Students watch Sanatan Dinda in action. ( Anindya Shankar Ray)

A table full of beetles, turtles, spiders, Santa Claus and masks made of coconut shells were displayed at South Point School on December 14. The objects were so beautiful that it was difficult to tell that they are the handiwork of Transition students.

In another room, students of Class I told a tale of their city through models of MP Birla Planetarium, a roll shop and a sweet shop. All this was part of a Biennial Art Exhibition, organised at South Point School from December 14 to 17.

The participants included the hosts’ adopted school, Calcutta Municipal Corporation School-Hazra, and a night school, Spandan.

The event was inaugurated by city Sanatan Dinda, the first Indian to have his work (a portrait of St Teresa) displayed at the Buckingham Palace. Dinda also painted live for the students and gifted his work to the school.

Classes V and VI students of Delhi Public School-New Town perform at their annual day in the school auditorium recently

“We wanted to invite a young icon for the event and Dinda fitted the bill perfectly,” said Madhu Kohli, the director of the school.

Nearly 5,000 objects were on display at the exhibition — a combined effort of the junior and senior school. The seniors displayed projects and models on various subjects. The economics students held a presentation on the current inflation problem. They also displayed a thermocol model, Inflation Monster, that showed a beast holding currency notes between its teeth. The psychology team hooked the visitors with their project on optical illusion.

Students of political science highlighted some recent issues. “We have shown how democratic states like the US and UK and autocratic states like Libya and Egypt had to face public protest,” said Class XI student Abantika Kahali. The mathematics wizards explained some puzzles. There was a graphology section too that saw a steady stream of curious visitors eager to get their writings analysed.

Most kids were looking forward to an interaction with Dinda. “He asked us about a painting that we did on terracotta plates,” said a Class V student, Swastika Biswas.

“These kids are talented but their parents also need to encourage them,” said the artist. He requested parents to display their child’s paintings. “When a child sees his painting displayed, he gets a kick out of it,” he added.

Colourful spectrum

MC Kejriwal Vidyapeeth organised their annual carnival — Spectrum 2011 — on December 16 and 17. The proceeds of the event will go to fund open-heart surgeries of those who can’t afford it. Popular band, Bandage, led by anchor Mir, performed on the occasion. The students also presented a cultural programme. The campus turned into a fair ground on the two days, with various food and games stalls keeping the visitors busy.

Athletic meet

St Sebastian School organised its annual athletics meet at its Seal Lane ground on December 17. Students dressed in tricolour costumes presented a welcome dance to the beats of ‘Vande Mataram’. This was followed by a march past by the four houses: St Mathew’s (Red), St Mark’s (Yellow), St Luke’s (Blue) and St John’s (Green). Kids from nursery to Class II participated in various types of races, including mental ones, where they had to do a simple sum and then run towards the finishing line. In the alphabet race, kids had to pick up partners according to matching letters. For the older students, there was a flat race, relay, hurdles and tug-of-war. There was a separate race for parents, too. The students also presented a karate drill, in which they performed stunts like breaking burning tiles with their head. St Luke’s (Blue House) became the champions with 340 points.

Shweta Kesri

vers(E)tile

A child’s cry

Mumma Mumma I want to go to school

Mumma said shut up, you little fool

Now go to work with your lunch and tool

So I start my lonely walk,

With no one to talk to,

I can hear the song of the skylark,

As I gaze at the children’s park

My heart is broken, because my father is dead,

Some say he inhaled poisonous lead,

He fell sick and died in bed

This job of mine I hate,

Mamma says, this is our fate,

I am sure I’ll die too, if I work at this rate

I want to play and learn

And later earn

But alas, my heart can only yearn.

Katherine Pitta

Assembly of God Church School