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Five Schools Vie for Paint Makeover

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

More items for Maintenance + Renovation

From Atlanta, GA, to Lancaster, CA, five elementary schools across the U.S. are in the running for a complete paint makeover.

In its Colorful Classrooms Contest, Glidden Paint, an AkzoNobel brand, will donate up to 200 gallons of paint and the necessary labor to help make a school a “more colorful place to learn and grow.”

Glidden Paint

Jefferson Elementary School in Gallup, NM, is one of the finalists in the Colorful Classrooms Contest. Lack of budget has meant a lack of paint for the 56-year-old facility.

The company recently selected five finalists from more than 320 public, private and charter schools in 43 states.

Finalists
 
Judges selected the following schools as finalists based on need, potential impact, student body, scope of project, community engagement and involvement, quality and creativity of entry.

• Franklin Elementary School (Kent, OH)

• Jefferson Elementary School (Gallup, NM)

• Monte Vista Elementary School (Lancaster, CA)

• Saltillo Elementary School (Saltillo, MS)

• The Orion School (Atlanta, GA)

Recognizing a Need

Most of the finalist schools were built 50 to 60 years ago, and have long needed an improvement to their exterior and interior appearances.

One finalist described that school’s current color scheme as “bleak, blah and boring,” including hues reminiscent of “soggy oatmeal,” “yellow snow,” and “t-shirt armpit white.”

Glidden Paint / YouTube

Saltillo Elementary students in front of a blue peeling painted wall make a case for why their school needs a paint makeover.

Another submission said, “The faded, cracked, and weathered exterior is a stark contrast to the vibrant learning community within the walls.”

Yet another noted, “Painting the space throughout the school would fit with the school’s mission to create an educational oasis for students who are at risk for school failure.”

The company recognized the difficulty facing these schools and others in finding funds within their operating budget to do simple maintenance projects such as painting, according to Rob Horton, vice president of marketing for AkzoNobel Paint.

Cast Your Vote

The public is invited to vote on the finalists via http://www.glidden.com/contest/vote.do.

Voting ends Oct. 26; the winner will be announced the week of Oct. 29.

Winning

In addition to the paint, Glidden said it will also provide the labor necessary to paint the inside or outside of the winning school.

The painting project is expected to occur by the end of the year.