As part of the WVAE project, we were lucky to receive a great deal of money to use for making improvements to our program that would address the needs of women who have experienced violence. We immediately knew we wanted to examine our ALP learning space. In an article written in the Washington Times, Ann Geracimos reports that Marcus Horne, a student at Idea Public Charter School in Washington D.C. suggested that the school add a fireplace to improve the learning space in the library’s quiet room:

While some people might see the well-appointed room as a needless and expensive bit of luxury, today's farseeing architects consider it as an example of how good school design can affect the way students learn. Studies show student performance is directly affected by the quality of a building's physical structure, according to the Washington-based Sustainable Building Industries Council and local architect Leon Chatelain, whose firm did the $1.8 million charter school makeover, finished just a month ago (2004).

Indeed, some people may think a fireplace is a frivolous expense for a school. Why do hotels or homes have fireplaces? Is it not because they want people to gather together and feel welcome and comfortable? Is it such a radical idea that schools put effort and money into making learners feel welcome and comfortable? Perhaps money should be spent on more books, learning tools, or new technology. However, if a learner does not feel comfortable or safe to learn, then more supplies to help her learn will not be much help. Giving her a dictionary or another writing textbook will not necessarily make essay writing any easier if the source of the frustration lies elsewhere.