Students learn through music, sports & worship

Don Bosco School, Liluah

Students of Don Bosco School, Liluah, celebrated the annual Rector and Parents Day with some Bollywood last December. The day is dedicated to their parents and guide.

Classes VI to XI took part in the cultural event, the theme being 110 years of Bollywood or Indian Cinema. The students presented a musical, Bosco Mirage, that kept the audience tapping throughout.

Hard work and several rehearsals preceeded the show. The practice began way back in October, with students auditioning for various roles. The practice would typically take place after the lunch break in the Examination Hall, Audio Visual Room, Kindergarten classrooms, Savio Hall, Sheehy Wing Assembly Hall and the main auditorium.

A complete run-through of the programmes took place before the grand finale. The students practised on-stage for three hours to rehearse their moves.

On the main day, two stages were set up in the school field with two LED screens. Special lights were arranged to jazz up the stage. The show commenced at 4.30pm with the arrival of the chief guests. It began with a prayer. A welcome song and the traditional lamp-lighting followed.

School administrator Rev Fr Ananda Raj gave a speech.

Next, rector Rev Fr Davis Veliyan was introduced by teacher Seema Shukla and his spiritual journey was traced through a PowerPoint presentation and sharing of anecdotes.

The guests were Surajit Roy, additional director and ex-officio secretary of school education in the state; local councillor Seema Bhowmick; Sister Julie, principal of Holy Family Convent School; S.K. Srivastava, principal of Agrasain Balika Shiksha Sadan; and Amit Kumar, parent representative from the junior school.

Two teachers and two non-teaching staff members were felicitated as also ICSE and ISC 2022-23 achievers, among others.

The stage was set for the hour-long Bosco Mirage. The plot revolves around the Srivastava family who are passionate lovers of Indian cinema. They celebrate a special occasion with movies and a bioscope.

There were clips from films such as Karz, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Sholay, Dhoom 2, War and Pathan. Songs such as Ek Ladki Beegi Bhaagi Si, Pyar Hua ikarar Hua, Mehbooba and Ghungroo kept the audience humming along. A special mention was also made of the Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu from the film RRR.

The musical left everybody upbeat and nostalgic.

"The Rector and Parents Day highlights the importance of parents in our lives. Our students celebrated the special day by showcasing a wide range of events as part of the grand orchestra Bosco Mirage," said principal Fr Sanjay Manohar.

St Joseph’s School, North Point

St Joseph’s School, North Point, ushered in their new academic year with a solemn eucharistic celebration and felicitation programme.

The school administration, staff members, teachers and alumni came together in the school's J.M.J. auditorium to thank the lord for guarding and guiding the destiny of the institution for over 135 years.

There were three rectors attending the high mass and prayer service — former rectors Fr Shajumon SJ (now provincial of the Darjeeling Jesuits) and Fr Santy Matthew SJ (now principal of St Xavier’s Alipurdwar) and the school's current rector Fr Stanley Varghese SJ.

The programme also honoured the past rectors of the institution. Citations were read out underscoring their contribution.

Rectors Fr Peter Pappu SJ and Fr Kinley Tshering were lauded for their service to the school. Provincial Fr Shajumon and Fr Santy Matthew were given plaques as tokens of appreciation for their invaluable contribution to the growth of North Point.

Lifetime achievements awards were also handed over to Basu Mangar for his loyal service to the school for over 54 years. Alumnus Dr Sharad Rai of the Mechi Netralaya Eye Hospital in Kakarvitta, Nepal, was commended for his service to humanity and his generous services to the school during winter camps and covid relief programme. Alumnus Pema Tashi was decorated for his service to his alma mater and the people of Darjeeling.

Alumnus, Late Durga Das Pradhan of the famous Das Studio was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to Darjeeling and for digitising the huge swathe of school annuals.

"St Joseph’s School, famously called North Point School, completed 135 years of excellence in education. On achieving this milestone the school administration felicitated its former rectors who have contributed to the school. Fr Shajumon, president of the founder body, gave away lifetime achievement awards to former students and senior support staff members who have contributed immensely to North Point. Our school is one of the prestigious residential schools in the country and has alumni from many royal families of Bhutan, Nepal and other countries," said rector Fr Stanley Varghese SJ.

Kidzland School, Nagerbazar

The annual sports of Kidzland School, Nagerbazar, was held on a ground near the school on January 21. All the students took part with enthusiasm, some of which got rubbed off on their guardians as well.

The programme began with event co-ordinator Paramjit Kaur, welcoming all. Principal Veena Singh spoke about the need for a healthy body and mind. "Participating in sports helps to keep us fit, agile and alert. We have always encouraged extra-curricular activities along with academics," she said.

The national anthem was sung with patriotic fervour. Finally the main event began with a drill display. The audience applauded the well-orchestrated movements of the students as they performed with colourful pom-poms.

The students had been practising their moves for a few weeks and their hard work showed.

The races started with the Pre-nursery kids who ran egged on by their parents. Kids of Nursery and KG then took to the field. There were various races for the students such as flat, cap ball, flower and bindi-pasting. There was also a competition to throw a ball into the bucket. The day ended with prize distribution.

"There should be a proper balance of studies and sports so that we are able to give our best. The programme was successful because of the team spirit of all involved," said school director Narendra Kumar Singh.

Calcutta Public School, Bidhan Park

The Pre-primary section of Calcutta Public School, Bidhan Park, organised a series of interactive activities to help in the holistic development of the little ones.

Throughout last year the children took part in seasonal as well as creative events, increasing their knowledge base in the process. According to the teachers, the activities fostered greater learning than just classroom lessons.

Among the notable activities were Van Mahotsav, where students performed a skit on saving trees. The children were thrilled to dress up as trees, flowers and woodcutters and mouth dialogues on stage.

Clay dough sessions provided an outlet for creativity for these tots. It helped them let loose their imagination and channel them into tangible forms. It also honed their fine motor skills and unleashed artistic expressions.

Children crafted gifts for their parents on the occasion of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. They also made rakhis for their helpers, staff members and children.

The Agomoni and Christmas celebrations exposed them to the cultural diversity of the nation and the festive bonds. Monthly activities helped the children learn through experiences and have fun as well. The children eagerly embraced each opportunity to explore, create and connect with the world around them.

"It gives us great pleasure to emphasise the importance of our yearly Pre-primary programmes. These activities are essential for developing our young students’ social skills, sparking their curiosity and nourishing their learning," said principal Protichi Lahiri Sengupta.

Birla Divya Jyoti

Saraswati Puja was celebrated with enthusiasm at Birla Divya Jyoti on February 14. The event brought together the entire school community. The day also marks the arrival of the spring season, cultivating a sense of unity and community within the school.

The premises looked transformed with all the colourful decorations in yellow. The students and staff members turned up in yellow attires.

The decorations were carefully crafted by the students themselves.

From the youngest members in the Pre-primary section to the seniors in Class XII, everybody offered pushpanjali and sought blessings from the goddess. A special puja was dedicated to the students from Classes X and XII to give them spiritual guidance before the forthcoming board exams.

Many former students also dropped in to celebrate with their old friends and teachers.

The students took care of all the decorations and arrangements under the guidance of their teachers. The atmosphere echoed calmness and was filled with rhythmic chanting of sacred mantras and the melodious singing of devotional songs by the students. The wall magazine outside the lobby showcased the creativity and artistic talents of students in the colourful drawings, paintings and sketches.

The students displayed amazing talents and teamwork as they planned and executed the entire event.

"The Saraswati Puja celebration at Birla Divya Jyoti exemplifies our school’s dedication to cultural enrichment and holistic education. The event encourages students’ active involvement in traditional rituals, fostering a profound connection with their heritage. It promotes collaboration, leadership, and overall student development, instilling responsibility and practical teamwork experience," said principal Shweta Tiwari.

Lakshmipat Singhania Academy

Three Class VIII students of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy (LSA) made an air purifier, Aquawave, that clears the air using water. Agasthya Agarwal, Aryan Fogla and Ved Tambi presented the project at the Young Innovators Programm (YIP) 2023 organised by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, recently.

The students had represented their school in the junior section of the national competition as Team The Three Blues. They went on to clinch the Best Project Award in the junior category.

The spirit of innovation and the thrust for scientific knowledge was on full display at the event. LSA also sent another team to represent the senior section of the contest.

Team Jeevanam, as it was called, was represented by Vishwesh Kumar of Class XI and Gaurav Poddar of Class XII. They created a cost-effective innovative nebuliser, fusing modern technology and age-old ayurveda.

The competition was held over three days with Day I dedicated to a tour of the campus. Round II saw participants demonstrating their innovative projects and in Round III selected projects were presented before the judges.

"The success of our teams underscores the commitment of our academy to nurturing scientific curiosity and fostering innovation among young minds," said director Meena Kak.