Solon, Ohio -- Tarkett recently recognized John C. Sumlin, vice president, educational strategic accounts for being honored by The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) for his work and over 10 years of dedication to A4LE and SchoolsNEXT.

A4LE is a professional and trade organization whose sole purpose is improving learning environments for students everywhere. With more than 5,000 members, the association embraces a collaborative network of global professionals with one single goal, building healthy, safe, resilient, and sustainable 21st century learning places that inspire transformation in education, enhance student and teacher performance, and support culture and community vitality.

“Our heritage with the Association for Learning Environments has been a wonderful opportunity to directly contribute to improving the Indoor Environment Quality for the learner,” Sumlin said. “The focus on supporting the student-led design competition (SchoolsNEXT) has allowed us to explore new design possibilities, interact with leading schools, and collaborate with some of our greatest innovators in the design community who contribute to this award-winning program. This is one of the most rewarding endeavors of my career.”

The SchoolsNEXT Design Competition was created to encourage innovation. Participants are challenged to plan and design sustainable and resilient learning spaces that encourage innovation, critical thinking and collaboration.

For more information, visit tarkettna.com.