A shining example of what collaboration, compassion, and commitment to education can achieve unfolded at Bayto Elementary School in Iba, Zambales through the efforts of the Southville International School and Colleges’ (SISC) Library Team. In an initiative that reflects the heart of community engagement, a total of 553 carefully selected books were officially donated to the school, just months ahead of its Literacy Remediation Program.

Bayto Elementary School Principal Benros A. Sampilo accepted the donation with gratitude, noting the timing of the gift. “The books arrived at a perfect time. They became the foundation of our Literacy Remediation Program, and gave our learners renewed hope and the resources to grow.”

Once placed in the hands of the learners, the donated books became tools of possibility. Students showed a marked improvement in reading comprehension, engagement, and confidence during the remediation sessions. Teachers, in turn, were empowered to deliver more responsive and differentiated instruction—choosing texts that reflected the interests and reading levels of their students.

The effect was visible in every classroom: students were not only reading more fluently but also smiling more brightly, participating more actively, and expressing greater interest in learning. By embedding new and engaging titles into the school’s resource pool, the SISC Library has sown seeds for a more literate, resilient, and hopeful learning environment—one that will continue to serve future batches of learners.