July 17, 2007 — Kahla Middle School teacher Heather Lassley was named the grand prize winner in the Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union Extreme Classroom Makeover Essay Contest on July 2.
In the first annual contest, teachers of all grade levels submitted essays explaining why they were most deserving of the $500 grand prize to help them create an ideal learning environment for their students.
Lassley, an eighth-grade reading teacher, wanted to create an enjoyable learning environment compatible with the new Reading 180 program, which incorporates technology with varying aspects of reading. In her essay she proposed a sports makeover for her classroom that would feature folding chairs and Astroturf carpet for an independent reading section, sports lockers for a classroom library and sports memorabilia and posters to decorate the room.
She also wrote that these supplies would be shared among the three seventh- and eighth-grade reading classrooms with fellow teachers Jennifer Witcher and Rebecca Shell.
“We had been looking to redo our rooms to give our students some motivation,” Lassley said. “A real inviting classroom that they actually want to go to instead of dragging themselves to.”
Two representatives from the Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union, Erin Al-Salman and Leslie Martone, will go to Kahla to help Lassley decorate the rooms on Aug. 15.
According to Martone, the CFFCU Business Development Coordinator, about 35 essays were submitted from elementary, middle and high school teachers. The judges declared Lassley the winner but also recognized four runners-up: Mary Duhon from Hamilton Elementary, Cynthia Gilbert and Kelly Sosa from Lieder Elementary and Teri Edwards from Ault Elementary. Martone said two of the runners-up will receive one-hour classroom organization consultations from Marla Regan of Organized Time and Holly Uverity of Office Organizers, while the other two runners-up will receive $50 gift cards to The Container Store (donated by the Cy-Fair Chamber of Commerce and Weatherton-Cole Insurance).
“We were looking to do something to be more involved in the district,” Martone said. “I know our teachers do great things for us in the district and we wanted to be able to give back to these teachers.”
Martone added that CFFCU plans to award more winners in future Extreme Classroom Makeover Essay Contests. Teachers can stay posted at www.cyfairfcu.org.
Photo courtesy of Cy-Fair FCU
Kahla Middle School teacher Heather Lassley, left, and Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union President Debbie Blackshear pose following Lassley's win in the Extreme Classroom Makeover Essay Contest.
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