Science show, landmark journey and a musical

Birla Divya Jyoti

Birla Divya Jyoti, Siliguri, organised its annual science exhibition, Nirmaan 2023, on September 22 and 23. The event provided a platform for students, right from Class V, to get innovative. The emphasis this year was on sustainability.

Students as well as parents attended the event. The participants were divided into two groups — Group I included Classes V to VII while Classes VIII to X made up Group 2.

Mentors from Classes XI and XII played a pivotal role in helping junior students prepare their models and encouraged them to give their best.

The chief guest on the occasion was Debasis Sarkar, founder of amateur astronomy club Sky Watchers' Association of North Bengal, and Pintu Hati, senior project associate at the National Innovation Foundation.

The heads of the school and guests lit the inaugural lamp to kickstart the proceedings.

To spread the message of sustainability, students from Classes II and III staged an eco-friendly fashion show, also focussing on the carbon footprints contributed by the fashion industry. The dresses featured in the show were conceptualised and designed by the students of the senior classes, and they incorporated discarded materials such as newspapers, plastic bags, compact discs, mosquito nets and rice sacks to spread the message of recycling.

The exhibition showcased 51 3D working models, each addressing contemporary issues such as global warming, traditional medicine, rainwater harvesting, smart roof control using rain sensors, waste management and futuristic farming techniques, among others. Some projects also offered solutions to train accidents and man-animal conflicts.

The main highlight of the event was a six-foot-tall replica of Chandrayaan-3. Judges and teachers assessed the models, providing insightful reviews and constructive criticism to the young participants.

Debasis Sarkar also delivered an enlightening talk on the science behind rocket launches, sharing his experiences from projects such as Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L1. The guests were presented with saplings and nature-friendly soaps, crafted by the students.

"I am absolutely thrilled with the outstanding science exhibition, Nirmaan, organised by our dedicated science department. The passion, creativity and hard work put in by the students and teachers are commendable. The exhibition not only showcased the talent of our young scientists, but also demonstrated the importance of hands-on learning and critical thinking in the field of science. The innovative projects, experiments and models left me in awe," said principal Shweta Tiwari.

Bidya Bharati School, Behala

Students and teachers of Bidya Bharati School, Behala, observed Road Safety Week from August 28 to September 1.

The children took part in a host of activities such as making posters on safety, filling up fact sheets on traffic rules, taking part in colouring activities on traffic signals, solving related puzzles and learning rhymes for greater awareness.

On the last day, the school organised a road safety workshop, in association with Calcutta Traffic Police, to educate kids, parents and carpool drivers about traffic rules and the safety measures. The workshop was conducted by a team from Diamond Harbour Road Traffic Police. They talked about the dos and don'ts while crossing a road, the importance of using helmets and other rules.

The students tied rakhis on the police officers, who had come to conduct the workshop.

"The workshop was for students of Classes III and IV, who need to know the traffic rules and be alert. The carpool drivers, who are out ferrying kids, attended it and so did parents from all classes. It is important for those, who escort children to be safe as well," said teacher-in-charge Moutushi Chakraborty.

M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School

Pre-primary children of M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School celebrated Grandparents' Day on the school grounds on September 16. Principal Purnima Chattopadhyay, vice-principal Sravani Roychoudhury and CEO S.K. Singh attended the event.

The teachers had decorated the classrooms with craftwork made by the children. The tots of Lower Kindergarten, Upper Kindergarten and Kindergarten presented a fun performance that was much appreciated by the grandparents. Many got up from their seats and started matching dance steps with their grandchildren.

The teachers organised games such as Blowing the Cups, Building Cup Pyramids and others for the grandparents and grandchildren. There was no dearth of excitement among the participants as they vied for the prizes.

Many grandparents shared their thoughts and experiences in between all the fun. The children had prepared handmade cards for them. A special selfie zone was also designed by the teachers for the grandparents and the grandchildren to create memories.

"In this era of nuclear families, few children are lucky to live with their grandparents. We held the celebrations in school for the first time. The Pre-primary kids and their grandparents had a blast, singing, dancing and playing games. Many grans shared personal stories," said the principal.

Birla Bharati

They love the bunny from the popular nursery rhyme, Hello! Mr Bunny Rabbit. One play session, they became that bunny taking part in a roleplay activity in school.

Upper Kindergarten children of Birla Bharati were made to recite the rhyme and hop around like Mr Bunny on their school field recently.

Wearing bunny ears they enjoyed playing with their classmates, thus turning a classroom lesson into a fun and interactive activity.

The children donned headbands that had coloured themselves.

They were also taught about rabbits, their habitats and the kind of food they like. The children were then made to describe the animal in their own words, thus encouraging them to express their creativity and become more confident in public speaking.

The students ended up learning many more things about the likes of Mr Bunny and other furry creatures. Their queries about the animal kingdom were answered patiently by their teachers.

This roleplay activity also helped the children get some good physical exercise in the sun and bond with their friends.

"Pre-primary and Primary kids have no inhibition or stage fear. They are bubbling with confidence, in most cases. Recently, at an elocution event, so many Nursery kids were eager to come up on stage and perform. Experiential learning works very well with them. We often engage the little ones in activities and games which they have learnt in class. That makes them even more confident," said vice-principal Rupan Chaudhuri.

Seth Soorajmull Jalan Balika Vidyalaya

Seth Soorajmull Jalan Balika Vidyalaya celebrated its 82nd anniversary, with a celebration on September 4.

The students organised a programme, focussing on women's empowerment, to celebrate the occasion. It began with a prayer song by the school choir.

The chief guest was industrialist-educatator Girish Khaitan. Trustee of the school Bharat Jalan, vice-president Divya Jalan, local councillor Rajesh Sinha and principal Nupur Banerjee were also present. They were welcomed by head girl Sanskriti Sharma and her deputy, Eram Azim.

Next, the board exam achievers of 2021-2022 were honoured with certificates and books. The toppers in academics from all classes were felicitated with certificates, medals and books.

Jalan Girl or the best student of 2022 trophy went to Kanak Dinodia of Class XI.

The students with 100 per cent attendance were also awarded medals and watches.

The chief guest spoke about the importance of education and various career options. He mentioned the immeasurable contribution of the school's founder, Seth Soorajmull Jalan, whose vision and guidance led to the institution.

Nupur Banerjee outlined the school's achievements in academics and co-curricular arenas. The students from both junior and senior classes presented music and dance performances and a yoga dance.

The day was capped with a vote of thanks proposed by vice-principal Nitu Guha.

"Service before Self is our school's motto. We believe in service over everything else. We are also committed to providing holistic education to our girls and seek to mould them into learners for life. By providing them with varied experiences, we hope to develop our girls into global citizens," said the principal.

Pratt Memorial School

Students of Pratt Memorial School staged a musical, The Incredible, Impossible Dream Within, at Kala Mandir from August 23 to 25. All the five shows, spread over three days, saw a packed house.

The musical, inspired by the 2008 film Mamma Mia, has songs by the 70's Swedish pop group Abba. It was produced by principal Carolyn Lionel, scripted and directed by musician Nikhil D'Souza and choreographed by Amit Shaw of DNA Dance Works.

The show left the audience enthralled right from the start. It featured dance performances to many of the Abba's timeless numbers. A heart-warming plot was woven in between.

The cast and choir consist of both teachers and students. Performances on classics such as The Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia and Super Trouper set the stage on fire. Emotional numbers such as The Winner Takes It All and Slipping Through My Fingers left many nostalgic and teary-eyed.

The lighting and sets transported the audience to the setting of the plot — a taverna in Greece where single mom Donna Sheridan and daughter Sophie lived. As the story goes, Sophie was set to get married and wanted to locate her father Zach, who had deserted her mom 21 years ago. She invites her father's three friends to the impending nuptials in the hope of finding Zach. Donna, however, is unpleasantly surprised. The play ends on a happy note reinforcing friendship, family ties and romance.

The audience gave the cast a standing ovation during the curtain call.

"A performance of this kind is not possible without proper teamwork. There was tremendous coordination and hard work on the part of both students and teachers. Their perseverance paid off. They showcased the Pratt Memorial School spirit," said principal Carolyn Lionel.