SCHOOL BUZZ
Class XII students bid goodbye with elan and panache
Smriti Kak

Children making merry at Learner’s Castle on the occasion of International Learner’s Day

JUST when exams have hogged all the attention, we were politely reminded that much before the nerve-wrecking exams, the entire Class XII has something to look forward to. After 15 years of what appears a never-ending saga of school years, comes the time when farewell stares you right in the face. Farewell party for Class XII is the highlight of the school calendar.

Like every year, thousands of those who are at their nerve’s end, trying to dodge the nightmare called exams, found their spirit buoyed, thanks to the efforts their school puts in, to wish them farewell.

Birla Vidya Niketan found a way to please the students without displeasing the parents. The Principal found a way to dissuade the students from partying at the Taj Palace. The latest trend followed in the Capital’s schools is a ‘contri party’, wherein students pool in money and party at a hotel or a discotheque of their choice.

A student getting a prize at an annual day function of Great Mission Public School.

Meanwhile, in DPS, Mathura Road, the students had a ball too. The students of Class XII were given the customary farewell. The outgoing students also presented a dance number. Aditi Sanyal and Divyanshu Singh were chosen Mr and Ms DPS.

Synergy 2003

The school celebrated its third annual day titled ‘Synergy 2003’. The function showcased the talents of the little ones and was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Mr G. C. Gahlot.

The chief guest also gave away the prizes for meritorious performances. The school authorities also read the annual report.

Annual Day

The school celebrated its annual day at the Kamani auditorium. The Minister of Civil Supplies, Government of NCT, Mr Haroon Yusuf, was the chief guest and Mr H. S. Gupta, Member Public Grievances Commission was the special guest. The function began with a Saraswati Vandana and was followed by a number of dance programmes presented by the students.

Graduation ceremony

ABC Nursery School, Model Town, and Ashok Vihar, organised a graduation ceremony in the school. Tiny ones could be seen sashaying down the ramp, while a few dance and sang their way into the hearts of the audience. The programme put by the students was worth the appreciation it received.

School carnival

The school celebrated their annual day and organised a carnival on the school premises in Dwarka. Renowned writer Dr Varsha Das and former Director of NBT was the chief guest and Prof L. C. Singh, NCERT, presided over the function.

The programme began with an invocation to Goddess Saraswati and an Arabian welcome song.

The students enthralled the audience with a number of well-presented song and dance numbers. The programme concluded with the prize distribution ceremony.

Students of Children’s Valley School at Qutab Minar.

Knowledge excursion

The school organised a knowledge excursion for the students. This was aimed at helping children discover the rich cultural heritage of India and understand the significance of it.

The excursion included a visit to the Qutab Minar, where students were briefed about the wonder. A trip to a printing press had students learning about the intricacies of printing. At Haldirams, the students had a chance to witness how mouth-watering delicacies are made.

PRINCIPALSPEAK
Always look for options

DEAR children, I am glad to have this opportunity to return to you some of the strength that I draw from your generation. Four years ago, an intelligent Class XII science student was preparing for IIT examination. He often spent a lot of time in flying all sorts of planes on flight simulator and this was a constant matter of fights between him and his mother. Mother accused him of wasting hard-earned money as well as his talent. And the son accused her of not letting him live his life in his own way.

Then one day, the mother and the son went for a walk. Anxious mother said “Beta there is so much competition. You will lag behind if you don’t work harder.” The son shot back: “Mom, you were born in easy times so you are scared of competition, but I am born in times of competition and I can handle it.

Mother was taken a back. The son further said, “You feel stressed because you have decided only one course of action for me, and that is studying at IIT. But, I am not stressed because I have many options. I want to be a Computer Engineer But I can study at IIT / DCE / IP / any institution.”

That boy was my son and he taught me the biggest lesson of my life. Lack of options brings stress. Always look for options because they do exist. At the end of Class XII, my son did not get through IIT entrance, but he got through IP University entrance. A bit dejected, we went for a walk again. I asked him to drop one year and prepare for IIT. He said: “Mom, if I get through IIT next year, the cost will be one year of my life. If I join IP University, the cost will be a lesser starting salary. I am prepared to get less salary but not to lose one year”. I learnt my second lesson. Every option comes with a cost as well as benefit.

The trick is to correctly assess the costs and the benefits and choose the option according to your own strengths and weaknesses. Children, I was amazed to hear my son talking so logically. Even if I did not agree with him, I could see that he thought about the problem, and had an action plan. My son did not see life in the way I saw it, but I knew he was well-prepared for the challenges of life and this took away all my stress. From then on, I could let him be!

Here is one lesson for us elders. We transmit stress when we insist on a fixed behaviour. We stunt growth. We do not have to fit children into perfect moulds but only manage the deviations on the bases of the ideals.

And for the children, I suggest a small deviation: take that little walk with yourself and with your parents, create that special time to communicate with yourself and your parents. Let them know what your action plans are and they will be more than ready to walk with you on your chosen path.

Above all, remember that even if you make mistakes, its OK.

Madhu Chandra, Principal, Birla Vidya Niketan

COURTS

Wrestler murder case: Court refuses bail to accused
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 2
A local court has refused bail to one of the accused charged with the murder of a 23-year-old international-level wrestler in September 2002.

Additional Sessions Judge B. B. Choudhari turned down the bail plea of Ram Niwas, one of the six persons of a family accused of killing Joginder on September 16 last year due to his growing proximity with a girl of the Brahmin family. All accused are presently in custody.

Pleading for the bail, senior counsel R. K. Naseem contended the case was a concocted one as the dying declaration of the deceased was not recorded despite his being in his senses. Assisting the prosecution, advocate Ravinder Singh, however, submitted that his release at this stage would come in the way of justice.

Just four months before being murdered, the Jat wrestler had topped in the 50 kg category at the Delhi Cadet Wrestling Championship.

Despite the time for selection having expired, due to his promising performance he was selected as a special case for participation in an international competition in Germany sometime before his death.

According to the prosecution, Om Prakash, the main accused in the case, along with his sons Anil Kumar, Sunil Kumar and Jitender and nephews Anand Prakash and Ram Niwas killed the promising wrestler because he was going around with his daughter despite their warning.

The accused, residents of Akbarpur Majra village, had tied Joginder with a rope before hitting him with cricket bats and stones. They had even chased away his uncle Naresh, one of the two eyewitnesses in the case, who had come from his village, Tejpur, looking for the deceased.