Cosmos, climate and inter-school yoga contests

Rishi Aurobindo Memorial Academy

Students of Rishi Aurobindo Memorial Academy learnt about the hazards associated with asteroids in a lecture organised to mark World Asteroid Day recently.

Speaking to them on the occasion was Shilpi Gupta, scientific officer at M.P. Birla Institute of Fundamental Research. The session, Journey Through The Cosmos, had Gupta throwing light on asteroids, how they are formed and the devastation they can cause.

World Asteroid Day is observed across the globe on June 30 to raise awareness about such hazards and crisis communication that can help scientists in case of a credible near-Earth object threat.

Gupta described asteroids as small rocky particles revolving in the inner orbit, without any atmosphere. They carry the imprint of the early solar system, she said.

Gupta started her PowerPoint presentation by informing the students how the “twinkling stars of the sky” are connected to day and night, change of seasons, rise and fall of tides and migration of animals and birds.

She mentioned how the star Sirius informed ancient Egyptians about monsoons. She also introduced the students to different constellations found in the night sky.

The discussion covered various observatories of the world such as the Mauna Kea observatory in Hawaijan Island, 3.6m Devasthal Optical Telescope in Nainital and the Himalayan Chandra Telescope, which is used to locate asteroids and stars far away.

She also spoke about some specific asteroids such as Pallas, Juno and Vesta.

The discussion also focussed on ways humans can mitigate the disaster caused by asteroid collisions. Gupta said that even children can help scientists locate asteroids in space by studying about the topic.

The discussion left the students spellbound.

School secretary Arjun Ghosh said: “Last year, we held a discussion on the super moon. This time, the session on asteroids was held in two slots to cover as many students. Everybody enjoyed the discussion. Such activities are organised to improve our children’s general knowledge.”

Sri Sri Academy

Sri Sri Academy hosted the CISCE Regional Yoga Competition 2023 on August 5 and 6.

Around 130 girls from over 30 schools took part on the first day and over 82 boys from 25 schools took part on the second day. The participants were from all over Bengal and the Northeast.

There were three events under each age category. The first event was group yoga or team performance. The other two were Individual Artistic Yoga and Individual Rhythmic Yoga. The age groups were 14, 17 and 19 years.

On Day I, the event began with chanting from the Vedas and diya lighting, followed by the felicitation of the council-appointed judges. Principal Gargi Banerjee delivered the opening speech.

The girls displayed incredible performances, which required a combination of great balance, strength, flexibility and concentration.

Vidhi Ruia, an Art of Living teacher, was the chief guest on Day I.

The winning candidates and teams were awarded medals and trophies. There were participation certificates for all.

Boys of various age groups put up an equally stunning show the next day.

Former cricketer Ranadeep Moitra was the chief guest.

"The CISCE yoga competition is a great platform for the students to display their strength, flexibility and concentration through different asanas. Yoga is an integral part of the school curriculum and it is encouraged at every level. Sri Sri Academy believes in the importance of yoga for the holistic development of our students," said the principal.

Bidya Bharati Girls' High School

Eight students of Bidya Bharati Girls' High School joined children from other institutions in a workshop on Creative Advocacy for Climate Action recently. The event, organised by Living Waters Museum (a virtual global organisation working for the protection of water heritage) in association with the US Consulate, Calcutta, was aimed to groom schoolchildren to raise their voices against water wastage and other environmental issues through art.

The students learnt to use artwork, poetry, dance and drama to highlight the drastic effects of man's greed and carelessness on nature.

It was followed by a trip to Hingalganj, a border village in the Sunderbans. Two students of the school, Shreya Mishra and Adwitia Mondal of Class XII, joined others for the educational trip. The children planted saplings of various mangrove species on the banks of River Raimangal. They were also educated about the wetlands and learnt from local people how to deal with hazards such as cyclones.

The students capped the event with a round-table discussion at the American Centre, where they shared experiences.

Some also took part in the fourth edition of the International Youth Contest, The Water We Want, organised by the Global Network of Water Museum on the side.

The paintings showcased water conservation efforts as imagined by the students. Six top paintings will be part of the travelling exhibitions across Europe.

Class XII student Shreshtha Halder bagged a special mention award for her painting, Precious Wonders of Fresh Water, at the event.

"We are extremely happy that two of our talented students have taken part in the workshop and received awards for their artwork and awareness campaign on the environment. May many more raise their voice against such pertinent issues," said headmistress Sharmistha Banerjee.

St Augustine’s Day School for Boys, Barrackpore

The investiture ceremony and the annual prize distribution of St Augustine’s Day School for Boys, Barrackpore, was jointly held at Bikash Basu Smrity Convention Centre in Ichapore on July 24.

The aim was to encourage children to pursue their interests and also hone their leadership skills.

The ceremony started with a prayer, followed by a floral tribute to the photograph of the late founder of St Augustine Education Society, C.R. Gasper.

Students of Nursery to Class VI took part in an inaugural song that set the tone of the event.

The junior student council members, consisting of students of Class V, for the session 2022-23 relinquished their duties and received mementoes and certificates from the head of the institution Krishnendu Bagchi.

The new members took the oath with utmost sincerity. The school captain, vice-captain, sports captain and house prefects also got their badges and sashes from the head of the institution. The house flags and the school flag were handed over to the new brigade.

The chief guest on the occasion was academician Rupak Datta of the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology. He congratulated the young leaders and prize winners and appreciated the school for engaging the students in various co-curricular activities with an eye on guidelines of the CBSE and the National Education Policy, 2020.

Bagchi presented the annual school report for the session 2022-23, touching on various activities, workshops and achievements of the school.

An enthusiastic dance performance followed. Some students also recited poems.

The school's academic coordinator Rumela M. Saha was felicitated for completing 10 years of service in St Augustine’s Group of Schools.

The prize winners of Nursery to Class V were awarded certificates and mementoes.

"We nurture leadership qualities in our children from an early stage. We have a junior student council comprising students of Class V. The event is special as students are given awards for academic and co-curricular activities," said Bagchi.

Don Bosco School, Liluah

Don Bosco School, Liluah, hosted Enigma’23, an inter-school quiz competition recently. The event was hosted by the school’s in-house quiz club.

Thirteen schools took part in the event. They included Don Bosco School, Park Circus, Don Bosco School, Bandel, St Joseph Convent, Chandanagar, St Aloysius School and St Agnes Convent School, among others. The quizmaster was Rajib Sanyal.

The preliminary round had 20 questions for the participating teams. After an energetic question-answer session, seven schools reached the finals.

The final round consisted of Riddles, Who I Am and Crossword rounds, among others. Delhi Public School, Newtown, was the winner and the hosts the runner-up. The difference was 17 points.

Certificates and mementoes were distributed to all participants.

“Teaching is evolving. It is no longer restricted to mere verbal instruction. The second edition of Enigma’23 provided the students with an opportunity to think outside the box. It has encouraged students to go beyond textual knowledge and has provided them with an opportunity to hone their work skills,” said Don Bosco School, Liluah, principal Fr Manoj Jose SDB.

Swarnim International School

The second edition of Swarnim International School’s annual exhibition, Montage 2023, was organised in July. The theme was Healing Hands: Unveiling Medical Marvels.

The exhibition focused on healthcare innovation and cutting-edge discoveries.

The Pre-primary section showcased the importance of physical and mental wellness through art and craft. Students of senior section displayed charts and working models on a smart hospital, mechanised hospital bed, CPR, vacuum extractor and functions of heart and lungs, among others.

They also recreated miniatures of the cholera camp during the World Wars.

The Primary students kept the audience hooked with a light-and-sound show, Who’s it? A tale of a doctor. Proceeds from the tickets will be donated to an NGO for underprivileged children.

Resident director Swati Sarawagi welcomed chief guest Richa Singh Debgupta, chief of strategy and operations at Fortis Healthcare.

"We believe in unlocking the potential of every individual, fostering a holistic educational experience that nurtures talent. This exhibition served as a testament to this philosophy," said principal Rumjhumi Biswas.