Dengue drive for I-Day and a look around ISRO

Seth Soorajmull Jalan Balika Vidyalaya

Students of Seth Soorajmull Jalan Balika Vidyalaya went the extra mile this Independence Day to celebrate a patriotic week from August 14 to 25, characterised by both cultural programme and community services.

The students organised a 40-minute cultural programme to pay tribute to the freedom fighters and the nation. Laibah Sarfaraz of Class IV gave the opening speech.

A group of six students from Classes VI and VIII recited Bismil Azimabadi's Sarfaroshi ki tamanna on the occasion.

"Learning the real meaning of freedom and power, as I learn the poem, was an empowering feeling," said Simran Khuswaha of Class VI.

Students also staged a dance and song performance on Rabindranath Tagore's works.

The programme began with flag-hoisting by vice-president Divya Jalan. Students delivered speeches on the significance of Independence and the day. Head girl Sanskriti Sharna took a pledge on behalf of all students to serve the nation and society alike without neglecting their families.

Both Primary and Secondary sections have put up group songs and recitations to pay tribute to the martyrs.

The students were trained by the teachers who rehearsed with them for nearly a month before the week-long event.

During the week, the students also staged a skit and took part in a fancy dress, where the theme was colours of the Tricolour.

The children also used the occasion to organise a dengue awareness drive in the neighbourhood that has seen the number of cases on the rise lately.

"We went round the College Street area and were shocked to see so much of dirt and uncovered water around. We realised how local people need to be made more aware of dengue. We had prepared banners for the purpose and spoke to as many people as possible," said Class X student Astha Tiwari, who was one of the students taking part in the drive.

The students make cloth bags with rejected clothes as part of a continuous programme. They used the patriotic week to distribute these cloth bags to local store-keepers in a bid to rid the society of plastic.

"Like every year, we celebrated a patriotic week to mark our Independence Day. We started it with a Hindi debate for Class XI. There were flag-hoisting and cultural programme on August 15, when the entire school took part. We have always tried to spread social awareness in the society. We had a dengue drive, where the students carried awareness placards and cleaned the surroundings. We have lost a student this year to the disease, and I want my students to be extra careful and help the society take precautions," said principal Nupur Banerjee.

Swarnim International School

The Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha at Swarnim International School organised the All Bengal Under-16 Open Rapid One Day Chess Tournament on August 13.

More than 160 participants, hailing from all over the state, signed up for the event. Grandmaster (GM) Dibyendu Baruah attended the event, along with Woman International Master Saheli Dhar-Barua, his wife. Other guests included Major General H. Dharmarajan AVSM SM VSM, general officer commanding (GOC) of Bengal sub-area.

Barua was impressed with the school facilities. He told the children to enjoy chess while learning the game.

Major General H. Dharmarajan AVSM SM VSM said: “Swarnim International School has provided a tremendous opportunity to students. We got to see a Grandmaster in action. Chess teaches children how to use mind faculties and learn to plan ahead.”

The children enjoyed watching two strategists, the GM and the GOC, play. The game ended in a stalemate.

“We organised the programme to inspire children. It’s a treat to see a GM and a GOC play. We had to stop registrations at 150, otherwise the numbers would have gone up much more. This event saw the chess, army and the school coming together. Life is like a checkered game of chess, as is the army. It has infinite possibilities but with finite resources. All we need is to plan ahead, misguide the enemy and an agility to be able to change our strategy as soon as an untoward move happens,” said the school's resident director Swati Sarawagi.

St Augustine's Day School, Barrackpore 

This Independence Day students of St Augustine’s Day School, Barrackpore, paid a tribute to police for their constant service.

The school felicitated 10 policemen from the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate on the occasion and thanked them for their contributions to the society.

The chief guest was Barrackpore police commissioner Alok Rajoria. School CEO Amitava Chowdhury felicitated Rajoria.

A dance performance staged by the middle and senior school students kick-started the programme. The dancers depicted scenes of resistance, sacrifice and resilience.

The students of the Primary section performed a dance drama depicting India’s journey towards success, right from the Raj to the present day.

The school had also organised a poster competition on "Safer Social Media for a Safe India". The seven finalists explained the ideas behind their posters to the guests and dignitaries. Aniket Mondal of Class VIII bagged the first prize.

Rajoria thanked all the police officers for their services. He said the students' performance made him feel as if he was walking down history lanes.

"We had been preparing for this day for a while. The students worked hard. We wanted to thank our police, because they play a huge role in keeping us safe. The focus of our Independence Day was India in current times. The students took part in a poster-making competition that highlighted the issue of safety in this Internet era," said principal Shweta Ray.

Delhi Public School, Howrah

Mass reading programmes, activities and donation drives marked the National Reading Month celebrated by Delhi Public School, Howrah, from June 19 to July 18.

The events commemorated the birth anniversary of P.N. Panicker, a teacher from Kerala who is considered the father of the library movement.

Students of Classes III to VII engaged in mass-reading and book-donation drives.

Class VIII students organised a storytelling activity on mythology. The stories were meant to educate the students on ancient myths and legends from the Greek, Roman and Indian cultures. The students also presented skits on the theme to present their version of the stories.

Class IX students of the vernacular department engaged in exciting activities on Hindi and Bengali folk culture and literature. The students presented soulful Bengali folk poems and literary works. The singers presented a medley of traditional folk songs. The dances depicted various folk forms of Bengal. The students also presented a play staged on popular folk tales.

The students of the Hindi department staged plays on The Mahabharat and The Ramayan. They recited poems and danced Ghoomar (Rajasthan) and Bihu (Assam).

The students of Class X organised puppet shows, enthralling the little ones of Classes III, IV and V. They researched the stories, scripted the dialogues, designed colourful backdrops and creative puppets with recycled things.

Students of Classes XI and XII have started developing a digital library.

"As a reader, I have lived a thousand lives and travelled infinite places through the pages of the books. I wanted my students to have the same experience. Hence the celebration of the national book reading month. I wish the students a joyful imagination through the timeless travel along the pages of the book," said principal Sunita Arora.

Sushila Birla Girl's School

A group of 49 students from Classes VIII to XII, Sushila Birla Girls’ School, took off to Chennai and Sriharikota from July 13 to 17. Four teachers accompanied them.

The aim was to take a look around the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and witness the launch of the Chandrayaan-3 satellite that soft-landed on the south pole of the Moon on August 23.

This trip provided students with a unique opportunity to witness the marvels of space exploration and gain a deeper understanding of Isro and its missions.

The students also toured the space museum there, checking out models of various rockets and satellites launched by Isro. They were also taken to the Chennai Institute of Technology to learn more about career opportunities. The students were taken to drone, aero-modelling and kuka robots centres on the premises.

The students had also prepared various pre-trip projects and PowerPoint presentations on various parts of a rocket and the difference between the PSLV and the GSLV (launch vehicles) and why Sriharikota was selected as the launch pad for the launch of Chandrayaan-3.

The students shared their learning and experience with Classes III to XII.

"Educational trips foster critical thinking and help students explore depths of scientific inquiry. An exposure like this makes science relevant and accessible," said principal Koeli Dey.

Bidya Bharati School, Mominpore

Bidya Bharati School, Mominpore, organised an art mela that showcased the students' creativity and talent with colours.

The event brought together students of all age groups to display their artistic skills and imagination. The theme was Humanity and Friendship.

A diverse range of artwork was on display from vibrant paintings to illustrated T-shirts. Besides, painted kettles, umbrellas and wall hangings stood, capturing emotions and expressions. An inter-school art competition on the same theme was also held on the side to encourage the students even further.

The visiting parents and other guests appreciated the exhibition. Each artwork spoke of the enthusiasm and hardwork of each participant.

"The art mela is an important event of our school. More than 250 students of Pre-primary to Class IV took part in it. The competition was open for students from Class II to IV. All the students had a good time, and their works were much appreciated," said the school's teacher-in-charge Sumana Nag.