Kariton Klasrum Program goes nationwide

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Developed by CNN 2009 Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida, the Kariton Klasrum is a program where volunteers filled wheel wooden pushcarts with learning materials and sanitation supplies to teach basic education and hygiene practices to out-of-school children.

As part of the effort in promoting inclusive education nationwide, the Department of Education (DepEd) is replicating the Dynamic Teen Company's (DTC) Kariton Klasrum made popular by CNN Hero awardee Efren Penaflorida, Jr. By expanding the project nationwide, DepEd and its partners intend to address the needs of hard-to-reach learners and out-of-school children and youth (OSCYs).

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said the DepEd aims to reach out to out-of-school youth and street children through the project. 

“Children should not be required to adjust to our system of education,  it is the system of education that should address their needs,”  he said.

The program provides greater mobility for children-at-risk, OSCYs, and school drop-outs in accessing basic education through the Alternative Delivery Modes (ADM) program of DepEd. 

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said, “This project aims to have a 100% reintegration rate of the beneficiaries into mainstream or regular schools. Just as we accommodate the unique needs of indigenous peoples and special learners, we also try to fit our modes of delivery to the unique conditions of children at-risk, especially those in the streets."

According to Peñaflorida, there are already a total of 84 ongoing Kariton Klasrum sites. He explains that the goal of the program is to get the children back to school. “Hindi ito replacement sa regular classroom. Ang gusto namin ay ma-entice silang mag-aral ulit.” After three months under the Kariton Klasrum Program, the students will be evaluated for school-readiness. “We are never too strong to do things on our own. Your presence now secures our future. It is very important,” he added.

DepEd Undersecretary for Partnerships and External Linkages Mario A. Deriquito said that a total number of 106 Kariton Klasrum sites is the target for NCR. He then posed the challenge of reaching out to the farthest areas and “to look for those who have been overlooked.”

Deriquito also invited partners to help in the program and said, “We encourage companies, organizations, and individuals to support the Kariton Klasrum Program. We need help in providing students’ school supplies, storybooks, and daily feeding programs as well as teacher's kits, slippers, hygiene kits and vitamins. Volunteers for the projects activities are likewise invited to join.”

Prior to the implementation of the program, a full assessment of project sites, a mapping and validation of children at risk on the streets will be done by DepEd in coordination with DSWD and barangay LGUs, who will also provide "tanods" (watchmen) in the project sites to ensure security. To date, there have already been 27 initial areas which were identified as new Kariton Klasrum sites. DTC is tasked with training volunteers and monitoring the program implementation, while DepEd takes care of the curriculum and the program implementation per se.

Luistro added that it should not be the children who will adjust to the education system but the other way around. He also invited everyone to “learn from the children at-risk in streets” and said, “Sana matuto tayo sa mga batang nasa lansangan at makita nating marami pa tayong dapat matutuhan, kasama nila.”

Efren Peñaflorida and URC rejoiced with Kariton Revolution kids as DTC opens Red-buil, the newest educational floor

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Efren Peñaflorida, the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year and Universal Robina Corporation (URC) opens the DTC’s newest educational floor, URC Learning Center at the Cavite City.

URC rejoiced with Kariton Revolution kids as in support of Dynamic Teen Company’s (DTC) mission to promote literacy and enrich potentials of future leaders, Universal Robina Corporation (URC) sponsored the construction of a learning center at the second floor of DTC’s Red-buil (red building).

Efren Peñaflorida

Peñaflorida started a "pushcart classroom" in the Philippines to bring education to poor children as an alternative to gang membership. When he has received $100,000 as his prize as he was named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year, he continue his advocacy work and with his friends, they formed the Dynamic Teen Company with an aim of providing youth awareness projects, talent and self-development activities, and community services.

Founders of DTC, Peñaflorida and his classmates and friends find fulfillment as they slowly grow the number of youths being transformed through their programs. Transformed youth, who used to be street kids, drop-outs and out-of-school, even been drug users, petty thieves, scavengers, but youth are now DTC volunteers and have returned to mainstream education.

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) is one of the largest branded consumer food and beverage product companies in the Philippines and committed in making lives a truly helpful and fun experience.

The newly opened URC Learning Center has classrooms fully furnished with chairs, desks, whiteboards, and book shelves for incoming 9th and 10th graders. There is also an office where volunteer educators can prepare their lessons, as well as a laboratory for advance lessons in science.

Adding more fun and creativity to these new learning spaces are walls adorned with murals of the nine participating URC brands: Refresh, C2, and Payless Instant Mami; and Jack ‘n Jill Knots, Chiz Curls, Magic Flakes, Wafrets, Fun Fries and Roller Coaster.

DTC, an organization headed by pushcart educator and CNN Hero Efren Peñaflorida and his mentor Harnin Manalaysay, has managed several academic programs under their umbrella project, Kariton Revolution –a movement URC has been actively supporting since 2011. 

“It is an honor to work with Efren Peñaflorida and his team. We admire his passion to spark a positive change in the country. Granting free education to out-of-school youths is a truly admirable endeavor, one that we are quite proud to support,” said URC Executive Vice-President and Managing Director Nilo Mapa, Jr. 

The learning facilities in the newly built floor of the activity center are part of URC’s commitment to provide support to DTC and its undertakings. 

“We greatly appreciate URC’s support in our endeavors. The new classrooms they built for us will serve as venues for learning and knowledge,” shared Efren Peñaflorida when asked about URC as a partner.

As DTC's mission and vision in educating children, will strive harder to give the underprivileged youth in the Philippines to a better fighting chance at life, to become morally upright, productive and responsible individuals who embrace a spirit of volunteerism, 

DTC is to provide them guidance until they progress in their career and be productive contributors of society. 

Here are videos showing special presentation of Kariton Revolution kids during the event/opening of URC Learning Center.

The DTC building is located at 188 J. Miranda St., Caridad, Cavite City, Philippines.

Visit Efren Peñaflorida Twitter - @karitonkid and for more information, feel free to inquire at pushcartclasses@gmail.com. 

HP Culminates Write and Read 2 Program for illustration and poetry writing

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An awarding ceremony presented by HP, awarded the winners for the Write&Read Program competition on students' creativity in reading, writing and visual arts, last October 17, 2013 held at the Crowne Plaza, Manila Galleria, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.

HP, a global leader in technology, culminates the second year of the HP Write and Read 2 program. Covering both private and public schools and universities and reaching 50 student participants for its illustration and poetry writing, HP’s Write and Read program is in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd).

“Last year, when HP started with the first Write and Read, our vision was simply, to inspire. We wanted to reach a handful of students and change how they perceive learning. This year, as we culminate the HP Write and Read 2, we realized that we have reached so much more, and we were able to share to more audience HP’s commitment to creativity, education and of course, learning,’says Franco Flameno, HP’s Marketing Development Manager for Consumer Printers. 

“HP is thankful to both partners, DepEd and our Write and Read ambassador, Efren Penaflorida, for believing in the HP vision, and agreeing to partner with us.”

Write&Read Program under A+ Campaign, Write&Read leveraged on HP Ink Advantage printers as a tool in cultivating students’ potential and improving their academic performance through affordable, reliable and high-quality prints. The Write&Read program provides workshops and other opportunities for students to learn.

The HP Write and Read 2 program was opened to 1st to 4th year high school students based in the National Capital Region (NCR). The contestants underwent a two-day master class either in poetry writing or illustration. The final contest entry was a collaborative work between one writer and one illustrator who underwent the master classes.

This years winners are the following:

The winners will take home the following prizes: 1st Place winners will take home two (2) printers, two (2) desktops, two (2) notebooks, two (2) slate, 50k cash; 2nd Place winner will take home two (2) printers, two (2) notebooks, two (2) slate, 20k cash and the 3rd Place winners will take home two (2) printers, two (2) Slate, 10k cash.

“Learning is a personal advocacy. I believe that to passing over that love for learning is as important as of course using extremely attractive printed materials are important in nurturing students' creativity in reading, writing and visual arts, and sustaining that interest,” shared by Efren Penaflorida.

Write and Read ambassador and CNN Hero Efren Penaflorida is the founder and head of the Dynamic Teen Company, which offers Filipino youth an alternative to street gangs through education, recreating school settings in unconventional locations such as cemeteries and trash dumps. In March 2009, Peñaflorida was featured as a CNN Hero as part of the news network's program to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to help others. On November 22, 2009, he was named CNN Hero of the Year for 2009.

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a porfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems.

More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

Check out for more photos HERE.