Congratulations Ms. Dorothy Lee, $25,000 Grand Prize Winner of the 2007 EXPO Classroom Makeover Contest. Check back soon to see all the colorful changes Ms. Lee's room will receive in April!

"Wow, I can't believe I won! I am so excited for the students. The makeover will be great motivation for them. They can work in a stimulating, artistic and professional environment. Thanks to EXPO for this great reward." - Dorothy Lee

Our art room should be considered a historical artifact, being over 70 years old. The drawers given out to students to store their work are a relic from 1960, they come unhinged, handles break off, and students’ work is lost in it’s cavities. Through its old age, this room is home to more than 720 kids every year. That’s at the least, 40 students in 6 periods year round with 3 different teachers since the 1930s. Our teachers work extremely hard with the limited resources that they have, they teach eager students about art even as our facility falls apart.

"What's cooking?" is an idiom often used as a friendly way to inquire about someone. In my class however, "what's cooking?" is usually us - my classroom used to be a kitchen! Our room is tiled three quarters of the way up the wall on all sides, with a 1950’s green color, topped with an encrusted combination of dust and grime. These also provide us with an ever-present echo. Our desks have ink wells; and their carvings provide the school's historical record. Only exposure to your colors enliven our day. Please mark us "well-done" and serve us as your signature dish!

The world has made many strides of improvement in technology and education in the last century, but it seems like my classroom is stuck in the past. Our school has just celebrated their 100 year celebration. Part of the school is newly build, but in my room the desk are bolted to the floor and looks as if it was built 100 years ago. They're still made of wood and cast iron.

I love my classroom, but it needs to be brought into the 21st century. It lack the luster that expo can bring to it.

We work in closets. We are three elementary Special Education Teachers whose three rooms together do not equal one regular classroom. We scavenge for equipment such as old or discarded filing cabinets, wobbly bookshelves, chairs, and cracked whiteboards, just to provide the students with what they need. It is our responsibility to make these rooms as functional as possible; these rooms are not only our classrooms but also our storage areas. It is difficult to foster positive self-esteem when your room is over crowded. All students deserve to work in areas that are safe, appealing, and conducive to learning.