Summer joys
The best part of Aniruddh Viswakarma's summer break was a camp that helped him socialise and fanned his interest in non-fire cooking.
"I loved the games, crafts and group activities here. I also made new friends," gushed the Class IV student of B.D. Memorial Jr. School,
Bansdroni.
Art, music and sustainable development — students of the three branches (Bijoygarh, Garia and Bansdroni) of B.D. Memorial Jr. School learnt all that and more in a summer camp that took place from May 13 to 20.
The school grounds were decked up with art and crafts done by kids. All the activities of the summer camp were designed to teach children the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Children were divided into two groups for the activities — Nursery to Class II and Classes III to V. Some sessions saw both groups coming together. The camp began with the children singing and dancing to folk and pop English music and enjoying poetry with movement. It promoted emotional and physical well-being in tune with SDG 3.
The second and third days saw them engrossed in STEM and STEAM learning. Children conducted experiments such as Sink or Float and Walking Water, thus developing critical thinking and curiosity aligned with SDGs 4 and 9.
Art and craft sessions opened their minds to traditional textile arts such as bandhani and batik.
Waste-to-art projects had students making meaningful articles from waste, reinforcing the message of responsible consumption and cutting down waste, under SDG 12.
Day IV had students of Garia branch trying out tie-and-dye, origami, fabric painting and other art forms.
Students of the Bansdroni branch explored science and innovation and worked collaboratively to showcase fun experiments.
Bijoygarh took part in water play and magic tricks to promote wellness with fun.
The final two days were a celebration of multiple SDGs.
While Bansdroni hosted a pool party and magic show, Garia showcased children's theatrical talents that echoed the values of peace, education and justice.
The Bijoygarh branch focused on environmental awareness. The little eco-warriors made seed paper and learnt the basics of composting. On the final day, children of all branches took part in zero-flame cooking.
"This summer camp was a journey towards building a better world. By exploring the sustainable development goals, we empowered students to become compassionate and informed," said director and principal Suman Sood.
Happy times
Parents and students entered the spacious rooms of Class IX to learn French or German and immerse themselves in the two nations’ art, culture and films. As they learnt, they also bonded and created new memories.
This was just one learning experience for the 200 students of Classes III to XII as they took part in a five-day summer camp at H.M. Education Centre from May 20 to 24. The school’s playground, assembly halls, libraries and classes lit up with bright smiles and enthusiastic chatter as children signed up for a bevvy of events.
Named Sunshine Adventure 2025, Bright Minds, Big Adventures, the event had activities to cater to all tastes.
The Primary section also had a separate camp at the Angels’ Eden grounds in Uttarpara. From dance workshops (western and eastern) to balloon shooting and water balloon fights, the camp had it all.
A favourite was clay sculpting. Students from Classes III to VI created models of flowers, fruits and dolls after training.
The seniors went on to create idols right from the basic, including an idol of Goddess Saraswati that will be kept in the school.
Children relaxed by watching the movie, Zootopia, in the mini-theatre. Many photography enthusiasts captured nature scenes with their lenses.
Students enjoyed the meal times as well as the music sessions. They were taught how to manage stress, among others, at a life skills workshop. There were public speaking sessions too to boost confidence, diction and articulation in children.
The best was saved for the last day. Participants had fun soaring through the air during a session on ziplining. Besides a jukebox, rain dance, net climbing and balloon shooting kept everybody busy.
“The summer camp helped students relax. The parent-child language immersive programme was a huge success. It showcased how learning knows no age and encouraged bonding,” said principal Sonita Roy.
Smiles and memories
Sreemayee Das of Class XII remembered all the fun she had in her classrooms as she entered the school auditorium. Memories of the shared jokes with friends during recess came back to her. Nostalgia was the order of the day as Bidya Bharati Girls’ High School bade adieu to the outgoing batches of Classes X and XII with music, dance and good wishes.
The Class X farewell was hosted by its current batch on April 27.
The event opened with the song Woh din followed by an audio play and group dance performances to popular songs such as Udi udi jai, Monta re, Naino wale ne, Ranjhana and Dhol baje. Students presented a mashup of songs such as Daga baaz, Beche thakar gaan, O rang rez and Love you zindagi, as the auditorium reverberated with cheers. A performance on Ghar More Pardesiya was most appreciated.
Finally, the current batch of Class X invited their seniors to join in a garba dance performance. The farewell for Class XII was conducted by its current batch on April 29.
Besides music, heartfelt speeches made both days memorable.
“All the sweet memories will give our children the strength to move ahead in life. Besides missing them, we will wait to see them succeed in their life. We pray our children remain optimistic and accept the challenges of the future with open-mindedness,” said headmistress Sharmistha Banerjee.
Over to the leaders
Twenty-three students got their badges, took an oath and geared up to lead by example.
Many dreams took off as Calcutta Public School, Kalikapur, organised an investiture ceremony for the student leaders of 2025–26 on May 12. For the new head boy Anish Sikdar of Class XII, it was an unforgettable moment as he delivered a speech after getting his badge. "Becoming the head boy is a privilege that comes with many responsibilities," he said.
Head girl and classmate Anushka Das and games captain Ishant Kumar Singh of Class XI also savoured the precious moment. The event also inducted the elected members of the student council and house leaders.
It began with a march-past by four houses — Rose (red), Orchid (yellow), Tulip (blue) and Daffodil (green).
Principal Proma Das conferred badges upon the council members — school captain, vice-captain, sports captain, house captains, vice-captains, junior captains and prefects. The house captains included Prosendu Chaudhury (Class XII, Daffodil), Ananya Arora (Class XI, Orchid), Yash Raj (Class XII, Rose) and Debmalya Sarkar (Class XII, Tulip).
The council members were selected by the teachers based on their leadership qualities, discipline and participation in school activities.
An oath-taking ceremony followed, each student leader pledging to uphold the school’s values of integrity, perseverance and dedication.
An inter-house competition was next on the cards where students of Classes VI to XII staged presentations on their house ethos and motto. Each house was allotted five minutes. Each house sported three to five speakers who spoke about their achievements and leaders. Rose House won the competition.
"The investiture ceremony marks a proud moment as we entrust leadership to our young torchbearers. A badge is not just an honour — it is a responsibility. I urge our student leaders to lead with humility, integrity and purpose," said the principal.
Ode to talent
Students got awards at the annual prize distribution ceremony organised by Agrasain Balika Siksha Sadan on April 4 and 5.
The chief guest was industrialist and social worker Hari Ram Garg. Also present were social workers Shyam Sundar Agarwal, Dayanand Rahulwasia and Purushottam Parasrampuria, chairman of the school Satyanarayan Agarwal (Deoralia), and others.
The main event began with a series of cultural performances. Students of different classes showcased their talents in dance, music and gymnastic performances.
The dignitaries gave away the prizes, encouraging the students to strive even harder.
Students from Classes IX and XI were also felicitated for winning the preliminary rounds of the All India Inter-School Robotics Championship organised by the CISCE. The day also served as a reunion for the alumni members. Former students joined the celebration and were also felicitated with a wall clock and a copy of the school magazine, Agravani.
The past and the present Agrasanians shared memories and also performed together.
Principal Saroj Kumar Srivastava addressed the students and parents, highlighting the Govind Ram Basudeo Tikmany Student Assistantship Scheme. "The institution is committed to ensuring that no student’s education is interrupted due to the sudden loss of a parent. Under this scheme, any student who loses her father or mother will receive a 100 per cent waiver of all educational charges until she completes Class XII," he said.
He added that the initiative reflected the school’s commitment to supporting students during challenging times.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by vice-principal Kakoli Nag.
Catalyst of change
Anjulika Murmu feels her free school is her safe space. "I enjoy studying and playing with friends there," said the student of Grace Julian Memorial Free School. She is not the only one to dream big, since Julien Day School, Kalyani, launched the Grace Julien Memorial Free School in April 2021, under former principal Derrick Peters.
A tribute to founder Grace Julien and supported by managing trustee S.E. Broughton and chairman J.G. Broughton, the school has educated several batches of underprivileged children. The free school teaches English and other skills to around 30 students, with classes held daily from 2pm to 3.30pm.
"In this school, we provide education at one's doorstep. We strive to empower underprivileged children through dedicated teaching," said Garfield D’Souza.