Generosity is a priority
Sushila Birla Girls’ School
Students and teachers of Sushila Birla Girls’ School (SBGS) took part in a Daan Utsav or a slew of charities and community outreach programmes from September 20 to 25. The aim was to spread happiness among the marginalised families duringDurga Puja.
Ten students and two teachers took off to the remote village of Jiling Sereng atop the Ayodhya Hills in Purulia district to distribute food and grocery items among 85 families. The team also visited Sido Kanhu Mission, an orphanage and education foundation for marginalised children in the district. The visitors were educated about the Santhal culture and heritage there. They distributed groceries, stationery, toiletries, medical kits and sanitary napkins among the 46 children living in the orphanage.
The students built meaningful connections and learnt about a new culture and the local community's needs.
The outreach programme gave the girls a sense of purpose and social responsibility.
Another batch of students and teachers donated groceries, stationery items, nightwear, bedsheets and bathing soaps to the 15 homeless women and 30 school-going boys under NGO Saujatya near Ganguly Pukurin Calcutta.
Five teachers, 12 students of Classes XI and XII and nine from Class V contributed to Pujor Notun Jama, a drive conducted by the NGO, A Little Contribution. The SBGS collaborated with them to donate 98 new sets of clothes to the street children at Beleghata and Salt Lake.
The students also donated 204 new sets of clothes to representatives of NGO SHER. The new clothes were distributed to children in remote villages of the Sunderbans during the festive season.
"The initiatives were part of the school's effort to foster a culture of philanthropy and teamwork in the students. Our school aims to empower girls. Once they leave school they should be responsible citizens and continue to do their bit towards society. Every social outreach programme is planned to keep that in mind," said principal Koeli Dey.\
Shakti in every step
Young Horizons School
Young Horizons School organised a special assembly to usher in Durga Puja and celebrate equality.
The school began with a tribute to the doctor, who was brutally murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
The theme of the assembly was shakti or power. Students used a PowerPoint presentation to spread awareness about crime against women and gender justice.
Priyanshu Das of Class X recited a Hindi poem on the essence of feminism.
Classes IX and XI presented a dance to a poem on the mythological stories of Shakti. The middle school students reimagined Goddess Durga in various modern-day roles — as an astronaut, doctor, nurse, soldier, app cab driver and delivery partner, broadening the concept of "power".
Ahana Gupta and Ambika Paswan of Class IX danced to Ayur Dehi. The senior students (Classe IX to XII) danced to Aigiri Nandini, sung live by Disha Dutta of Class X. The school choir evoked the festival's spirit with the popular song, Bajlo tomar alor benu.
The assembly ended with a dance performance by the senior students. It was about awakening shakti in every individual. Students also saw a short video, Women hold up half the sky, on the theme of breaking barriers and celebrating diversity.
In a symbolic move, both boys and girls came together to form the silhouette of Goddess Durga, representing unity and strength.
Principal Sarmistha Sen applauded the students for their creativity.
"It filled my heart with pride to see how beautifully our students curated the entire Puja assembly with the theme of breaking gender stereotypes and igniting shakti within each one of us," she said.
The Good Samaritans
Rishi Aurobindo Memorial Academy
Rishi Aurobindo Memorial Academy distributed new clothes and dry food items to children and their families in the flood-ravaged areas of Ghatal in Midnapore on the occasion of Durga Puja. The institution reached out to those children and their families who had lost their homes.
The institution distributed 250 sets of new clothes and over 200 packets of biscuits, puffed rice, sattu, ORS, rice, dal, potatoes and sanitary pads to the flood victims.
The initiative was meant to make children smile, especially during the festive season. Parents and staff members of the school contributed generously to the cause.
The outreach programme also instilled the values of sharing and empathy in the students. It exhibited the power of collaborative action and social responsibility.
"Sharing and caring are a part of our curriculum. We encourage our students to become contributory citizens," said school vice-president Debleena Mukherjee.
Principal Bobby Baxter said: "This initiative is a small step towards making a difference in the lives of those who need it most."
"Durga Puja is a time for sharing and caring. We're proud to see our parents and students coming together for this noble cause," added Arjun Ghosh, secretary and chairman of the institution.
United we stand
St Joseph's College
Senior students (Classes XI and XII) of St Joseph's College in Bow Bazar, organised their inter-school fest after seven years. The 23rd edition of Josephtsyna saw students from different schools supporting and cheering for each other. The event also celebrated unity and camaraderie.
The participating schools signed up for various creative contests such as quiz, craft-making with waste, photography, digital storytelling, dress designing, eastern and western music and fashion show. St Paul's Mission School clinched the winners' trophy, while Loreto Day School, Bowbazar, were the runners-up.
“Josephtsyna was one of the first school fests in the city. It was wonderful to have George Kallingal, the teacher who started it, as a chief guest. We also invited former principals Neville McNamara and J. Banerjee. Organising the event gave the current Class XII students a platform to showcase myriad skills," said principal E.L. Miranda
Dance and storytelling
Calcutta Public School
Storytelling, dhaak beats and adda — students of Kalikapur, Bidhan Park and Barasat branches of Calcutta Public School (CPS) brought alive the Puja flavour on stage as they celebrated a joint annual day, Charisma, at the Science City Auditorium on October 6.
The principals of the three branches lit the inaugural lamp. Also present were secretary Tathagata Das and chairperson Swapna Lahiri.
More than 1,000 students took part in the annual show.
Dance recital Stuti Samarpanam by students of Kalikapur set the ball rolling.
Children of Bidhan Park matched steps in Global Grooves that transported the audience to different countries. From Samba to Arabian, the performers gave an energetic show for 25 minutes. They also showcased dances such as Bihu and Ghoomarfor another performance, Folk Fiesta.
Barasat students (Classes I to IX) presented Durga Dhwani, a dance drama on the story of Durga Puja. The drama began with an enactment of Ramleela. Students also danced to Dugga Elo and Ya Devi. Some evoked the Navratri scene with a Dandiya performance.
Bidhan Park children of Classes I to III presented Boogie Bandits, a performance filled with shimmer and light. Kalikapur's Rhythm Rockers saw children grooving to hits such as Believer and We Will Rock You.
The Kalikapur students ended the show with a representation of Rabindranath Tagore's Tasher Desh.
"Our goal was to bring all the three branches together under one platform. The hard work of our teachers paid off and they did a fantastic job," said Proma Das, principal of the Kalikapur branch.
Protichi Lahiri Sengupta of the Bidhan Park branch said: "This concert is special as it’s our first post-Covid event and marks 30 years of the school’s journey."
"We wanted to unite everything under the banner of Calcutta Public School. The children have been preparing for a year, and today was their chance to shine on stage," said Abhilasha Das of the Barasat branch.
Beyond Earth
Bidya Bharati School, Behala
Kindergarten to Class IV students of Bidya Bharati School, Behala, dressed up as astronauts, planets, stars, moons, aliens and even futuristic spacecraft for a fancy dress competition held at Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM) to mark National Space Day.
The space-themed event celebrated the boundless curiosity of the children for the world beyond their own. As they dressed in creative outfits, they also came to know about the celestial bodies they represented.
From meticulously crafted astronaut suits to imaginative representations of planets and stars, the detailing of every outfit and props showcased the hard work of the parents and the enthusiasm of the students.
BITM director Subhabrata Chaudhuri inaugurated the event, highlighting the importance of space exploration and science education. He asked the children to cultivate their curiosity. There were prizes for all.
The fancy dress competition went on to sow the seeds of interest in the next generation of space enthusiasts.
"National Space Day is a wonderful opportunity for our students to explore their creativity and learn about the vast universe beyond our planet. This event not only nurtured their artistic talents but also sparked an interest in science and discovery," said teacher-in-charge Moutushi Chakraborty.
