FortiDesk reimagines the standard classroom desk as a shield of safety in an age when students and teachers face increasing threats from school shootings. Grounded in empathy and research, the project began with a simple question: How can design protect students when prevention alone isn’t enough? Through material studies, I evaluated existing bullet-resistant products and identified a gap between effectiveness and affordability. High-end solutions cost up to $10,000 per unit, making them unattainable for most schools. I conducted comparative analyses of steel, fiberglass, and Quickserv BSL 3-10—ultimately choosing the latter for its balance of strength and cost, with each desk estimated at $141.54 to produce. This price point aligns with traditional school furniture budgets, proving life-saving design can also be accessible. The final concept features a 3x3-foot protective cubby beneath the desktop, capable of housing two students. Each unit includes an interior lock, whiteboard walls for distraction, and an entry door oriented away from classroom doors to minimize exposure. Modeled in CAD and informed by real-world safety protocols, FortiDesk transforms fear into preparedness—empowering schools to take proactive, tangible steps toward student safety. More than a speculative product, FortiDesk is a statement about the responsibility of design—that innovation should not only enhance comfort and beauty but safeguard life itself.