KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — After being chosen as the winner of the 14th ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover grand prize in March, Danielle Roderick has revamped her classroom.

Roderick was able to purchase $27,500 worth of new technology for her fourth-grade classroom at Catlettsburg School, a rural, Title 1 school in Kodak. Her purchases included an interactive projector that turns the floor into a giant touchscreen, iPads, virtual reality headsets, podcasting equipment, robots and a large-scale 3D printer.

“It feels amazing that someone would care enough – because we spend so much of our own money on things – so that someone would care about our kids and their future means a lot,” she said.

Since the award was announced in March, ORAU has been working with Roderick to order the equipment, install it and help her put it into her curriculum.

“Dannielle did such a great job last year that not only did she win the $25,000 price, but she was also the teacher’s choice award among our board for another $2,500. So a total of $27,500 goes a long way in putting technology into a classroom like this for her students,” said Andy Page, ORAU president and CEO.

To celebrate the completion of the classroom makeover, Roderick’s students had a glow party on Sept. 22.

The Extreme Classroom Makeover Award began in 2008 as a part of ORUA’s effort to strengthen STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. Since it began, more than $434,000 has been donated to area schools.