Wayfair Announces Dream Classroom Giveaway Winners

December 11, 2020  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

Conducted by Wayfair Professional, Wayfair’s business program, nominations from the public were accepted through a contest website earlier this year. Winners were selected based on their meaningful impact on a student, class or community, or a particularly unique teaching approach.

“In a school year with much uncertainty, these two educators have been doing extraordinary work that will benefit their students and communities well into the future. Wayfair Professional is proud to announce Tavares Perkins and Brooke Herbert as the winners of this year’s Dream Classroom Giveaway,” said Margaret Lawrence, vice president of Wayfair Professional. “As a leading retailer of furniture, decor and more, Wayfair knows the impact one’s surroundings can have on their day to day, whether it’s at home, in the classroom, or for a business. We are excited for these teachers and their students to utilize their new educational furniture and supplies for many years to come.”

Wayfair Professional received over 1,100 submissions to the 2020 Dream Classroom Giveaway Contest and the winners were carefully selected by a panel of Wayfair Professional employees.

Brooke Herbert, a kindergarten teacher at Beacon Academy in Canton, Ohio, was described by her principal as a true champion of her students’ success. After an initial school shutdown due to COVID-19, Herbert made daily phone calls, engaging videos, and even front-step home visits when needed. She gave students an inside look at her own life beyond school through daily videos that were both educational and entertaining. Her classroom makeover included a variety of updated storage pieces, including hanging wall cubbies with individualized bins for each of her students to safely store their belongings.

Tavares Perkins, a fourth grade math and science teacher at Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has been teaching for 12 years and was nominated by the parent of a student. Beyond teaching, Perkins hosts an annual math carnival for the school and leads a group of students who perform community improvement projects around the city. His classroom makeover included individualized desks and chairs, ideal for social distancing but designed to come together for collaborative group work in the future.

“In an inner-city school like mine, opportunities like this don’t come along often. This type of community outreach and support from Wayfair Professional is the same type of real-world example that I strive to teach my students daily: love your community, help your community, be proud of your community, and be passionate about your community,” commented Perkins, after his classroom was updated by Wayfair Professional this fall.

The contest winners received select products generously provided by leading education manufacturers and suppliers, including Children’s Factory, Jonti-Craft, Inc., Marco Group, Inc., Moore Co., Inc., and Wood Designs.