Delhi school events: 25 schools take pledge for better air quality in Ghaziabad

In the first event of its kind, DLF Public School, Ghaziabad, brought together 25 schools to take pledge for clean air for the city. Forming a partnership with the Lung Care Foundation, the school’s Compassionate Ghaziabad Initiative launched the first-ever BEST (Breathe Easy Stay Tough) Club in Ghaziabad. Now this club is there in all those 25 schools. These clubs are an outcome of the Compassionate Ghaziabad Initiative in partnership with the global organisation Charter For Compassion and the Lung Care Foundation.

Through the BEST clubs, 200 student leaders and teacher mentors from those 25 proactive schools have pledged to work towards creating a tangible impact on air pollution in Ghaziabad city by influencing public attitude and engaging masses on air quality.

These schools aim to rewrite the story of the city from being one of the most polluted in the country to one where its school students engage in concrete practical actions to lead a fight against air pollution and ensure clean air for all its citizens.

Each of the schools will now work through a BEST club which will be mentored and guided by the Lung Care Foundation, and inputs from educators as mentors, doctors and local communities. Students participating in this virtual launch of best clubs received many insights about the basics of air pollution and its health impacts from Prof. (Dr.) Arvind Kumar and Rajiv Khurana, founder trustees of the Lung Care Foundation.

The findings of the research project titled Stubble Burning – Lethal Cost to Cheaper Alternative’ were hugely appreciated during the webinar. School principal Seema Jerath said, ‘Even if the Covid-19 had not struck, quite possibly we would still have to close buildings and shift to virtual classes because air pollution would not have allowed schools to open.’ She laid emphasis upon the need of bringing in more compassion into the city and the necessity for the students to move from being helpless beneficiaries of society towards becoming drivers of change.

Dr. Radhakrishnan International School, Defence Colony, organises special function

Dr. Radhakrishnan International School, Defence Colony, organised a special function to commemorate the birth anniversary of one of its founders Smt. Chandra Raman.

Swarnika Parihar, in her welcome speech, highlighted the contributions made by Mrs. Raman in the fields of social work and child welfare activities. Madhurima, a Class 5 student of that school, explained the origin of the that function.

The students from various classes sang songs and recited poems, both in Hindi and English, dedicated to mothers. The students’ mothers also participated in that event actively by singing and dancing along with their wards. Mamduha Siddiqui, mother of Midah Siddiqui of Class 10, explained the mother-daughter relationship which they share. All the students and staff participated in the special assembly held for the same. Alisha of Class 11 proposed a vote of thanks in the end.

Students of SPSEC, Kanpur, shine in English debate contest, bag winner’s team trophy

The debators of Sir Padampat Singhania Education Centre (SPSEC), Kanpur, brought glory to their institution by winning the overall winner’s team trophy in KSS Inter-school English Debate Competition hosted by city’s Delhi Public School, Azad Nagar, on a virtual platform for the first time. Besides the overall winner’s team trophy, SPSEC also bagged the Best Speaker (for motion) award.

In addition, speaking against the motion on the topic, Online Education Pushes the Learners to Islands of Isolation and Self-Absorption, Yash Tolani secured the first position while Suhani Kapoor bagged the second position. They impressed the panelists with their persuasive debating skills, defeating 42 participants from leading and reputed schools of the city. They proved their mettle by articulating their beliefs in an eloquent manner.

Chairperson Manorama Govind Hari Singhania, vice-chairman Abhishek Singhania and vice-chairperson Varsha Singhania congratulated the debaters and their mentors Vibha Dwivedi and Anila Chandak on their victory. Principal Bhawna Gupta extended her heartiest congratulations to the team for achieving the spectacular feat.