Carnival, football, life lessons keep students busy

BDM International 

BDM International hosted an exciting kids carnival for the Pre-primary students on September 9. The special guest on the occasion was psychologist Pragati Jalan Sureka. It was also attended by the parents of 150 children and other educators from the city.

A wide range of activities, games, rides and entertainment options were up for grabs. A magic show, an engaging treasure hunt and a tattoo corner kept the tots busy.

The aim of the event was to give students a good time, free of stress.

Prospective students and their parents also dropped in to explore the school premises and meet the teachers and staff members. This event showcased the school's values and contributions to the community.

Food stalls were a hit, especially ones selling popcorn and candy floss. The ball pit was also a favourite, offering kids a range of sensory experiences and social interactions.

There were also book stalls at the carnival that encouraged children to find joy in reading. Psychologist Jalan-Sureka gave parenting tips to the visitors and told them how to make the transition into school life smooth for their kids. She asked the parents not to thwart a child's curiosity.

The carnival concluded with a Zumba session to encourage physical activity and teamwork.

Each child received a goodie bag containing colourful stationery.

"This is the first of the three carnivals lined up in the run-up to the festive season. We have also invited other schools and are expecting a large turnout for the remaining carnivals. We are looking forward to more interaction with parents in the upcoming events," said principal Madhumita Sengupta.

Aroho Music Academy

More than 160 students from schools all over the city took part in the inaugural edition of Aikatan, an inter-school Bengali choral singing competition organised by Aroho Music Academy. Presented in collaboration with Rajdanga Samanway Club, the event was held on the club’s premises in Kasba on August 26.

The music school — founded by musician Srikanta Acharya and his lyricist wife Arna Seal — organised the event to encourage students to take an interest in group singing. The preliminary round had participation from over 25 schools.

The semi-finalists included Shri Shikshayatan School, Amrita Vidyalayam, Baghajatin Balika Vidyalaya, Dolna Day School, Beleghata Deshbandhu Girls’ High School, Future Campus School, Vivekananda Mission School, Baidyabati Charushila Bose Balika Bidyalaya and Nava Nalanda.

Music director Kalyan Sen Barat and musicians Antara Chowdhury and Rathijit were the judges of the semi-final and final rounds that took place on the same day.

The participating teams performed a range of songs from Rabindrasangeet to compositions by Salil Chowdhury and Joy Sarkar.

Five schools went up to the finals. Finally, Dolna Day School emerged champions followed by Beleghata Deshbandhu Girls’ High School and Future Campus School.

Srikanta Acharya, principal of Aroho Music Academy, said: "While I heartily congratulate the winners and convey my best wishes to the participating schools, I also look forward to more skilful renditions next time," he said.

"It was encouraging to see the schools making such huge efforts to present their songs despite the complete lack of an eco-system for choral singing, that too for Bengali songs," said school secretary Arna Seal.

Calcutta Public School, Barasat

Students, teachers and staff members of Calcutta Public School, Barasat, joined in to celebrate World Nature Conservation Day on the school grounds.

The guests included principal Abhilasha Das and representatives from NGO Bhumi, with which the school had collaborated.

The students took part in sapling plantation on the school grounds. The children had also painted the pots where they planted the saplings.

The clay pots were made attractive with vibrant colours and lively doodles.

The students were also told to bring plastic waste from their homes and give it up for recycling. The NGO representatives collected those plastics and educated the students as to what they will do with the plastic waste.

The children made posters to spread awareness about pollution, environment and other issues. They pledged to take all steps to save nature.

After the recycling event, the students and some teachers took part in a short quiz on the environment. Sounak Paul and Shaunak Das of Class VIII helped put the quiz together digitally. The quizmasters were Bedant Nil Roy of Class VI and Anwesha Chowdhury of Class VIII.

“Sustainability and conservation have always been very close to my heart. It is our endeavour to inculcate these values in our students so that they grow up as conscientious global citizens. It made me proud to see our students celebrating Van Mahotsav and World Nature Conservation Day with such zeal,” said principal Abhilasha Das.

Apex Academy

Apex Academy inaugurated statues of Rabindranath Tagore and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar on their school grounds on the occasion of Independence Day.

The celebration was organised in two phases. The flag-hoisting took place in the morning on August 15. At 9 in the morning, the Tricolour was hoisted by school president Debasis Maiti, its secretary Ramesh Santra and principal Nayantara Roy.

The principal paid a tribute to the freedom fighters, who had stood up against injustice and the British Raj. She spoke about the essence of freedom and how the contribution of the martyrs can never be forgotten.

In the next phase of the celebrations, the school's founder and chairman Haripada Maiti inaugurated statues of Tagore and Vidyasagar on the school premises. The inauguration was followed by a floral tribute to the literary greats by Jogesh Chandra Mondal, block development officer of Mahishadal, and the school authorities present on the occasion.

A cultural programme followed where students performed before an audience of 300-odd people.

Students from Class VII performed a dance to Dhana dhanya pushpa bhara that got a lot of applause.

Maiti delivered an emotional speech, touching on the importance of the two luminaries whose statues now stand tall on the school premises. He also mentioned the role of Vidyasagar and Tagore in spreading education and the nation's struggle for freedom.

Some dance performances followed. Class VII students danced to Jai Ho, while Class X students also presented a performance on Matangini Hazra. Archita Barui and Debanjan Sukul from Class X played the role of the speaker.

"The integration of culture and academics is crucial for holistic education. We need to counsel our children in the right way and instil moral values in them. We observe Independence Day to inculcate patriotic feelings in the students and introduce them to the ideals of our freedom fighters," said the principal.

Khalsa Model Senior Secondary School

The students of Khalsa Model Senior Secondary School visited two nearby slums from August 24 to 28 to give some essentials and gifts to the marginalised children living there.

Armed with clothes, stationary and books, students of Class XI went door-to-door to hand over the gifts to the children. The interaction on either side was an emotional and overwhelming one. It taught many life lessons to the students.

The aim of this project was to promote social and emotional growth among students. Classes IX to XII of the school are often involved in community awareness programmes from where they imbibe several life skills.

“We hold regular free health camps for the locals around the school area. Our students volunteer in these health camps and learn many important lessons outside the classroom. We involve Classes IX to XII in many community welfare projects to make them aware of their social responsibility. The slum children welcomed our students and had a lot of fun with them," said principal Gurmeet Kaur Arjani.

St Augustine's Day School, Barrackpore

The football grounds of St Augustine's Day School, Barrackpore, was transformed into a battleground of passion and camaraderie on August 26, as Augusto Foot Fest 2023 — a junior inter-school football knockout tournament for boys and girls — took off.

Eight schools, consisting of participants from Classes II to V, took part in the event. The chief guest was Steven Leon J. Herbots, head coach of United Sports Club.

He said: "It is not just about doing well in sports or academics. What truly matters is the amalgamation of both, shaping you into a better person."

The participating schools were St Xavier's Institution, Panihati, Gospel Home School, Rishra, St Stephen's School, Dum Dum, Aditya Academy, Dum Dum, Familia School, Assembly of Angels Secondary School, National English School and the host school.

In the boys' final Aditya Academy, Dumdum, played against St Xavier's School, Panihati, while the girls of Gospel Home School, Rishra, locked horns with Assembly of Angels Secondary School.

St Xavier's School, Panihati, and Gospel Home School, Rishra, emerged champions in the boys and girls category, respectively.

Principal Shweta Ray said: "We organised the tournament to instil the spirit of sportsmanship from a tender age. Sports build physical strength and emotional well-being in kids.