Class IV Notre Dame Academy students concentrate on their collages as former principal of College of Arts and Crafts, Patna, Shyam Sharma looks on. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, Feb. 1: Creativity and imagination found a new meaning at Notre Dame Academy today, as Class IV students of the school took to scissors and glue to give paper collages a fresh dimension.

Organised by Parents’ and Teachers’ Association (PTA) of the school, the theme of the event was “I love trees”. Around 180 students of Class IV came up with picturesque collages during the two-hour event.

To help the students, Shyam Sharma, the former principal of College of Arts and Crafts, Patna, lent his expert hands.

Sharma first demonstrated how to make a collage by making two. The students then poured their imagination on paper and came up with some unique collages based on the theme.

Sharma gave a small speech on a few great painters like Picasso. The students were all ears for Sharma when he was briefing them on the life of the painters.

The students were also prompt in picking up the art of making collages and within hours came up with collages with a message for all.

Divya Jyoti, a 10-year-old, made a lonely tree in a field. Jyoti’s tree was filled with colours, totally in contrast with original trees, which are mostly green.

“The event was very exciting. I am enjoying every bit of it. Cutting papers and pasting them on paper with glue to give an idea a proper shape is a great experience and fun,” said Jyoti.

Suhani Jaiswal, a student of Class IV-B, had an emotional message in her collage. Jaiswal showed a tree and a woodcutter cutting it. She also showed a face with tears. Underneath the collage she wrote: “Trees also have feelings”.

“I tried to show through my collage that even trees have feelings,” said Jaiswal.

The event organisers said they regularly plan such programmes to bring out the creative talent of the students through activities, which demand good use of imagination.

“The association organised the collage-making event to bring out an artist in a student and the best way of doing it is to give a child a practical experience. Earlier, too, we had organised competitions like cooking without fire. The students were asked to prepare snacks without using fire. Many came up with bhelpuri and other such stuff,” said Leena Lal, a PTA member.

Lal added that this year,the PTA has decided to focus on various activities instead of organising competitions.

“We will not organise competitions because students get disheartened when they do not win in the contest. We will organise activity sessions but will not categorise them as competitions. An expert would be called to give demonstration to the students in the art they have excelled,” added Lal.