I received more information today from Elizabeth Chronister about the Paraguay Project which we helped fund. Here is the email she sent:
Good morning Greg!
First off- many thanks again to the Topeka Rotary Club for all your support this past Christmas. The books the money helped buy are beautiful. It has been so wonderful to look though them with teachers and students, watching books being opened with reverence and eyebrows shoot up at the quality and beauty of the pages. My community contact, the elementary school principal, has told me that there have never been books like this in the community. One of my neighbor girls almost fell out of her chair when she realized that there were not only one, but two new "Jorge el Curioso" (Curious George). I am so hopeful for this project, it has the possibility of making such an impact on the educational abilities of the students.
This past week, the library committee, processed all the books- putting in the cards, book pockets and labels on over 250 books! Some of these I had before my trip home to the states, but many were ones I brought back with the help of the Topeka Rotary Club. This week is a big week for the library. As I type this, the high school principal is travelling to the department capital to ask for financial help in building a library building. Until then, we will be using the books out of the office in the school. The committee is moving the books there tomorrow, preparing the space just in time for school to be starting up again on February 25! I look forward to assisting the teachers incorporate reading into their classrooms and curriculums, and of course reading with children. These kids light up with the books in their laps, it is beautiful.
I have attached a photo of the library committee working on preparing the books for check out this past week. The team was made up of a teachers, moms, and local youth. The other photo is a picture of my host sister- the brightest 7 year old I know, and a good friend of
mine- reading caps for sale in Spainsh.
Thank you again for all your assistance. I hope that your article can help rally future support, we still have a long way to go. As of now, I am waiting to see what my community is willing to commit to the building and using of the library, making sure that all this hard work will develop into a sustainable project. I think with a little community education, the people will fall in love with libraries just like so many before when given the opportunity.
Elizabeth Chronister, PCV
First off- many thanks again to the Topeka Rotary Club for all your support this past Christmas. The books the money helped buy are beautiful. It has been so wonderful to look though them with teachers and students, watching books being opened with reverence and eyebrows shoot up at the quality and beauty of the pages. My community contact, the elementary school principal, has told me that there have never been books like this in the community. One of my neighbor girls almost fell out of her chair when she realized that there were not only one, but two new "Jorge el Curioso" (Curious George). I am so hopeful for this project, it has the possibility of making such an impact on the educational abilities of the students.
This past week, the library committee, processed all the books- putting in the cards, book pockets and labels on over 250 books! Some of these I had before my trip home to the states, but many were ones I brought back with the help of the Topeka Rotary Club. This week is a big week for the library. As I type this, the high school principal is travelling to the department capital to ask for financial help in building a library building. Until then, we will be using the books out of the office in the school. The committee is moving the books there tomorrow, preparing the space just in time for school to be starting up again on February 25! I look forward to assisting the teachers incorporate reading into their classrooms and curriculums, and of course reading with children. These kids light up with the books in their laps, it is beautiful.
I have attached a photo of the library committee working on preparing the books for check out this past week. The team was made up of a teachers, moms, and local youth. The other photo is a picture of my host sister- the brightest 7 year old I know, and a good friend of
mine- reading caps for sale in Spainsh.
Thank you again for all your assistance. I hope that your article can help rally future support, we still have a long way to go. As of now, I am waiting to see what my community is willing to commit to the building and using of the library, making sure that all this hard work will develop into a sustainable project. I think with a little community education, the people will fall in love with libraries just like so many before when given the opportunity.
Elizabeth Chronister, PCV
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