Sunnydale Elementary School in Lancaster, CA Wins California Casualty’s $7,500 School Lounge Makeover

San Mateo, California, March 22, 2013 …The newest winner of a $7,500 School Lounge Makeover contest sponsored by California Casualty is Sunnydale Elementary School in Lancaster, California. The winning entry came from sixth grade teacher Kendra Bowles.

Bowles entered the contest on a whim, noticing a link to it from the CTA (California Teacher Association) website. To her knowledge, none of her colleagues entered the contest, so she was especially thrilled to have won. “Everyone was just speechless when the announcement was made. Then they got really excited.”

Bowles said that the existing lounge at the approximately 30-year-old school is in poor condition. “It’s not very appealing or functional. The paint, the cement walls, the sink – all of it. I don’t go in there. I eat lunch in my classroom.” Recently meeting with the designers who will transform the lounge and offering up a wish list for the space was another thrill. The makeover will be completed over the next couple months. “We can’t wait to see how it turns out,” Bowles said.

Sunnydale Elementary School is home to nearly 700 students and has a diverse student body, with almost 80 percent of students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Recognizing the lifelong impact of teachers and the current financial strain on public schools, California Casualty created the School Lounge Makeover contest in 2011. Several times each year, one randomly drawn winner receives a major transformation of the primary space at his or her school that teachers can go to rejuvenate and recharge.

Any NEA (National Education Association), CTA (California Teachers Association) or AEA (Arizona Education Association) member is eligible to enter the contest. All members at the school may also enter, thus increasing their school’s chances of winning. Complete rules and entry forms are at http://schoolloungemakeover.com.

Headquartered in San Mateo, CA, with Service Centers in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas, California Casualty is a 99-year-old company providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement, fire fighters and nurses in 44 states. Learn more at www.calcas.com.