COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS BOHEMIAN MAKEOVER REVIVES CLASSROOM

By Sandra Carr

Riverside Elementary third-grade teacher Alyssa Snyder always wanted to create a homey oasis with a boho vibe for student learning in her classroom. She also wished for more storage space.

Snyder’s dream has become a reality this year, thanks to Addition Financial’s Renovate to Educate program.

“You never have enough time or money for what you want to do with your classroom,” said Snyder, who has been teaching at Riverside Elementary for four years. “Every year, I have tried to create a room that feels inviting for my kids because you don’t know what their situation is outside of school,” she said.

The Renovate to Educate program has been transforming teachers’ classrooms in Orange, Lake, Osceola and Seminole counties for five years.

Teachers submit several “before” photos and a short essay on the refurbishments they would like in their classroom and why they should be considered.

The selected educator’s vision is brought to life by interior-design students at Seminole State College of Florida. College seniors collaborate with teachers while obtaining hands-on experience during a paid summer internship.

Snyder was selected as the classroom-makeover contest winner from among nearly 100 OCPS applicants. She met with interior-design students Cadence Zarvatski and Kylie Shortt, who created a cozy classroom for her students.

“I paired Alyssa’s request for beautiful jewel tones with fun, bohemian posters and furniture pieces that promote comfort and safety, and found classroom-specific materials that ensured my design was both functional and aesthetically pleasing,” said Zarvatski.

Snyder was over the moon during the big reveal at the beginning of August. Addition Financial paid more than $4,000 for Snyder’s drab-to-fab classroom renovation, and provided her with a boat load of school supplies to start the year off right.

Two of her former students, 10-year-old twins James and Justin Humphrey, said their favorite part of the transformed room is the calm-down corner, which includes a comfy tent and pillows.

Snyder has also invited her past students to visit and experience the renovated classroom before school starts in the morning.

Her current class loves the calm-down corner as much as the Humphreys, and are proud of the new second-floor classroom. Other schoolchildren have been oohing and aahing as they pass by in the hallway.

“The classroom is beautiful,” said Riverside Elementary Principal Kelly Pelletier.

“Students will feel welcome, take pride in what they’re doing and focus on their learning,” she said.

“While the smiles, tears and memorable reactions we see from the teachers during the classroom-reveal events mean a lot to us, the Renovate to Educate project is really about the students,” said Cristina Lehman, executive director of the Addition Financial Foundation. “The Addition Financial Credit Union was built by Central Florida educators, so we’re very proud to do what we can to help create beautifully re-imagined classrooms that young students will be excited to learn in for years to come.”