Although San Diego RE Cares is proud of the outcome and success of Project La Roca Library, we are sad to say that the funding has come to a close. In 2008 RE Cares donated $10,000 to the La Roca Library Project, which we used to create a computer lab and a more functional library. The grant included funds for a Librarian (Maria Luisa Mendez Lozada) and Computer Lab Head (Isidro Santiago). The La Roca Library continues to be used for the primary school children with the help of the school teachers.Together with Corazon de Vida we have succeeded in our project and had great results.
Librarian Maria Luisa Mendez Lozada was the fulltime onsite librarian heading up the La Roca Library. As the small library's first paid professional librarian, she lead library orientation, literacy and computer classes for preschoolers through sixth-grade and delivered library services in La Roca Primary School classrooms.
Computer Lab Head Isidro Santiago set-up and maintained the computer lab in the library.
La Roca Librarian Maria Luisa Mendez Lozada’s stats from October 2008-May 2009: She instructed 2,204 library users aged 3-12, 30 aged 13-18, and 115 adults. Also she taught 125 computer classes, reaching 863 attendees. (These numbers don’t reflect unique students or users; the same participants may have attended multiple trainings or sessions.)
Click to see Pictures
Also Maria Luisa reports that the library services, which she organized, made a difference in
the lives of La Roca residents and Primary School students. Below Maria Luisa sends us a little of what she and the students experienced:
"Irwin … hid his right hand as if he were afraid of the mouse, as if he touched it he could break it. So I approached him and took his right hand to teach him to use the mouse as it should and thus control the movement of the cursor. When holding his hand and saw it, I realized his hand was a little stunted, somewhat stiff, but I continued with the explanation and guide on how to do it and encourage him not to give up. The fact is, that his hand had a disability. If life gave him lemons lets make lemonade. Then I suggested that if it was easier to work with his left hand, I could teach and change the functions of mouse buttons for him. But he would have to find out how the keyboard would work as both hands are used, plus I did not know to what extent he can exercise his right side. Despite his disability, he made great strides compared to his healthy peers."
"Jose Alfredo [in the third grade] is a very lively boy and he admires everything that is discovered. He likes to learn words in English that are used in computer science. He was the one who proposed to allow those who already knew how to write and read a book to transcribe into the computer and [leave the others] with learning to write their names, the alphabet and numbers. He loves to go to the library to read and play the lottery and build literacy puzzles while waiting for a ride home."
And Maria Luisa reports that her experience at La Roca has also meant a lot to her, personally.
She says: "Working in the library gave me the opportunity to work with my daughter who is La Roca’s kindergarten teacher, appointed by the National Council of Educational Development (CONAFE). It was a great blessing because … at that time we were not mother and daughter, but two adult women who exchange knowledge, experiences, to benefit our students."San Diego RE Cares Committee says "Thank You" to all who participated to make this a huge success!
A special thanks to Daria DeCooman for her dedication to this project. She worked many personal hours and even spent a few nights a La Roca to help Maria Luisa. She helped provide funds for Maria Luisa to attend the FORO conference for librarians in Tijuana; an event sponsored by Elsevier.The La Roca Library's progress owes thanks for generous donations and support from:
Apogee Electronics, Beckman Coulter, Corazon de Vida, DEMCO, Rolling Readers, Capstone Press, Erica Trowbridge, Foothills United Methodist Church in San Diego, Gryphon House, LexisNexis, San Diego Public Library's College-Rolando Branch Library, Scholastic books, The Bookman and San Diego University.
And also a thanks to George Perez of Corazon de Vida who is alway a pleasure to work with. He has dedicated his whole life to the orphaned children of Baja. His dedication and professionalism helps us to keep our corporate sponsor relations.
