Igniting the “Spark” with Escuela Tim Hines
The school is quiet after a long day of book organizing, shelf building, painting, and planning. The new library at Centro Educativo Básico Tim Hines is complete and the only sounds to be heard in the library are the wind rushing through the trees outside, and the scrapes of paper across paper as one of our teenage helpers turns the pages of one of his new books. This library is thanks to the hard work of so many community volunteers, the local committee and staff, and One Earth Foundation who sponsored the school and came to volunteer in organizing the spaces.
Elephants, Hippos, and middle schoolers, oh my!
Located high in the mountains outside of Tegucigalpa, Colonia Mirador del Oriente is found on a rocky hilltop with a steep drop on both sides, a chilly wind breezing through the buildings, and stunning views of the valley below. Centro Básico Tim Hines (named after an American missionary) sits on top of the ridge, and opens its door every day to almost 500 students between 1st and 9th grade. On the day of their library inauguration, students had the opportunity to explore their new space, and their new books, for the first time. You would think that at 13 and 14, some of the 9th graders would be “too cool” to snuggle into the new reading corners with a good book, right? But at the end of this day, students, anywhere from the ages 6 to 13, were curled up on their brand-new cushions. They were completely absorbed in the stories in their hands.
“Many people who come to see our school think it is a private school because we have worked hard to make it a beautiful space” -Prof. Jackie
Prof. Jackie, one of the administrators at CEB Tim Hines, is a force to be reckoned with; she and the other educators at Tim Hines are intensely proud of their school and of their new library. The walls of the school and library are filled with color, and now each classroom has its own reading corner. Chispa Project worked alongside the educators at Tim Hines over a months-long process to provide training for parents, school staff, and the students on how to take care of their new library space, and how to integrate literacy based learning into all aspects of teaching. The students and their families now have access to over 500 different titles, each an adventure waiting to be had!
Interesting in sponsoring your own library? Contact us here. Interesting in joining us for your own short term volunteer project? Check out past projects and ideas here.
