Ahead of back-to-school season, Lakeshore Learning, a leading developer and retailer of educational materials, awarded first grade teacher Katherine Bryant of Westlawn Elementary School (3200 Westley Rd., Falls Church), a brand new classroom décor makeover. The makeover reveal was the morning of June 28 at Westlawn.

After Lakeshore Learning launched the “Schoolgirl Style Make Over My Classroom” contest, it received entries from teachers across the country, but ultimately chose Bryant as its grand-prize winner. Bryant’s classroom is made up of students from refugee families or from families facing extreme poverty, as well as students with special needs. She tries to use her classroom environment to highlight the importance of diversity and celebrating the students’ differences, as well as to help inspire excitement about learning. She knows that a classroom makeover will mean the world to her students, which is why she is thrilled to be giving them one that they deserve.

Bryant is being awarded with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have her classroom personally styled by Schoolgirl Style founder Melanie Ralbusky. The prize package, valued at $5,000, includes unique and fashionable décor from the latest Schoolgirl Style collections, select teaching supplies and furniture pieces, decorative accents and a newly painted classroom interior.