Central Oregon educators compete for $15,000 SELCO classroom makeover; voting opens Sunday

OREGON (KTVZ) -- SELCO Community Credit Union is opening public voting for its Regional Classroom Makeover program, which will award three Oregon educators up to $15,000 each to transform school learning spaces.

A total of nine finalists across three Oregon regions are competing for up to $45,000 in project funding.

The makeover contest, now in its third year, is part of the SELCO Steps Up community initiative. SELCO defines a classroom broadly to include traditional classrooms, libraries, gymnasiums and outdoor learning spaces.

Since launching in 2024, the program has provided nearly $90,000 in support to schools. Past projects include a Career and Technical Education space at Obsidian Middle School in Redmond, a digital media arts center at Tualatin High School and an ability-inclusive playground at Prairie Mountain School in Eugene.

Olivia Sorensen, Community Development Supervisor for SELCO Community Credit Union, commented on the public voting phase. “The creativity and dedication of Oregon educators continues to inspire us,” Sorensen said. “These finalists have identified meaningful ways to make their learning environments more inclusive, engaging and effective for their students. We're excited to bring the vote to the public so our communities can help us bring these educators' ideas to life.”

In Central and Eastern Oregon, three finalists were selected.

• Jamie Hurd of Jefferson County Middle School in Madras proposed revitalizing a deteriorating garden with irrigated plots, fruit trees and pollinator habitat
• McKenna Devine of Warm Springs K-8 Academy in Warm Springs submitted a plan for an inclusive elementary gym featuring an indoor climbing wall and interactive projection system
• Erin Maxon of Cascades Academy in Bend proposed upgrading a multipurpose gathering space with modern sound, lighting and music equipment.

SELCO was founded in 1936 by a group of teachers. The Springfield-based financial cooperative serves more than 150,000 members and manages over $3 billion in assets. In 2025, the organization reinvested $433,000 in local communities through educator grants, scholarships and sponsorships, while employees logged nearly 1,700 volunteer hours. “As a credit union founded by teachers, supporting educators is part of who we are,” Sorensen said. “We've seen how the right resources can help teachers expand what's possible for their students. We look forward to seeing which projects communities rally behind this year.”

Public voting will take place online at www.selco.org/vote from Sunday, Nov. 1, through Saturday, Nov. 7. One winning project will be selected from each of the three regions.