SELCO awards $45,000 to three innovative educators chosen by the public for its second year of Classroom Makeovers.
Every great classroom idea starts with an educator who sees what could be better for their students and is willing to imagine something more. Too often, those ideas stall out because of limited time, funding, or resources.
SELCO Classroom Makeovers exist to remove those barriers. Through SELCO Steps Up, we support educators who are already doing the work by helping them turn thoughtful, student-centered ideas into learning spaces that invite creativity, belonging, and hands-on engagement in the form of a $15,000 award.
This year, three projects stood out for their vision, impact, and connection to community. Chosen through a public voting process, the 2025 Classroom Makeover winners are just getting started—with plans now in motion across Oregon at Eugene Waldorf School, Obsidian Middle School (Redmond), and Tualatin High School.
Each project addresses a different kind of classroom—a theater stage, a hands-on trades space, and a digital media studio—but all share the same goal: removing barriers so students can fully engage, create, and thrive.
Eugene Waldorf School – Great Hall Theater Makeover
At the heart of the Eugene Waldorf School campus sits the Great Hall stage—where students perform class plays, gather for weekly assemblies, welcome first-graders during the Rose Ceremony, and celebrate graduation. With roughly 25 performances each year, the stage is more than a backdrop. It’s where learning, creativity, and community come together.
The 2025 Classroom Makeover will support phase one of a comprehensive stage renewal. Planned improvements include repairing, deep-cleaning, and repainting the stage; replacing rusted curtain hangers; and installing new, fire-code-compliant theater curtains, along with a matching valance and side-stage entry drapes.
Much of this work will be powered by volunteers—parents, grandparents, and community members—working alongside skilled contractors to safely refresh the space. The project also builds momentum for future improvements, including lighting, sound, and energy-efficiency upgrades to further enhance the theater experience.
Each year, dozens of students take the stage while hundreds more gather as audience members. The impact reaches beyond school performances, supporting cultural events, teacher training programs, and community gatherings, ensuring the Great Hall continues to serve as a shared space for expression and connection.
Obsidian Middle School – Career & Technical Education Pathway
At Obsidian Middle School, part of the weight room is being reimagined into a hands-on Career and Technical Education (CTE) learning space designed to introduce students to the skilled trades.
This pilot program gives students in grades 6–8 early exposure to carpentry, electrical systems, plumbing, mechanics, and basic technology skills. With support from the Classroom Makeover, the space will be equipped with essential tools, materials, and safety equipment to turn curiosity into real-world learning.
Each unit is built around service-based projects that allow students to apply what they’ve learned in ways that benefit the community. From building wildlife boxes for local conservation partners to creating benches and making school improvements, students experience the pride that comes from building something that matters.
The goal is to help students discover pathways they may never have considered, while fostering teamwork, problem-solving, and civic pride. This first year lays the foundation for a program designed to grow and bring hands-on learning back to the middle school experience.
Tualatin High School – Digital Media Arts Studio
At Tualatin High School, the Digital Media Arts classroom is beginning a transformation—from a bare, gray computer lab into a vibrant design studio where creativity, collaboration, and belonging take center stage.
While the program already has strong technology, the physical environment hasn’t matched the creativity of the students inside it. The Classroom Makeover will focus on improving lighting, organization, instructional tools, and access to creative supplies so students can design, print, and showcase their work with confidence.
Planned upgrades include flexible LED lighting to reduce sensory strain, improved display technology for accurate color critique, dedicated storage for materials, and tools that allow students to turn digital designs into physical creations—from posters to apparel and installations.
Students are already beginning to take ownership of the space by designing graphics and installations that reflect who they are and what the program represents. With this support, the classroom becomes a creative hub connecting art, technology, business, and school-wide collaboration.
Congratulations, 2025 Classroom Makeover winners!
These projects are just getting started, and we’re excited to watch them take shape alongside the educators and communities bringing them to life. Through SELCO Steps Up, we remain committed to supporting the spaces where students learn, create, and grow every day.
Published January 12, 2026
