Meet the Winners of Our Third Classroom Furniture Giveaway

• K-12 Education

Meet the educators who turned bold ideas into reality with the help of KI furniture. See how they created classroom spaces that reflect the voices and needs of their students.

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When educators and students have a voice in shaping their learning environments, the results are powerful.

Last fall, we launched our third classroom furniture giveaway, offering teachers the chance to win $40,000 worth of KI furniture to transform their learning spaces. More than 500 teachers from across the country submitted inspiring designs, each one a reflection of their passion and vision for student-centered learning.

Out of 12 finalists, four educators were chosen through a public vote.

We recently installed the new furniture and had the privilege to witness the excitement as students stepped into their reimagined classrooms.

Creating a Calming, Collaborative, and Student-Led Space

Rensselaer Park Elementary School - 3rd Grade Classroom

Troy, NY

Anna Zibro, third-grade teacher, believes that learning flourishes in an environment designed with both flexibility and intention. She co-teaches with Megan Hupfl, and students in their classroom have a wide range of learning abilities, interests, and social-emotional needs. 

Their new classroom design supports each individual student and their specific engagement requirements. The teachers use a variety of strategies that include interactive lessons, collaborative group work, whole-brain teaching, and hands-on activities.

Ricochet stools paired with a Ruckus activity table provide an alternative seating option for wiggly students needing extra movement to stay focused during certain lessons.

Additional sprocket-shaped Ruckus activity tables paired with Intellect Wave chairs encourage
collaboration and group work among students. Sway chairs and Imaginasium blips provide added comfort for the quiet zones and students needing a break.

“This variety allows students to thrive in ways that cater to their individual preferences,” Zibro said.

They want the classroom to feel like a community where students feel valued and also allows their co-teaching relationship to flourish.

“We both have to work and function in one space,” said Hupfl. “Now that we have this brand-new furniture, I feel like we’re going to be able to run our classroom so smoothly. Not only are the kids going to benefit, but our relationship is also going to benefit because we each have what we need to be successful.”

Video Classroom Giveaway Winner - Rensselaer Park Elementary School 

 

A Safe Space to Grow and Empower Student Voices

Kellyville Academy Alternative Education School - High School Classroom

Kellyville, OK

For Jennifer Childers, director of the Kellyville Alternative Education School, learning goes far beyond textbooks. Her classroom is a haven for students who haven’t thrived in traditional settings, many of whom face immense personal challenges.

At the Academy, student voice is central to every decision, so Childers worked with her students to help with the design of their new classroom.

“Because our students are stakeholders, I asked them to take part in the process,” Childers said.

The students prioritized a space that was multi-functional and reflected how they learn best: through movement, creativity, and connection. The new classroom includes flexible furniture, a calming color palette, and zones for life skills, science, art, and relaxation.

The new design incorporates a Ruckus worktable, which is durable and ideal for multi-functional activities that range from science experiments to art projects. Ruckus chairs, designed to encourage movement and choice, were also highlighted in the space. Ruckus tote storage provides accessible and organized spaces for learning materials, ensuring the classroom remains tidy and resources are within reach.

Recognizing the need for supportive well-being, the classroom also features Sway lounge seating that offers a soothing, 360-degree motion, creating a calming space for students who need that reprieve.

“It was really spectacular to see what it was to what it is now,” said Jon Green, a senior at Kellyville Academy.

For Childers, the transformation is deeply personal. She hopes the new design—and the student pride it inspires—will spread beyond the classroom.

“Our goal for the new space was to allow our students to learn in their preferred learning style.”

She loves seeing so many different activities happening and students thriving comfortably in one space. “As a teacher, I value that as success,” Childers said.

Video Classroom Giveaway Winner - Kellyville Academy Alternative Education School 

 

Confidence, Celebration, and Comfort 

Woodway Elementary - Special Education Classroom 

Fort Worth, TX

When Melissa Weiner entered her classroom for the first time, she found a space that felt more like a storage room than a setting for learning.

“There was nothing on the walls; it was very workroom-looking,” she said. The furniture was more than 40 years old and not conducive to the needs of her students.

Weiner teaches in a self-contained classroom with students of varying physical and developmental needs. Many of her existing chairs were broken or mismatched, and students often couldn’t fit their legs under their desks.

“My goals for the new classroom were to be highly functional for the students,” she said. “I have one ambulatory student, and the furniture we had was really affecting her and her ability to be successful. This new furniture is really going to help her.”

Weiner chose Intellect Wave chairs in KI's cheery Rubber Ducky finish to brighten up the space. Fun Imaginasium blocks and blips provide a creative outlet and alternative seating for students looking for a comfortable spot on the carpet. 

MyPlace crescent-shaped ottomans, paired with a round occasional table, provide a whimsical seating element, while Ruckus stacking desks with Ruckus whiteboards in pivot docks serve as convenient, multi-functional worksurfaces and free up space for flexible learning environments.

Weiner hopes that this furniture enhances student learning and engagement. “I think the new furniture is beautiful, cheery, and exciting,” she said. “If we don’t instill the joy of learning in elementary school, it's too late by middle school. Your environment helps spark your joy.”

Video Classroom Giveaway Winner - Woodway Elementary School 

 

A 21st-Century Library Uplift

Moore Middle School - Library Media Center

Redlands, CA

At Moore Middle School, the library plays a vital role in student engagement. For Jenann Elias, it’s more than a place for books; it’s a hub of curiosity, creativity, and connection. 

“A lot of people don’t realize that a modern, 21st-century library should be more than just quiet time with a book,” said Elias. The school offers book clubs, game days, crafting events, media labs, and classroom activities, but until now, they had been doing so in a space that hadn’t been updated in more than 40 years. 

“Now we have expanded range with some new, functional, adaptive furniture,” Elias added. “We needed a space that reflects how students learn today, with a library, media center, classroom, and makerspace all in one.”

Her design includes flexible, mobile furniture that enhances the space and can be configured for a multitude of activities.

Intellect Wave chairs paired with Pirouette nesting tables provide convenient and comfortable workstations for individual students or full classes needing a multimedia space for a specific lesson.

These products can also conveniently stack and nest if the space needs to be reconfigured for a different use. Ruckus storage provides double-sided shelving for books, games, or other uses. Convenient casters allow for those shelves to be moved around. A Ruckus worktable provides space for hands-on learning, craft projects, or other interactive activities. 

MyPlace lounge seating, paired with C-table personal worksurfaces, provides relaxing touchdown points for students and teachers alike. 

Whether it’s for quiet reading, group projects, or multimedia work, students and teachers now have spaces that suit their needs. Beyond academics, Elias envisions the library as a safe, inclusive environment that supports student well-being and builds community.

“I want students to experience the library as a space for fun, exploration, and self-expression.”

Video Classroom Giveaway Winner - Moore Middle School 

 

The Power of Student-Centered Design

At KI, we know incredible things happen when educators and students help shape their learning spaces.

We’re proud to support these inspiring transformations and excited to celebrate the winners of our third annual classroom furniture giveaway.

All of the entries displayed extraordinary creativity, heart, and dedication from teachers across the country. As we look ahead, we’re already gearing up for the next competition coming in fall 2025!

Can’t wait until then? Start designing your dream classroom with our free Classroom Planner tool today. And, be sure to subscribe for updates on the next round of our classroom furniture giveaway!

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