SELCO Community Credit Union Awards $45,000 To Three Educators As Part Of Its Annual Classroom Makeover Program

Educators in Redmond, Tualatin, and Eugene will each receive $15,000 for substantial classroom improvements 

(SPRINGFIELD, Ore.) — A Career and Technical Education (CTE) learning space at Obsidian Middle School in Redmond, a digital media arts center at Tualatin High School, and a performing arts theater at the Eugene Waldorf School are this year’s winners of SELCO Community Credit Union’s Classroom Makeover program. Three educators—one each from Central and Eastern Oregon, Northwestern Oregon, and Southwestern Oregon—will each receive $15,000 to transform their learning spaces over the next academic year.

Selected from a public online vote of nine finalists statewide, the three winning projects are:

• Central and Eastern Oregon: $15,000 to create a new CTE space at Obsidian Middle School in Redmond. This space will establish a CTE pathway for 7th- and 8th-grade students by helping them gain hands-on skills in areas like carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, mechanics, and information technology. Submitted by Dan Grubb.

• Northwestern Oregon: $15,000 to create a vibrant digital media arts center at Tualatin High School from an underutilized computer lab. The new space will be used as a studio in which students design, create, and showcase digital projects that connect creativity, community, and future careers. Submitted by Anneke Schoneveld.

• Southwestern Oregon: $15,000 to renovate The Great Hall Theater at the Waldorf School in Eugene. The project will provide new curtains, valances, stage repairs, and paint for the school’s elementary and middle school performers. Submitted by Cricket Clarke.

The Classroom Makeover program is part of the SELCO Steps Up initiative that launched in 2024. One of the key goals for SELCO Steps Up is to introduce new programs in response to changing community needs. One such need is additional financial support for educators, who often dip into their own pockets to make even modest classroom improvements. For this program, SELCO defined “Classroom” as any school learning space, including traditional classrooms, libraries, gymnasiums, and outdoor areas.

Applications arrived from all corners of Oregon, underscoring the need for more educator support.

“Supporting educators as they reimagine the spaces where students learn and grow is central to the mission of SELCO Steps Up,” said Olivia Sorensen, community development supervisor for SELCO Community Credit Union. “The enthusiasm we saw in the program’s first year proved how meaningful these opportunities are. We’re excited for what this year’s winners will achieve and hopeful that their projects encourage even more educators to share their classroom ideas.”

Each of this year’s winners will use the funding to either reimagine or renovate existing learning spaces. For example, Obsidian Middle School in Redmond will use the money to turn part of an existing weight room into a hands-on learning center for its new CTE program, which will be devoted to introducing students to practical trades while “fostering a spirit of service and community engagement.”

“This grant could make this elective a viable class for years to come,” wrote Dan Grubb — a science teacher at Obsidian, who is piloting the school’s CTE program — in his Classroom Makeover application. “With SELCO’s support, our middle school CTE program will not only prepare students with valuable trade skills but also create lasting contributions to the community. Together, we can inspire the next generation of skilled workers while building stronger, more resilient neighborhoods.”

Tualatin High School will use the funding to transform an existing computer lab — with bare, gray walls, harsh overhead lights, and “no spark of inspiration” — into “a vibrant design studio where students feel secure, included, and proud.” 

“This makeover is about more than one room,” wrote Anneke Schoneveld, a Digital Media Arts teacher at Tualatin High School, in her Classroom Makeover application. “It’s about showing students that their voices matter, their creativity has value, and their school community believes in their future. It’s about turning a lab of machines into a place of belonging — where every student who walks through the door feels ready to create, ready to learn, and ready to thrive.”

SELCO presented the grants to all three educators who submitted the applications during events at their respective schools. CLICK HERE for more information about this year's winners of SELCO Steps Up Classroom Makeovers. For images and videos of the presentations, CLICK HERE.

For more information about the Classroom Makeover program, last year’s Makeover winners, and SELCO Steps Up student and educator support programs, visit selco.org/steps-up/.

About SELCO Steps Up:

The SELCO Steps Up program aims to create positive, innovative, lasting change through volunteerism, resource support, and collaboration with community partners. In 2024, SELCO reinvested nearly $415,000 in the communities it serves through educator grants, scholarships, and impact-driven sponsorships. SELCO staff also committed nearly 1,400 volunteer hours last year alone. As a credit union founded by teachers, education is a cornerstone of these efforts, with a focus on removing barriers to financial literacy. By empowering individuals and families to achieve financial well-being, SELCO strives to build a strong foundation for all its members and neighbors. Learn more at www.selco.org/steps-up.

About SELCO Community Credit Union:

Founded nearly 90 years ago by a group of fiscally minded teachers, Springfield-based SELCO Community Credit Union today serves more than 150,000 members as one of the largest and longest-standing Oregon-based credit unions. A not-for-profit, federally insured, member-driven financial cooperative with more than $2.8 billion in assets, SELCO provides its member-owners with exceptional rates and low fees on a full range of financial products and services, including banking, mortgages, personal and business loans, investments, and insurance. Membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of the 27 Oregon or eight Washington counties SELCO serves. For more information or to become a member today, stop by one of SELCO’s 15 branches, visit selco.org, or call 800-445-4483.