FRIENDLY COMBAT

Ranchi, Sept. 27: With the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in the news for all the wrong reasons, including a snake, Shera is roaring a comeback at least in the CBSE schools.

CBSE has launched a unique scheme to generate hype and awareness about the Commonwealth Games among schoolchildren. And Ranchi’s CBSE schools have also hopped on to the Shera Mera Dost bandwagon, which enables students to participate in a slew of Games-related contests.

While schools will judge the entries in the first phase, the best ones will enter a Shera Mera Dost drop box instituted at each school and reach the CBSE board office in New Delhi. There, the best entries will make it to a lavishly reproduced newsletter to be specially brought out for the Games. And yes, they will also get a prize money of Rs 5,000.

Contests include writing a message to one’s favourite athlete, designing posters, coining slogans and jingles and decorating one’s home for the Games, among others.

Small wonder, since last week, city schools are making hectic preparations for the event. DAV Kapil Dev, Kadru, Surendranath Centenary and Delhi Public School are already in the process of organising programmes starting from the first week of October, coinciding with the start of the Games from October 3.

Students have also been encouraged to put up posters on school buses and premises. They will also be told about participating countries and events at the Games. “This is a chance to unleash creativity of young minds. Hosting the Games is a proud moment for the nation and we are glad to be part of it,” said Delhi Public School principal J. Mohanty.

Echoing Mohanty, DAV Kapil Dev principal M.K. Sinha said: “The board will judge the students’ performance, to be included in the activity report, mainly Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation programme implemented by CBSE schools.”