, which is why we’re excited to support these teachers by bringing their visions to reality.”

Zuccarello, a fifth-grade math and science teacher, prioritized an open layout and flexible seating to boost student comfort and collaboration, the news release reports. Llewellyn, a high-school special education teacher, chose to support adaptability and variety to help students with various levels of cognitive and physical abilities. Finally, Rinkel, a fourth-grade gifted and talented program teacher, emphasized creativity, function, and safety in her design with multi-colored, mobile furniture.

The six runners-up will receive either ten Imaginasium blips or twenty Ruckus whiteboards, depending on their preference. Winners will see their designs installed in their classrooms in coming weeks, according to the press release.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Rice University to Build New Student Life Complex

    Rice University in Houston, Texas, recently announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Moody Center Complex for Student Life (MCCSL) will take place on May 8, 2025, according to a university news release. The 75,000-square-foot facility was designed by architecture firm Olson Kundig with Page serving as executive architect, and it has an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

  • Mesa West Capital Provides Loan to Refinance University of Georgia Residence Complex

    Mesa West Capital recently announced that it has provided a $133.9-million, short-term, first mortgage loan to developer LV Collective (“LV”) to refinance a student housing complex near the University of Georgia, according to a news release. Rambler Athens, a 750-bed residence hall adjacent to the campus, was completed in August 2024.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

  • Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

Digital Edition