On December 19th, 2008, Scholars for Schools and its community partners held an inauguration for the library in the Ben Gurion elementary school, located in the Las Cañas hill of Valparaíso. Students, professors, proud parents and volunteers came to see the ribbon cutting ceremony at the primary school.
To see all of the pictures of the inauguration, click here.
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With the generous donations from numerous individual donors, Rotarians, and rotary clubs, we recently purchased 15 new computers for the new computer room at Ben Gurion Elementary School. Diego, a Rotaracter with great computer skills, helped us wire all the new computers and create a network last week. All 15 computers are up and running with WindowsXP pro , NOD 32 antivirus, Microsoft Office, and high-speed internet. Once everything was wired Hannah and Paul installed carpet in about 3/4 of the room. It really makes the room look much more inviting and the kids now have a comfortable place to sit and read. The final step is to finish the catalog system and train the teachers in the use off all the equipment.
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This past weekend we started construction on the new library/ multimedia room at the David Ben Gurion school in Valparaiso. About 25 scholars, students and Rotaracters worked together to repair and paint an existing classroom that was previously being used as a storage area.
We also began recording and labeling the books that have already been acquired so that we can implement a catalog system once the library/ multimedia room is functional. Our next step is to build book shelving and purchase computers, more books, maps, and other educational resources.
We are in the process of completing the website in Spanish and registering as a World Community Service (WCS) project through Rotary International. Within the next week we will finish opening the necessary accounts to accept monetary donations.
Thanks again to all those who came out to help last weekend.
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Our First School
After a full month of research, meetings with school administrators, school visits and collaboration with Rotarians and Rotaract members, the Scholars have chosen David Ben Gurion elementary and Middle school to be its first recipient of literacy resources.
The school has 295 kindergarten to eighth grade students who come from a low socioeconomic background. 85 percent of the children are on a government-funded meal program which allows them to eat two meals a day at school, and it also serves as a strong incentive for the children to attend class.
David Ben Gurion has an enthusiastic administration that has been helpful in the planning process of our first literature supplementation and library construction plan. This school, like many of its kind, lacks many text books and basic literacy tools. The students are required to read at least eight to twelve books a year, but all the classes are deficient in resources, which leads to the children sharing the limited number of books and not reading a fraction of what is required.
The Two Parts of the Project
A literature supplementation plan
We have collaborated with all the teachers at David Ben Gurion to come up with an extensive list of literacy tools that they could use to better their student’s ability to read and comprehend literature.
Construction of a library and multimedia room
Plans have been drawn to transform an unused classroom into a library and multimedia room. Our next step will include paint, carpet, and the installation of bookshelves. We are in the process of contracting book distributors that will supply Scholars for Schools with a wide range of age-appropriate books for all children without having to pay taxes or high publishing costs. We will then purchase and install 10 computers that are networked together and connected to the internet. All the design and construction will be completed by the four scholars, Rotaract members, Rotarians, and community volunteers.
The Library and multimedia room will provide the students at David Ben Gurion with a safe and quiet place to read, study and do and do academic research before and after school. The teachers will also reserve class time to use the library as a teaching tool. Revolving library monitors provided by the school district will be trained in the use of the equipment and catalogue system in order to supervise and help the students during library hours.
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