Shiloh Park teacher wins $15,000 in Flex-Space furniture

First-year Shiloh Park Elementary teacher Ofelia Gonzalez entered the Flex-Space Giveaway Contest, hosted by Lakeshore Learning Materials, in the hopes of winning a $500 gift card for her classroom.

She was pleasantly surprised when they announced she had won the first-place prize of $15,000. This grand prize included new, flexible seating and other educational materials that will benefit her students.

Monday, Jan. 7, was the first day Gonzalez and her students saw the new classroom furniture and design. They were all excited to see the changes and improvements made to their in-class library.

Assistant Principal Kimberly Monk and Gonzalez both agreed that the Flex-Space Learning furniture will be a great asset to the students in Gonzalez's classroom, and will help to build a flex-space learning environment for the building as a whole.

In her entry essay, Gonzalez explained that by integrating flexible seating, it would give students the power to control their individual environment in a way that promotes effective learning.

Lakeshore Learning Materials is a provider of educational products and services. Their Flex-Space Giveaway Contest was open to teachers across the nation, with the grand prize featuring a fully equipped classroom filled with premium selections from the new furniture line.

Gonzalez was able to pick anything from mobile desks and tables to comfortable bean bag chairs and fidget-friendly balance ball seats. Other than furniture, Gonzalez was able to choose from the most popular teaching materials, including hands-on math and language centers and innovative STEM and STEAM kits.

Lakeshore has provided an exclusive Complete Classrooms service, which includes complimentary design services, delivery and installation. All setup was completed over winter break in time for students returning to school.

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