Very soon after Hurricane Maria, Access Books steadily received two types of inquiries: “Can you help our school?” and “How can we help schools in Puerto Rico?”
As with all our projects, many parts make a whole: securing funding, selecting schools, collecting and buying books, and finally, a convergence of volunteers. Thanks to Belisa Davis and the San Felipe Humanitarian Alliance, our initial funding was in place. With the guidance of Puerto Rico Rise Up and the Coqui Education Program, two schools were chosen. Meghan, our librarian, spent many hours selecting new, culturally-relevant books for this project while hundreds of Angelinos collected gently used books to contribute. With all the parts in place, 21 Access Books volunteers headed to Puerto Rico to distribute 13,500 books.
Day 1: Escuela Inés María Mendoza (San Juan)
Away from the busy life of the city, this school was tucked away on a small mountain, providing lush grass and ample space for the 1,000 students (18 months through high school). The project-based campus was filled with teachers and staff delivering quality instruction with few resources. Working alongside dozens of high schoolers for the day, Access Books volunteers soaked in the enthusiasm for books and learning that enveloped the school.
We sorted 6,500 books, put together bookcases (with the shop teacher and his students), painted murals, and created a new hub for the school. While our service to the school was impactful, the warmth and vitality we encountered at Escuela Inés María Mendoza was profoundly impactful on us. The enthusiasm, interest, and energy was both electrifying and calming. The school's sense of community, kindness, and teamwork struck us all. And at midday, when we joined students and teachers for lunch, you can imagine our collective surprise to learn that at least 70% of students still live in tents. As we tumbled onto the bus at the end of the day, everyone remarked that we were leaving a very special place that we want to visit again.
Day 2: Escuela Francisco Jordán (Urtado)
We boarded a bus and headed into the mountains, bound for Urtado. Fortunately for us, the driver was eager to give us a history lesson en route, and we learned about the many sites we encountered. Claudia Bautista, Spanish immersion teacher extraordinaire at Santa Monica High, provided translation for the two-hour journey. We learned that this area was hardest hit by the hurricane. Most structures lost roofs, and the damage was compounded by nine days of continuous rain. As we progressed up the mountain, the devastation of Maria was increasingly apparent.
When we arrived at Escuela Francisco Jordán, we were shocked to see that a school of 1,000 students had fewer than 100 books. Also, we learned half of the school did not yet have a roof. We managed to sort and catalog 6,500 books for the school and community -- 2,000 of which were delivered to the high school down the street. The librarian’s mother made us an authentic Puerto Rican lunch we shared with the staff. Later, our work finished, we dragged ourselves to the bus. As we prepared to depart, the school's librarian ran to us. After a long hug, she whispered that her school would never forget this day. While most of the team took the bus back to the city, a few volunteers headed off the local Boy’s and Girl’s Club to deliver more books and items.
Thank you!