Enriching experience

The 20 students who visited the Space Applications Centre of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad this week had an enriching experience. The visit aimed at inspiring these scientific geniuses of the state, selected through Young Astronomer Talent Search programme organised by Tata Steel in collaboration with Pathani Samant Planetarium, Bhubaneswar. The tour of the 40-member team, 20 students - 15 boys and 5 girls - each accompanied by his or her guide teacher, to Isro Space Applications Centre gave a rare opportunity to the students to learn about various aspects of operations of Isro. 

The students visited various laboratories and centres on the campus and observed making of real satellites that would be launched in the near future. The scientists in charge of these laboratories explained the finer details of the research work they were engaged in. 

The chief secretary of Odisha had flagged off the tour on May 8. These top 20 students, from Class VIII to X, were selected through a tough contest from among around 800 participants competing in eight zones across the state.

Painting competition 

A daylong painting competition was conducted by Swabhiman, a non-government organisation, at Red Cross Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on May 13. The camp was organised as a pre-festival activity of the annual Anjali Children's Festival aimed at engaging the children in creative work during their holidays. The competition was judged by sculptor Adwaita Gadnayak and former secretary of Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi Rabii Narayan Rath. The competition was organised in four groups and saw participation of around 100 students from various schools across Bhubaneswar.

Day of service

Students of SAI International School observed International Day of Service by rendering their services to 30 students from Asha Ashwasan, the slum school of Buxi Bazaar in Cuttack and gifted them a day of fun learning on the school campus. The day began with a special assembly held at the school's Indraprastha Auditorium where the students from Asha Ashwasan were given a platform to showcase their talents through a dance performance. The students also got involved in the ongoing Summer Fiesta where they indulged in fun and creative activities with the children of their age group. They did asanas, swimming, horseriding and aerobics during the day and had a great time. Technical workshops on robotics, mathematics and science had also been planned for the students.

Piggy bank programme 

The Odisha Primary Education Authority and the district education department in Boudh jointly launched “piggy bank school programme” in the primary and upper primary schools in Boudh. The major thrust of the program is to introduce children to the concept of saving and then provide them with the platform to practice and inculcate the habit of saving. 

Clat results announced 

Arindum Nayak of Mothers Public School, Bhubaneswar, emerged the state topper in the Common Law Admission Test (Clat) with an all-India Rank of 132. Clat is an all India entrance examination conducted on rotation by 16 National Law Universities for admissions to their undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes (LLB and LLM).

Training teachers

Most schools in Bhubaneswar made use of the vacations to impart the much-needed training for teachers. DPS Kalinga conducted a two-day workshop where topics such as motivation, gap perception, classroom management and effective communication were discussed. 

DAV Public School, Pokhariput, organised training for secondary Odia teachers of different DAV public schools under the regional directorate, DAV institutions. 

SAI International School also conducted a training program for its teachers on various verticals of classroom teaching, innovative teaching-learning practices, effective communication skills, leadership and classroom transactions.