SIXX Design power couple Bob and Cortney Novogratz turned a New Jersey classroom into a work of art. The parents of seven partnered with Bounty Paper Towels/Procter & Gamble to give JFK Elementary School's art room a $25,000 makeover and inspire students. I had a chance to chat with Bob via phone yesterday.
LilSugar: Waiting For "Superman" is making headlines and with the public school system where it is, there are constantly budget cuts. When the basics aren't being met, art is the first thing to go. How do you feel about that?
Bob Novogratz: I think it's ridiculous. If you look at America and most of the world since World War II, we don't make things like we used to. We don't manufacture things like we used to yet education stayed the same here. All the jobs being created in 2010 are technology and design. In my opinion we should be doubling or tripling up on design and technology and cutting back on stuff you really don't need. It makes no sense to me whatsoever.
LS: What would you cut out?
BN: You could cut out a lot of things, but they used to say when we were kids — you need algebra, but maybe you didn't need algebra. Being a parent of seven, I see a lot of education both in the public and in private. I think kids need to be more creative. Language skills are more important. I think technology — look at the leaders of the 20s, the Fords and the industrialists — and the leaders of our age are Facebook guys and Twitter guys. Go to the tech conference and see who's changing the world. Why is education staying the same? It's pretty sad.
To see Novogratz's tips for how a teacher or the parent can makeover a classroom on their own dime and to view the before and after shots of the SIXX Design makeover, read more
Robert and Cortney Novogratz of 