Birla High School
The school recently organised the 13th edition of its fest Odyssey, in association with The Telegraph. Ten schools took part in the online event which offered a mixed bag of pre-recording and live events.
The host school were the overall winners and they handed over the trophy to Sushila Birla Girls’ School. South City International School and Modern High School for Girls became first and second runners-up, respectively. The two-day fest had students locking horns in events such as fashion show, dance, western music, quiz and debate.
The offline events included Fashion-i-Con (fashion show), Grooves and Moves (contemporary dance), Band-ish (fusion band), Verse-a-Style (creative writing), Tech Trek (app development) and Amaze-On (product marketing).
The first live event on Day 1 was Humour-Us, a stand-up comedy event. It was the first time that Class XI student Krish Kalwani from the host school participated in the event. “I was nervous. But it was a great experience,” said the winner of the event. Humour set the tone of the fest. It was followed by a turncoat debate – Double Cross – where every school was given a topic and three minutes to speak for and against.
The final live event of the day was Hint-Rospect, or a treasure hunt for the school representatives.
The second day started off with the final rounds of In-Quizition (quiz) where six schools fought a close battle. South City International won it in the end.
After a brief break, Indie pop singer Anuv Jain wowed the children with his online performance. “It was not easy conducting such a huge event online. We grew up as we planned events, negotiated with sponsors and revisited those beloved corridors,” said Class XII student Devangshu Choudhary, who was also the president of the fest.
Principal Loveleen Saigal said: “Odyssey, our biennial fest, is one of the most awaited signature events of our school. Not having a fest this year would have disappointed the boys. So, we took up the challenge of hosting it virtually. It was a huge learning experience. We did miss the electrical atmosphere of our auditorium, but we’re glad we could pull off a good show virtually.”
Delhi Public School, Durgapur
The school recently organised an online investiture ceremony for the academic session 2021-22. The event aims to instil leadership qualities among the children. The ceremony for both the junior and senior sections was put up on the same day. Eighteen children from classes II to V were selected for the junior students’ council, whereas 26 students from classes VI to XII got selected for the senior students’ council.
The student council members took oath to uphold the highest ideals of the institute, do justice to all the responsibilities conferred to them and abide by the vision and mission of the school in every way possible.
The day began with the welcome song, Believe in your school, by the school choir. A dance performance based on Rabindranath Tagore’s song, Oi mahamanab ashe, was also put up by the girls of the senior section to echo the energy and radiance of a leader. “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. Leadership is a quality which is nurtured and has its seeds sown in childhood itself. We open the window of opportunities for the student council members right from Class II to groom themselves as future leaders of the world. Their actions, deeds inspire the fellow mates to dream and learn more till success is achieved,” said principal Umesh Chand Jaiswal.
La Martiniere for Girls
Science quiz, a panel discussion on Covid-19 vaccines and a brainstorming session on ocean pollution — students discussed some latest concepts and technology at Poiesis 2021, an inter-school fest recently organised by the science club of La Martiniere for Girls. The day-long virtual event for classes VI to XII celebrated the spirit of integration among various disciplines. Chief guest Madhumanjari Mandal Choubey, principal of Scottish Church College, released the fifth edition of Natural Sciences, a journal brought out by the students.
A plethora of events were organised for students of five participating schools. The younger ones had fun in Just A Minute and Scienceplanation, where scientific concepts were elaborated through presentations. The seniors took part in Scientivity (short-film making), Mind Fizz (science quiz), Zero Hour (crisis solution) and a panel discussion on Covid-19 vaccine technology.
At Zero Hour, students had to find a solution for ocean pollution, while at the panel discussion every speaker had to talk about the pandemic and the available vaccines followed by a question round. “Our science festival was an exciting event that fostered experiential learning in students. When students are cooped up within four walls, this festival is like a breath of fresh air creating opportunities for social contact with peers, resource persons across the globe and learning from each other’s experiences,” said principal Rupkatha Sarkar.
Shri Shikshayatan School
The school recently organised an annual prize distribution ceremony, virtually. Board students, who passed classes X and XII, were felicitated for their scholastic and co-scholastic achievements. Principal Sangeeta Tandon presented the school’s annual report. She also brought into limelight the milestones crossed by the school in such trying times. The best clubs were also recognised for their activities.
A PowerPoint presentation was shown on the occasion, which encapsulated cultural performances such as song and dance. The infusion of Hindi and English performances proclaimed gratitude and hope. The music and dance performances were an interesting blend of the east and west. “Annual day celebration is a special day where we recognise a few students who walk that extra mile, while investing in themselves. Competition must be with one’s self and not with others. It was an eventful day for us,” said Shikshayatan Foundation’s secretary-general Bratati Bhattacharyya. The principal said: “It was a satisfying experience for us. It is important to express our gratitude, and especially this pandemic has taught us that regardless of the situation it is imperative to go on in life. I pray for everyone to be happy and safe.”