Stock Your School Winners Take the Spotlight in Media Appearances and School-Wide Celebrations
Simple Modern’s third-annual Stock Your School campaign crowned 10 winners from six states, but the celebrations continued well beyond the final vote.
In Oklahoma, Simple Modern helped kick off the first-ever school year at Heartland Elementary with a school-wide celebration honoring second-grade teacher Kimberly Smith, one of two educators from Oklahoma who were 2026 Stock Your School winners.
More than 500 students and staff filled the new school’s gym Aug. 28 for a celebration that included the Thunder Drumline, Simple Modern team members, leadership from Choctaw Nicoma Park School District and local Oklahoma City media. At the assembly, Simple Modern Chief Marketing Officer Chris Hoyle presented Heartland with nearly $20,000 in Simple Modern products and grant support, which included 500 Simple Modern water bottles for students, 100 Getaway Bags for teachers and staff, a $1,000 school grant and $500 toward Smith’s classroom wish list.
Oklahoma City CBS affiliate, News 9, joined the celebration, promoting the assembly live during it 4 a.m., 5 a.m., 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. broadcasts, which continues a relationship that has seen the station help Simple Modern surprise and celebrate Oklahoma Stock Your School winners during each of the campaign’s three years.
However, Heartland’s celebration was part of a much bigger story unfolding across the country.
Throughout August, Stock Your School winners were celebrated in their own schools and communities, with local media helping share their stories. In Georgia, winner Michael Holcombe joined WSAV to talk about what the recognition meant for his students and the Bryan County community. In Odessa, Texas, Japhia Venerable was celebrated for bringing nearly $20,000 in Stock Your School support to Harmony Science Academy, with Simple Modern creating a special video to help the school celebrate the national win.
Other winners received hometown media coverage as communities in Indiana and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, celebrated their teachers’ national recognition.
In addition, Simple Modern also extended the campaign further in its home state, awarding five additional $500 classroom grants to Putnam City schools teachers of the Year. The grants were given above and beyond the 10 national Stock Your School winners as another investment in Oklahoma educators and classrooms.
The 2026 Stock Your School campaign drew more than 175,000 votes and thousands of educator nominations from all 50 states, ultimately awarding nearly $200,000 in classroom grants and school-wide products to 10 winning schools. For Simple Modern, the celebrations that followed the campaign were a reminder that Stock Your School has become about more than choosing 10 winners. It gives students, families and entire communities an opportunity to celebrate the educators who make a difference every day.
And after a record-setting third year, there was a lot to celebrate.
AROUND THE COUNTRY: STOCK YOUR SCHOOL IN THE NEWS
📍 Richmond Hill, Georgia
Sixth-grade teacher Michael Holcombe joined WSAV to share his Stock Your School story and what the nearly $20,000 win meant for Bryan County Middle School and its students.
📍 Odessa, Texas
Kindergarten teacher Japhia Venerable and Harmony Science Academy celebrated Venerable’s selection as one of only 10 national winners. Simple Modern also created a special video for the school to share as part of its celebration.
📍 Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Local media celebrated Kaylie Showalter’s national Stock Your School win and the products and grant support headed to her school.
📍 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Kelsey Snider’s national win brought hometown coverage to Highland Park Elementary as another Oklahoma educator joined the campaign’s top 10.
📍 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The Journal Record highlighted Simple Modern’s decision to extend Stock Your School beyond the national winners with five additional $500 grants for Putnam City Schools Teachers of the Year. News 9 celebrated Heartland Elementary and Kimberly Smith in multiple broadcasts and live coverage of the school’s first-ever assembly celebrating Kimberly and the Stock Your School campaign.