GFI's intervention started in 2007 for this school. Since then, the school have recieved book donations from Atlanta.
In 2009, the school adopted the Youth Leadership Award (YLA), Best in English Awards and the Summer Arts Workshop.The books and other educational resource materials are kept inside the office of the school principal used as their mini-library as the school do not have funding for the construction of their own library. The students are using the mini-library per reservation made by their teacher. They have to log in the book for users and borrow books too. They have a system of having their inventory of resources they recieved and if there are toys or clothes, the teachers are prioritizing the indigent school children as recipients.
The school is also sharing their books and other educational resource materials to other schools in their Barangay that are even very far and do not have access to resources that they have. Their school served as the hub for library resource of primary schools in their Barangay and they have this arrangement in partnership with the barangay government officials.
The parents are also very happy for the intervention of GFI in this school. As parents, they are also learning from the books and especially story books/activity books as they are trying their best to help their children. Most parents do not have the experience of having books when they were in their elementary schools. They find it so much of a blessing for the school and their community to have access to quality reading materials.
Teachers have expressed the following school library needs:
1. More activity books
2. Science and Math books
3. English literatures
4. Dictionaries, Encyclopedia
5. Educational Supplies (especially art work supplies, globe, pencils, etc)
6. Science apparatus for basic experiments
7. Teaching aids for teachers (visual materials, big books serving as flash cards, etc)
8. Kids National Geographice Magazines or other visual magazines helpful to aid student's learning
During the on-site visit, we were able to turn over the book shipped last December 2009 and gave the laminated world map for the school.
Thanks so much for the warm reception by the teachers, students, parents and local government officials.