Students of SAI International School take part in adventure sports during the winter camp and (below) students in a jubilant mood during the Indian International Model United Nations (IIMUN) at DAV School, Chandrashekharpur. Telegraph pictures

Winter camp

SAI International School is organising another edition of the overnight winter camp this year on the campus in association with The New Horizon Adventures, New Delhi. The camp started on January 6 and will conclude on 11.

The objective of the overnight camp, for classes I to VIII, is to promote adventure tourism and give an exposure of adventure and camping to the students adding a new co-curricular activity to the school calendar.

Over 350 students are expected to participate in the camp that is a platform for learning effective communication skills, the poise required for public speaking, essential qualities such as team work, tolerance and self belief. The highlights of the six-day bonanza are high-rope activities such as Tyrolean traverse, rappelling, flying fox, slack line, jumaring, free fall, feel d’ gravity -zorbing (rolling) ball, power zone-trust fall, tug-o-war, brain drain -team building simulations, sweat n’ blood (obstacle course), rope climbing, Tarzan swing, monkey crawl, double rope bridge, commando crawl, Burma bridge, commando, net twine, hopscotch, tyre cross and more. “Camps like these create an open learning podium for students imparting skills such as leadership, independence, teamwork, togetherness, co-operation, creativity, self-confidence and others. It also helps to give a fair idea of adventure camping to the parents who feel apprehensive to send their kids out of their homes,” said chairman of the school Bijoy K. Sahoo.

Best poster presentation

Hitesh Rout of Class VIII from Vidwan Concept School, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar, was adjudged the state topper under the best poster presentation category at the National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC), Bangalore. The congress was held at Shree Gagat Guru Guru Bal Gangadhar Nath Institute of Technology, from December 27 to 31. “I thank my principal Arun Kumar Pati, my guide, teachers, my parents and all my well-wishers for their support and belief in me,” Rout said.

Hitesh Rout of Vidwan Concept School, Chandrasekharpur, being given a rousing welcome after his return from the science congress and (below) founder of KISS, Achyuta Samanta, speaks during the guardians’ meet. Telegraph pictures

Model UN

The DAV Public School, Chandrasekharpur, organised the Indian International Model United Nations (IIMUN) last week. Around 150 students from Odisha and other neighbouring states took part in the programme. Core issues such as disarmament, world peace, eradication of poverty, improvement of bilateral relations, combating deadly diseases were discussed in the conference spanning six technical sessions. “Apart from their regular studies, students must involve themselves in constructive social issues. They must try inculcating the true ideals of great leaders such as Gandhiji and Netaji,” said minister for panchayati raj and law Arun Kumar Sahoo while inaugurating the three-day programme. Principal of the host school and regional director, DAV institutions, K.C. Satapathy emphasised upon the establishment of a knowledge society. A documentary was shown on the aims and objectives of IIMUN. A dance troupe of Raghurajpur presented the classical Gotipua dance to enthrall the audience.

Guardians’ meet

Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) organised a mega guardians’ meet on December 30, 2014. More than 50,000 people, including parents and guardians of tribal students of the institute, attended the meet. Assembly of such a large number of tribals representing 62 tribes and 13 primitive tribal communities from all corners of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bengal and Assam, remains one-of-its-kind in the state .The parents and guardians got a firsthand experience at the institute, where their wards are studying, during the daylong programme. Like every year, KISS authorities made elaborate arrangements, including food, shelter and transport, to host the parents in this mega assembly.