A season of carnivals, cheer and a green pledge

St John’s Diocesan Girls’ H.S. School

St John's Diocesan Girls' H.S. School organised a carnival, Dio Fun Fair, to usher in the Yuletide spirit and give its students some festive cheer.

A large number of children turned up for the carnival along with their parents. There was a range of games and activity kiosks to cater to every age.

The food stalls featured some delightful snacks that kept the visitors munching and queueing up for more. From Chinese to Bengali delicacies, there were lots to choose from.

The Art Tavern showcased home decor meticulously crafted by the students. There were soft toys, household items, eco-friendly jute bags and wall hangings up for grabs. Each piece had a lot of hard work and creativity put into it, by the students in between their studies.

The secondary school, an extension of the primary institution and catering to marginalised children, also set up a kiosk showcasing handmade candles, cards, bags and other artworks. All the proceeds from the carnival will go towards the upliftment of the secondary school.

The Lucky Draw was a huge hit with every participant bagging a gift. The event concluded with a performance of Christmas carols and songs by musician Ankit Savio Bor.

"The Dio Fun Fair 2023 is an annual event that is meant to evoke the spirit of sharing and caring among the students and staff members. It is that time of the year when students, both present and past, make wonderful memories that they cherish in the years to come. It is not only an event but also a time to relax, rejuvenate and refresh the mind and body at the end of a hectic learning journey. The whole school waits eagerly for this carnival as it is an occasion for the Dio family to enjoy, energise and keep connected to the school," said principal Snigdha Gain.

Endeavour Global School, Siliguri

Endeavour Global School, Siliguri, organised a panel discussion on Nurturing Young Minds and the Environment at a cafe in the Salbari area.

The aim of the event was to raise awareness among students on issues related to environment and how they can implement changes at home and in school to usher in a sustainable world.

The panellists were microbiologist Sujata Guha, green activist Ishmael Tamang and Shreya Gurung from the conservation organisation, TIEEDI. The session was moderated by Smriti Pradhan of yet another conservation organisation, Chhimeki.

Besides the host school, the guests included students and teachers from Campion International School, Foothills Academy, Narayana School, Siliguri, and a preparatory school, Chahal.

Other guests included historian Sonam Wangyal, journalist Anuradha Sharma and green activist Abhay Pradhan of Chhimeki.

The children were given tips on how to lead a sustainable life and told to pass the word around.

A felicitation programme was also organised for the green warriors of NGO Save Earth for Life for their effort in waste management and raising awareness in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Siliguri.

“This event is part of a series that will help create awareness among children. It is very important for the next generation to know how to save their Earth. We have taught the students waste segregation in school. We also try to make our school a zero-waste and no-plastic zone,” said director-principal of the host school, Nandita Gurung.

Young Horizon School

Young Horizon School's year-long golden jubilee celebrations culminated with a grand performance at the Science City Auditorium on December 9.

The chief guest was IAS officer Atri Bhattacharya, additional chief secretary of the state. Also present were the school's founder Shourabh Mukerji and principal Sarmistha Sen.

The festivities began with a rendition of the school anthem by the students. A performance titled, Stepping into Eternity, paid homage to the school's founder. Amit Dasgupta, a close associate with the school, recounted the story behind its inception and the visionary dream of Mukerji.

The principal welcomed the special guests and dignitaries with floral tributes.

Students followed it up with a rendition of Anondoloke and a dance performance advocating the virtues of truth, peace and bliss.

Various intra-school events have marked the jubilee year. A video collage took the audience through the entire journey.

The school also honoured the board exam toppers of 2023 and recognised some former teachers, who had influenced the school's trajectory.

The students presented a fusion of classical and contemporary dance forms. They also staged a thought-provoking play, Primal Chalk to Digital Talk, highlighting the evolution of education from the early Vedic times to an unforeseen future dominated by the AI.

Trustee Sangeeta Mukerji shed light on the school's outreach programmes. Benefactors supporting the rural school, Khelaghar, and the evening school, Diksha, were honoured on the occasion as well.

The grand finale reached its end with a performance by the school choir.

"The legacy of Shourabh Mukerji, the founder of our school, guides us into the next chapter of our journey with a promise to carry forward the flame of excellence, fuelled by the spirit of perpetual youth and dynamism," said the principal.

St Sebastian’s School

Students of St Sebastian’s School celebrated the fall season with a cultural show.

The performances began with the junior section. The tots of Nursery, KG I and KG II grooved to the song, Pujor gondho eseche, adding to the festive mood.

Next, Classes I and II showcased the triumph of good over evil through a performance, Durga Durgotinashini. Children also recited the poem Agomoni by Premendra Mitra.

The junior section closed their performance with a skit on Goddess Durga and how she destroys evil to save the world. The roleplay was appreciated. The audience, consisting of students from Classes VI to VIII, cheered the kids on. The little ones through their performances spread the message of unity in diversity.

The senior section presented a dance drama depicting various festivities that are typical of autumn. The performance was rich in literary references.

“In our frenzied race towards modernisation, we are isolating ourselves from our culture and historical roots. Today, we return to the stories of the past...," began Arpita Mondol of Class XII, the anchor of the event.

The stage focused on a grandfather narrating mythological tales, surrounding Goddess Durga, to a child. He also stressed on the history behind the celebration. A dramatic storytelling followed.

Each choreography, dialogue and movement was well-synchronised, the result of a lot of hard work and practice sessions. The students enacted some popular mythological tales that they had heard from their grandparents.

Finally, students dressed up as Durga, Kali and Jagaddhatri went up on stage to represent activity, purity and darkness in every woman. The festivities ended with the focus on women power or naari shakti and the cross-cultural interactions during the festive season.

Principal M.P. Rozario said: "Our children are our future, and there is no future if we ignore the past. It is our responsibility to connect the little ones with their culture and tradition so that the light of our country never fades."

B.D.M. International

B.D.M. International hosted the second edition of Kalrav 2023, a Pre-primary fest aimed to celebrate the creativity and talent of children between two and five years.

The event witnessed the participation of 11 city schools, including Birla High School, Mukundapur, South City International, Garden High School, Delhi World Public School and Indus Valley World School.

The fest was designed as a platform for celebration rather than competition. It encouraged tots to showcase their talents through performances. The fest featured an array of on-stage and off-stage events, specifically tailored for the age group. The events included Kitchen Orchestra (non-fire cooking), Fashion Fiesta (catwalk), Salesman of the Year (presenting a sales pitch) and Creative Hands (art and craft).

The children were very confident as they presented their performances and passion. The guests included artistes-educator Gitanjali Jolly Alagh and Madhumita Chattopadhyay. The fest fostered creativity, joy and camaraderie among the children.

"Kalrav was a colourful festival of talent among the pre-school students. This year, kids from 11 schools in the city took part. We were left mesmerised. This was not a competitive event because, for us, all were winners," said principal Madhumita Sengupta.

Julien Day School, Howrah

Julien Day School, Howrah, organised their carnival, Fiesta 2023, to mark Children’s Day on November 11. The theme was Joy of Giving.

The fun fair was inaugurated by 30 marginalised children from Rainbow Homes, under various branches of Loreto schools. The kids went to perform a prayer dance. They also had a blast at the carnival as they sampled the food from various kiosks and tried their hands at the games. In the end, they were given gifts.

There were games for all visitors such as Can the Can, Hoopla, Coin the Coin, Flip the Bottle, Score the Goal, Hit the Wicket, Jumping Jack, Darts and Tail the Donkey, among others.

The food kiosks catered to every taste bud. There was simple puri-sabji, traditional Bengal fare, delicious Chinese grub, chaats, ice-cream and desserts.

There were lots of music and dancing that kept the children busy. The high point of the day was the Fiesta Raffle with 51 lucky winners going home with gifts.

“The joy on the faces of the Rainbow children won our hearts. Their sparkling eyes spread magic, and they lit up the place with their inimitable dance performance,” said principal Maryann Thorpe Smith.