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A Time to Shine for the 16 Little Red Schoolhouses

Aug 18, 2004. Nabaoy PS, Malay, Aklan. The selected grade four students’ interpretation of a favorite book “Papel De Liha.”

August 16, 2004 was a very special day for the students of the Coca – Cola Little Red Schoolhouse of Karim in the remote, mountainous area of Buldon, Maguindanao. It was the celebration of the culminating activities of the SAS Reading Program. To celebrate this day, the fourth- grade classroom contained neither fancy balloons nor extravagant decorations; the room was filled instead with unique and colorful knick – knacks and artwork created by the students themselves. The performances were also delivered by the students in their own unique and creative way. Indeed, during that day, the kids were the stars.

Fifteen other Coca – Cola Little Red Schoolhouses throughout the Philippines also commemorated their respective one hour culminating activity within the first two weeks of August. These schools, numbering six in Luzon, six in Visayas and four in Mindanao were all identical in their characteristics of being situated in poverty – ridden and virtually inaccessible areas. With the launch of the Read-a-thon program, which was formally held last July 23 at Arnap Elementary School, Ilocos Sur, new opportunities were opened up for them.

Aug. 9, 2004. Arnap ES, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. Students bolster the SAS vision as they jointly declare "Kaysarap Magbasa!"

Thirty – one days were allotted for the Read-a-thon Program, and the 16 schools saw the gradual development of their Grade 4 students from shy, inhibited kids to lively, creative children. Extension Activities to the Reading Program took the form of colorful artwork, leaf collages, feathered masks and decorative ornaments, among others, allowed the children to extend the stories they read in the 60 SAS storybooks into the vivid portholes of their imagination. And of course, the books themselves served as windows to new experiences, as they shared the lives of different characters and personalities with every turn of the page.

The culminating activities stood for the fruition of these 31 days. It was the best – and for many, the first – chance for the students to stand up and show to the world, “This is what I can do!” Because of reading, and the patience and persistence of the teacher implementers, the day represented the chance for the students to shine. And for the Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation, and Coca – Cola Foundation Inc, the day represented another sure and steady foothold gained towards the climb to build a nation of readers.