Festivals, untold stories and world of books

Don Bosco School, Liluah

Don Bosco School, Liluah, organised its annual inter-school fest Boscotsav’23, in association with The Telegraph, Young Metro, recently.

In its 46th year, the fest offered 75 events and had over 3,200 participants from 28 schools.

The theme was, Culturas En Contacto.

The junior school events had Classes III to V locking horns. There were recitation, dance and music competitions catering to different tastes.

There were also English and Bengali extempore, creative writing and competitions based on music.

Classes VI to VIII took part in middle school events such as recitation, art and graffiti, fruit and vegetable carving, flower arrangement and non-fire cooking.

There were also skits, billiards, music, debate and extempore events for them.

The senior school events were for Classes IX to XII. They included basketball, volleyball, martial-arts, table tennis, tug-of-war and indoor cricket, among others. Students took part in digital events like designing a webpage, among others.

There were two main quizzes for this section. High school students also took part in many music and dance contests, besides a two-minutes-to-fame meet, a photography contest and a treasure hunt.

The host school won the champion's trophy, amidst much jubilation. St Joseph’s Convent School, Chandernagore, came second and G.D. Goenka Public School got the third position.

"Talent must always be appreciated and nurtured. For children, a platform must be provided to exhibit and enhance it. Boscotsav’23 provided the necessary stage to display a student's latent talent. Every year, we promise to continue to promote raw gifts of hidden possibilities, forge new friendships among schools far and wide and enhance collaboration among institutions," said principal Fr Manoj Jose SDB.

Lions Calcutta Greater Vidya Mandir

Lions Calcutta Greater Vidya Mandir celebrated Book Lovers' Day on August 9 to encourage young students to enjoy the treasures hidden inside paperbacks. The event was held in the school's junior library.

Principal Kakoli Ghosh inaugurated a new section in the library, naming it "Storytelling Corner". The space will encourage students to read a story to their friends, who will sit on mats and listen to him or her.

The day also celebrated bookworms, who have already found the magic inside pages. The students were told how they should value and take care of their books and realise their importance in today's world.

The students were asked to read more to let loose their creativity and increase their horizons.

The school has many young and budding authors, the youngest one is in Class II. They got to speak about their books and inspirations at the event. Some of the students also read from their books. They were given pens as a token of appreciation.

The principal told the students to make books an integral part of their lives. She told them the story of Nalanda University, where books were burnt in 1193.

"Book Lovers' Day was organised on a grand scale by the school library, which is the treasure house of books. The entire objective is to rededicate ourselves to the pleasures of reading," said the principal.

Sri Sri Academy

The interact club of Sri Sri Academy organised the twin celebrations of Independence Day and Raksha Bandhan with the marginalised children of the neighbourhood at an event, Ek Shutre Bandha, on August 14. All these children attend the after-school coaching facility, Sri Kripa Learning Centre, run by the school.

The visiting students were between three and 12 years of age. The session began with children of the centre sharing their views on Independence Day. A presentation and a few videos about India's freedom struggle and the martyrs' contribution were shown to educate the students.

The symbolism of tying rakhis as a protest against the partition of Bengal in 1905 was also explained to the students.

Some fun activities were organised for them. Students between three and five years took part in art and craft, while the older ones were part of a fun pick-and-run race.

A rakhi-making session was held for the students between five and 12 years. A video on flag hoisting was later displayed.

Gathered in the Saraswati Mandap of Sri Si Academy, all students sang the national anthem with pride.

"The interact club of our school has been one of the biggest pillars of support for the Sri Kripa Learning Centre children. This year’s Independence Day celebrations took on a new and interesting dimension when the club members decided to celebrate the concept of fraternity by celebrating Raksha Bandhan on the same day. Kudos to the team," said principal Gargi Banerjee.

Delhi Public School, Howrah

On Independence Day, Delhi Public School, Howrah, organised an elaborate assembly.

"We wouldn't be here today, cherishing all the privileges if not for the brave fighters," said principal Sunita Arora, addressing the students.

The latter staged an interesting drama tracing the evolution of our national flag. The day began with the hoisting of the Tricolour on the school grounds. A parade was led by the school band, members of the students’ council and Scouts and Guide.

The students, in the audience sang patriotic songs. The principal spoke about the contributions of many unsung heroes and how because of their sacrifice we are now leading a happy and free life in a country where we have a voice.

The students observed a two-minute silence to honour their souls. Finally, everyone sang the national anthem.

The celebration had students appreciating their past and it motivated them to carry forward the legacy in a responsible manner.

The students of KG II also organised a special assembly where they depicted India's cultural and language diversity. They performed dance and walked the ramp to spread the message of unity. The students of KG I got dressed up in traditional attires and spoke about some famous cuisines, while the little ones from Nursery were dressed up as freedom fighters. They also made crafts such as Tricolour pinwheel and wristbands and made "Tricolour Delights" using bread, biscuits, cheese, capsicum, green chutney and carrots.

"India has achieved so much in the 76 years. We have been able to reduce poverty, improve literacy and achieve great heights in digital and space technology. We ought to feel infinite gratitude towards each and every soul that fought, never giving up, till the dawn of Independence was a reality," said the principal.

Birla Bharati

Birla Bharati organised the third edition of their senior inter-school fest, Svatantryam – An Untold Saga, in association with The Telegraph, Young Metro, from August 9 to 11.

Svatantryam celebrated the nation's unity in diversity. Students from 15 city schools took part in a wide range of events.

The chief guest was Sayan Bhattacharya, education officer at the Indian Museum, and the guest of honour was Kamaleswar Mukherjee, physician and film-maker.

The contests included Vastra Moda, a fashion show reviving the royal heritage of India, Drishya Kavya, drama competition, Lok Kala, an exploration of traditional art forms and Alfaaz, creative writing.

The second day began with Abhyuday where students pitched smart business ideas. At Adhibeshan (A Discourse Redefined) participants staged an imaginary conversation between historical figures. There was also a street food festival, Millet Mania, with millet as the main ingredient.

Music and dance competitions also kept the audience hooked. A debate competition, Vivaad, was part of the last day. The hosts won prizes in eight out of 10 events.

"Not many children are aware of the partition or pre-Independence stories. This fest is held in the run-up to our Independence Day to make children aware of India's history. The events are also meant to encourage research," said principal Apala Datta.

Apex Academy 

The nature and cultural clubs of Apex Academy celebrated Afforestation Day with mass planting of saplings in July-end.

The guests at the event included the school's founder chairman Haripada Maiti, vice-chairman Debasis Maiti, treasurer Ramesh Santra, principal Nayantara Roy, headmaster Tapan Kumar Jana, former principal Pratima Nayek and several members of the Flower Lovers' Association, who planted saplings along with the students and guests.

The event began with a musical performance by the students. Next, the founder chairman planted a sapling, and others followed suit.

The principal, in her speech, asked all the students to keep planting trees to protect the environment and fight against pollution.

Some students such as Saptarshi Mandal of Class VI and Soumanjana Maiti of Class X delivered speeches on afforestation. The students also presented a dance performance that summed up the essence of the afforestation day.

Finally, every child planted saplings to make the school grounds greener. Some even took the plants home to tend it every day.

The founder chairman also told the students to keep the environment clean.

"Everyone must plant at least one tree. If every person in the world were to do it, the Earth would be a greener and more beautiful place," said the principal.