BASA PARA SA MASA: A Reading Nook Project at East Bajac-Bajac Elementary School - Learning Resource Center

Philippines

BASA PARA SA MASA: A Reading Nook Project at East Bajac-Bajac Elementary School - Learning Resource Center

THEME OF THE SW DISCOVERY: BASA PARA SA MASA (RE-INTRODUCING A CULTURE OF READING AMONG THE YOUTH)

FIELD OF ACTION: Improving the existing Learning Resource Center of East Bajac-Bajac Elementary School a public school in Olongapo City.

GLOBAL GOALS (#SCOUTS4SDGs): 4-QUALITY EDUCATION, 10-REDUCE INEQUALITIES, 5-GENDER EQUALITY, 1-NO POVERTY, 11- SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES, 17-PARTNERSHIP FOR THE GOALS

INCLUSIVE DATES: DISCOVERY: 07 – 30 NOVEMBER 2020; VOLUNTARY SERVICE: 1 - 12 DECEMBER 2020

DISCOVERY VENUE: VIA ZOOM and an ocular visit at EBBES.

PROJECT BENEFICIARY: East Bajac-Bajac Elementary School

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The Leadership Mobility & Development Program for the Youth (LMDPY) conducted its pilot free online/blended training program series – “A Better Tomorrow” Project –last November 7, 2020 to December 26, 2020.

As the ABT Project continued, we started our 2nd Activity which is the Scouts of the World (SW) Orientation and Discovery Stage via Zoom last November 7, 14, 21, 25, 28 & 30, 2020 facilitated by Sctr. Adrian Molina, Local SWA Coordinator of James L. Gordon Council. Of the five projects being proposed during the SW Discovery Stage, the Reading Nook Project (with Book Drive) deemed most feasible. The Handwash Areas proposed for high-dense foot traffic, the Recyclable Bins proposed to be distributed every block around the city (to be initially installed in one of the 17 barangays), the Segregation and Compost Bins proposed to be placed at the Olongapo City Public Market, and the Urban Vegetable Farming proposed for an upland barangay were found to be less feasible with the scarcity of our resources and with the limited time for preparation and coordination with various sectors in the community. Moreover, we were also constrained with the IATF protocols since most locations are public areas and highly populated. As for the Reading Nook Project (with Book Drive), working within a school community, without the physical presence of the pupils who happen to be under the Alternative Learning System of DepEd – the online/blended learning, we could easily comply with the IATF protocol on keeping the social distances among Scout Volunteers and have the least human contact while working on the project. Originally, the project location was the Learning Resource Center of Barangay East Bajac-Bajac (EBB) as EBB is the biggest barangay of Olongapo City. The EBB SK Chairperson initially received the proposal and showed us the condition of the barangay’s LRC. He also forwarded LMDPY-ABTP’s SWA Voluntary Service project proposal to the Barangay Captain and from there, we learned that the Barangay Hall which houses the LRC was for renovation. To push through with the Reading Nook Project (with Book Drive), we considered looking for a partner-beneficiary and we considered East Bajac-Bajac Elementary School being the smallest (and most neglected) of all public elementary schools in the city. As for the complementary Book Drive, acquiring reading materials that are brand new or, at least, slightly used with no loose bindings, stains, coloring or torn pages was a challenge for the Senior Scouts. Fortunately, LMDPY-ABTP Organizer was able to contact a major book donor who confirmed personal delivery of more than a thousand pieces of brand-new books plus a couple hundreds of slightly used books fitted for grade school and a few pieces of reference books suited for advanced learners (high school to college level).

An ocular visit at the East Bajac-Bajac Elementary School (EBBES)-Learning Resource Center (LRC) here in Olongapo City was conducted last November 20, 2020 as scheduled by Ms. Turla during one of our conversations via Facebook Messenger regarding my inquiry for their requirements in conducting a community service (the Scouts of the World Award Voluntary Service) in their school community. During the ocular visit, we were able to personally meet and speak with Dr. Melody M. Gonzales, the EBBES Principal, and Ms. Princess Grace Turla, the EBBES-LRC Coordinator. We presented the SWA Voluntary Service Team’s chosen project with the theme “Basa Para sa Masa.” Our goal for our partner-beneficiary – EBBES-LRC – is to put up a Reading Nook (with Book Drive) and be able to contribute to their Learn-to-Read and Read-to-Learn programs, and to further develop, enhance and make LRC more conducive for learning in preparation to the face-to-face classes after this pandemic.

Our SWA Voluntary Service project proposal was approved by Dr. Gonzales immediately after our project proposal presentation and we were allowed to begin working on it by December 1, 2020 at EBBES-LRC. The book donation, headed by Teacher Nelia Cruz-Sarcol of Teacher Nelia Freedom Hub and President & CEO of CIE British School (Makati City and Cebu City), together with her Circle of Friends, was carried out last December 17, 2020 at EBBES Covered Court in the presence of the LMDPY-ABTP-SWA Organizers and Dr. Gonzales and the EBBES Faculty Members. We had our Ceremonial Turn-over last December 21, 2020 as the calendar year came to an end. The Official Turn-over was conducted last February 8, 2021 after all the works at the EBBES-LRC have been completed.

A few challenges were encountered during the project – sagging ceilings and leaking lavatory which were decided by the School Principal to be replaced (sagging ceiling) and be removed (lavatory), after we reported the current condition of the LRC as we started clearing out and cleaning up the area. Discarding of old unusable teaching/learning materials including inoperative appliances and equipment from previous school administration was also a challenge since we were not allowed to simply put them into the garbage. A temporary storage room was provided for us upon request so school authorities could first check which ones to toss away based on their protocol. We were given full liberty though to do minor repairs such as simple carpentry works on damaged bookshelves and racks and to make the final layout of the LRC we found operational to serve its purpose. Ms. Turla and Kuya Will (the EBBES Security & Maintenance Personnel) served as our contact persons all throughout the SWA Voluntary Service duration.

As LMDPY learned more about the school community, the Organizer partnered with EBBES for its Culminating Activities last December 19, 2020 where twenty (20) EBBES pupils belonging to low-incomed families, pre-selected by the Class Advisers from Kinder to Grade VI and endorsed by the School Principal to become the LMDPY-ABTP Thanksgiving and Gift-giving beneficiaries of school supplies, hygiene kits, Noche Buena bags, and Christmas hams from our sponsors. Parents/guardians of said pupils were notified by the school and represented the pupils and received the gifts for them. The SWA Voluntary Service Senior Scouts served as the core group of the activities as well. Thanksgiving Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph Church and LMDPY Organizers and the SWA Voluntary Service Senior Scouts represented the LMDPY-ABTP participants during the Mass Offering.

We are delighted and grateful that Dr. Melody M. Gonzales, the EBBES Principal, wholeheartedly welcomed the Leadership Mobility and Development Program for the Youth to conduct its “A Better Tomorrow” Project – Scouts of the World Award Voluntary Service in coordination with DepEd Olongapo headed by CESO V Leilani Samson Cunanan and James L. Gordon Council headed by Sctr. Saturnino D. Dumlao. We hope that with the completion of our Reading Nook Project (with Book Drive), with the Theme: “Basa Para Sa Masa,” it will have a long-term significance to East Bajac-Bajac Elementary School’s Learn-to-Read and Read-to-Learn programs. On the other hand, LMDPY hopes that SWA Voluntary Service Senior Scouts have instilled with them the lessons of life they have learned through the process – a sense of global citizenship, sound judgment, healthy communication, mindful action, and absolute cooperation. May each of the Senior Scouts becomes an epitome of LMDPY Motto: “Mobilizing Youth Leaders Towards Development.”

LMDPY would also like to thank Ms. Princess Grace Turla, LRC Coordinator, Ms. Mary Grace J. Miraflor, BSP Coordinator, and Kuya Will for the warm accommodation, as well as to Sctr. Adrian Molina, JLGC SWA Coordinator, for the moral support and Sctr. Yvesse F. Santos, SWA Voluntary Service Project Adviser, for his guidance as the Senior Scouts worked on their SWA project.

May this effort and accomplishment of the Senior Scouts towards contributing to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (1: No Poverty; 3: Good Health and Well-being; 4: Quality Education; 5: Gender Equality; 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; 17: Partnerships for the Goals) be of merit in receiving the Scouts of the World Award.

The following Senior Scouts of the James L. Gordon Council successfully completed the LMDPY-ABTP-SWA Voluntary Service under the supervision of Adult Leaders - Sctr. Yvesse F. Santos and Sctr. Paula Marie S. Buenaventura: