Dwell with Dignity Helps Make Over Lounge
It鈥檚 usually the little things that count most.
When star and the nonprofit announced their big reveal of a staff lounge makeover at Speer Elementary, they touted the spacious blue sofa as its centerpiece, a comfy spot where teachers can eat lunch or kick back and grab a breather.
While everyone plopped down on the couch or oohed and aahed the new coffee maker, microwave or toaster, Maria Soto, Speer鈥檚 reigning teacher of the year, zeroed in on two small items resting on each of the four tables.
鈥淪alt and pepper shakers!鈥 Soto screamed. 鈥淐an you believe this?鈥
This past academic year finding salt and pepper in the Speer lounge was challenging.
鈥淥k, so, we use to have this salt shaker, and it depended from day to day whether it would be out of salt or whether we could even find it at all,鈥 Soto said. 鈥淣ow I can just sit at the table and use a salt and pepper. This will be perfect. We only have so much time for lunch. We can鈥檛 go looking for the salt shaker.鈥
Soto and other Speer staffers marveled at the new space, which included a popcorn machine, apparently another highly sought-after asset to complement educational relaxation.
鈥淲e get requests for popcorn machines a lot,鈥 said Dana Villalobos, a spokesperson with Dwell with Dignity, an interior design-based non-profit known for transforming family homes and community projects. 鈥淔ire department? Popcorn machine. That鈥檚 usually the first thing people ask if they can have.鈥
Dallas Wings Community Foundation
Soto said Speer is Dwell with Dignity鈥檚 first partnership in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 and hopefully not the last. It was made possible through the Dallas Wings Community Foundation. The Wings play home games at Arlington鈥檚 College Park Center, not far from Speers鈥 front door.
The Wings wanted to do something special for Speer. They turned to Dwell with Dignity for help, since the nonprofit has loads of experience redesigning homes for impoverished families who graduate from programs like Genesis Women鈥檚 Shelter into apartments. They work with about 25 partners, including Habitat for Humanity, to design those apartments.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a teacher鈥檚 lounge, so they usually want to relax, so we equipped the space with a coffee area, and a reading area, and implemented their school colors of blue,鈥 said Kristyn Ampofo, a community project designer. 鈥淭he Wings share the same colors – blue and green, so we incorporated those hues into the design of the lounge. We also added a workstation, a snack bar and personalized artwork.鈥
Two of Ogunbowale鈥檚 No. 24 jerseys hang on the wall as well.
鈥淲e replaced some furniture that has seen a lot of semesters,鈥 Ampofo said. 鈥淲e just tried to make it a lot more inviting. Teachers have a difficult job. If they can relax here briefly, it鈥檚 replenishing for them.鈥
Speer instructional coach Katerias Jones knows about that.
鈥淵ou have those days where you print out your work, and it comes out on yellow paper instead of white because someone forgot to change out the paper,鈥 said Jones. 鈥淭his is a place where teachers can have some private time to share those kinds of ups and downs with their colleagues, just to talk, to let their hair down. Sometimes it鈥檚 great just to be able to chill for a second.鈥
Speer secretary Ixy Paz, who found one of the chairs quite comfy, calls their lounge 鈥渙ur second home. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so great that it鈥檚 so nice. So amazing. The teachers will love this when they return to school.鈥
Ogunbowale said she鈥檚 always had a sweet spot for educators, partly because she was raised by two of them.
鈥淚 knew firsthand how hard they work because I saw my parents work,鈥 Ogunbowale said. 鈥淚 know that it鈥檚 not just a regular job. They work 12 months out of the year, provide everything they can for these kids and often come out of their pockets.鈥
Ashley Sharp, executive director of Dwell with Dignity, said schools are one of her favorite renovations, partly because 鈥淭he work they are doing as leaders and administrators and teachers affect these students so much.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 even understand that you take care of our teachers each day, and they go through many stages of life with you leading them. You are their second parents, their guardians. We just wanted to help those who care about our babies as much as we do. This is a celebration to teachers.鈥
Ogunbowale said the celebration isn鈥檛 over. On July 22, the Dallas Wings will host Teacher Appreciation Night during a game at College Park Center.