Notre Dame students at the launch in Patna on Friday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Like alchemists, a few students of Notre Dame Academy have planned to transform waste material into funds for the education of underprivileged children.

Alchemists, predecessors of modern-day chemists, believed in the school of European philosophy that aimed to create the Philosopher’s Stone, to change base metals into gold.

Class XII (Arts) students, Anushna Jha, Srishti Apurva and Prachi Lohia, plan to collect waste stationery and e-garbage from people during Diwali and sell them. The money would be utilised for the education of underprivileged children. It would be a part of the social activities they are required to do as part of Young Indians Student Net, which was launched at their school on Friday. Anushna said: “Before we pass out and step into the world this will provide us with a platform to prepare ourselves. We would learn to organise and manage events.”

A part of Confederation of Indian Industry, Young Indians Student Net aims to develop leadership skills.

On Friday, the Patna chapter of Young Indians Student Net signed a memorandum of understanding with Notre Dame Academy.