2009 Classroom Makeover Reveal
Knox County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre:
"Well, I think it is wonderful. I mean, we so appreciate the work that Oak Ridge Associated Universities has done with us. I think it creates some excitement around technology in our classroom. It also gives us a real life sort of laboratory in a sense of what happens and what are the possibilities when you have great technology, state of the art technology in a classroom and a teacher who really knows how to use it and knows how to integrate that into the classroom structure and into her teaching. So, we're very excited. We're excited for Ms. Alvey, we're excited for Gresham Middle School, and we're just really delighted that Oak Ridge Associated Universities has undertaken this project."
Parent Tim Rupeka
"I'm still getting use to seeing classrooms without chalkboards, so big step forward."
2009 Extreme Classroom Makeover winner Ms. Jenny Alvey:
"I think it's amazing! I mean, I just, there's days that I come in and I'm just like awww. And, just to see the kids come in today and be so animated and just kind of light up and just be so excited about everything. I just, it makes me excited because I can't wait to see what the future brings. They're like awww, this is amazing! And they just, I mean like, I literally saw them running and they were just running in and I just could hear as I was holding the door for them, awww, awww, look at all this stuff , oh my gosh, I want to go here, I want to go there and then I knew they were immediately drawn to the I-pod touches and the active board. "
Parent Amy Hamilton and Son Evan Hamilton:
"I think it's fantastic. I think it will really make the kids interested in science, that you know ,don't really like science to begin with and it's really bringing it to the kids world these days and we're even ,you know kidding him, you know we can hold you back in 6th grade if you really want to spend some time in here, so anyway I think it's wonderful for the kids at Gresham."
Gresham Middle School Technology Coordinator David Dixon:
"The most rewarding thing for me is that for years I've gone to seminars and sort of future vision kind of things and I had all kinds of ideas for things that I thought would be great to do but I never thought I'd get to do it So, that's the most rewarding thing for me is that we finally get to put some of these, I don't know, crazy ideas about things you can do into practice and try it out."
Gresham Middle School Principal Ms. Donna Parker:
"Oh my goodness, well first of all, I want to be in this class, I so want to be in this class. It's phenomenal It's gonna be a place where kids are inspired, where they can create, and where they can explore. That's what this means to Gresham.