Several musical performances, dances and plays kept the audience engrossed. Pictures: The Telegraph
Fifteen hundred students performed on stage as Delhi Public School (Joka), South Kolkata, hosted its annual concert Chrysalis, in association with Young Metro, The Telegraph, on December 21 and 22.
On Day I, Lower Kindergarten to Class V performed before the chief guest and state transport minister, Dilip Mondal.
Senior classes performed the next day, before guests such as Naresh Gupta of the Steel Authority of India and academician Ranjit Sur. Pro-vice chairperson Pawan Agarwal, directors Bela Agarwal and Deepak Agarwal and principal Writuparna Chatterjee were present on both days.
Several musical performances, dances and plays kept the audience engrossed.
On Day I, Classes III to V presented their theatrical rendition of A Christmas Carol, breathing life into Charles Dickens’ tale. Class II students performed Waltz of the Patronus, a fusion of hip-hop and ballet. Class IV ushered in the festive flavour with a dance, Reindeer Rhapsody. A group performance, Fusion Beats, won Classes I, II and III a thunderous applause.
Day II began with the principal's speech on the school’s decade-long journey.
A prize distribution ceremony followed, where class toppers from LKG to XII and winners of inter-house competitions were felicitated.
A 40-minute medley of songs, Harmonic Cadence, presented by Classes VI, IX and XI, was the showstopper of the evening. It had over 100 students singing popular songs in Hindi, English and Bengali. There were also choir (Crescendo) and instrumental (Concerto) performances. Students presented an Odissi dance, Divine Harmony and a dance drama, Tomar Matir Kanya, based on Tagore's Chandalika, among others.
Eighteen teachers were also honoured for their decade-long services.
The grand finale was a hip-hop performance, Dap it Up, by Classes IX and XI.
"The annual cultural programme and prize distribution ceremony is an occasion that children eagerly look forward to throughout the year, as it celebrates their hard work and achievements. We strive to provide a platform where students can display their talents and feel valued," said the principal.
Julien Day School, Howrah, organised a carnival on its school grounds to celebrate Children’s Day. The event saw students taking part in a variety of games, performances and creative activities.
The carnival began with a prayer led by Terence John, director of education and development. Principal Maryann Thorpe Smith and her deputy, Cheryl Sampayo, welcomed the visitors.
Joining the in-house students at the carnival were 40 children from the social service department of Don Bosco School, Liluah, and 35 from NGO Cini Asha. All the children had fun together, communicating and making new friends in an inclusive atmosphere.
The food and game stalls were the biggest draw at the carnival. Sandwiches, cotton candies, dahi phuchka and fresh popcorn had a long line of takers. There were also prizes for winners at every activity stall such as Roll the Dice, Tail the Donkey and Flip the Bottle. Children also enjoyed a ride on a toy train.
A flash mob dance performance further spiced up the day. The event closed with an exciting lucky draw.
“The sole purpose of the celebration was to invite marginalised children to inaugurate our carnival and gift them small tokens of our love,” said the principal.
H.S. Memorial School celebrated its annual day and prize distribution ceremony, Utkarsha, on December 21. The school's signature event was hosted after a hiatus of four years, giving a platform to over 1200 students from Pre-primary to Class XII. The performances were based on the theme, Sambhavami.
The chief guest was IAS officer Mukta Arya, district magistrate of Hooghly. Joining her were principal Rupa Sen Choudhary, founder-secretary Soumitra Karmakar, assistant-secretary Saheli Karmakar and administrative coordinator Arjun Ghosh.
The cultural show kicked off with a Bharatnatyam dance by the senior students.
Next, students from all classes were awarded for excelling in academic and extra-curricular activities.
Students of Classes VI to XI presented a musical tribute to tabla maestro Zakir Hussain.
Pre-nursery kids also stole the show with their butterfly dance to Main Choti Si Titli. Lower Nursery students followed suit with an energetic performance of Loot Put Gya.
Class XI girls wove an empowerment tale through their warrior dance, Dakla. Students of Class VIII spiced it up with their Maori tribal dance performance.
Students also recited Sukumar Ray's nonsense rhymes, adding humour to the show. Also on the cards was an Indo-Western fashion show and dance-poetry performance by Classes VIII to XI.
"This is a special day for our school community. The annual day was hosted after four years. The event provided students an opportunity to grow holistically. Only by participating in various cultural activities can they hone their skills and ignite their creativity," said the principal.
The Calcutta branch of Julien Day School hosted its annual inter-house athletic meet on November 12. It was the 50th edition of the event.
The programme began at 10am at Gitanjali Stadium. The guests were managing trustee S.E. Broughton, chairman J.G. Broughton, director of education and development Terence John, member of the management Jessica Broughton, principal Siddhartha Dey, vice-principal Sylvia Mayne and junior co-ordinator Stanley Patchiah, among others. They were greeted with bouquets and a welcome dance staged by the students. The chairman hoisted the school flag, the captains took an oath.
The event began with a parade of the four houses. Fifty-nine track events followed, displaying intense competition and teamwork. What stood out was the enthusiasm of the participants cheering for each other.
Red House won the march-past trophy.
There were also trophies for individual champions. Yellow House were the overall winners in the junior section while Green House clinched it in the senior section.
The programme ended with a vote of thanks by the vice-principal.
"It was a well-organised field competition which highlighted not only individual talents but also the importance of teamwork and collaboration. As we witnessed numerous records being broken and personal bests being achieved, it was clear that the spirit of healthy competition thrives within our school community," said the principal.
Around 160 students from different schools took part in a Model United Nations (MUN) organised by Lakshmipat Singhania Academy (LSA) on November 28 and 29.
The chief guest at the opening ceremony was author-debater Pradeep Gooptu. He inspired the young students to speak out fearlessly and remain committed to building a peaceful world.
The committees at the MUN included the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the International Press Corps (IPC).
DISEC discussed the ethical and strategic implications of AI in welfare. The committee saw geopolitical developments as Iran and Qatar ceded their autonomy to China. This sparked discussion on the dangers of AI misuse in consolidating power.
UNSC convened to discuss the Syrian civil war and the rise of extremism. There were allegations of chemical weapon production and extremist recruitment.
UNODC discussed the illicit trafficking of drugs. The IPC focused on the dispute between journalism and nationalism. It also dealt with the outbreak of a virus in Qatar.
Sri Sri Academy bagged the award for Best Delegation, followed by Don Bosco, Park Circus, which won the Outstanding Delegation title. Other participating schools included St Xavier’s Collegiate School, Birla High School and Mahadevi Birla World Academy.
“Participating in activities like MUN broadens students’ understanding of global issues, geopolitics, international relations and policy-making while refining their analytical, research and critical-thinking skills,” said principal Jaya Misra.
“The MUN is an important platform for school students because it allows them to understand global issues and encourages them to take up civic responsibilities,” said director Meena Kak.
Swarnim International School hosted its annual day on November 22 and 23.
On Day I, Pre-primary kids to Class II stole hearts with their display of myriad talents. The guests of honour were Manoshi Roychowdhury, co-chairperson of the Techno India Group, and entrepreneur Sanghita Chakraborty, CEO of Mukharochak.
Roychowdhury highlighted how every child is unique. Chakraborty spoke about the vital partnership between schools and parents in fostering the all-round development of children.
The theme on the second day was Tattvam. Musical performances celebrated the five fundamental elements of the universe.
The guests included IAS officer Binod Kumar, principal secretary of the school and higher education department in the state. He spoke about the significance of comprehension skills and the importance of curiosity in academic and personal success.
Also present was IAS officer Sumit Gupta, district magistrate of South 24 Parganas.
Director of the organisation Swati Sarawgi spoke about the interconnectedness of multiple intelligences and the importance of a well-rounded educational approach.
Students were also honoured for their academic excellence and contributions to various inter-house activities.
Principal Rumjhumi Biswas ended the programme with a vote of thanks. She reminded all that the journey is just as important as the destination and students learn invaluable lessons as they prepare for an event.
"The annual day performances, based on the themes of multiple intelligences and harmony with nature, reflected the school's commitment to holistic education and environmental consciousness. It was a memorable evening that celebrated the spirit of Swarnim," she added.