Joy all around
Carnivals, dances and toon parades were the highlights of the Children’s Day celebrations, Sensation 2025, held at the VIP Road, Rajarhat and NES Juniors Deshbandhu Nagar branches of National English School.
At the VIP Road branch, the Pre-primary students presented a welcome dance. Rector Samir Saha and founder principal Mousumi Saha wished the children and inspired them to dream big.
The highlight of the celebration was an inter-house dance competition between the children of Primary and Day sections. Every performance was based on a social theme such as war and peace, women empowerment, education of the girl child and anti-addiction.
There were also food and game stalls, a selfie studio, a tattoo corner and other activity stations for children to enjoy with friends.
The Rajarhat grounds got transformed into a carnival. The festivities began with a toon parade by the youngest students. Again, food, games and activity stalls added to the excitement quotient. The highlight was a live band performance by senior students. The school also awarded its achievers.
Students at NES Juniors, Desh Bandhu Nagar, took part in a Go As You Like event, showcasing creativity in their costumes. The teachers also performed a skit.
“Sensation 2025 celebrated the wonder of childhood — its joy, creativity and fearless imagination. The theme-based performances were a powerful reflection of their awareness and creativity, addressing important social issues — a true reminder of the strength and promise of young minds,” said the founder principal.
Clean drive
For Class VIII studentDeveshee Chaudhary, the sight of plastic strewn across Calcutta's historic ghats was unsettling. “It was heartbreaking to see litter lying all around,” she said.
What began as an outing soon became a ghat cleaning drive for students of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy (LSA). Fifteen students from Classes VIII and IX took part in a ghat-cleaning drive as part of the river festival organised by KultX, River Rangers and the Living Waters Museum. Accompanied by three teachers, the students cleaned up Gopal Ghat, Kumartoli Ghat and Natherbagan Ghat.
The programme opened with a heritage walk that introduced students to the historical importance of the ghats and their role in the city’s cultural life. They learnt how these riverfront spaces are now struggling under the burden of unchecked waste and pollution.
Armed with sacks, the students collected and segregated wet and dry plastic waste. Bottles, wrappers and other non-biodegradable materials were gathered from the riverbanks, filling several sacks that were later handed over to the organising team for recycling. The activity was conducted under the guidance of teachers-in-charge Poulami Saha Datta, Sweata Gomes and Abhishek Dasgupta.
"The ghat cleaning activity inspired students to connect deeply with the riverfront — not just as a physical space, but as a living symbol of the city’s heritage. As they walked along the ghats, listening to tales of the colonial past, history came alive," said principal Jaya Misra.
Added director Meena Kak: "This hands-on experience embodies the school's values of responsibility, environmental respect andactive citizenship."
Power women
A warrior queen and a fairytale princess featured at the annual concert of Jewish Girls’ School. What tied them together was their resilience.
The school held the middle and senior-school annual show, Harmony, at its open-air theatre. The evening began with lamp-lighting, followed by an address by principal Monica Vincent. The school choir performed Shalom Aleichem (Peace be upon you), followed by the hymn, Arise.
A dance presentation based on the Panchamahabhoota — the five elements of nature —followed. Through coordinated movements, students portrayed the five elements of nature — earth, water, fire, air and space — highlighting their balance and importance. This was followed by the rendition of another hymn, Amazing Grace.
Finally, Cinderella walked onto the stage in a play adapted from the ever-popular fairytale. With period costumes, props and expressive acting, students brought the story and the happily ever-after ending to life. The performance blended humour with storytelling. The song, Strong, spoke of resilience and confidence.
Another highlight was the dance-drama, Durgavati, which explored themes of courage, sacrifice and determination. Based on the life of Rani Durgavati, the warrior queen, the portrayal of feminine strength drew appreciation from the audience.
A dance segment celebrated heritage through Manipuri, Bharatnatyam, Mohiniattam and Kathak performances. The concert concluded with the choir’s performance of The Final Countdown.
"Our school concert wasn’t just entertaining; it was educational and brought us all closer, fostering appreciation for different traditions. This performance showed us that we can achieve great things when we work together," said the principal.
Music of change
For Ateeya Naheed of Class V, it was a season of firsts. She got to attend her school’s annual day programme for the first time, something she had only heard her seniors talk about. She was also the co-host there, again a first.
Ideal Mission School organised its fifth annual programme, Rainbow, on December 20, giving students, teachers and audience a magical experience. The programme opened with a dance performance to Aaguner paroshmoni chnoao praane. The theme of the event was moving beyond stagnation and embracing positive change. Chief guest Sujoy Ghosh, principal of Ram Mohan Mission School, urged students to initiate change within classrooms and communities. Subrata Bhattacharya, principal of Krishnanagar Academy was the guest of honour.
Students from Pre-primary to Class XI took part in various segments of the programme. The cultural segment was divided into two sections. The Primary wing staged an adaptation of Cinderella. There was also a choir performance.
The Secondary students presented a range of performances, including songs, recitations, dances and a play. The segment featured tributes to poet Sukanta Bhattacharya and musician Bhupen Hazarika and a dance drama on Rabindranath Tagore’sTasher Desh.
Board toppers were also awarded. Rajdeep Singh, the ICSE topper of 2025, received the Sati Chakraborty Memorial Award. Abhineet Pandey was conferred the Bani-Moni Goswami Award as Best All-Rounder for 2024–2025.
“The annual function was a mix of different wonderful events. The performances filled the hearts and minds of more than 500 parents, guest and well-wishers. We appreciate the dedication, patience and hard work of students, teachers and school staff members that went behindit,” said secretary JnanProkash Poddar.
“We were happy to organise the annual programme after six years. Rainbow was presented on our school premises in grand style. There were LED screens. Everyone was very happy,” added principal Madhura Sanyal.
Chefs in action
UKG student Aaheli Bhuit stole the spotlight as she proudly displayed her Mickey Mouse–shaped sandwich, made with bread, cheese and carrots, at a non-fire cooking event organised by Birla Bharati on November 24.
The event turned classrooms into lively mini kitchens. Simple ingredients and instructions introduced the students to the basics of food preparation in a safe environment. As Aaheli carefully assembled her Mickey Mouse sandwich, she learnt about vegetables and the importance of healthy eating choices from her teacher — an activity that proved both educational and enjoyable.
Across classrooms, students prepared a variety of nutritious, no-fire dishes, including vegetable sandwiches and colourful fruit salads. Teachers assisted students, reinforcing lessons on hygiene, teamwork and neat presentation. Later, the students explained their dishes, sharing details about the ingredients used and the process followed.
Vice-principal Sumana Mukherjee said: “Using fresh ingredients, the young chefs prepared colourful fruit salads, nutritious sandwiches and other no-cook dishes, showcasing confidence and imagination. Guided by teachers, the children learnt basic food preparation skills while understanding the importance of hygiene, teamwork and presentation."
Fun and frolic
Balloons danced in the November breeze, laughter echoed through the corridors, and footsteps hurried in excitement — Children’s Day at New Vista Academy was a celebration of joy, creativity and boundless energy.
Classrooms and corridors were adorned with banners and artwork prepared by students from different classes.
The day began with a special morning assembly conducted by teachers, who presented a musical performance as a treat.
Principal Kavita Rai addressed the students, encouraging them to remain curious, empathetic, kind and diligent. She urged the children to recognise and nurture their individual talents.
Interactive games and activities were organised throughout the day, with students participating in groups. The celebration concluded with the distribution of gifts and treats to all students.
"The programme brought together students and teachers for a delightful morning that honoured the spirit, creativity and cheerful essence of childhood. A small token of love was distributed as a gift to every student. The mind-blowing performances of teachers reflected the school’s commitment to nurturing the students with affection," said the principal.
Only laughs
Laughter echoed the corridors of Sri Ram Narayan Singh Memorial High School in Rajdanga, as the students and teachers celebratedChildren’s Day with cheers, music and treats.
Teachers had curated a cultural programme in the school auditorium. Children watched their teachers enact different roles wide-eyed. First, they sang a medley of songs. High-energy dances to folk tunes and Bollywood mash-up followed.
The classrooms were converted into party zones. Tables were laden with sandwiches, cupcakes, samosas and iced doughnuts. The class teachers distributed stationery sets to the students.
"On this day, we promised to listen to our children, believe in their potential and support their journey,” said principal Puja Mehra.
On their mark
Enthusiastic faces, colourful balloons and fluttering flags lent a cheerful look to South City International School grounds on the occasion of its Annual Athletic Meet 2025–26 on January 22.
The chief guest, footballer Bhaskar Ganguly, was welcomed by the school band. Acting principal Rupika Nath gave a speech and lit the ceremonial torch carried by students who had represented the school in various sporting events. School captain Kushaan Roy administered the oath, and the chief guest declared the meet open.
The competitive part began with a march past led by the student council members. The four houses — Creator (red), Philosopher (yellow), Innovator (blue) and Achiever (green) — marched, followed by the school band and NCC contingent. The track events included 60m and 100m races for Classes VI to VIII and 400m and 200m sprints for Classes IX to XII. There were also thematic races. Class VI boys took part in a tug-of-war and the girls put up a karate display.
"Sports helps children learn discipline and teamwork, which are essential skills. Over 800 students from Classes VI to XII took part," said the acting principal.