Workshops & Exhibitions

SESSION 2023-24

Career Counselling Workshop Report

A Career Counselling session was organised for the students of Class X on 16th January 2024 in the school hall. The workshop was conducted by Mrs. Jyotsna Bharadwaj who is the founder of Envision India Eduservices. Ms. Bharadwaj is a master trainer with CBSE and a member of AISCAP ‘Association of Indian School Counselors and Allied Professionals.’

Mrs. Jyotsna informed the students about different career options suitable for all three streams and new age careers that provide ample opportunities to grow. She gave a detailed explanation about the career options that hold a lot of scope, both in India and abroad. She also advised students to keep their interest and aptitude in mind when choosing a career as it would ensure success in the future.

The resource person addressed all the queries of the students satisfactorily. The session was immensely fruitful and beneficial for the participants.

Workshop on Improving Speaking Skills in German ( Report)

A workshop on Improving Speaking Skills in German was conducted on 19th December 2023 by Mr. Palash Bhattachariya, an alumnus of our school, who is currently pursuing M.Sc. in Computational Mathematics from University of Passau, Bavaria, Germany. The aim of the workshop was to help students develop fluency in spoken German to maximise the benefits of educational opportunities in Germany. The session was attended by students of Classes V, VI and VII, who are learning German as an additional subject.
During the session Mr. Palash Bhattachariya talked about various aspects of a student’s life in Germany. He also discussed the culture of South Germany including popular cuisine and festivals. Students enthusiastically participated in the event making the session interactive. A quiz at the end of the session provided the students an opportunity to test their knowledge.
Students were motivated to embrace German language in their daily life. Mr Palash Bhattachariya expressed his pleasure on visiting his alma mater and sharing his experiences with the students.

Workshop & Training Session-CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)

The District Disaster Management Authority (East), in collaboration with Heart Care Foundation of India (a non- profit organisation), conducted a Training cum Sensitisation Programme on Life Saving Technique- CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) on 17th October 2023 for the students of Class X. The resource person, Mr Sanjeev Kumar, talked about the importance of knowing how to perform CPR to save lives in emergency situations. He also demonstrated the correct technique of checking for pulse rate and the basic steps for performing CPR. The training gave the students hands-on practise of the CPR technique. The students were required to give an online test after the training to receive an e-certificate.

Workshop Report

‘KREATIV KӦPFE’/ ‘CREATIVE MINDS’

Goethe Institut, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi organises weekly workshops to lure the creativity of young learners. On 24th August 2023, ten students of Class VII participated in the workshop, ‘JUNIORUNI- Experience Science Creatively’. Students explored the existence of dinosaurs in a creative and playful manner as part of an international project called ‘JUNIORUNI’-a digital platform offering free access to various scientific concepts, available both in English and German.

Several schools participated in the workshop. Students were divided into four groups and encouraged to participate in many interesting activities. They watched an informative video about animals and later, attempted a worksheet that tested their knowledge about physical features of different animals.

The workshop was a perfect opportunity for the students to interact with their counterparts, enhance their vocabulary and showcase their creativity.

Essential Medical Training Workshop Report

The school organised Essential Medical Training Workshop for teachers on 26th August 2023 in the school auditorium. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Neeraj Sharma, CEO, Siddhant Singh Cardiac Awareness Foundation, along with Ms. Shracha Agarwal, the Program Director.

The main aim of the workshop was to prepare teachers for emergencies and equipping them with the necessary skills to respond to a critical situation effectively and save a life at risk.

The session focused on recognising a medical emergency and learning to differentiate between a heart attack and cardiac arrest. The resource person. Ms. Shracha Agarwal, demonstrated the correct technique to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on infants, young children and adults. The participants also learnt about Automated External Defibrillator (AED), a portable device that can be used to analyse the heart’s rhythm and deliver an electrical shock, if required.

The workshop gave the participants an opportunity to learn through hands-on experience and be prepared to handle a life-threatening situation.

Cyber Awareness WORKSHOP

A workshop regarding Cyber Awareness was organised for the students of Class IX on July 5, 2023, in the school auditorium. The speaker, Sub Inspector, Mr. Naresh Kumar, Cyber Cell East Delhi, addressed the students and informed them about malicious methods used by cybercriminals to trap people. He also educated the students about how they can be easy targets. He spoke about ways to spot potential threats and what students can do to avoid falling victim to such threats. The session was interactive. Students were encouraged to put forth their queries that were satisfactorily answered by Mr. Kumar.

CLAY MODELLING WORKSHOP

A clay modelling workshop was organised by HT Pace on 16th May 2023 in all the sections of Class IV. The
resource person, Mrs. Dolly Aggarwal, a certified professional with Fevicryl Pidilite conducted the
workshop. The students really enjoyed the creative workshop and made animals using clay.

MASK MAKING WORKSHOP

A mask making workshop was organised by HT Pace on 10th May 2023 in all the sections of Class V. The
resource person, Mrs. Dolly Aggarwal, a certified professional with Fevicry Pidilite, conducted the
workshop. The students really enjoyed the workshop and made attractive masks by following instructions
and applying their creativity and imagination.

PROMOTING SELF ADVOCACY- INCLUSION TO INDEPENDENCE

A workshop on ‘Promoting Self Advocacy- Inclusion to Independence’ was organized for primary school teachers on 26th May, 2023.  The resource person for the workshop was Ms. Preeti Monga (Founder and CEO of Silver Linings Trust and Silver Linings services). She shared her journey of how she has become so independent and successful inspite of being visually impaired for around 50 years. She motivated and inspired teachers on how challenges can be defeated by having courage and positivity. She highlighted several points during the workshop that are mentioned below:

  • How journey of inclusion to independence is possible in school.
  • Strategies to promote self-advocacy skills among students.
  • Sensitization of general teachers on importance of having self – advocacy skills among children with disabilities.

WORKSHOP ON GENDER SENSITIVITY- CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME (CBSE)

The CBSE Capacity Building Workshop on ‘Gender Sensitivity’ was held on 23rd May 2023. The Resource Persons were Ms. Subha Chandrashekhar and Mr.Pankaj Munjal. It was attended by 49 teachers of the school. The resource persons emphasized on the need to know oneself and conducted activities in which each teacher developed an insight of herself/himself. They talked about the importance of gender sensitization in these changing times and how to create a society where individuals are aware of gender issues and actively work towards gender equality. Number of activities were conducted in groups which made the workshop informative as well as entertaining.

WORKSHOP ON HOW TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH PARENTS

A workshop on ‘How to communicate effectively with parents’  was conducted on 25th May 2023 by Ms. Nazia Ahmed, a certified parenting coach from DEEP (Developmental, Encouraging & Effective Parenting).

Ms. Ahmed highlighted how parenting has become more difficult as compared to the earlier times and emphasized on the need for constant communication between parents and children and constant encouragement and guidance by the parents. She also addressed the queries that the teachers had with respect to the problems faced while dealing with parents and gave useful tips on how to handle difficult situations. It was an informative and useful workshop for teachers.

WORKSHOP ON HEALTH AND FITNESS FOR TEACHERS

A workshop on ‘Health and Fitness for Teachers’ was conducted by Ms. Sonia Bakshi, a physical wellness trainer, on 24th May 2023.

The resource person emphasized on the importance of self-care and fitness based on the kind of work and tasks performed by teachers. She demonstrated a lot of exercises that can be incorporated in daily routines for a healthy lifestyle. She also addressed all the queries that the teachers had with respect to individual health issues and diet. The workshop was very informative and engaging.

CRAFT WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS

A craft workshop was organised by HT Pace on 27th May 2023 for teachers. The resource person, Mrs. Dolly Aggarwal, a certified professional with Fevicryl Pidilite conducted the workshop. She demonstrated a number of craft activities which can be done in the classroom with students. The teachers enjoyed the workshop and  learnt to create teaching aids using paper and waste material.

SESSION 2022-23

WORKSHOP ON EDUCATION IN THE USA

A workshop was organised for the students of Classes XI & XII on 21 st October, 2022 on the topic ‘Education in the USA’. The workshop was conducted by Sunayana Chabra – Manager-USA(IDP) and Sarah Braun – Associate Director of International Admissions, Stevens Institute of Technology.

The resource persons guided the students about the benefits of studying in the USA, the best way to to select courses and Universities, eligibility criteria, assessment tests, the importance of essay writing for applications, admissions,
and scholarships.

All the queries of the students were satisfactorily answered and the session was very informative and beneficial for students exploring opportunities for higher education outside the country.

CBSE Training on Financial Literacy and Use of Digital Tools

A Workshop on ‘Financial Literacy and the Use of Digital Tools’ was conducted on 15th September 2022, for teachers by Mr. Ram Kumar Gupta, a resource person from the CBSE. Mr. Gupta is a senior and an experienced finance professional with direct selling experience of over 20 years and more than 16 years in training and courseware development for Financial Planning Industry. 

This Workshop was a part of Skill Education by the CBSE for Hub schools. The workshop was attended by 69 teachers from Somerville School, Vasundhara Enclave, (Hub Leader School) and 17 teachers from four Hub member schools.

Mr. Ram Kumar Gupta gave tips on financial planning based on financial goals to the teachers. He emphasised that equity was the best option against inflation and stressed on regular investing through SIP to secure retirement plans. He also advised the teachers to act as informed investors.

Teachers were informed about digital payments and their use and were asked to be alert regarding common frauds. Life and health insurance schemes were discussed and the proper process of redressal of grievances was also discussed.
The workshop was conducted in a very interactive manner and was very informative and beneficial in creating awareness among teachers on judicious handling their financial resources.

CAREERS IN DESIGN WORKSHOP REPORT

A workshop on ‘Careers in Design’ was organised for students of Classes XI and XII on 26th July 2022.The resource person was Dr Shruti Jain, Educationist, Career Counsellor, Mentor, North West Delhi. Dr Jain provided interesting information regarding the range of core and alternate career paths in various fields of industrial design, graphic design, communication and packaging design etc and guided students into a more meaningful and enriching career exploration journey. The workshop ended with a very interactive question-answer session.  

WORKSHOP ON SCHOOL READINESS

A workshop on ‘School Readiness’ was conducted on 27th May, 2022 for the teachers of the school by Special Educators, Ms. Diana Lil Philip and Ms. Shikha Pokhriyal. The workshop commenced with a discussion on the issue of children facing learning gaps after two years of online teaching learning and the different types of learning gaps. 

The Resource persons shared a screening and remedial programme that dealt with different reading, writing and math concerns emerging in the class and the strategies to address these concerns. It was stressed that parents’ engagement was crucial in order to develop a clear understanding among parents of what teachers are doing in school, what is expected of the child and what parents are supposed to do at home to meet those expectations.

WORKSHOP ON SELF HEALTH MANAGEMENT FOR TEACHERS USING MARMA CHIKITSA

A Workshop on ‘Self Health Management’ for teachers using Marma Chikitsa was conducted on 25.5.22 in the school auditorium from 10 am to 1 pm by Mr. Antriksh Panchal, a practitioner of Acupuncture and Marma Chikitsa.

Mr Panchal described the workshop as ‘Sustenance of Life’. It began with a discussion of childhood and daily lives. He stated that the human body and its organs are most neglected.

He advised the participants prioritize their thoughts and let go of stress and take a break from all the challenges of their lives.
A few healing exercises were demonstrated and practised. Feedback was taken from teachers after every demonstration. It was an interesting and useful workshop for the teachers as it dealt with the everyday struggle with aches and pains.

WORKSHOP ON TEACHERS AS COUNSELLORS

A workshop on ‘Teachers as Counsellors’ was conducted on 27th May 2022 by Ms. Upasana Kaura, a senior educationist.

Ms. Upasana reminded the teachers that the effective implementation of the curriculum depends on the teacher who delivers it. Factors influencing the learning process were discussed.

Teachers were advised to act as counsellors by listening attentively, showing empathy and establishing a positive relationship with their students. Strategies to counsel and guide parents were shared.

Workshop on Enhancing Productivity of Teachers Through Mindfulness

A workshop on Enhancing Productivity of Teachers through Mindfulness was conducted on 24th May 2022 by Dr. Chinu Agrawal, psychologist and physiotherapist and renowned relationship expert and TEDEX speaker. 

Dr. Chinu Agrawal gave tips on how to improve communication and behavioural skills.  The triangle of thoughts, feelings and behaviour was explained. Tips on how to improve a sense of well-being were shared and the resource person explained how psychomotor skills play an important role in our well-being. 

Dr Agrawal stressed the importance of setting goals in order to motivate ourselves. She spoke about the necessity to avoid ‘take away moves’ and instead make ‘towards moves’ to reach our goals. 

The importance of strengthening empathy and lowering anxiety was emphasized by Dr. Agrawal.

CBSE CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP ON ‘HAPPY CLASSROOM’

A capacity building workshop on ‘Happy Classroom’ was conducted for the primary teachers of the school by the CBSE in the school on 26th May 2022.

The resource person was Ms. Priyanka Bhatkoti, Principal, Maxfort School, Dwarka, 

Ms. Bhatkoti emphasised the need to know oneself and conducted an activity in which each teacher had to describe herself/himself. This was followed by a discussion on self-awareness, self-management, self-motivation, relationship management and social awareness. 

Various experiences were shared by the teachers and the speakers on how problems were solved every day in school. Causes of misbehaviour like negligence, gender basis, hunger, etc. were discussed. Each teacher listed their day-to-day challenges in an activity, ‘My Little Book’. 

Ms. Bhatkoti outlined the following values that are essential in order to attain happiness: 

  • Gratitude 
  • Forgiveness 
  • Optimism 
  • Empathy 
  • Respecting diversity

Cancer Prevention and Palliative Care

A webinar was organized for by the Dharamshila Cancer Foundation and Research Centre on Cancer and Palliative Care on 28 th June 2022. It was attended by more than 150 teachers from Somerville Schools and other schools in the vicinity. The webinar was conducted by the Vice President of the Cancer Foundation Prof. Dr. Ramesh Dawar and pain and palliative care expert Dr. Amit Jain. The session was aimed to create awareness about the early detection of cancer, its treatment and the palliative care for managing terminal patients. Teachers were educated about the importance of a healthy lifestyle in being cancer free. They were also informed about the free cancer detection camps held by the Foundation from time to time and various other facilities offered by the hospital.

REPORT -PLASTIC COLLECTION DRIVE

The Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment (ICPE) launched an awareness drive to address the environmental, social and technical issues related to plastics waste management. All students of the school, from classes 1 to 12 actively participated in this drive from 7.4.22 to 30.4.2022. They brought plastic wastes in the form of waste water bottles, lunch boxes, disposable plates, glasses, etc. from their houses. The waste was later taken by staff from the ICPE for suitable disposal.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES (APRIL 2022)

EARTHQUAKE DRILL

An Earthquake Drill was conducted on 11th April 2022 in all classes from Pre -Primary to Class XII. The Drill was conducted in the respective class rooms and the students and teachers practised the safety protocols to be followed during an earthquake, namely: ‘Drop, Cover and Hold’.

FIRE EXHIBITION

A fire exhibition was conducted by Mr. Rajbir Singh Yadav from Ghibellines Security Services on 13th April, 2022.
Around 183 students of Class 9 and their teachers attended the exhibition. Mr. Yadav described the different types of fires and fire extinguishers. He demonstrated the correct way to use fire extinguishers during a fire.

The students showed keen interest in the demonstration and asked Mr. Yadav meaningful questions. They learnt how to deal with an actual fire and how to minimize the damage caused.

Session 2021-22

WE THINK DIGITAL WORKSHOP

The Computer Science Department organised the ‘We Think Digital Training Workshop’ conducted by the Centre for Social Research (CSR), in collaboration with Facebook. The Digital Safety & Online Well-Being Training Workshop was held over two days, 12th to 13th July 2021 and was attended by the students of Classes VI to IX. The virtual workshop had a cumulative participation of about 250 students.

The workshop covered all relevant topics related to students’ safety, especially due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This included:

  • Digital Citizenship
  • Positive online engagement
  • Online threats and ways to combat them
  • Importance of consent
  • Seeking help
  • Mental health of children
  • Fake news and misinformation

The students were able to interact with the trainers from CSR to discuss and share their doubts, observations and personal experiences. The sessions were immensely engaging as the students were able to understand the issues well and also had an opportunity to put forth their views on the same.

Session 2020-21

Behavioural and Mental Health of Children during Pandemic and Ways to Inculcate Positive Thinking Workshop

A workshop regarding Behavioural and Mental Health of Children during Pandemic was organised by DSLA (Delhi State Legal Services Authority, East Delhi Zone) on 25 May 2021. The virtual session was attended by the teachers from Somerville School, Vasundhara Enclave with an objective of learning ways to deal with the increasing stress amongst students, amidst the ongoing pandemic.

The team of counselors lead by Ms. Harshita Mishra, the Metropolitan Magistrate and Secretary of DSLA, discussed the prevalent causes of stress and anxiety amongst children as a result of the pandemic. Emphasis was laid on learning ways to develop 21st century skills in children to train them to cope up with the new reality, such as the current situation.

Several significant strategies such as Maintaining a Gratitude Journal, Drawing an Emotional Wheel, My Worry Jar technique etc. were discussed during the session. The teachers were encouraged to practise the techniques and strategies in class and help students face the challenges with a positive approach.

Session 2019-20

Workshop on Art and Artists of India 3rd February 2020

On Monday, 3rd February 2020, the Art Department organised a workshop on ‘Art and Artists of India’. 90 students from Classes VI-VIII participated in the programme. The workshop was conducted by the assistant curator of NGMA, New Delhi, Mr. Argha Ganguly. There were 3 sessions: Discussion, Drawing and Quiz.

Mr. Ganguly presented to the students a brief history of Indian Art dating from the Bhimbethka Cave Paintings to the prominent artists of the present day, with special emphasis on the great Indian masters. He kept the students absorbed as he told the story of Indian art in his unique narrative style with visual references, using pictures, art plates and books.

In the second session, Mr. Ganguly created a mini museum with the help of some small artifacts and torchlight. He stressed on the importance of visiting museums and art galleries.

Later a brief drawing session was arranged where students attempted to show their talent to the mentor. The workshop ended with a quiz where the winners were given token prizes.

The students thoroughly enjoyed all the sessions and expressed their gratitude to Mr. Ganguly for his efforts.

Workshop on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Information and Communication Technology’ Organised by NIIT Nguru

NIIT Nguru conducted a workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Information and Communication Technology for school teachers on 7th December 2019 at Ramagya School, Noida. The aim of the workshop was to create awareness about the use of Artificial Intelligence in different fields, how AI works and ICT as an enabler in education. The workshop was attended by Mrs. Ekta Grover and Mrs. Vidya Ashok, TGT Computer Science of the school.

Workshop on Creative Fashion and Design

Workshops on Creative Fashion and Designwereorganisedfor the students of Class 12 on 30thNovember2019 and on16th December2019.MrAmitfrom the Pahal Design Institute conducted the workshops.Different disciplines within the design industry were discussed and students were motivated to look at the design process in new and different ways to create unexpected outcomes.It introduced students to new trends in the design industry. They were also educated on the various courses of studyin the field of design and the institutes of higher education that offered such courses.

Best Out Of Waste Competition

A competition on the theme ‘Best out of Waste’ was organised in collaboration with ‘Pahal Design Institute’, for the students of Classes VI-XI on 30th November 2019. Students created beautiful pieces of art using unwanted waste material. Mr Pradosh Swain from Pahal Design presented an interactive session on the creation of new designs. This activity helped students to enhance not only their creativity and presentation skills, but also helped them to understand the importance of recycling and reusing waste material available to them.

Students were given participation certificates and those bagging the 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions were awarded trophies. Overall it was an enjoyable learning experience.

Capacity Building Workshop – English Class X

A Capacity Building Workshop for teachers of English Language & Literature, Class X, was conducted by the C.B.S.E. at its Regional Office in Patparganj on 26th and 27th November 2019. The resource persons were Ms. Ruchi Sengar and Ms. Ambika Roshan.

The resource persons gave valuable inputs to help teachers to effectively teach the skills of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening in the classroom.

A short discussion was held on the types of questions needed to prepare the students for the PISA Exam. The resource persons gave valuable inputs on how to draft questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy and prepare Lesson Plans.

Ms. Sengar discussed different ways of teaching literature lessons in the class by encouraging maximum interaction of students. There was also a demonstration of how speaking and listening tasks were to be conducted and assessed.

The workshop was extremely informative and the participating teachers were given several useful handouts comprising activities and tips to enhance the teaching-learning experience.

Workshop on Health and Hygiene

Procter & Gamble organised a workshop on ‘Health and Hygiene’ for the girls of Class VII on 9th October 2019. Ms. Vimal Kapoor, a representative of Procter & Gamble, guided the students on how to maintain sanitation and hygiene during the menstrual cycle. She also shed light on some of the myths prevailing in the society regarding the cycle. She distributed samples of the P&G sanitary napkin, ‘Whisper’ to the students. The programme was followed by a question & answer session, where the students participated actively.

Workshop on Liberal Arts Education

The school organised a workshop for Class XII students on Liberal Arts Education. The workshop was held on 19th May 2019, and was conducted by Ms. Karishma Batra, Deputy Manager, Outreach, from Ashoka University. She informed the students about Liberal Arts Education at Ashoka University and how students at Ashoka University get the freedom to explore multiple academic disciplines before making an informed decision. Students can design their own undergraduate degree by choosing the subjects they are most passionate about. The workshop was an enriching experience for the students.

Workshop on Cyber Safety Awareness
Organised by : Cyber Crime Unit (CyPAD) ,Special Cell of the Delhi Police

The city police conducted a workshop on Cyber Safety Awareness for school teachers on 26th July 2019. The aim of the workshop was to create awareness and familiarise students through their School teachers with online threats and other dangers lurking in cyber space. The workshop was attended by Mrs Pooja Saxena, PGT Computer Science of the school.

Possible threats of e-frauds, hacking, phishing, cyber defamation, cyber bullying, stalking, child pornography and online human trafficking were discussed and tips were given on keeping passwords safe, avoiding cyber bullying and data thefts . CD and pamphlets were handed over to each teacher regarding Internet safety and prevention of Cyber Crimes.

Details and working of the Cyber Prevention Awareness and Detection (CyPAD) unit of the Delhi Police were discussed. The objective of the workshop was to sensitise school computer teachers to act as force multipliers in Delhi Police’s efforts to spread Cyber Safety awareness amongst the vulnerable sections, especially children.

Tweet by DCP Cyber Crime regarding the Workshop

TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR TEACHERS ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The Central Board of Secondary Education conducted two Training Programmes of one day duration each, for teachers, on Information Technology on 12th July 2019 and 18th July 2019. Ms.Pooja Saxena and Ms.Pratibha Poddar attended the workshop on 12th July at St Thomas School, Mandir Marg. Ms.Ekta Grover and Ms.Vidya Ashok attended the workshop on 18th July at Presidium School, Ashok Vihar.

The aim of these workshops was to make the teachers aware of new softwares such as ‘Sway’.Dr. Sharmila from the CBSE addressed the queries of the teachers regarding the syllabus, books and support material related to the Subject- Information Technology.

Workshop on Creating a Supportive Learning Environment

A workshop was conducted by our Special Educator, Ms. Diana Philip on ‘Creating a Supportive Learning Environment’ on 4th July 2019. The workshop gave an insight to the teachers on how to teach effectively in a class that has students who are atdifferent levels in their learning abilities. It was an informative workshop where teachers got to know about different types of disabilities and other socio-cultural precipitators that contribute to a child’s capacity and performance in school. Strategies to improve the learning conditions of all students were discussed.

Workshop on Innovation with California Figs

14 students of Class XII attended a workshop on ‘Innovation with California Figs’, organised by the Assocom Institute of Bakery Technology and Management (AIBTM), Greater Noida on 23rd May,2019.The main aim of the workshop was to familiarise students with figs, their nutritional benefits and the different products that can be made with figs. The workshop included identification and tasting sessions of different varieties of figs. There was also a live demonstration session where students were taught to make various bakery products such as Fig Bread, Muffins, Cookies, Mousse and Parfait, using figs and its concentrate. It was an enjoyable learning experience for all the students.

WORKSHOP ON ‘CRITICAL THINKING AND CREATIVITY’

Ms. Neelam Narang from the Scholastic Group (publishers and distributors of children’s books), organised a workshop on the topic ‘Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Creativity’ on 5th July 2019. It was aimed at enhancing the creative skills of teachers, enabling them to use innovative methods and easily available resources to make learning a collaborative and enjoyable endeavour for students and teachers.

WORKSHOP ON ‘ENHANCEMENT OF TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS THROUGH THEATER’

Ms. Beena Singh, a resource person from NIE TOI, conducted a workshop on the topic ‘Enhancement of Teaching-Learning Process through Theater’ on 5th July 2019. In this session, teachers learned how to use role play, drama and group enactment activities in the classroom to teach various subjects. The teachers found the workshop interesting and useful.

WORKSHOP ON ‘CREATIVITY IN TEACHING: MOTIVATION FOR TEACHERS’

Ms. Upasana Kaura, from the group ‘Six to Sixteen’ conducted a workshop on ‘Creativity in Teaching: Motivation for Teachers’, on 4th July 2019, in collaboration with HT PACE. The group aims at sensitising children about different global issues. Ms. Kaura spoke at length about communication and interpersonal skills. She urged teachers to identify their inner resources in order to use them for solving day to day problems. The workshop motivated teachers to think of their inner strength and use it to deal with all kinds of challenges.

TEACHER ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMME

A teacher enhancement programme, ‘Enhancing Memory’ was conducted by Ms. Ira Sehgal on the 23rd May 2019. Ms. Sehgal conducts workshops for teachers and students in ‘Phonetics’. She also trains students in the field of public speaking and communication skills. The speaker identified various difficulties faced by the teachers in the classroom and spoke about how the concerns have evolved with newer teaching advancements and changes in the learner.

The resource person suggested various short-term exercises in different subjects to retain long-term memory in students. She focused on various learning techniques like the ‘Z Technique’ that creates lasting memory and correlation of a concept, the learning pyramid and effective use of mnemonics. The resource person gave a variety of examples from the curriculum and told the audience how these could be tackled to ensure that the foundation of learning and retaining is ensured. The session left a lasting impression on the participants. In the end, Ms.Sehgal urged each one of them to practise long-term planning and create markers to ensure that each child is benefitted.

WORKING WITH ACCEPTANCE AND INTENTIONS

Mr. Rakesh Dhasmana from AIMS media conducted a workshop, ‘Working with Acceptance and Intentions’, on 22nd May 2019. Mr. Rakesh Dhasmana is a consultant for ‘Vocational Training and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities’.

The workshop gave an insight into the concept of inclusivity, from the perspective of why there is exclusivity in the first place. The speaker emphasised that it is the parents who need to be included in the education process to tackle and fruitfully engage the divergent learner. Because of the lack of such inclusivity, teachers face difficulties when such a child is identified, and it is felt that in the current learning scenario, such learners cannot be benefitted.

The resource person laid emphasis on various strategies and techniques that should be followed in an inclusive classroom, like the broadcasting of the core curriculum. He further explained various disabilities faced by children and the rights they are entitled to – the right education and a nourishing learning environment created in schools.

WORKSHOP ON HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Dr. Shridhar Dwivedi, renowned cardiologist from the National Heart Institute, conducted a workshop on ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ on 22nd May 2019. This workshop dealt with various lifestyle related conditions. The workshop focused on various lifestyle choices that lead to coronary and respiratory diseases. The speaker provided the audience with simple, yet effective techniques to curb the effects of unhealthy habits in individuals of all ages. He gave effective tips to prevent the accumulation of cholesterol, diabetic tendency and hypertension. The workshop gave the participants a new understanding on how a healthy lifestyle can be maintained.

CBSE CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP

A CBSE Capacity Building workshop on ‘Life Skills’ was conducted for teachers, by a freelance trainer from the CBSE, Mr. Pankaj Munjal on 21st May 2019, The workshop was based on understanding life skills and examining the importance of life skills in the teaching-learning process. Emphasis was laid on ten core life skills which we should adhere to: self- awareness, empathy, critical thinking, creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, and effective communication, interpersonal relationship, coping with stress and coping with emotions.

The speaker urged the participants to look back into their lives and examine how their behaviour and decisions could have led to different consequences, if life skills principles had been used. The resource person gave an insight into various techniques that can be used to enhance the life skills of students. He emphasised that a successful education lies at the core of creating an insightful and responsive individual.

WORKSHOP ON COGNITIVE SKILLS

A Workshop on Cognitive Skills was organised for the teachers teaching Pre-School to VIII on 20th May 2019 in the school auditorium, by Mr. Navneet Gambhir. The workshop focused on developing the cognitive skills of learners. Cognitive skills are skills we use in our daily lives.

The resource person focused on the foundation of good cognitive skills: to think, read, learn, remember, reason and pay attention, to the information being received. He explained how it should be stored in our memory for later retention. The speaker used simple techniques to explain how these faculties are created in a simpler learning environment leading to an enhanced learning experience.

E-WASTE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

The Eco Club of the school organised a workshop on 20 th May 2019 for about 150 students of the Eco and Wellness Clubs of Class IX on the topic ‘E-waste Management’. The resource persons were Ms. Ritu Ghosh, Head – Corporate Affairs and CSR, Panasonic India Pvt. Ltd. and Mr. Rakesh Khatri from Eco Roots Foundation.

Ms. Ritu Ghosh informed the students about the need for proper disposal of e-waste (electronic waste). She discussed the damages caused by improper disposal. She motivated the students by giving the example of the novel initiative taken by Japan of making medals for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 with recycled e-waste.

As part of the Project “Harit Umang” or “Joy of Green” initiative of Panasonic India, students were encouraged to collect e-waste from their homes and neighbourhood and put it in the e-waste bin for disposal. An e-bin was gifted to the school as part of this initiative.

The students found the workshop interesting and informative.

INTACH HECS Teacher Training Workshop

INTACH Heritage Education and Communication Service(HECS) conducted their Annual Teacher Training Workshop on 16th April 2019 to impart elementary training skills to teachers to enable them to initiate heritage education programmes in their schools. This Workshop for the teachers of Delhi-NCR schools was organised in collaboration with Mapin Publishing as a part of World Heritage Day celebrations on 16th April 2019. Ms. Soghra Fatima Haider from our school attended the workshop.

The workshop was packed with sessions on heritage education and activities. Heritage experts Dr. Swapna Liddle, Mr. Sohail Hashmi, Dr. Narayani Gupta and experts from Mapin, Mr. Bipin Shah, Mr. Sunil Shetye and Mr. Sopan Joshi introduced the multi-faceted heritage of India and Delhi to the teachers. They emphasised on the importance of heritage education and how to make it interesting for the students. An interactive session for teachers based on heritage activities was conducted, to provide the teachers with ideas they could implement in their schools.

WORKSHOP ON UNIVERSITIES BASED IN THE USA

The school organised a workshop on Universities based in the USA for the students of Class XII on 10.04.19. The resource persons were the representatives of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Penn State University, Rutgers University, Indiana University and University of Minnesota Twin Cities. The resource persons informed the students about the major courses offered by their Universities, eligibility criteria, procedure for applying, scholarships, if available, and the financial cost involved. The students’ queries regarding the admission procedure and other details were answered by the resource persons.

HT PACE ANNUAL TEACHERS’ MEET

The Hindustan Times organised its Annual Teachers’ Meet at The Hyatt Regency, New Delhi on 28th March 2019, for the teachers of its member schools from Delhi and NCR.

The Meet commenced with an inspirational session which was conducted by a well known motivational speaker, Sister Shivani, who is a teacher at the Brahma Kumari’s World Spiritual University and Ms. Shahnaz Hussain, Ayurveda’s beauty ambassador and expert. The session motivated the teachers to be more tolerant and appreciative towards students. The resource persons suggested that teachers should be more approachable for the students as it is essential to build a relationship of trust between a teacher and a student for progressive learning.

The Meet was was attended by Ms Pratima Lall, Vice Principal and Ms. Soghra Fatima Haider, Teacher Coordinator and was a highly enriching experience for both.

Session 2018-19

TOEFL Workshop Report

The school organised a workshop on Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for the students of Classes XI & XII on 22nd November 2018. The workshop was conducted by Ms. Niharika Saxena and Ms. Vinci Parashar from Learning Links Foundation, a non-profit organisation. The students were informed about how the TOEFL test is conducted, scored, its importance and the eligibility criteria to appear for it. The students found the workshop useful and informative.

WORKSHOP ON DASTANGOI
HERITAGE AWARENESS PROGRAMME

A workshop on Dastangoi was conducted on 16th November, 2018 at INTACH, Lodi Estate for students from schools in Delhi. Two students from our school, Shreya Sharma and Devanshi Pandey, both from Class VIII A, participated in this workshop.

‘Dastangoi’ is an ancient Urdu, oral form of storytelling, which had died down by the early twentieth century. The art form originated in pre-Islamic Arabia and was extremely popular in India between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, especially among the rich elites and commoners of Delhi and Lucknow.

The facilitators of the workshop Ms. Fauzia and Ms. Saniya divided the participants into groups of six. Each group was asked to prepare a ‘dastan’ (story) of their own and present it to the audience in the dastangoi style at the end of the workshop.

The workshop was a great learning experience for the students who attended and was a wonderful opportunity to revive and preserve a lost art form by introducing it to the younger generation.

Workshop on Information Security Awareness

The Computer Science Department organised a workshop on ‘Information Security Awareness’ for the students of Classes IX and XI on 2nd November 2018. The resource person was Dr Neha Bajpai, Senior Technical Officer and Program Coordinator of Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project Phase II and Cyber Shikshaa Project under the Ministry of Communication & Information Technology (MeitY) at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Noida.

The main aim of workshop was to make students aware of the importance of information security, various types of cyber-crimes and the ways to combat them. It covered topics such as Tab Nabbing, Identity Theft, Phishing, Internet Privacy, Password protection etc.

The students actively participated in the interactive session and won caps and pens as gifts for answering questions related to Cyber Security. It was an informative workshop, as the students learnt about many precautions that can be taken to prevent cyber security threats.

Activities organized by NIE

Fun-filled Days at the Movies
The Times of India organised a screening of the movie ‘‘Mission Impossible ’ for the students of Class IV on 31st July 2018 at the Delite Cinema, Daryaganj. 183 students went for the movie accompanied by their Class Teachers. The students thoroughly enjoyed watching the action movie.

Workshops conducted by NIC

Kite Making Activity
NIE organized a Kite Making Activity for the students of Class V on 9.8.18. The students were very excited to learn how to make a kite using old newspapers and bamboo sticks and participated actively in it.

Pottery Making Workshop
The students of Class IV attended a workshop on Pottery Making on 13.8.18. They saw how clay was moulded into shapes by the potter. They were very excited to put their hands in the clay and participate in pottery making. It was a meaningful and learning experience for them.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT AWARENESS PROGRAMME

As part of the Disaster Management Awareness Programme, a series of events were organised in the school on 1st September 2018. This was attended by around 120 students from Classes IX to XII as well teachers and administrative staff of the school.

FIRST AID PRESENTATION

Dr Shikha Bani, an ENT specialist from Apollo Hospital, conducted a presentation on First Aid. Dr. Bani, with the help of student volunteers, demonstrated different techniques of administering basic First Aid, such as dealing with heat strokes, nose bleeds, choking, small wounds, sprains, bee-stings or when foreign objects enter our eyes, ears or nose. Dr Bani educated the audience on do’s and dont’s of First Aid as well as several incorrect actions taken by the uninformed such as putting ice on burns or tilting the head back during a nose bleed. She also cautioned the students about the circumstances in which they should administer First Aid and those which required emergency treatment by a trained practitioner.

EARTHQUAKE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority organised an awareness programme on Earthquake and Disaster preparedness for the students on the same day. A team of four volunteers from ‘Kriti Foundation’, a non-profit, non-government, social organisation, presented a ‘Nukkad Natak’(Street Play) highlighting the steps to be taken during an earthquake.

The volunteers from the organisation, Ms. Saloni, Mr. Alok, Mr. Lalit and Mr. Ashutosh, through an interactive enactment, demonstrated measures to take as individuals and as an organisation to ensure Earthquake preparedness. The presentation focused on steps to minimise the effects of an earthquake and ways to safeguard life and oneself while facing natural disaster like an earthquake. The ‘Drop-Cover-Hold’ response during an earthquake, and ‘Drop & Roll’ or ‘Drop and Crawl’ response at the time of a fire was reinforced through the Street Play.

FIRE SAFETY DEMONSTRATION

There was a Fire Safety demonstration, as part of the Disaster Management Awareness Generation Programme. It was conducted by Mr Naval Sharma, a retired Fire Officer from Delhi Fire Service. Mr Naval gave useful insights into the importance of preparedness and alertness during a fire.

The use of Fire Extinguishers, Hose Pipes and Sand Buckets was demonstrated to the students and teachers. They were told about the different types of fire such as Wood and Cloth fire, Oil Fire, Gas Fire, Chemical Fire, Metal Fire and Electrical fire. Mr Naval also gave tips on how to deal with these kinds of fires. Students took keen interest in learning how to use fire extinguishers and water hose and practised using these equipments.

Workshop on Mother- Daughter Hygiene

The school organised a workshop in association with Procter & Gamble, for the girl students of Class VII and their mothers on 25th August 2018. The topic of the workshop was ‘Mother-Daughter Hygiene’. The girls were taught about the proper hygiene practices. The workshop included bonding games between mothers and daughters.

The girls were also taught about the developmental changes that take place during adolescence and were advised on how to deal with the same. It was a useful and enriching experience for the girls and their mothers.

Workshop by MACMILLAN

Our school conducted a workshop for the Computer Science Teachers from all the branches of Somerville School on Saturday 18th August 2018. This workshop was organised in collaboration with Macmillan Education India (Frank Bros & Co), whose books are being used in the Somerville Schools for Classes I to VIII (Computer Science).

The author of the books, Ms Suchanda Sen, was the Resource Person.

There were eighteen participants from all Somerville Schools:

  • Somerville Noida – 4
  • Somerville Greater Noida – 4
  • Somerville International -2
  • Somerville Vasundhara Enclave – 8

The workshop focussed on the following softwares:

  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Scratch
  • GIMP

It was an informative and interactive workshop with the teachers working on activities to be carried out in class. The discussion on practical issues in dealing with the content in classroom transactions, and how to resolve them, was very useful. Ms Suchanda Sen and Ms Mridula Srivastava, Senior Manager- Education Product Schools were welcomed and felicitated by our Principal, Ms Esther Mani.

Each teacher received a participation certificate from Macmillan.

Lecture on ‘Preserving our Biosphere’

As part of the project on “Preserving our biosphere – Understanding Science Then and Now’ promoted by MIEF (Millennium India Education Foundation), Dr. Nimish Kapoor, Head, Film Division, Vigyan Prasar, addressed 50 students from Classes IX and XI, on 10th August 2018 in the school auditorium. Also present was Dr. Uday Kakroo, Director, MIEF.

Two videos were shown, namely “The Fragile Web” by Dr. Mike Pandey and “Do not burn leaves.” Detailed information regarding the objectives and execution of the environmental project was then provided by the expert. The students participated actively in the interactive session that followed the presentations.

Workshop on Conserving Water

A workshop on water conservation was conducted for the students of the Sanitation Club and Eco Club by Mr. Avdhesh Kumar Upadhyay (National General Secretary) and Mr. Vivek Harsulkar of the Jaladhar Foundation on 7th August 2018.

The main aim of workshop was to make students aware of the importance of water in our daily lives and its medicinal uses. The harmful effects of packaged water and ways to stop the commercialisation of water were discussed with the students.

Workshop by National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

A Workshop sponsored by National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Noida on the theme ‘Course Development on SWAYAM Platform’ was conducted on 19th July, 2018 (Thursday) at Amity Campus, M Block, Saket, New Delhi. It was attended by Computer Science teachers – Ms Pooja Saxena, Ms Pratibha Poddar, Ms Ekta Grover and Ms Vidya Ashok.

The workshop was an awareness building initiative about NIOS ‘SWAYAM’ platform of Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD), Government of India and designing of online courses.

The workshop aimed at fulfilling the following objectives:

  • To develop courses on School Education/higher Education based on the SWAYAM platform.
  • To generate understanding among participants on Virtual learning resources offered on the SWAYAM portal.
  • To provide practical knowledge and skills related to the use of learning resources on the SWAYAM portal.
  • To provide information to the participants about online courses available on the SWAYAM portal, for their individual and holistic development.

It was an interesting and very educational experience for the teachers who were introduced to the wide variety of online study resources available for students and teachers on this portal.

Workshop on Undergraduate Courses Available in Foreign Universities

A workshop was conducted by Ms Mishika Goel & Mr.Pragyat Singh on behalf of ‘Quest Global Education Consultants’ on 12th July 2018. The aim of the workshop was to make the students of Classes XI and XII aware about the opportunities available worldwide for pursuing undergraduate courses.

The resource persons informed the students about various Universities in different countries and the courses offered by them, scholarships available etc. The students participated enthusiastically in the discussion and enquired about the time of application, procedures to follow, study loans etc. It was an enriching experience for the students.

Workshop on ‘Preserving Our Biosphere – Understanding Science, Then and Now’

The Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, has launched a project on the topic ‘Preserving our Biosphere – Understanding Science, Then and Now. Millennium India Education Foundation is the NGO executing the project. The project will be executed over a period of eight months.

An introductory meet was held on 17th July 2018 at ASN Senior Secondary School, which is the associate organizer of the project for district East of Delhi. Our school was represented at this meet by Ms. Savitha V. (TGT Science). Dr. Uday Kakroo, Director MIEF, presided over the meeting. He briefed the representatives from various schools regarding the objectives and execution of the project.

Each school is required to constitute a scientific community of about 20-25 students, who will carry out a field study of the biosphere, available in their school/neighbourhood and then submit their observations and analysis along with a concept paper on how to improve the biosphere that they have studied. The schools will also be required to arrange a 1-hour lecture on this project, which is to be delivered by experts involved in it. Out of the 100 projects, a panel of experts will then shortlist/select 20 projects and they will be called for a final presentation. The top 10 will be finally chosen for submission to the Government of India.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training

After the introductory meet, a brief training session was conducted on the administration of CPR to a patient suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest. Mr. Yogesh from the Heartcare Foundation of India demonstrated the administration of CPR using a dummy. Each of the teachers present was given the opportunity to practiceCPR on the dummy.

Career Guidance – Workshop on the Merchant Navy

A workshop on the Merchant Navy was organized on 1st May 2018 in the school auditorium for students of Classes XI-XII. The workshop was conducted by Captain Vinayak Mohla from the Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre. Capt. Vinayak made students aware about the Merchant Navy as a rewarding and lucrative profession that can be embarked upon after Class XII for students with Science and Mathematics. He educated the students about eligibility criteria, selection process, training structure for those wishing to join the Merchant Navy. He also spoke about the career progression of navigating officers.

Career Guidance – WORKSHOP by IIAD

A workshop was conducted on Wednesday, 02nd May 2018 for students of Classes XI and XII by Professor Usha Nair, faculty member of the Indian Institute of Art and Design. The workshop aimed at imparting knowledge regarding the principles of design and its application in the process of creating any kind of design.

A group of 60 students took part in this interactive session, in which they learned how to create appealing designs and collages. In this activity, students were asked to represent a topic or a word on paper, using cuttings from magazines or newspapers. Students actively took part in the activity and gave a presentation of their work at the end.

Rimjhim Khanna, from IIAD, shared information about the unique courses offered by the institute. She also showed videos on the projects made by students of the institute as well as a trailer of a movie currently being made by their students.

Career Guidance Workshop

A career guidance workshop was organised for the students of Classes XI-XII on 4th May 2018 in two separate sessions. The resource person was Mr.Ritesh Jain, President, Centre for Career and Development, South Extension, New Delhi. Mr. Jain talked about different professions, specific and common to all three streams viz, Science, Commerce& Humanities. Mr. Jain enlightened the students about new colleges and universities in India. He also updated the students about the entrance exams for different courses.

The next session was conducted byMr. Dolojit Pangging, representative of ESSEC (Paris-Singapore). Mr. Pangging talked about BBA at ESSEC, eligibility criteria, entrance exams, procedure for applying, course information and placement.

Workshop on Student Teacher Rapport

A workshop on ‘Student- Teacher Rapport’ was conducted on 15th May 2018, by Ms. Jayashree Mehta for teachers of Classes Nursery to VIII. The resource person focused on the different aspects of student-teacher relationship. She shared tips on improving classroom sessions. She also gave valuable inputs as to how to deal with different behavioural issues. It was an enriching session in which teachers learned different ways of creating a lively and interesting classroom environment.

Self Defence Training Workshop

The school organised a workshop on self defence for the girl students from Classes IX-XII on 8th May 2018, in association with the Kelvin Institute. The workshop was held in two sessions one each for Classes IX-X and Classes XI-XII, in the school auditorium.

The trainer, Mr. Abhishek Singh, taught the girls different skills of self defence and anti-abduction techniques. He also spoke to them about school playground safety, public place safety, home and cyber safety. The students were trained in pairs, where one girl was the attacker and the other one was the defender and vice versa. It was a good opportunity for our young girl students to learn basic self defence techniques.

Session 2017-18

Workshop on Sparrow Conservation

A workshop on ‘Nest Making for Sparrow Conservation’ was conducted by Mr. Rakesh Khatri of Eco Roots Foundation and his team on 9th March 2018. Twenty-six students from Classes VI to XII were taught to make nests out of coconut fibre, jute threads, wooden rings and bamboo sticks. The team also enlightened the students regarding the significance of biodiversity and the need to preserve flora and fauna.

The students were filmed while making the nests. Some students were interviewed and their suggestions regarding sparrow conservation were noted.

‘I LOVE SCIENCE’ WORKSHOPS

In the session 2017-18, ‘I Love Science’ workshops were conducted for the students of Classes VI and VII by Mr. Akhlesh Agarwal. The purpose of the workshops was to make the learning of scientific concepts more interesting and enjoyable. Simple, day-to-day phenomena and concepts were explained to the students, who were provided with hands-on science kits during the workshops so that they could explore different concepts in a practical manner and have fun at the same time.

A total of six workshops were conducted per class on a monthly basis in the school auditorium. The topics covered included magnetism, electricity, optics, sound, air, mechanics, time and microscope. The students found the workshops interesting and participated in them with great enthusiasm.

‘Seed Bank Establishment’ Orientation Programme

Two students of the Eco Club, Bhavya Vaish, X C and Rishi Tomar, X B along with their teacher, Ms. Savitha V. attended the ‘Seed Bank Establishment in Schools’ Orientation Programme held at Mt. Carmel School, Anand Niketan, This programme, conducted on 5th May 2017 in association with the NGO ‘WePlant’, was attended by students from twenty-five schools.

Emphasis was laid on saving 1 million mango seeds this summer and planting them in the monsoon season in different localities so that everyone gets access to the fruits, the motto being ‘Nishkamakarma’. Each school was encouraged to identify 100 inspired students, who would each collect 100 seeds in 60 days. The students were shown how to establish seed banks in the school. The students also pledged to plant some seeds in pots made from recycled containers of any material.

The students were greatly inspired and resolved to do their bit to plant as many seeds as possible, this season.

Workshop on Legal Studies

A workshop on higher studies in the field of Law was organised for students of Classes XI and XII on 25thAugust 2017. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Nilesh Shreedhar – BA, LLB (Constitutional Law-Hons, from National Law University –Ranchi, NIFT AIR-26). During the counselling session, Mr. Shreedhar focused on the following:-

  • Changes in the legal industry and the opportunities available.
  • The best colleges in India and their selection processes.

He spoke about why students should choose Law as a career option and gave tips on how to prepare for admission to reputed Law colleges. Mr. Shreedhar informed the students about the shift in trends from the court rooms to the corporate sector in the field of Law.

The students asked Mr. Shreedhar several questions related to entrance exams and the career opportunities available in corporate law. It was a useful and informative session.

WORKSHOP ON HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE USA

A workshop was conducted on 21st August 2017 for students from Classes XI & XII on opportunities to pursue higher education in the United States of America. Resource persons from three Universities in the USA introduced students to the prospects for higher education for Indian students in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri.

The Resource Persons were Ms. Chelsea Keeney, Assistant Director of International Recruitment, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Mr.Ragh Singh, Assistant Director of International Recruitment, University of Missouri, Columbia and Ms. Michelle Trimpe, International Admissions Counsellor, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Each Resource Persons spoke at length about their universities. They informed the students about the educational programmes and specialized courses available, procedures for admission, fees and the different types of scholarships available for students such as: Academic Scholarships, Need Scholarships, Athletic Scholarships, Talent based Scholarships and many more. The Resource Persons spoke on how students could learn and earn simultaneously. They informed students about the procedures International students needed to follow to apply for admission such as SAT, recommendation letter, Visa etc.

The students found the interaction enlightening and very informative.

Career Guidance Workshop

A career guidance workshop was organised for the students of Classes IX-XII on 21st July 2017. The workshop was conducted by Father Benny Jose, Director of Education, Diocese of Faridabad and Mr. Bijo Sebastian, Co-founder- Mentornetz,a career pathway system that has been researched and designed to make young people realise their aptitude and goals.

The resource persons spoke about importance of career selection and aptitude testing. They informed the students about how their organization, Mentornetz, could help students to identify careers and subjects that accurately match their personality and aptitude by providing career guidance and counselling.

Geography Symposium

An Inter House Geography Symposium was organised by the Social Science Department on 27th April 2017. Students learnt and spoke about some beautiful biosphere reserves of India, particularly the Gulf of Mannar, Nandadevi, Gir Forests and Nokrek. The participants focused their presentations on the locations, wildlife species and community conservation efforts in each of these biosphere reserves.

Gandhi House stood first in the symposium, followed by Tagore House and Akbar House.

ECO CLUB WORKSHOP

A workshop which dealt with the development and beautification of neighbourhood parks was organised for the members of the Eco Club on 29th April 2017. It was conducted by a team of four members from two NGOs, namely ‘LAXMI’ and ‘IGSSS’which are associated with the project “Reviving green spaces” supported by ‘Disney’. The team was headed by Mr. Vijay, a horticulturist, and Ms. Jyoti Awasthi, Director- LAXMI.

They conducted a seminar with informative presentations highlighting the need of the hour, which was to work for the development of neighbourhood parks. Thereafter 32 students and three teachers went with the team to a nearby park. The students were asked to study the park by carefully observing it and come up with ideas to convert it into a more eco-friendly park with rich flora and fauna. The team emphasized the need to spend more time with nature and familiarize oneself with biodiversity to be effective protectors of the environment.