Baayan Elementary School Annex was thankful to be a recipient of books from the Libro Mo, InpirasyonKo (LMIK), a project to help build libraries in isolated schools in Cordillera and nearby provinces.
School Principal Linda Tambic said “they can now implement a reading program to help improve the reading comprehension of the pupils that wasn’t possible without reading materials.”
LMIK, a bookdrive headed by Smile Movement Integrated Leaders Entity, Inc. or SMILE was supported by A Child’s Dream Foundation, the Governor’s Office, Bookends Bookshop and several individual donors
The school attended by 124 students, some coming from as far away as neighboring Atok, received 8 boxes and 2 bags of new and used books and also assorted toys and monoblock chairs and tables last November 18, 2016. These materials will be used in their library and kindergarten classroom.
Aside from the books and toys, SMILE turned over a reading program to Tambic that the school can adopt in their program.
“Salamague Elementary School was a former recipient of books from SMILE that has become the case study on how to help other schools improve their reading programs,” she said.
Awal who is also a retired teacher said she “was hoping this system could be duplicated in many schools as developing love for reading is a fundamental aspect of improving learning,”
Tambic said they are eager to integrate the system with a similar program they created but were not able to implement because of the lack of reading materials. “We had been praying for books to implement this program and thankfully our prayers are answered,” she said.
She said the school has been winning several competitions but they still need to improve the children’s reading comprehensions. She also wishes to start a journalism program for the school and was hoping for more books on this subject.
This is the initial assessment for the school and SMILE will be going back to specific books and sports materials to the school. Tambic said the school is also excelling in sipak takraw, chess, volleyball, table tennis and shotput. “We have produced athletes who have joined the Palarong Pambansa in the past so I believe our students have potential and can be competitive with the proper equipment to use in their practice,” she said.
Some of their equipment are already worn out, however, and their table tennis is already beyond repair.
Smile Movement is accepting book and sports equipment donations for the LMIK bookdrive and sports program project. Their email is smilemovement.ph@gmail.com.
