Books for Kids!

Mark watches as the kids check out their new books!

It’s hard to imagine a school without books for kids, yet I read this was the case before our departure to Paraguay. I decided this was one way we could make a difference for the community in which we served. So, before we left the states we began the process, continued our work with the people in our community, and finally, last week, at an assembly, we presented one of our schools with a new library display case full of books! 

Susana, "Look at this!"

The kids were really excited, the teachers thankful, and we were happy to see the wonderful results of this collaborative process! With the desire to have as many minds and hands on this project as possible, the process went something like this:

1. Before leaving the states, I found a source of books in Spanish, from discontinued programs, that were headed for the recycler, and received gifts of books to contribute to this project.
2. For Christmas, our parents gifted each of us with an extra baggage fee, so we could each bring 50 pounds of books with us to Paraguay.
3. When our friends, Mary Jo and Charlie came to visit us, they each brought an additional 50 pounds of books for the project.
4. We started reading with kids during our Club de Libros every Saturday- these kids could not get enough of reading and listening to books! Though this was a successful project, we were concerned about its sustainability after we returned to the states, and knew we had to take it to an institutional level, sooo….
5. We talked with teachers and the principals at both schools to get input on the project. We also talked about training and how the books might be utilized in the classrooms and with individual students, including: a system for check out and borrowing; care of books; and strategies for read alouds, silent reading, and developing strategies for building comprehension.
6. We met with the Comision de Padres about funding a display case for the books, after creating a design and consulting with a local carpenter. They decided to fund the project!
7. Next, we worked with the carpenter on the final touches on the design of the project. After two meetings and lots of sketches, we all met at the school for final approval of the design and price.
8. The carpenter finished the project- it turned out exactly as we had hoped!
9. Our next task was to get the case to the school… the local police station had a pickup, so we asked them to transport the display case from the carpenter’s house to the school. Mark and I held on to the case in the back of the police truck as they headed down the bumpy road to the school!
10. We then worked with students at the school to apply varnish to the bookcase. They were curious about what we were doing and very eager to help!

    

    Kids adding the finishing touches to the new book display!

11. The following week we brought 250 books to the school, and with the help of the kids, stocked the new display. When the Comision de Padres save enough for an additional book display, the remaining 250 books will be taken to the school.
12. Finally, during a school assembly, we presented the completed project to the school with thanks to all involved! And thanks to all of you for your help, offers to help and good thoughts along the way!

    

    Presenting the new books at a school assembly, along with a few rules for taking care of books!

Finally, after over a year in the works, the teachers and students in Arazape have books! Books for: teaching tools, reading for pleasure, reading aloud, learning about new ideas and places, and just having time to hold a book in their hands and dream…..