St. Joan’s School came alive at GD Park as its students took part in their annual sports meet over two days.
The opening ceremony of the first day took place in the presence of Rev. Father Sunil Rosario from the Daughters of Saint Anne congregation, that has long been a guiding force for the institute.
A total of 300 students took part, beginning with a drill by classes I and II. “We practised enough, so I was not tense. It was fun to stand in the front as I could spot my parents taking my pictures,” said Avani Sharma, who performed drill on the song Jigra hai.
Students of classes IV and V demonstrated yoga postures, including cobra, bow and tree poses. And then they took part in races like “let’s go party”, “pancake race”, “friendship race” and “Cinderella race”.
For the Cinderella race, girls in colourful dresses and tiaras waited in the centre, while their partners, playing the role of the prince, had to bring their slippers and fit them on the girls’ feet before both would make a dash for the finish line. Friends Debadrita Banerjee and Sreeyansh Somi ran as fast as they could and secured a podium finish. “It was a fun race. We took a while to wear the slippers, but we are happy with the second place that we got,” said Sreeyansh of Class I.
The second day was reserved for the senior school along with the kindergarten students, who performed the opening dance to the song Poush toder dak diyechhe.
Some high school students and members of the students’ council performed a marchpast while Lt. Col. Lalit Vijay received the salute. “The discipline and co-ordination displayed here are commendable,” he remarked. “Such events play an important role in shaping leadership and teamwork among students.”
The KG kids filled the park with colour and cheer, taking part in creatively themed races such as Tom and Jerry and The Hungry Caterpillar race. Their peacock drill was another crowd favourite.
Two-year-old Protiki Mondal won third place in the Peppa & George race, but more than the result, she was excited to pose for the camera with a pout as she received her prize. “I love posing for pictures,’ smiled the LKG student.
The Chinese dragon formation drill was a visual delight. It was especially appreciated by officials from the consulate of the People’s Republic of China present in the audience, who commended the students for their precision and the school for its vision.
“Sports play a critical role in a child’s overall development. Regular activity helps build stamina and focus while also fostering co-operation, leadership, healthy competition and emotional well-being,” said vice-principal Lucia Gupta. “In an age of increasing screen time, structured sports and physical education are vital in inculcating healthy habits from an early age.”
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