Teachers at Title I Elementary School Spend Summer Making Shocking Changes to Bland Bathrooms (Exclusive)

In the heat of July, while many were still savoring the last stretch of summer, one dedicated first-grade teacher from Birmingham, Ala., chose to spend a full week transforming her school in a unique and heartfelt way. 

With the help of three fellow teachers and two friends, Emily Gilreath, 28, painted all four of the bathrooms for first- and second-graders at Pleasant Grove Elementary School. 

She had come up with the idea months prior while walking a group of students to the restroom. Once they reached their destination, she noticed just how plain and uninspiring the walls were. 

“Our students go there every day and sometimes we allow students who need a break to go get some water or go use the restroom to calm down,” Gilreath tells PEOPLE exclusively. 

“So thinking about how amazing it would be for those students to collect themselves in an environment that is affirming and calming is what led us to this project.”

The result: bright spaces designed to uplift students in moments as ordinary as going to the bathroom.

“I wanted to see color, positive affirmations and bathroom-themed directions. I wanted every student who entered the bathroom to walk in and read something positive every day,” she explains.

“Every child uses the restroom at least once a day, so my vision was for them to see a quote or a rainbow or an affirmation that would help them feel a little brighter.”

The team painted four bathrooms in total, choosing a calming purple-mauve color for the girls and a soothing blue for the boys.

They created an Amazon list with the paint and wall decals, which were covered by the school, but had to bring their own painting supplies — such as brushes, rollers, and tarps — to get the job done.

In the first-grade girls’ restroom, a large rainbow mural was added, with each color band featuring a positive affirmation such as “I am creative” and “I am brave.” 

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In the boys’ restroom, the walls were decorated with bold affirmation posters that reminded students they are wanted, valued, and important. 

“I figured it wouldn’t change anything dramatically, but you never know what one positive moment could do for a child who’s having a bad day,” Gilreath emphasizes. 

By the time Meet the Teacher rolled around, the bathrooms were nearly complete and the reaction from returning students was immediate and enthusiastic. 

One student, overwhelmed with excitement, shouted about how amazing the new space looked and even ran down the hallway to bring his brother to see it. 

“It touched me because all we did was paint the bathroom blue and put up posters, but to them, you would have thought we hung the moon,” she shares.

The positive reactions didn’t stop with the students, as faculty and administration were just as thrilled with the results. 

School leaders and fellow teachers expressed their appreciation for the time and effort that went into the project, personally thanking everyone involved. 

“Bathrooms might seem like a small part of a school, but for many kids they can feel like forgotten spaces,” Gilreath tells PEOPLE. 

In a Title I school, where many students face daily challenges, the environment can quietly affirm their value. The goal of the bathroom makeover was to create a space that felt safe, clean, and uplifting. 

Through color and affirmations, the team worked to send a clear message: every student matters.

“It’s about showing students that they are valued in every corner of the school and giving them reminders that they are capable, loved, and full of potential – even in the moments between classes,” Gilreath says. “Sometimes it’s the little things that speak the loudest.”