The public school system in the Philippines is known to produce some tough roadblocks for students and teachers alike, but it is also known to possess some of the most caring and compassionate individuals. It is not uncommon for us to hear stories of teachers going above and beyond for their students, often dedicating their personal time, effort, and money into bettering the lives of their pupils. Another such example is the story of Reynel Calmerin.
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In a viral Facebook post he shares how he transformed an old and unused restroom in a classroom into a new and improved reading corner. He breathed new life into a forgotten space and turned it all the more productive. Reynel shared to us that he was recently transferred to handle the grade 6 class which is where he found this unused restroom. He found the space to be a waste and luckily discovered a storage room at the back with broken chairs he would use to repurpose the room.
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Though he laughingly tells us that the redecoration was no simple task as he is not a carpenter in any way, he got the job done in order to see his vision through. Since the old chairs already held a rustic charm with their variation of color, he used them as scrap wood to line the walls instead of completely redoing them. Once he saw the outcome of simply upgrading the walls, he became motivated to apply the theme of “around the world” to the entire room.
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His students now have a place to simply rest and enjoy the comfort of reading, which is something he tells us that they love. It has, in fact, gotten so much positive feedback that Reynel has won the support of Mayor Honey Lumayag-Matti of Polomolok South Cotabato. She has aided him in turning the school’s stockroom into a reading area for non-readers as well as giving assistance to procure materials and books.
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At the end of the day, he wishes for this to impact on others the importance of being creative and being part of the solution in whatever way possible.
What do you think about this?
Photos courtesy of Reynel Calmerin
