Music, fete, sports and masterclass by Bhaichung

St Augustine’s Day School, Barrackpore and Shyamnagar

There was excitement in the air as the Barrackpore and Shyamnagar branches of St Augustine’s Day School organised an inter-school fest, Augustus Auxesis Season VI, on November 3 and 4. The fest involved Classes IV to XII.

Students from 20 schools in and around Calcutta took part in various competitions. The inauguration, held in the Barrackpore branch, saw the school’s choir giving a presentation. Floral tribute was offered to the portrait of C.R. Gasper, the founder of the institution.

The participating schools were Sunrise English Medium School, St Joseph Convent, Chandernagore, Julien Day School, Ganganagar, Agrasain Balika Siksha Sadan and others.

The main event of Day I was Augustus Wrangle, a debate, where the house believed — “The future of our country should rest in the hands of young leaders”. Seventeen schools took part in the debate.

Dance performances such as Nrittey Brittey stole the spotlight while Amar Durga revived the festive ambiance.

Other events on Day I included non-fire cooking, spice art, street play and mask-making.

Events of the second day were shifted to the Sukanta Sadan auditorium in Barrackpore. The programme began with principals Shweta Ray (Barrackpore branch) and Rodney Borneo (Shyamnagar branch) paying tribute to the founder. A prayer was offered and special guests were welcomed. They included chief guest and thespian Kaushik Sen and celebrity judges and musicians Siddhartha Shankar Ray (Sidhu) and Saikat Bagchi. The judges performed their iconic songs Holud Pakhi and Ke tumi nandini.

Also present was the commissioner of Barrackpore Police Commissionarate, Alok Rajoria.

The events of the day included Augustus Saregama (eastern music competition), Augustus Rhythmic Rendezvous (eastern classical dance competition) and Augustus Vogue (fashion show).

The Barrackpore branch of the host school won the eastern music, classical dance, band music and martial dance contests. St Joseph Convent in Kanchrapara won the fashion show. The fest ended with a performance by musician Ash King.

“It was an engaging event. We wanted to give our students a platform where they can display their talents in different competitions. The event also fostered camaraderie,” said Shweta Ray, principal of the Barrackpore branch.

“The resounding success of this fest is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our school community. I applaud everyone involved for their relentless pursuit of excellence,” added Rev. Rodney Borneo, principal of the Shyamnagar branch.

Heritage Academy High School

After almost four years, Heritage Academy High School gets to organise their annual fete, Lumos 2023, with some new additions this year. The two-day fun-filled event took place on October 17 and 18. It had students, parents and faculty members enthusiastically queueing up for a variety of games and culinary treats.

A vibrant cultural programme was also staged on an open-air auditorium. The event was last held in 2018 and much awaited by the entire school community here.

The prep took more than a month. The school looked transformed by the time the carnival took off. Each classroom offered a different fun activity, planned carefully by the teachers after many brainstorming sessions. The teachers were helped by student volunteers who did all the hard work behind the scenes.

The food court was an equally energetic place. The aroma of freshly cooked treats and the chatter of buyers turned the area into a happy zone.

Another attraction was Altitude — the open-air stage — where the students presented cultural performances from medleys to rap. The visitors crowded around the stage and kept cheering the performers.

Some of the games were, Snakes and Ladders, Tin Can Alley and Balancing the Ball. A new addition this year was Wonderland for the kids below six years. For senior students, there was also a Disco to have fun in.

"Lumos 2023 sought to assimilate people from different cultures and ethnicities and make the school an inclusive space. The joyous crowd made the event a grand success," said administrator Sourya Sadhan Bose.

Mahadevi Birla World Academy

Students were taught how to stay safe right from the Pre-primary level through tips and creative activities at Mahadevi Birla World Academy.

The concept of safety was introduced to the students with the help of pictures on a bulletin board. It also had a list of basic rules that need to be followed everywhere.

Various subjects such as English, maths, storytelling, general awareness and craft were integrated with safety tips.

The little ones of Lower Nursery and Nursery were educated about the people who keep us safe. Teachers created rhymes on safe habits and on good and bad touches to help kids understand better.

The teachers enacted a story, Stranger Danger, through which the children were made to understand how to deal with strangers. The children made a recycled traffic light with plastic bottle caps in their craft session.

The students of Lower Kindergarten were made to sort safe and unsafe objects. The kids were also taught the functions of a fire extinguisher, smoke detectors and the infirmary in school.

Discussions were held and stories were told to Upper Kindergarten students. Through a simple brain gym exercise, the kids were taught to wait patiently for their turn without rushing, pushing and hurting others.

The students of Class I made a tablet for cough and cold using basic ingredients available at home. Students of Class II were taught about the importance of time and punctuality to avoid accidents, integrating it into a mathematics exercise.

"Schools must be safe spaces, a space where students can express themselves freely and without inhibition and move about without the fear of getting hurt. Such spaces can be created by collaborative efforts of all concerned stakeholders and student awareness is vital," said vice-principal Nupur Ghosh.

Orchids The International School

A chance to learn football from Bhaichung Bhutia — that's what students of Orchids The International School got at an exclusive masterclass and three-day camp in the city.

The masterclass was meant to boost the holistic development of students through sports training. The school chain began the masterclass and sports training camps in Calcutta, Sonepat and other branches with stalwarts such as Mary Kom, Shikhar Dhawan and Geeta Phogat. Now, Bhutia has also joined in to give children the desired exposure in professional football.

The school hopes to instil a culture of discipline, teamwork, determination and athleticism in young minds through football.

The first training camp took place from October 13 to 15 in Calcutta. Students actively took part in strength training exercises and learnt some hard and soft skills related to football.

"I feel deeply honoured to have witnessed the remarkable talents at Orchids The International School. Sports training camps like these are crucial in nurturing young football enthusiasts and instilling a love for the game from an early age. Calcutta has always been a hub for football, and initiatives like these undeniably fortify its enduring legacy. Through this masterclass, we aspire to cultivate a new generation of skilled players, who will not only excel on the field but also carry the spirit of sportsmanship in all aspects of their lives," said Bhutia.

Paramita Mishra, vice-president (academics) of Orchids The International School, Calcutta, said: "Our sports curriculum is meticulously crafted to empower our students in cultivating a wide array of essential attributes, including strength, speed, endurance, agility, flexibility, control, balance, and more. We are truly honoured to host an icon like Bhaichung Bhutia."

According to Harsh Gupta, vice-president (student welfare) of the school, students will benefit from the world-class coaching. "The masterclass by Bhaichung Bhutia provided an enriching experience for all,” he said.

Shri Shikshayatan School

The premises of Shri Shikshayatan School reverberated with joy as teachers organised a celebration for the students on November 18, four days after Children's Day.

Vibrant performances were staged at the school's open-air auditorium.

Principal Sangeeta Tandon warmly greeted the students and emphasised on the importance of gratitude at the start of the celebrations.

The teachers began with an emotional song on the sacrifices made by the parents. They went on to sing some favourite numbers as well. Loud cheering from the students echoed throughout the school premises.

Next on the cards was a skit on virtual classrooms but with a twist. As the teachers performed the comedy, students laughed and relished every scene.

The highpoint of the day was a fashion show. The theme was: "Think Blue, Go Green". The teachers won hearts with their ramp walk.

The celebration wrapped up with yet another medley of popular songs by the teachers to which the members of the student council danced.

"In Shri Shikshayatan School, Children’s Day celebration is a day of joy and laughter for both students and staff members. This year's theme, Gratitude, was woven in an atmosphere of appreciation and warmth. The children felt loved," said the principal.

Griffins International School

Speeches, recitation and music performed by teachers marked the Children's Day celebration at Griffins International School. The performances were held in a special assembly on November 10, four days ahead of the main day.

Among the performances was a recitation by Bengali teacher Poulami Chakraborty. She chose Golpo bola mama by Sudip Bhattacharya. A group of teachers treated students to a mash-up of some popular Bollywood numbers such as Tu jo mila and Alone.

Maths teacher Krishnendu Mukherjee presented a mouth organ performance that was much appreciated by all.

The highpoint of the day was a skit performed by the teachers — Don’t use Social Media to impress. Use it to impact others. The play had teachers playing the role of several popular social media sites such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Using humour the teachers gave the underlying message that social media can be effectively used to change the world and for spreading social responsibility.

Each scene had the audience rolling with laughter as the teachers enacted different types of friendships made on social media.

"The teachers conducted a special assembly to express their love for their students. Everybody enjoyed themselves,” said principal Renu Aneja.