DPS, Newtown
An inter-house competition at DPS, Newtown, saw students of the four houses putting their most creative foot forward.
The two-day festival was held at the school auditorium on October 20 and 21. The events tried to fuse learning with fun. Students of Narmada (Yellow), Godavari (Green), Ganga (Blue) and Brahmaputra (Red) houses pitted against each other in events such as photography, meme-making, poetry, dance and fashion show.
Those with an artistic flair took part in competitions such as Brush Strokes of Nature (T-shirt and face-painting), Eco Corners (photography) and meme-making. The meme-making event was organised by the commerce and legal studies department.
Students put their best foot forward in Vogue, the fashion show that focused on the tribes and cultures of India.
Literary Moves entailed composing a poem and expressing it in a dance form. The themes included nature, beauty, festival, friendship, war and deception.
Unmask the Killer was organised by the psychology and English department. Each House was assigned a motive and given a back story. They had to find clues hidden in various corners of the school. Points were awarded for speed, efficiency, quick thinking and attention to detail.
“Yuvakarshan is our flagship event. Our focus was to integrate various departments to make learning holistic and fun. Some events involved art and literature, while others, legal studies, commerce, home science and other subjects. The events were planned by the student representatives under the guidance of teachers. It indeed was a fulfilling way to start during the festive season,” said principal Sonali Sen.
Orchids The International School
After two years of muted celebrations, Orchids The International School (OIS) in Newtown this time celebrated Diwali with gusto.
The school students visited Newtown police station armed with gifts and spent some quality time with the traffic guards, thanking them for their service.
They also opened the gates of their institution for the children of Prayajan, an NGO working with the marginalised children in Rajarhat. The NGO children took part in some Diwali celebrations as well.
Beautiful handmade diyas, candles and sweets were gifted by the OIS students to both the traffic guards and the kids.
The students organised a cultural programme that included rangoli-making, diya decoration, music and dance. The students also exchanged gifts among themselves.
“Festivals are about celebrating and coming together. During this festival of lights, we were proud to bring smiles on the faces of our traffic guards, who work tirelessly to keep the city on the move. We are thankful to them for making our days and lives easier. It was also a blessed moment to have the kids from Prayajan NGO over at our school. We are happy that they could take part in the activities and go back with lots of beautiful Diwali memories,” said principal Sharmili Shah.
Indus Valley World School
Indus Valley World School organised a sensitisation programme on safe-driving habits on October 8.
The workshop, attended by the school’s bus drivers, helpers and lady attendants, educated them on adequate road culture while driving. The event was organised on the school premises by Volvo-Eicher Commercial Vehicles.
The awareness programme was followed by a health camp conducted by Eicher and Sushrut Eye Foundation and Research Centre where the drivers underwent eye, ear and blood sugar check-ups. It was aimed to make them aware of their health.
“This was the first such workshop since the pandemic. The buses had been at the standstill for two years. It was important to give the drivers, helpers and attendants a brush-up on their duties and responsibilities. They also needed to know what kind of etiquette they need to follow. The health check-up was as important to know about the fitness status of the drivers. Health is often ignored and check-ups are not as regular. So, this was a must,” said school director Amita Prasad.
Army Public School, Barrackpore
A Diwali carnival-cum-exhibition was hosted by Army Public School, Barrackpore, on its premises to celebrate culture, colour and creativity on October 22.
The carnival comprised a variety of performances, including music and dance events, poems, Nukkad Natak,a magic show, live band concert, food fest and an exhibition. Students from Classes XI and XII set up food and game kiosks.
An exhibition on the excavations from the Mohenjodaro civilisation was held on the sides. It comprised both a display of projects made by the students and a fashion show.
A talk show by Brigadier Manish Sharma, chairman of Army Public School, Barrackpore, followed.
“The students got some hands-on learning. The exhibition helped students learn about the Indus Valley Civilisation,” said principal Moitreyee Mukherjee.
Apex Academy
Students from Class VIII to XII of Apex Academy celebrated their annual event afforestation day to make their institute’s environment greener.
They planted saplings on the occasion and also staged a cultural programme where the students drew inspiration from Rabindranath Tagore’s work on nature. The audience was the junior section and the teachers.
School chairman Haripada Maiti addressed the students, telling them about the importance of planting trees and keeping the environment pollution free. He also asked every student to plant a sapling at home, so that they can see it grow and transform the home environment as well.
“This is an important learning outside the classroom. We have been observing this day since the school’s inception. Thanks to the student’s efforts the school grounds have become greener. They have planted many trees over the years. We hope to continue this drive,” said principal Nayantara Roy
Modi Public School, Siliguri
Rangoli-making was an integral part of Diwali celebration at Modi Public School, Siliguri.
The students let loose their creativity on the floors of the school amphitheatre and entrance.
The celebration took place on October 21 for the children from Kindergarten to Class IV. They presented lovely motifs, using flower petals and eco-friendly colours.
Students of Classes V to XII exhibited their skills the next day. The four houses of the school — Nalanda, Takshashila, Valabhi and Vikramshila — presented various artworks on the floor in an inter-house contest.
Takshashila won the event, while Vikramshila was the runner-up. “All students worked hard to create the artworks. The school looked beautiful amid festive cheer,” said principal Jayanta Pal.