Annual spring showcase highlights room designs | Jamestown News

The city of High Point is well known for its furniture markets. But on April 25, Jamestown held its own furniture market, hosted by CJ Greene Education Center, a separate public school that serves students in grades 9-12.

Students spent weeks researching textiles, interior design and construction, then used what they had learned to create rooms for indoor and outdoor use. An introduction to a variety of artists from several countries helped guide students in the use of color and items to include in their room designs, which lined the walls of the school’s multipurpose room.

“Students choose an artist they wanted to highlight and used the artist’s work to chose colors and items to include in their projects,” said Sherry Elliott, adaptive art teacher in all four Guilford County separate public schools. “There is a lot to learn from art. Students completed artwork based on the artist they selected. The rooms were all about the students’ choices. Even those who are non verbal used technical devices to add input.”

“The art set the mood for each room in the choice of colors, furniture and complimenting items,” said Constance Turrentine, career and technical education teacher, who along with Elliot coordinated the event. It was the school’s third annual spring showcase the two have organized.

“We worked so well together the first year we wanted to do a different presentation each year after that,” Elliot said.

The theme for the spring 2025 showcase was “Refurbish The Greene” and was used to celebrate sustainability, autism awareness and Earth Day.

 “The showcases combine what students are learning in each specialized class,” Turrentine explained. “They help students learn critical thinking skills. The challenge is to simplify the research for our students and adapt it to their understanding.

“We teach life skills and see students for their abilities not their disabilities.”

Turrentine completed an externship with Habitat for Humanity during the summer and invited a representative to talk to parents at the school so they could learn how their students might be able to volunteer in the future. The annual showcases also help students realize new capabilities.

“It is rewarding to see students step out of their comfort zones,” Turrentine said. “We want to give them the opportunity to see themselves as successful, to encourage them to believe in themselves and try new things. And we want them to have fun.

“I think it supports the academic process.”

Thirteen classes participated in the showcase, each one setting up a different room. A prerecorded presentation about the room design could be accessed using QR codes at each display. 

Sponsors for the event included United Way and Home Depot. Families were invited to attend the showcase, along with representatives from Home Depot, Habitat for Humanity and a local furniture industry.

The room designs have been cleared away now, but the showcase concept is still alive. Turrentine and Elliott are already contemplating what the one for next year might include.

Room design winners

Winners for best room design included Team Britt, 1st place; Team Taylor, 2nd place; and Team Christiansen, 3rd place.

Honorable Mention winners were Team Pittman, Community Choice Award and the Moodboard Mastermind Award; Team Dupree, the Statement Piece Award; and Team Woody, Reimagine and Refurbish Award.