Chasing Rainbow at SDN Komodo Island

After the workshop on library management and reading activities, principal and teachers of SDN Komodo Island were getting prepared to paint the library. Principal and teachers have been prepared for the concept of the painting: a view of komodo village and komodo dragon as the symbol of the people at the island. I invited a painter from West Manggarai to help paint the walls at the library. Zakeus, we usually call him, is a graduate from Indonesian Art Institute at Yogyakarta. His love to art motivates him to initiate the first art festival in Labuan Bajo called “Labuan Bajo Art Festival”. He also founded “Lontart Gallery”, a community which provide free drawing courses for children in Labuan Bajo.

Principal, community and teachers were working together to finish the painting at the library. “If the library looks like this, I am sure kids will love to spend their time here,” said Sukiman, teacher of grade 6. One of the feature in a child-friendly library is a fun and cheerful library room, unlike other class rooms.

The energy at SDN Komodo Island is huge. After painting the library, principal, teachers, and some students set up the room so it looks comfortable and decent. Later on, they worked together to level the books based on children’s reading ability. SDN Komodo Island has thousands of books in it, yet they were not optimally used. “Library management workshop by Rainbow Reading gardens is very useful as we now know how to level the books,” said the principal. They spent some days to level the books.

After the library is officially opened, one of the teachers came to me and said, “Pak, this is the result of what we have been working on and it’s amazing!” Principal, librarian, and teachers have been busy preparing before the inauguration. They wanted to make sure that all procedures to create a child-friendly library has been followed.

Today is the first day for the students at SDN Komodo Island to enjoy the quality books with a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. The principal officially inaugurated the library. Children were excited to come in to the library and start their journey to the world through books. The librarian and teachers also took their time to teach library rules to the students.

On the hands of these children, the lives of komodo dragons can be preserved in the future. Sharing through literacy is one of the ways Rainbow Reading Gardens do to take part in it. May their horizons are broadened as they are reading. Literacy Greetings!

Wicaksono

Komodo Island