Students of Kerala Public School in Jamshedpur launch a car wash service on their Kadma campus on Wednesday and collect Rs 11,000 for flood relief on Day One. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Swap bucket and sponge for chalk and blackboard, and students of Kerala Public School (KPS), Kadma, on Wednesday got two fantastic lessons in dignity of labour and the art of giving.

Thirty students, mostly boys, washed cars to earn money for the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to help Jammu and Kashmir flood victims.

Collecting a handsome Rs 11,000 on Day One, their success has inspired an extension to the initiative for two more days.

In the morning, the campus sported a festive look. Their group christened NAKY (New Age KPS Youth), from the Hindi word neki or goodness, students sported specially designed T-shirts with 3C (Compassion, Cognize and Cohesive) inscribed on them, and carried buckets, sponges and wipers.

Rajnish Kumar, Tata Steel senior manager (Societies), as the chief guest, was all praise for the cause. Rotarians and school management committee members cheered the students.

Harmeet Pal, KPS Kadma vice-principal, added a nugget that made the event more heart-warming.

“This whole group of students had actually been caught for disruptive behaviour and were sent to our director, Sharat Chandran, who counselled them saying that if they had to make their presence felt why not through something positive. Students then came up with this idea and we happily agreed,” Pal said.

After a short inaugural programme, students rolled up their sleeves and started washing vehicles and cars of teachers and school staff, charging Rs 100 per wash.

Then, students went to other schools to wash cars there for a cause. Last week, KPS, Kadma, had approached other cradles for their support in the car wash, including Loyola School, Sacred Heart Convent School, Kerala Samajam Model School, Church School, Beldih, and Rajendra Vidyalaya who welcomed the initiative.

KPS students washed cars till 5pm.

“The money will help flood victims. We wanted our students to get involved in work that would help others. Their enthusiasm for the project was contagious. We encouraged them by helping them buy buckets, sponges and wipers. In the middle-class Indian context, this event will also go a long way in making these children understand the dignity of labour,” said school principal Sharmila Mukherjee.

“By washing cars, we are earning something to help flood victims in Jammu and Kashmir. We thank our school for backing us. I think we can continue these activities for good causes in future as well,” said Prayas Pandey of Class X.

How can affluent, English-medium students learn the value

of dignity of labour? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com