From curious art to hipster animals, students can find all types of art and decorations in the rooms of BSM teachers. Hours of dedication and perseverance are needed for the intense labor of room decorating.

With a quirky and whimsical personality, English teacher Kaia Preus’ decorations fully embody the creativity of her teaching. Some of her favorite decorations are her Christmas lights hanging over the whiteboard, her hipster animals scattered around the room, and the new art posters she received from art teacher Leah Klister. “I really like my new art posters that I got from Ms. Klister because they inspire me a lot when I’m writing and I hope they inspire my students too,” Preus said.

Because having to buy decorations can be pretty spendy, Preus chooses to collect her items from teachers who are getting rid of old decorations, from teachers who retired or from various thrift stores. With a theme of creativity, Preus hopes to inspire her students and make her classroom of learning and play. “I want things to inspire creativity in my students… I want my decorations to reflect and foster that,” Preus said.

In comparison, new English teacher Ryan Hogan prefers to keep his room simple and personal to him. His walls are decorated in flags from Iowa schools, Hawkeye football posters, and decor that speaks to his Iowa heritage. Trying to spend as little money as possible, Hogan simply asks for decor and builds his own frames. With no theme in mind, Hogan tries to fill his room with things he finds aesthetically pleasing.

Because he works with teenagers every day, Hogan likes to try to keep his room youthful with his famous Chance the Rapper poster. “He has a positive message that advocates for social justice and he is a primary social justice figure for the youth,” Hogan said.

The poster is also special because of the way Hogan received it. “I just emailed his manager and asked for a poster, and he mailed me like 10 of them,” Hogan said.

Each teacher projects their personality through their classroom decorations making their rooms colorful and personal to their style. Creating an environment for imagination and productivity, teachers work hard to create a fun and comfortable learning environment for their students.