tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239684522024-03-14T05:40:28.799+05:30 Education For ChangeMeghahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063799783554641499noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-2719144438228955142019-08-17T14:48:00.001+05:302019-08-17T14:48:53.290+05:30A scarce commodity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">As volunteers for Dream School Foundation my friend Tanvi and I were to go to Balak English School, Yeshwanthpur, an allocated centre for the Headstart Program. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the smiling faces of students who very politely guided us to the second floor where the DSF after school tuition were held. We were unaware of what to expect as we climbed the stairs of the school which brought back memories from the times we were wide-eyed 12-year-olds in a hurry to grow up. We walked into the second floor to be greeted by a class of children who were learning mathematics. Their teacher welcomed us and showed us the classroom that we would be teaching the children in.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We entered the room and began to unpack and prepare ourselves for the students, neither of us knew what to expect. Within two minutes a girl with wide eyes and a uniform cracked the door open and said, “Excuse me, Ma’am? Can we please come in?” Tanvi ushered the students into their seats and we began to introduce ourselves. The students were very warm and interacted without inhibitions as we began to converse in Kannada, we essentially wanted to introduce ourselves while also gauging the level of the students to ensure the smooth functioning of the entire module. Upon reflection after the class, what we realised was that we had possibly been reminded of something that seems to be scarce among most students today. The motivation and joy that a student should possess at the prospect of possibly learning something new.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The eagerness shown by these students who are generally from economically vulnerable backgrounds real+ly should put things in perspective for those of us who are lucky enough to have access to large private schools and universities. In daily observation, it's not rare to hear peers or ourselves complaining about the amount of work we are “burdened” with. The joy of learning something new seems to have died out in most students who have let themselves become victims of monotony. That is what this handful of children reminded me to keep alive, the passion that seems to be dwindling in most of us today, the passion to learn. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://dsfindia.org/">http://dsfindia.org/</a></div>
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Written by Joseph Kevin Abraham</div>
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Joseph Kevin Abraham Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09775654742277520096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-34731669953104970212019-07-12T14:33:00.000+05:302019-07-12T14:33:42.047+05:30Disparity of education in Bangalore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span dir="LTR" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Anyone staying in Bangalore is sure to have noticed one thing as they attempt to navigate the morning traffic - an overwhelming number of students running about to get to school. There has been a rapid increase in the number of schools that have opened in the city of Bangalore thanks to the steadily growing population that has increased by 47% in the time period between 2012 to 2017. Bangalore has almost 2632 fully functional unaided private schools but these schools charge fees that start from an average yearly fee of 12,500 INR. This is an extremely high value for a city that has almost 40.5 lakh people living in slums and earning a meagre sum as most of these families are supported by daily wage workers. </span></div>
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<span dir="LTR" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">These families generally have at least 2 to 3 children that they support and after the recent NITI Aayog initiatives and RTE Act (2010), education was made compulsory up till the lower secondary grade. The families from these economically vulnerable backgrounds send their children to government schools that are completely aided and require little to no fees. The students who go to these schools very rarely receive a decent education, even at the primary level, as these schools face a plethora of problems that act as barriers to effective learning.</span></div>
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<span dir="LTR" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> Most of these schools do not have a properly functioning set of staff as the teachers often do not show up to take the class. The effect of this is that the students that these schools produce have received an education that does not even remotely prepare them for high school. These factors and other economic constraints make the child’s parents remove them from the school and make them work to increase the income of the family. I was a privileged bystander who has always wanted to help but has never known the right way to access the means to help this situation. </span></div>
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<span dir="LTR" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">When I joined Dream School Foundation as a volunteer hoping to help in some way at least, I was introduced to the “Headstart” programme. The fact that the programme helps these government institutions by employing and implementing comprehensive measures that help curb the negative effects of all the aforementioned problems. It also helps me find solace in knowing that the organisation I am helping is playing an active role in making these dilapidated schools, environments that are much more conducive to learning. Given below is the link to the Dream School Foundation page that talks about the Headstart programme in detail.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Joseph Kevin Abraham Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09775654742277520096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-89156022003436967642014-08-17T11:55:00.001+05:302014-08-17T11:55:10.530+05:30A happy ending<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Every good story has a beginning, middle and an end, but not
necessarily in that order. The beginning of my story with Dream School
Foundation was in last January when my friend and college-mate Karun Gopinath invited
me over to sit in his classes at his Rahmat Nagar centre. I was immediately
hooked by the enthusiasm and drive of his students. Someday I want to teach them, I had told
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Last week, I asked Karun for an opportunity to take a class
for his students and he suggested that I teach students of Grade 9 ‘The
Mechanics of the English Essay’. Today, I arrived at the Rehmat Nagar DSF
office with a lesson plan and loads of eagerness. I was not disappointed. There
is something exciting about the students who go to DSF, who never run out of a
smile. I was not surprised when I was informed that there is a 40% increase
in attendance since last January. More than anything else I wanted to be part
the high energy learning environment at DSF.<o:p></o:p><br />
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My lesson today was on ‘The Structure of the English Essay’.
Like a good story, the essay also has a beginning, middle and an end. The
students learned this by studying a sample essay and observing the opening
sentence of each paragraph for transitional phrases. They learned some useful
strategies to organize an idea per paragraph. They actively learned how to
brainstorm points by drawing a mind map for each paragraph with a central idea.
They also drew their own mind maps in class and were asked to complete the
essay as homework, which they will be submitting this Friday.<br />
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I wish to note here my sincere thanks to Dream School
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<i>Lakshminarayan.V is an English teacher currently teaching the 11th and 12th Graders at Inventure Academy, Whitefield- affiliated to the Cambridge International Examinations</i>. </div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08214822393083118011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-29179564844256252192014-07-28T13:39:00.002+05:302014-07-28T16:01:02.226+05:30My tryst with DSF<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When I was five, people asked me what I want to do in life and I just said, “I want to bring about a difference”, they found me cute and let me be. But I guess that’s when it started. All my life, I was told I need to be an engineer. Just like my Appa, Just like my Akka. So automatically, when something broke in my house, my Amma just assumed that the house is full of engineers and everything will be FIXED. So when the bulbs or the wifi stopped working, things would be soon fixed. And I too, was going to get into this vicious cycle of “fixing stuff”. Because we are engineers, that’s what we do.
And so a year went by, my first year at NITK Surathkal and I still was clueless as to how to fix anything. It was a bunch of stuff studied, written down and brushed aside. And in the midst of this all, I came across the words “DREAM SCHOOL FOUNDATION” and I think at that moment, my life somehow changed.<br />
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I sent a mail in January asking if I could volunteer during my summer and I got a reply the very next day stating I can join them whenever I wished to. This reply elated me. I was excited. Because for the first time, I was doing something different. Something to stick my initial words of bringing about a change, however miniscule it is.
And enthusiastically, on my first day of vacation, I was there along with my friend Deepthi Hegde from NITK as well. I was Nervous, excited, scared all at the same time. Will the kids like me? Will the staff like me? What if I don’t do a good job? A million questions and I just sat there waiting. And almost instantaneously, all my inhibitions were gone .And honestly, I do not know how the two and a half months just passed by.<br />
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We were put in charge of being project buddies for the kids’ annual day which was scheduled to be on the 29th of June 2014. And while teaching chemistry, Physics and Biology, we engineers who primarily fix stuff, found ourselves heart broken. These kids are from the lower economic strata of the society. They come from tough backgrounds and harsh surroundings. There is a boy who supplies newspaper at five in the morning, does a mineral water supply to houses after school , helps out in repairing mobile phones and yet manages to get full marks in all his tests in school. Another girl who in spite of being from an extremely tough background, choreographs songs for various events and still tops her class. And these are just some of the heroes we came across. And yet, they come enthusiastically, filled with joie-de-vivre ready for class every day at 5 pm,with a zest to learn. And they speak of their hardships, without a hint of pain and a bright smiles on their faces. And our hearts break every time they ask us doubts, every time they ask us how our days went. Our hearts broke more when we’d spend the morning watching movies in multiplexes while they spent it doing jobs to keep their families running. And yet they lived life to the fullest. Happy, content and enthusiastic to learn.<br />
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And while our hearts ached for them, we were inspired to see their hidden talents burst out during their annual day. With a plethora of activities such as science experiments, dances and songs, they blew us away on their annual day proving that they are just as good, just as talented as any other kid out there.<br />
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This article would be incomplete without mentioning the staff at DSF. Words cannot even begin to describe how amazing they are and how they will always be engraved in our hearts.The tact and skill with which they face problems and at the same time, get along wonderfully with us, is something worth admiring. Filled with enthusiasm, extremely amicable, they continue to inspire everyone around them.
So while we found our hearts broken initially, In spite of us being engineers and meant to fix stuff, The Dream School Foundation, the staff, the beautiful kids somehow fixed OUR broken hearts.
And with heavy hearts we left to pursue our second year at NITK. And I cannot stop. DSF changed me. I need to make a difference. I need kids and their magnetic enthusiasm around me. And without them, I feel like a part of me of me is missing.<br />
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SO when people ask me why I do, what I do, I give them a very engineery answer. So I’ll give you that answer as well.
The basic language of coding is C, and there is something called a random function. It generates a number between 0 and upper bound given by you. So let’s make a deal, that I’ll give the upper bound and you give me that much cash. So when I give you the upper bound as 5, you’re okay. After all Rs.5 isn’t a big deal for you.
When I give the upper bound as 40000, you begin to think, but let’s say you still give me that much cash. But now if I keep the upper bound as 7,000,000,000 , then you laugh at my face saying who in the world will take that chance. 7 Billion is the population of the world. And that is the exact same chance, exact same probability, exact same luck that a poor kid sitting in some slum got. Is it fair? How is it fair that you had the exact same probability factor as the kid in the slum, and yet you’re sitting in front of a laptop reading this article while a kid somewhere in the world goes to bed hungry.<br />
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So I am not saying that I’m going to educate this kid and he’s going to discover the cure for cancer. All I’m saying is, that by educating him, I’m going to give him the same luck, same chance, same probability that you were bestowed with.
Dream School Foundation has changed so many lives. And I hope that someday, I can reach up to the ideals it stands for.
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08214822393083118011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-36798931332018471012014-07-22T11:10:00.000+05:302014-07-22T11:10:30.098+05:30My First Volunteering Experience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvC4Ac-ob1nUX5xR9J8IP8ct80Onw_DgeUi6EGpBWOXEMoKGNo7ECSHgQgZc9SA-HZKle9QcXuEcQl3TNbiqJIrjvQb6KS1HyBiCfsX_JUMI5pYugoyXooyCOljKKi5sn2Ye2/s1600/IMG_4081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvC4Ac-ob1nUX5xR9J8IP8ct80Onw_DgeUi6EGpBWOXEMoKGNo7ECSHgQgZc9SA-HZKle9QcXuEcQl3TNbiqJIrjvQb6KS1HyBiCfsX_JUMI5pYugoyXooyCOljKKi5sn2Ye2/s1600/IMG_4081.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a>Youth for Seva (YFS) put me in touch with the Dream School Foundation (DSF) and I would like to start off by giving my sincerest thanks to them for this. My two month of volunteering or internship with DSF has been bittersweet to be honest. It started off with me helping out with their Summer Camp at the RT Nagar Government Schools. The co-volunteers were entertaining, you could say, but it was still a daily struggle for me. The general public using the school grounds was anything but cooperative. Stones being thrown on the tin roof was a daily occurrence and of course the scorching heat and lack of ventilation did not make it any easier. Despite all of this, I was amazed to see at least 80-90 children come in every day, all cheerful and excited. I would of course be lying if I said they were all very eager and interested in the activities of the summer camp but barring a few bad apples, there was great participation from the rest of them. Teaching for the first time had its own challenges. I was anxious about teaching a whole class full of people. But the kids really made the process easy for me with their genuine interest and class participation. I taught them a few topics and learnt a few lessons myself. It was wonderful to see how quickly they absorbed new information. Admittedly, they were a little behind for the kids their age (the schools are at fault for that) but I am certain these bridging courses provided by DSF at the summer camps will go a long way in reducing this gap in learning. We also conducted games everyday for the participants which were not only fun, but also promoted team spirit and led to greater bonding between students and between students and volunteers. All in all, it was a pretty great way to kick off my two-month stint at DSF.</div>
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These schools are apparently built on disputed land and so, they do not get funding for renovation and repairs from the Government of Karnataka. This was shocking to me as it shows grave nonchalance on the government’s part towards something as important as a child’s education. However, DSF was able to secure funding and renovate these schools and give them a fresh coat of paint once the summer camps ended. They also took the initiative to make artworks in the schools related to their syllabus and also gave the schools a vibrant appeal, making it more conducive for learning. I would like to thank YFS once again for its huge volunteer bank and the platforms through which I could reach out to the volunteers and get about 10 of them to help with the artworks. I am not a very artsy person so it was quite a challenge for me. But I learnt as I went along and one of the YFS volunteers was a great help in making me more comfortable painting on walls. The final result of this project was breathtaking. The school had a very bright and colourful appeal to it once we had completed and I do take some pride in that.</div>
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After all of this was completed, I headed to the New BEL Centre of DSF to help them with a play their students were going to perform at the DSF Annual Day. I had dabbled a little into theatre here and there so it wasn't too much of a challenge. Also, they had another intern working with the actors for quite some time, so the actors were in a good position when I stepped in. Despite a few last minute problems with the costumes and the set, to hear people enjoying the play you have worked on for a month is enough to make all that trouble worth it. </div>
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The staff at DSF is amazing to work with and it will be difficult to part ways with them as they have guided and helped me so ably through the course of these two months. It hasn't all been easy but I would like to believe I have faced the challenges that came head on and come out a stronger and more adaptable self. And as to if I think this journey has changed me? Walking back home on my last day from Impressions 2014 (DSF Annual Day), I saw a little girl riding with her father on a bicycle. I know there is nothing rare or special about this and I might have seen such a thing many times before. But this one time, there was a slight difference; I smiled at the little girl.</div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-57390359808291609282014-01-07T13:46:00.000+05:302021-07-07T14:35:15.637+05:30Pramati Day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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a season of joy and giving. In keeping with this spirit, Pramati Technologies, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangalore</st1:place></st1:city> , invited the
undergraduate students of the Dream School Foundation for a tour of their
office premises and to be a part of their Christmas celebrations.</span></span></div>
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<span class="yiv3293619111yui3130ym1113886754746702711"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">As the students gathered at
the entrance of the </span><st1:placename style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">World</st1:placename><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><st1:placename style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Trade</st1:placename><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Center, the excitement was palpable. Passing through </span><st1:place style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Fort</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Knox</st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> like security, we
headed up the elevator. Nestled on the 15</span><sup style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> floor, the plush
office of Pramati was a reflection of it's core value-- innovation . We were
warmly received by Shobha, the HR manager and her associates. As they were
ushered in, little did the students expect what they were going to be privy to -- a product launch! Taking the floor, Mr.Praveen, VP products, spoke
passionately about the new product and its features. The students listened
intently, understanding the value of innovation and learning the art of
presentation. After a high energy interactive session, where the team at
Pramati posed questions and reviewed the product, it was time for some fun!
What better way to add excitement to the festivities than a game of secret
Santa! After days of playing cat and mouse, it was time to reveal the secret
Santa. As people exchanged gifts amidst laughter and cheers, the students saw
that work can also be fun. After gifts, it was time for some cake. As everyone
sunk their teeth into some delicious cake and snacks, Pramati’s small group of
carolers added zing and warmth to the atmosphere with joyful Christmas carols.</span></span></div>
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<span class="yiv3293619111yui3130ym1113886754746702717"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Spirits high, the students
headed towards a conference room, where they were addressed by Mr. Giri, VP <span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>Engineering Services. Following an icebreaker, where the students introduced
themselves, the conversation touched upon various topics, from latest
technology to their aspirations. Giving them sound advice, Mr. Giri
spoke of the importance of goal setting and encouraged them to think out-of-the-box.
The students were then taken through the various stages in </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">software development, by a team member, Bhavya. From ideation </span><span class="yiv3293619111yui3130ym1113886754746702717"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">to delivery, all the thought
and hard work that goes in made them realize that product development is no
child’s play. They were later addressed by Mr.Chetan, VP Human Resources.
Talking about valuable life lessons, he</span></span><span class="yiv3293619111apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> told </span></span><span class="yiv3293619111yui3130ym1113886754746702717"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">them to be confident and emphasized on the
importance of believing in oneself. Inspired by his words and encouraged
by his warmth, Afreen, a BCA student, stood up to share a few things about
herself, and was promptly rewarded with a packet of chocolates by Mr. Chetan!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcJdyulP5BOjwl7EiDTnaMIOJZLtDPlTtCk4HYSXPN1wPivXm7xS5sSDFfBarkvizX0q5xeEups96oiwS_XfvJ-oqWwz9SDZIitgSZlA0WDfKv8-nBnSvDuPS8UzAGydeoqx9/s1600/WP_20131223_17_44_10_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcJdyulP5BOjwl7EiDTnaMIOJZLtDPlTtCk4HYSXPN1wPivXm7xS5sSDFfBarkvizX0q5xeEups96oiwS_XfvJ-oqWwz9SDZIitgSZlA0WDfKv8-nBnSvDuPS8UzAGydeoqx9/s1600/WP_20131223_17_44_10_Pro.jpg" height="111" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4FMzATMkhNaWL9_HCYbmtqgBRIME6BBsCt451JwKyK44cJUo3gi-W3c4GBrw84EtGBtCSCnHlAwBk-43lPMbEZcoaE5jl-oK3Uz8pI3iHr8C1taolTJwsHGx8EPaXGkauRCP/s1600/WP_20131223_17_46_38_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4FMzATMkhNaWL9_HCYbmtqgBRIME6BBsCt451JwKyK44cJUo3gi-W3c4GBrw84EtGBtCSCnHlAwBk-43lPMbEZcoaE5jl-oK3Uz8pI3iHr8C1taolTJwsHGx8EPaXGkauRCP/s1600/WP_20131223_17_46_38_Pro.jpg" height="111" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="yiv3293619111yui3130ym1113886754746702723"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Moving away from the usual,
the team at Pramati decided to give the students a taste of a 'typical day in a
software company’, through a fun activity. This creative task, designed
and led by Srivatsan, who also volunteers and mentors at DSF, divided the
students into four teams – requirements, design, testing and delivery. The task
was simple-- the requirements team had to gather specifications of the product,
the design team had to design it accordingly, the testing team had to check for
bugs and finally, the delivery team had to ensure it was delivered to the client
on time. The client, Srivatsan, had a simple requirement – an aircraft. As the
team at Pramati watched with much amusement, what followed was absolute chaos!
The room was abuzz with activity, as the students ran back and forth trying to
gather information, conveying it to the other teams, drawing whatever they
could from the information received and cross checking it among
themselves. Amidst laughter, giggles and excited chatter, the students finally
had a product to deliver. After overshooting the stipulated delivery time
significantly, the sheepish students delivered, what a team member at Pramati
rightly described as, 'the skeleton of a whale’! With no wheels or body and
better still, no seat for the pilot, the final product had everyone in splits.
As everyone joined in on the laughter, it drove home a very important point--</span></span><span class="yiv3293619111apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> no idea ‘takes off’ without good communication and team
work.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbuHqMm-Z3mYgy85M4oGcT_opx8b-5aG_4-qMIpGbJYB4018L1sAVTuFcQC7LzYSis0QmWJgJ6mhLmrmQ2e4iV8pMhxjsxDhPdBhYoeyhaYr06se_iXMh9PbqJeLEr0a1NOIX/s1600/WP_20131223_18_07_25_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbuHqMm-Z3mYgy85M4oGcT_opx8b-5aG_4-qMIpGbJYB4018L1sAVTuFcQC7LzYSis0QmWJgJ6mhLmrmQ2e4iV8pMhxjsxDhPdBhYoeyhaYr06se_iXMh9PbqJeLEr0a1NOIX/s1600/WP_20131223_18_07_25_Pro.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUtLb5zxQqZGBDR3BkkkTkytbtQTlryIAQBwCaoy-lCWgZLVt3PrHkBi2uNrSBRzOYU1oP5N3H5-nU2MVYKFJsS_2iKVpUpoSAvtEHy3AA0bJVGjKlk6iXXkXVIzFqv_rnp2n/s1600/WP_20131223_18_06_00_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUtLb5zxQqZGBDR3BkkkTkytbtQTlryIAQBwCaoy-lCWgZLVt3PrHkBi2uNrSBRzOYU1oP5N3H5-nU2MVYKFJsS_2iKVpUpoSAvtEHy3AA0bJVGjKlk6iXXkXVIzFqv_rnp2n/s1600/WP_20131223_18_06_00_Pro.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="yiv3293619111yui3130ym1113886754746702728"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">As the day drew to a close,
it was time to say bye. A usually reticent Naveen, went forward to share his experience
and he too was awarded a chocolate for his effort. The team bid us farewell
with gifts, a souvenir to remind us of the wonderful day spent with them.
Although it had been a long day, the students’ excitement hadn’t ebbed.
Energized by the motivating speeches and the fun-filled task, they spoke
excitedly about the day’s events, on the way back home. ‘I have never addressed
a group my age, let alone people senior to me, but listening to Mr. Chetan
speak, I decided to give it a shot’ said an inspired Naveen. ‘I had no idea what
goes on in a software company… we learnt a lot’, shared Shwetha. ‘The task was
fun and we enjoyed every bit of it’ Vidya gushed. All in all, it was a great
day and true to their tag line, </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Pramati definitely inspired and brought many ‘ideas to life’ for
the students.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-37053349217365410492013-12-27T13:40:00.000+05:302021-07-07T14:35:15.636+05:30International Giving Week 2013 - Target Corporation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a part of the International Giving Week 2013, Target
Corporation, India, hosted several competitions that saw a number of schools and
NGOs participate. The events included Quiz, Rangoli, Painting and Spell Bee.
Being one of our partners and a company that strongly champions child’s rights,
the Dream School Foundation, was excited to be a part of this special
day. Here’s a low-down on a day that saw some spectacular results.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> QUIZ</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Right from the preliminary round, our students were in the lead.
Comprising of three rounds, our performance was unmatched from the word go.
Kevin Jesse, Manjunath, Vanitha and Musab worked together as a synchronized
team and answered almost all questions that were directed to them. In one of the
rounds, as the Quiz Master was reading out the question, like a bolt of
lightening, Kevin shouted out the answer even before the question was completed.
The awestruck audience applauded his speed and knowledge. The other teams did a
commendable job in giving our students stiff competition, but in the end, we
emerged victorious and bagged the<b> FIRST</b> place. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> SPELL BEE</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the last few years, the International Spelling Bee Competition has
seen Indian kids bag the coveted top prize. In an effort to continue the proud
trend, students of the Dream School Foundation practiced hard and spared no
effort in lapping up infinite words of the dictionary. Though the all-girls
team, didn't place in the top three, our performance was commendable and we
hope to better our skills and emerge as the Queen of a Spelling Bee
competition, soon enough. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryrMQlmC87ixoBrmCtMB8W0hpthyphenhyphennhf93G4LkKB7qbkcr8HRqfC343QULC2PqBhrPNk9ikgO5Wv5v_y-q-XvfJyAMuJdTZpyZ8Qbn_DucMO1Zoso4uAz0E9NHdWY0EGKUEPuT/s1600/2013-12-13+03.57.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryrMQlmC87ixoBrmCtMB8W0hpthyphenhyphennhf93G4LkKB7qbkcr8HRqfC343QULC2PqBhrPNk9ikgO5Wv5v_y-q-XvfJyAMuJdTZpyZ8Qbn_DucMO1Zoso4uAz0E9NHdWY0EGKUEPuT/s400/2013-12-13+03.57.35.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> RANGOLI</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Considered a dying art, Rangoli which has adorned the front doors of
many Indian households, is still a decoration that is practiced by a few.
The Ragoli competition that required some incredible creativity saw some
colourful compositions. In under thirty minutes, our team comprising of Roopa
VT, Shobha Rodha and Aishwarya Barick, came up with an impromptu design and
were adjudicated as the THIRD<b> prize winners</b>.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> PAINTING</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With textbooks that weigh a ton and homework that will keep you awake
till the wee hours of the night, one really wonders where a child is to find
time to practice art or music. Putting together a team of our very own
M.F.Hussains and Tayeb Mehtas, ten students from the Government Urdu School and
Government Tamil School, N.S. Lane, R.T.Nagar showcased their artistic acumen
with some extremely colourful and picturesque paintings. Yakesh of the
Government Tamil School was awarded the SECOND<b> place</b> which was
no small feat, considering the competition was stiff and saw a large number of
participants. We tip our hats to you, Yakesh. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At the prize distribution ceremony our students received accolades and
goodies from leaders of Target Corporation, India, and a snack box that left
their hearts and tummies content. We congratulate the winners and thank our
partner Target, for the immense support and the opportunity that you continue
to share with all of us, at the Dream School Foundation. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-17785714734862516172013-12-17T20:25:00.000+05:302021-07-07T14:35:15.636+05:30Ramanagaram - A chapter that you’d seldom learn in books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1387289514410_2878"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the midst of nature, hills that towered into the clouds, fresh air, birds and beasts that dotted the landscape- it all looked like straight out of a movie. Oh! Wait! It actually is! Hosting the likes of Bachchan and Dharmendra, for the shooting of the timeless Bollywood classic, Sholay, Ramnagaram , located about 50 kilometres outside Bangalore, was also the setting for the Dream School Foundation’s adventure outing. Leading the expedition was Sunand Sampath who in the past, has conquered many a mountain peaks around the world, all set to capture the minds and hearts of those teeming teens from our various centers.</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1387289514410_2876"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Setting aside, Algae, Akbar and Algebra, students were in store for lessons that you’d seldom find in school curriculum. The Antakshari competition on the bus ride brought out the competitive side of the two teams that belted out filmy numbers and even the national anthem in an attempt to outdo their rivaling team. As we took a short walk to our camp site, we were amazed by sights that one would never witness in the city of Bangalore. Nature sure smiled upon us as the weather and mood was just perfect for a full day of fun learning. Rumbling tummies found reprieve as piping hot upma, an Indian donut (the indigenous vada) and a healthy helping of kesaribath was gorged down, taking energy levels to the fullest.</span></span></div>
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<span id="yiv3287341292yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1387276486094_10661"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sergeant Sunand briefed the gathering on how this day was about conquering your fears, challenging yourself to achieve new goals, the importance of teamwork and how you can overcome any obstacle, no matter how big the test. Though this lesson was brief, it left an indelible mark that was to be their guiding principle in all the activities that followed. Splitting the group into two, the Rockstars and Yo! Yo! Monsters took on their first set of activities for the day. As the first group took to the Zip lining activity, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">the second contingent got ready to tackle Zummaring.</span></div>
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<span id="yiv3287341292yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1387276486094_10658"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some who might get dizzy by just looking at the height from where you were expected to zip line across would definitely think a million times before strapping up for the adrenaline pumping ride. Ensuring the highest safety standards was of priority, the first student was all set to take the leap of faith and traverse on to the other side. Off he went, and whoosh! Cheered by friends from terra firma, all fears were allayed and everybody waited for their chance with much eagerness. One by one, students whizzed passed and had ear to ear smiles and screams of excitement as the zipped across to the other side.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XKPYRdKwG3EsdMJ3YikESlcpZAmbzBZD21evDRFAJc7hlQfhyphenhyphenuqv4HJu02QT494jA2VkX09KeRnYOM1glaLXX5hiNjqhMwYhTDJEAPCQzANrbnWbZn-ioY2HWgSm_eA5Yy2g/s1600/IMG_8376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XKPYRdKwG3EsdMJ3YikESlcpZAmbzBZD21evDRFAJc7hlQfhyphenhyphenuqv4HJu02QT494jA2VkX09KeRnYOM1glaLXX5hiNjqhMwYhTDJEAPCQzANrbnWbZn-ioY2HWgSm_eA5Yy2g/s200/IMG_8376.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Panning across to the Zummaring arena, the Yo! Yo! Rockstars were at it like pros. Also a lesson in mountain climbing, this exercise taught one how to tackle those tricky treks the right way. Those who gave up half way were egged on by teammates to put in that extra effort and reach the top. It was this spirit that was heartening to see, as another lesson in teamwork and team spirit was successfully being put into action.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1387289514410_2906"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As groups concluded both activities it was time to replenish those energy levels with a sumptuous lunch. A quick lunch break and wetting those throats that were well parched from all that cheering, the latest set of adventure enthusiasts were all set for the toughest activity of all- Rappelling. Rappelling down a steep rock face is no child’s play, but the instructors at our camp were simply superb; encouraging words and allaying their fears, the instructors made sure all our students felt safe and protected as they took that first step off the edge. Those who had conquered their fears and completed the activity did a splendid job in reassuring their friends that there was nothing to worry about. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL65cf24eyaaya0tQ8J-I51_3w7s9992HuBIZXsiMLL5x4yeCXGAH7qmttMLR52N4uUcI9_kZOhkk5nmnpV_hP-Dh0ytRWEAeHfUxsdX9fhaz-916xJ-kSh3UEokUdlG0RzgZf/s1600/IMG_8316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL65cf24eyaaya0tQ8J-I51_3w7s9992HuBIZXsiMLL5x4yeCXGAH7qmttMLR52N4uUcI9_kZOhkk5nmnpV_hP-Dh0ytRWEAeHfUxsdX9fhaz-916xJ-kSh3UEokUdlG0RzgZf/s200/IMG_8316.JPG" width="200" /></a><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the other end of the camp, a game of Dodge Ball was on, which involved a lot of team work and strategizing to emerge victorious. Once again, those lessons that Sunand Sir had to share were being put into practice, bringing out the best in our students. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Concluding the day’s activities, the last and final activity was Tug-O-War. Split into two teams, on command, they pulled at the rope like they were hauling an elephant. The team that won was elated with joy as they hi-fived each other, content and lauding their team efforts. </span></div>
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<span id="yiv3287341292yui_3_13_0_ym1_7_1387276486094_45"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we journeyed back, the mood was sober, as all of us soaked in each and every moment of our day. The picturesque setting, the activities and all those valuable lessons that otherwise are hard to come by. For us, this day will go down as a memorable one that will remain fresh in our minds just like the air that Ramnagaram had to offer. For us, this day will remain etched and woven deep into our hearts as a day of fun and learning in the many years to come.</span></span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-57877625248624934092013-12-04T12:53:00.000+05:302013-12-05T15:53:02.938+05:30Our Day at Target<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">As students of the 8</span><sup style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">th</sup><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"> assembled at the Dream School Foundation,
R.T.Nagar Centre, the atmosphere was ripe </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">with excitement. Gathered at least 15
minutes ahead of the time mentioned and dressed in their brightest and
best,this out-of-textbook learning experience was one lesson that would stay
etched forever.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we drove past the
entry gate at Manyata Tech Park, peering out of our tempo traveler, our eyes
scanned the multitude of glass buildings in amazement that adorned this
business park. On reaching Target’s main office and entering the plush
building, the students gathered in a massive meeting room that looked straight
out of a movie-set.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The interaction began
with Mr.Paresh, Delivery Manager at Target Corporation India, addressing the
gathering and extending a warm welcome to his shy guests--but such inhibitions
of shyness and coy were very short lived. A quick round of introductions by the
students and volunteers,all dressed in their customary red and khaki was more
than sufficient to get everybody to behave like they’d known each other for
years. A brief video about Target’s work and vision showed us, with sufficient
reason, why they are leaders in their work and social responsibility. From introductions to
more important business- a sumptuous meal awaited us at office cafeteria that
was lapped up by students and staff alike. The buffet service saw us help
ourselves to generous mounds of delicious rotis, rice, curry and a whole lot of
other items.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Energized and ready to
go, the recreation room was our next destination. Target employees who were
peacefully </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">engaged in a game of table tennis or carom were politely asked to
step aside, as students of DSF gleefully entertained themselves to these indoor
games. In one corner, lay a drum set where Mr.Murali Bhatt entertained the
students with a beat or two. To the surprise of many, Manoj, took to the drums
and gave us a perfect rendition of some popular drum beat numbers. Divided into
five groups, each team was led by two volunteers from Target, who took us on a
tour of the 4</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;">th</sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">floor, which was home to
those friendly faces like Shahbaz Sir and Saravanan Sir, that came each week and
took various classes for students at the DSF, R.T.Nagar Centre. Explaining each
matter in detail, students were told about an employee’s functions, the
facilities that were essential in their operations, such as telephones,
laptops, wi-fi etc. A quick visit to Room 403 and suddenly we were privy
to a live video conference! At the other end of the call were Mr.Paresh and some of
the students from another group. Rather different from other business
conference calls, matters discussed included Antaakshari, which group was
superior and most importantly, one of our students, in a professional tone,
questioning Mr.Paresh on how his projects were shaping up-- a small role play!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Returning to the
recreation room, this time with a different agenda, groups sat together and
were engaged in a thrilling quiz. As reward for the right answer, chocolates
were distributed. A quick count showed that though only about 15 questions were
asked, there were at least 60 chocolates in possession-- a telling sign of the
giving nature of Target’s employees. The next team building game was ‘Make the
Mummy’, where groups of eight, along with their team leaders were to drape one
student in newspaper and replicate a mummy in the shortest time. At the end of
the event, some mummy’s didn’t quite turn out as they were expected to be--some
resembled a robot, others a rock star. At the end of the event there was indeed
a moral--working <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=23968452" name="_GoBack"></a>as a team is essential in achieving success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As the day’s events came
to a close, and it was time to bid adieu, students had their special messages
penned on cardboard sheets, to be framed and that will go up on the walls of
Target for posterity. As part of another generous gesture by Target, they
handed us bright red school bags to take home as a souvenir.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On our return journey,
the mood was sober. Not because students were tired or exhausted, but for them,
this meant the end of an experience of a lifetime. As I randomly asked
who would like to work in Target? The answer was evident-- they didn’t raise
just one hand, but both hands shot up, symbolizing how much an experience like
this had influenced their thoughts positively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rizwana says it was a
day she’ll never forget. “I have never experienced anything like this before,
so this is a day I will remember for the rest of my life. I cannot wait to meet
with all of them at Target and re-live this entire happy memory”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rahul who impressed
everybody with his dance moves and hand stands has a standing ovation to offer
to everybody at Target. “From Kavya Didi and every other friendly volunteer, and
each moment at Target, to me was joyful.” He also added, “next year too, we’ll
go to Target only. Why go anywhere else?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In conclusion, as we sum up this day, just like
Target’s logo, this day sure did strike the bull’s eye of each child’s
heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-- Karun Gopinath</span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-18620724509034623922013-11-05T12:23:00.003+05:302013-12-07T19:45:04.880+05:30Young Achievers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBbF1TwhsOnFxXlOzW5QzYMAzf98hyphenhypheni_58wPeY1W9fR4ALo1RcqHbetbF8kAnDQq2hCxMeNmDFVuKuCiDIGrguHZlfnZhGT7Dq4EExEn0hPmbvLL11-r4bSkYSJqn1g-dqtP4/s1600/DSCF6542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBbF1TwhsOnFxXlOzW5QzYMAzf98hyphenhypheni_58wPeY1W9fR4ALo1RcqHbetbF8kAnDQq2hCxMeNmDFVuKuCiDIGrguHZlfnZhGT7Dq4EExEn0hPmbvLL11-r4bSkYSJqn1g-dqtP4/s200/DSCF6542.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Eyes twinkling with excitement and proud smiles across their
faces, they shyly displayed their awards. Hanumantha S and Lingaraju L, our TenPlus
students, have been awarded the Kannada Madhyama Prashasthi, by the Kannada Abhivriddhi Pradhikara of the State Government, for securing
the highest marks in SSLC at the taluk level. This award is given to
exceptional students from Kannada medium schools. Lingaraju stood first, while
Hanumantha was a close second.</div>
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Their association with Dream School Foundation goes way back
to their seventh standard, when they were inducted into the DSF HeadStart
programme. Now pursuing their first year Pre-University from MES P.U College,
these ex-students of Bapu High School have known each other since school. Though
competitors, as they posed for the photos, their camaraderie was clearly
visible.'There was always a healthy competition between the two, as one tried
to outscore the other', says Mrs. Bhagya, a teacher at DSF. </div>
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Enthusiastic and lively, Hanumantha, has a strong penchant
for learning. Coming from a family where his father is a labourer and mother a
house maid, he was faced with many challenges in pursuing his schooling. His
curiosity and keen desire to study, were evident right from when he was in middle
school. ‘He would insist on being a part
of the classes conducted for the seventh standard, even though he was still studying
in the fifth. Numerous attempts to convince him that the classes were more advanced, were futile. He would stand by the door
and observe everything that was taught. After a few days, he took me by surprise,
when he started answering questions which even the seventh standard students couldn't!’, fondly recalls Mrs. Bhagya. Ask him
his goal and he quickly replies, ‘I want to become an engineer!’</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">From a similar background, Lingaraju belongs to a family of
five. His father is a labourer and mother works as a house maid. Diligent and
focused, Lingaraju, is a good example of an ideal student. ‘His dedication towards studies was evident, as
he unfailingly attended classes every day, even though he had to travel quite a
distance’, Mrs. Bhagya says. 'Quiet in the class, he absorbs everything and is
much disciplined’, she adds. On being questioned about his future goal, ‘I want
to become an engineer’, he says with a smile.</span></div>
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Self- motivated and
hardworking, these boys are an inspiration for many.</div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-11543692622801590032013-10-23T16:44:00.001+05:302013-12-05T15:53:21.747+05:30Field Trip - Rambus Chip Technologies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Raring to go, the students and staff of DSF’s
Yeshwanthpur E&D center, trooped into a bus which arrived sharp at 9:45 am,
looking forward to an exciting day ahead! DSF’s long time partner, Rambus Chip
Technologies, had organized a day long trip to their office on Bannerghatta
Road.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On reaching the campus, we were given a
warm welcome by Mr. Murali and his team. An icebreaker session followed, with
the students introducing themselves and talking about their goals and dreams.
Unlike the previous batches, the students had varied goals. From doctors to
sportsmen, engineers to IPS officers; their aspirations were diverse. The
students’ determination to follow their own path was well appreciated by the
Rambus team. When Chaithanya expressed his ambition to join the IAS and later enter
politics, Mr. Murali was impressed, as, in his words, “we need young blood to
rule the country.” Following the
icebreaker, the team played a few videos for the students, which left them
inspired and motivated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A couple of fun activities had been
arranged for the group, the first one being a test of reflex. The students were
divided into teams of two. Each team was given a scale with a meter. One in
each team was asked to hold the scale while his team-mate waited in
anticipation for the scale to drop. The swiftness, with which he caught hold of
the scale without letting it touch the ground, was measured using the meter,
reflecting his reflexes. Each student was given three chances and the first
three teams were awarded chocolates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The second activity was a test of
concentration and balance. The group was provided with a paper cup, a metal
measuring tape and a ball. Each student had to put the ball into the cup while
balancing it along the tape. The student, who managed to put the maximum number
of balls into the cup within 30 seconds, was given a prize.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The end of the activities saw broad smiles
on the faces of the students, as they gleefully clutched their chocolates. As a
token of their love and appreciation, the students presented the Rambus team
with a special handmade card, colourfully adorned with their thumb imprints.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Starting the tour, the students were
divided into groups of five, and taken to all the departments of the
organization. They were exposed to the workings of the chip designing, software
designing, lab testing, human resources and finance departments. They were also
given a tour of the UPS and recreation rooms. The fascinated group, was
explained the nature of work and functions, of each department and were
encouraged to question and understand. The employees at Rambus, more than
happily answered the plethora of questions that followed. As we toured the
office, we were pleasantly surprised and humbled, to see DSF cards, plaque and pen
stands, previously given to the Rambus team, displayed in Mr. Murali’s cabin. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An exciting and eventful morning left the students
hungry- for food and more. Lunch was a delicious spread of various dishes,
especially arranged for them, by the team. They had also arranged for more
activities and games post lunch, ensuring that the students’energy didn’t ebb.
Later, the group was also given instructions and tips, for playing table
tennis and foosball, which they keenly absorbed.The team conducting the day’s activities,
joined in on the fun and made it even more memorable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">End of the day saw the students drag their
feet to the bus, waiting to take them home. Reluctant, to see a day filled with
learning a<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=23968452" name="_GoBack"></a>nd fun, come to an end, they bid adieu to the
hospitable and friendly team at Rambus. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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--Meena Shankar<br />
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-63999315573458640112013-10-15T13:01:00.002+05:302013-10-23T17:19:43.631+05:30In The Spirit Of GeneroCity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">On a
sunny day at the St. Joseph’s Indian High School grounds, preparation was in
full swing as the city was all set to celebrate </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">GeneroCity-2013, </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">an event</span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">organized by United Way of Bengaluru.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> As the volunteers of the Dream School Foundation
marched in with banner-spanner, coaster and poster in hand, our mission ahead
was clear--- spread awareness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">A multitude of stalls set up by a number of NGOs that varied in work from
education to street children </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">rescue, dotted the entire field; all in the hope
of championing their endeavor. Right in the middle stood five wish-trees; NGOs
pinned up their little wish-cards in anticipation of making their dreams and
wants come true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Our intention
being telling the world what we do, we distributed mentor brochures, handy bookmarks
and doled out information about our various programs. A quick quiz on education
and all things related saw very few takers <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=23968452" name="_GoBack"></a>as some of
them even scampered away seeing the word ‘quiz’ on a placard. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">For the
general inquirer who sought information, bookmarks were given as a token of
thanks for showing interest in our work. As the day progressed, on the main
stage there were sprightly performances, complete with music and dance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As the
event came to a close and the prize distribution was about to commence,
volunteers and students of the Dream School Foundation prepared to spring a
surprise on all those present. A small announcement by the Emcee had the
audience turn their gaze to the centre of the venue. A flash mob! Lead by
Supriya, the spirited performance had everybody’s undivided attention. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Placards that read ‘Our Right to Education is Non-Negotiable’, ‘Every Child has
a Right to Education’ etc spoke of the importance of education and was the
underpinning of our mission at DSF. As the entire audience formed a semi-circle
and cheered the enthusiastic dancers, a number of cameras captured the
performance and the mood of the crowd. The show can be summed up as one that
was energetic and lively. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">All in
all, as we returned to our homes, we felt content for having told even if it
were just a few more people, that the Right to Education is non-negotiable!</span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-71761621874752433882013-10-11T11:15:00.000+05:302013-10-23T17:19:07.342+05:30Remembering Gandhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>'Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one, ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth'</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;">After a much-deserved holiday and having just completed their exams, students at the DSF R.T.Nagar Centre were in no-mood for ‘academic engagement’ ( very simple, textbooks were a strict no-no!) Fearing physical harm, I still took the chance of asking our students to turn to page 86… in chorus, the response was a loud NO! Little did they know that they were in for a big surprise! Veering away from the usual, a combined class of the 8<sup>th</sup> and 9<sup>th</sup> students saw an approximately 50-strong audience gather, giving us the ideal mood and timing for a talk on Gandhi. Starting off, we discussed and deliberated why Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was deserving of titles such as ‘Father of the Nation’ and the ‘Mahatma’. Expressing eagerness and interest in knowing more, this class was one that was interactive and engaging. A documentary on the Mahatma was screened which shed more light on his nobility and impeccable discipline. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;">At the end of this short-movie, a quiz was conducted which saw a clean-sweep by the girls. Poornima Holla, Programme Coordinator, presented each one of them with a small gift for answering correctly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;">All-in-all, with the close of this special class, each student seemed greatly influenced by the supreme sacrifice and qualities that captures the legacy of this simple man, which will bear impact on our minds and hearts, for generations to</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=23968452" name="_GoBack" rel="nofollow" style="color: blue; cursor: text !important; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;">come.</span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-56054169792906350602013-09-11T16:01:00.002+05:302013-11-29T19:18:28.395+05:30A Salute To Our Teachers - Vivekavardhini High School<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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flowers, streamers and a colourful banner with loads of heartfelt messages; the
teachers of Vivekavardhini High School
couldn’t have asked for more. The excitement of Teacher’s Day was palpable.
This is one day of the year that children get to express their adulation and gratitude for their teachers, and
as expected, the students spared no effort in making their teachers feel
special and appreciated. The teachers were honoured with flowers and beautiful
idols of Lord Ganesh, as a token of their love. They had an elaborate program
planned, which included songs dance and speeches. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Mimicry of the teachers by
one of the students had everyone in splits. The act not just showcased the girl’s talent but it also made one
realize how impressionable and observant children are of their teachers. Children learn best by observation and
teachers carry the huge responsibility of setting a good example. The teachers
at VVHS are well aware of this fact, as Mrs. Selvi, a teacher there, very
eloquently said, “ It is the responsibility of a teacher to not just provide
academic knowledge but to instill good habits in children and mold them so that
they grow up to be good human beings.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Mrs. Latha, the Head Mistress aspired to
be a teacher from her childhood days, and being here is now a dream come true.
Though she is very happy to be in this profession, she does not reflect the same sentiment towards the provisions of
the RTE Act. “Promoting students irrespective of whether they are deserving or
not, has made children lax and less motivated, posing a huge challenge for
teachers.” Parents and students alike seem to have lost any value for
education. While people are complaining of lack of good teachers, it is time we
think in terms of providing committed teachers like these with systems and
provision which will complement their efforts. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=23968452" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">--Meena Shankar</span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-54882302719405845332013-09-11T15:38:00.000+05:302013-10-23T17:18:26.927+05:30A Thoughtful Thank You- Government School, Rajajinagar 2nd Block <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">At the 2</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"> block Government School, Rajajinagar, dances, speeches and mimicry were the order of the day as students entertained their teachers with their innumerable talents. The balloon bursting competition amongst teachers saw Mr. Prakash, set a new local record by bursting a total of 17 balloons in under two minutes. With such speed and precision, he went about decimating his competition earning new found respect from his otherwise already-in-awe students. Bringing to an end the day’s celebrations, students nibbled on their cupcakes as teachers spoke in high praise of the Dream School Foundation and its commitment towards excellence. </span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-5906169743291499642013-09-11T14:51:00.001+05:302013-10-23T17:17:58.317+05:30To Teachers, With Love-Government School, Jugannahalli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">As we entered the premises of the Government School Jugannahalli, students were relishing their mid-day meal of hot rice and piping hot sambar. After a hearty meal, students gathered in a classroom and little Ranjita of Standard Five in true oratorical style spoke of her teachers and their care and commitment in educating them. A mimicry performance followed by a dance, depicting Lord Krishna, was well received by fellow students and teachers who saw another side to their otherwise naughty, yet talented children. </span></div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-40934320302755558722013-09-11T13:55:00.000+05:302013-10-23T17:17:09.918+05:30An Educated Insight- Government School ,Prakash Nagara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBOXF7HU4P3_ldrgQInRuSmZCSdLofCRpheeSWfc48dbPhm_-KZjdYaalmlh-YJSW0LIDZqpkJB_0zMr_f1XjykdmyZ4vfaUNO-hDSwMwSa6ZTWZ6l4MIjHza3C2YdmL_P2oa/s1600/DSCF6106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBOXF7HU4P3_ldrgQInRuSmZCSdLofCRpheeSWfc48dbPhm_-KZjdYaalmlh-YJSW0LIDZqpkJB_0zMr_f1XjykdmyZ4vfaUNO-hDSwMwSa6ZTWZ6l4MIjHza3C2YdmL_P2oa/s1600/DSCF6106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBOXF7HU4P3_ldrgQInRuSmZCSdLofCRpheeSWfc48dbPhm_-KZjdYaalmlh-YJSW0LIDZqpkJB_0zMr_f1XjykdmyZ4vfaUNO-hDSwMwSa6ZTWZ6l4MIjHza3C2YdmL_P2oa/s200/DSCF6106.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxk3o0JnUlOjsIiJfd6ZAM2plhKHitW1jNa2b_k9kfhao0FtFpmmRW-NGz3v6zPT6QZxhVNDZELqiQ_c6wWMEtGf6xsHkdI1-V4gWS8jdVTOvdhI3jkjHX18VVxFTE8XFk07zf/s1600/DSCF6121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxk3o0JnUlOjsIiJfd6ZAM2plhKHitW1jNa2b_k9kfhao0FtFpmmRW-NGz3v6zPT6QZxhVNDZELqiQ_c6wWMEtGf6xsHkdI1-V4gWS8jdVTOvdhI3jkjHX18VVxFTE8XFk07zf/s200/DSCF6121.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">At the Government School, Prakash Nagara, a
number of Kannada speeches, anthems and songs constituted the entertainment
segment. Mimicry, and a 'Burst the Balloon' competition for the
teachers, saw enthused kids cheer on. The sporting teachers were most
willing to put on a show that gave much joy to their biggest fans. Teachers Ms. Gangamamma and Savitha, reiterated that it was their duty in building a
foundation for these less fortunate children. The teachers strongly believed
there was so much scope in value addition that goes beyond just academics- they
stressed on a need to enhance computer literacy and use more information
technology in the gambit of education. </span><br />
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-79562871191813481752013-09-11T12:27:00.001+05:302013-10-23T17:16:01.929+05:30A Tribute To Our Guiding Light-Government School Kethmarnahalli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As we
moved on to the Government School, Kethmaranahalli, a spacious classroom
splashed in bright blue was slowly filled to capacity by students in uniforms
of a matching indigo. With charts of
animals, vegetables, and a whole lot of other artwork that adorned the walls,
students totaling about a hundred waited for their teachers to arrive. In the
interim, as Maitreyee (Founding Member of D.S.F), engaged students in
conversation, to one question, with firm conviction, a student said that
Teacher’s Day is celebrated as this was the day that all teachers were born. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Head-Mistress,
Miss Parimala, and associate teachers, Miss Pankaja and Miss Vishalakshiwere
again praised to the skies by students. A small skit imitating their teachers
had the audience in splits. In a bid to engage the teachers in a competition,
each teacher was asked to blow a balloon which was to be burst only by sitting
on it. At the end of two minutes the teacher with the highest count would be
the winner. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">As the event began, with each bursting balloon, the children
cheered on and celebrated just as they would during Diwali. Each balloon that
burst saw a roar from kids who found it hard to contain their excitement. As
the teachers cut a cake in celebration of this day, students sang Happy Birthday
at the top of their lungs. A quick correction and in the same tone and rhythm,
they sang Happy Teachers Day and sunk their teeth into the cupcakes that were
distributed.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Miss Vishalakshi told us of
the complex matters that they deal with on a daily basis at school. Grossly
understaffed, teachers find it difficult to handle these many students at a
time. Parents who are drunks, drug addicts or imprisoned seem uninterested in
the education of their wards, thereby making it harder for the teachers who are
expected to don additional responsibility. </span></div>
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-- Karun Gopinath</div>
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-1885677950203546052013-09-10T18:20:00.001+05:302013-10-23T17:14:39.044+05:30Teacher's Day- A celebration of knowledge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In the
shade of the sylvan canopy at the Gymkhana, the IISc Government School was busy
in preparation fort his year’s Teachers Day celebrations. In the backdrop of
this makeshift venue, there hung a banner with personal messages written by
students, for their beloved teachers. Seated right in front, teachers of the
IISc Government School were in for a treat of cheerful entertainment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Dressed
in their best and most colourful attire,students made haste to begin with the
day’s celebrations. An opening speech in praise of teachers-in English and
Kannada was followed by song and more tribute for their guiding lights .As
Sowmiya ma’am, music instructor, member of the Dream School Foundation team
played accompaniment on the harmonium for a slew of songs, one couldn’t help
but notice that the teachers smiled in contentment. Though three different
stanzas were sung at the same time of a particular song, nothing could deter
the spirit in which celebrations ensued. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">With a
fitting end to the event, students sang Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram and
Vande Mataram in unison.Enhancing the fun-factor, a lemon and spoon race amongst
teachers saw cheering that belittled the support for our Olympic team. As teachers
raced towards the finish line, students encouraged their favourite mentors
which concluded in a photo-finish moment. A small cake-cutting ceremony and
distribution of cupcakes to all students gave us a window of opportunity to
speak with a few teachers. Overwhelmed by the children’s enthusiasm, Miss Padmini,
Head-Mistress-In-Charge at the IISc Govt.School spoke of the limitless love and
affection each student had to offer and that there was no reward as gratifying. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">-- Karun Gopinath</span><br />
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Dream School Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11758080867304334568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-63229878936188306062011-05-23T11:03:00.006+05:302011-05-23T12:01:58.538+05:30Sharing their Story Boards...A little inspiration, some hand holding, some time spent together in discussion and few words of appreciation go a long long way!<br /><br />This was proved again, when we introduced the children of the RT Nagar centre/ schools at NS Lanes to the concept of telling a story with simple stick figures. So many animated representations of people and objects are told in the most simple ways today and this observation came in handy. It just took pointing them to the zoo-zoos on tv, an xkcd.com comic strip or female sign on a rest room, to show them how simple human representation can be. And how when you de-focus on the aspect of representation, ideas flow more freely. Some of us are good at drawing, some of us can come up with whacky lines, some of us can get creative about a story line, some of us can speak to an audience of 100s, some manage time so well and some can just lead, but when most of us can just blend into a team, the integrated effort comes through in promising ways. That was the essence of this session.<br /><br />Thanking the DSF team for helping the facilitation of this session, thanking the volunteers from PACE who spent some quality time with the children and thanking the children too for being so enthusiastic and infectiously so,...<br /><br />... here are some pictures I gathered. <br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="540" height="360" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fmegha.vishwanath%2Falbumid%2F5609779634123737697%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCKbC9tHTsbbFiQE%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Meghahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063799783554641499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-68000125067764250082010-11-05T09:47:00.008+05:302010-11-05T10:43:00.528+05:30Warli Session @ DSF RT Nagar CentreEvery tree in a forest has it's role to play; there's order in chaos; there's nature's own way of creating harmony and eco-systems. <div>
<br /></div><div>How different is this from a diverse group of children each with their own intelligence? How difficult is it to orchestrate harmony? - My answer to the first - Not very. To the latter - Very very!</div><div>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIEH5xKwjcWmcSMF0s2gKAf2N15af18BryyXXXNrLJB2wc5e9l45MxPqYhK7zw6V6xWH1hf_9rw3eaf6Zof_cE2MFshEHBGo_xd-4PMXegfqD3YoFfidPg-pukOj97RM_HpquoA/s1600/DSF_Warli_RTNagar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIEH5xKwjcWmcSMF0s2gKAf2N15af18BryyXXXNrLJB2wc5e9l45MxPqYhK7zw6V6xWH1hf_9rw3eaf6Zof_cE2MFshEHBGo_xd-4PMXegfqD3YoFfidPg-pukOj97RM_HpquoA/s400/DSF_Warli_RTNagar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535915506225993218" /></a>Here's a second experience of having a Warli art session with the children at DSF - ASLC at RT Nagar. Thanks to Arifa madam and Kavitha madam for the hospitality and the preparedness. I wanted the children to tell me what they thought of the sessions and while as always, every little intervention receives appreciation, here are some excerpts, I found interesting:</div><div>
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<br /></div><div>Raziya Sulthana [8th Std]: We all participated in the drawing and I drew a tree. She showed</div><div>us a tree in her laptop and we drew it like that. The class was very enjoyable. I want more art and craft classes.</div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMURIkT0ZJI/AAAAAAAALcQ/hNwsNkrc3IM/s720/DSC_0493.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMURIkT0ZJI/AAAAAAAALcQ/hNwsNkrc3IM/s720/DSC_0493.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><div>
<br /></div><meta equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div>Salma Khanum [8th Std]: She showed some pictures and asked us to draw a tree. There were many people, animals and birds around. She asked us to draw ourselves. She announced a prize for best drawing and I got the prize. I am feeling very good and nice. I like arts & crafts. </div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMURYnxFGqI/AAAAAAAALc4/fXwHGAub6M8/s512/DSC_0506.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMURYnxFGqI/AAAAAAAALc4/fXwHGAub6M8/s512/DSC_0506.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><div>
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<br /><div><meta equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">Ruksar Taranum [8th Std]: She asked us to draw any picture we are interested to do . She drew Dream School Foundation and asked us to stick our picture in it. We were all very interested. We enjoyed this class in the holidays.</div><div>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMUR9FTtfDI/AAAAAAAALeY/NCsTvb5PiVM/s640/DSC_0529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMUR9FTtfDI/AAAAAAAALeY/NCsTvb5PiVM/s640/DSC_0529.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a>
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<br /><div>Zabi [8th Std]: She gave us small chits of papers and asked us to draw our photo. Megha miss put the chart on the wall. We enjoyed and we learnt this art for the first time.</div>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMUSCzw7jtI/AAAAAAAALek/ub6QeMkwFXA/s720/DSC_0533.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMUSCzw7jtI/AAAAAAAALek/ub6QeMkwFXA/s720/DSC_0533.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a>
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<br /><div>Nagma [8th Std]: She drew Maitri miss and Sabu sir and stuck the pictures on the chart. She announced a prize for the best drawing. I like this subject about art. We will never forget this class. We shared it with family and friends.</div><div>
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMUR_Mct1kI/AAAAAAAALec/qwEskdInNbg/s720/DSC_0531.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ITKI7H1U3qY/TMUR_Mct1kI/AAAAAAAALec/qwEskdInNbg/s720/DSC_0531.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a>
<br /></div><div>Glad these children had fun during this session in October and hope they're having an enjoyable and safe Deepavali as well!
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<br /></div><div>P.S "She' refers to me :)
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<br /></div></div>Meghahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063799783554641499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-8785198051013863592010-09-07T03:05:00.009+05:302010-09-07T03:32:21.707+05:30Summer Volunteer 2010This summer when I (<em>Stuyvesant High School '11, New York</em>) came to India to volunteer with DSF for three weeks, I arrived with more of an idea of what to expect, and how to approach the teaching style. Last summer I had volunteered in the same school, the Rajajinagar Government School, for a shorter period of time, and during that time I became familiar with the environment of the school and its English level. To read about my 2009 experiences, you can visit: <a href="http://dreamschoolforum.blogspot.com/2009/10/seeing-india-in-new-light-summer.html"><em>http://dreamschoolforum.blogspot.com/2009/10/seeing-india-in-new-light-summer.html</em></a>.<br /><br />When I arrived in July with my friend Lily (<em>Stuyvesant High School '10, New York</em>), we came with ideas for interactive and fun lessons for teaching the students conversational English. And I also came with one other objective in mind: to teach the kids how to read. Last year, lesson after lesson I saw the students mindlessly copy words into their notebooks and recite their meanings, but the pronunciation of each written word came straight from memorization, not phonics. While I understand the importance of conversational English (the most practical application of English for them), I thought it was equally important for them to learn how to read so they could better understand their lessons and read signs they see all around them.<br /><br />Being able to teach the same classes that I had done last year <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpomXEK-v09iQeGD7c_khtf2AEDr2tA7HyoPmvddXicuvV7sGKWGikGG94XsQaE9ez-xXKpzqg2otvWHW8fhjxyQXsG8QURNwZhxsDcWtQmLj-wALmouVfP9lda1vNgv6C_9TJbQ/s1600/IMG_3990.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513920033516570818" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpomXEK-v09iQeGD7c_khtf2AEDr2tA7HyoPmvddXicuvV7sGKWGikGG94XsQaE9ez-xXKpzqg2otvWHW8fhjxyQXsG8QURNwZhxsDcWtQmLj-wALmouVfP9lda1vNgv6C_9TJbQ/s320/IMG_3990.jpg" border="0" /></a>was very exciting. When I walked into the school on the first day, I was elated to see so many kids rush to me and say <em>Hello Shilpa Ma’am</em>. The classrooms were freshly painted and there was some construction taking place, but other than that, not much had changed.<br /><br />We were teaching the 5th and 6th standards, and to get them to learn how to read, our first lesson was phonics of all the different letters in the English alphabet. Most students picked it up very quickly, however, the teaching was a challenge because students were at very different levels from one another. Some students picked up their phonics within 20 minutes and others were still struggling to identify their ABCs. In the middle of our three weeks there we decided to split the classroom into two groups, one of them more advanced than the other, so we could increase the pace of teaching. <div><div><div><div><div><br />Overall the reading lessons went over very well. We started with the sounds of letters and different letters that go together, and eventually we started writing simple words and combinations of letters on the board so the students could put the sounds together. In the final week I took some select students who were doing very well in their reading aside to read a Dr. Seuss book with me. It was very exciting to see the amount most students had progressed in the three weeks we were there. The classroo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbJJhJqmsnzqa00oEkCUzFPH-h9iHvTOkwAeECFew8WnD2GiDUF3ExPsNCQKn_Hq_0KBVayUDyNWCERpjAM2N-QBp6sV5BFWFkjfWWBuTMlaUWsUd1dhFrqIP44GszGCK-RTukw/s1600/IMG_3881.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513919721181773714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbJJhJqmsnzqa00oEkCUzFPH-h9iHvTOkwAeECFew8WnD2GiDUF3ExPsNCQKn_Hq_0KBVayUDyNWCERpjAM2N-QBp6sV5BFWFkjfWWBuTMlaUWsUd1dhFrqIP44GszGCK-RTukw/s320/IMG_3881.jpg" border="0" /></a>m setting also fostered a friendly competition and students wanted to be able to do as much as their classmates so they would also help each other with the studies as well as with communicating with me and Lily when language proved to be a barrier.<br /><br />Aside from reading, we also had many interactive lessons that helped the students in conversational English. At the end of their two weeks they each made an About Me book out of colored paper, and within it they asked questions (such as How Many Brothers and Sisters Do I Have?) and answered them with pictures to supplement their answers. When they had all finished their books, we took them outside and they each presented their project to the entire class. We also taught them about the different states of weather, and every day they would tell us what type of day it was. We had them make drawings of the different types of weather and write out sentences describing what they had drawn. Because this was earlier in the three weeks, some understood what they were writing, while others didn’t.<br /><br />Outside of the classroom I got to know the students well too. We would someti<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9Rtv9hXWp1UsJG_ZRtZvy78FPI_i3TV6Xb0XfmqH03L9ZYQ9goM8Brzpz7xJTMKISmVMSJp0fuOny2VkPICNh1UrzN2b-2ZJc408vE4LrO_m40384f47rzC53Xdd30bpuRUZEg/s1600/IMG_3862.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513920832186062674" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9Rtv9hXWp1UsJG_ZRtZvy78FPI_i3TV6Xb0XfmqH03L9ZYQ9goM8Brzpz7xJTMKISmVMSJp0fuOny2VkPICNh1UrzN2b-2ZJc408vE4LrO_m40384f47rzC53Xdd30bpuRUZEg/s320/IMG_3862.JPG" border="0" /></a>mes arrive early and play with the students, and they taught me some of the games they play (like <em>kabaddi</em>, and a game that is like the American version of <em>Hopscotch</em>). One student would, every morning, look at my watch (an analog) and then look at Lily’s watch (a digital) and then look at his own watch (a digital) to make sure that the times matched up, and then in English would report to us what time it was. Another student would show us different things that he found and we would teach him the English words for them so he knew. It was good to know that the students felt comfortable with us because they knew that we had energy and enthusiasm, as well as a lax attitude to teaching.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZodqDDLWfJrurWApDIM4dsHyz_1-C6g804syOOr4KRsqPsKhqrF1Rc7KVx5cXJhZ66ktapGDuLy5XGusm_xWw3tHimSC5U8b9MNgdDmfSiLKDR7rVXz_PfQ1KB0l1-Q1CU5bZQ/s1600/IMG_3860.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513919419392653282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZodqDDLWfJrurWApDIM4dsHyz_1-C6g804syOOr4KRsqPsKhqrF1Rc7KVx5cXJhZ66ktapGDuLy5XGusm_xWw3tHimSC5U8b9MNgdDmfSiLKDR7rVXz_PfQ1KB0l1-Q1CU5bZQ/s320/IMG_3860.JPG" border="0" /></a>On the last day we asked each student to make a drawing of what he or she wanted to be when he or she grows up. As the culminating lesson, we felt that this really lets the kids open up and be creative. While some students copied what their neighbors were doing because they liked the idea of it, others said things like they want to be a teacher, a policeman, an artist, a singer, a dancer, a pilot, and even an astronaut. When we were leaving they all asked me if I would come back soon.<br /><br />Outside of teaching in Rajajinagar, Lily and I also had the opportunity to teach in a computer lab in a government school in R.T. Nagar. The computer lab was sponsored by the government, but was hardly being used because there weren't any teachers experienced beyond the applications Microsoft Paint and Microsoft Word. We were very excited about teaching computers, however, this did not work out as planned because of the recurring power failures.<br /><br />Lily and I were able to visit DSF’s rural center and see the rural schools that DSF sponsors. It was a unique experience having had little exposure to villages in India. The schools in the village were very nicely painted, and the students were very welcoming. In one of the schools that we visited, some of the students performed the dance that they had practiced for the DSF annual day. In another school, the younger students sang English rhymes that they knew.<br /><br />The three weeks that I spent this year at the Rajajinagar school and with DSF were amazing and unforgettable, and as I promised the kids at Rajajinagar, next time I go to Bangalore I will surely go visit. A special thanks to Maitreyee and Bhagya for making it happen and assisting us in our time there, as well as the Rajajinagar school, for welcoming us and letting us teach there. And thanks to the staff of DSF – I hope to be back in Bangalore soon!</div><div><br />Shilpa Agrawal</div></div></div></div></div>Ajit Agrawalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10694385918530217397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-23130736506975050542010-09-01T12:55:00.000+05:302010-09-01T12:55:18.362+05:30Generation Next: Rain Water Harvesting Workshop<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Generation Next: Rain Water Harvesting Workshop</strong></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Nelemangala, July 2010</em> </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em></em> </div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>Project Background</u></strong> </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSu5qchbAZK4QOGZdvBy6WHl3XtCsUNit6B1SYk7ALOlUf2ivfMDerOggNtYpLlRfwEwN9xBvPUYqY4DAxf35PwTEZTTL9QyJqGL6lFYwGqkbQIoAo9fvWXX2CuzUBDc1ably/s1600/RWH_Workshop+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSu5qchbAZK4QOGZdvBy6WHl3XtCsUNit6B1SYk7ALOlUf2ivfMDerOggNtYpLlRfwEwN9xBvPUYqY4DAxf35PwTEZTTL9QyJqGL6lFYwGqkbQIoAo9fvWXX2CuzUBDc1ably/s200/RWH_Workshop+008.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sackhumvit Trust and Dream School Foundation (DSF) have collaborated to develop rain water harvesting (RWH) at government schools associated with DSF’s Holistic School Development Program (HSDP) . Several of these schools are situated in peri-urban locations that are burdened with an inadequate or unsustainable supply of water. More importantly, these schools have basic RWH facilities in place from the Karnataka state government’s scheme, Suvarna Jala (2007). This infrastructure, however, has deteriorated overtime due to a lack of community ownership. Examples include poor quality engineering and construction of RWH facilities, poor maintenance or theft of key structural items (i.e. piping, taps, filters, water sump, etc.), and limited awareness amongst school members about the use and maintenance of RWH . Sackhumvit Trust and DSF are interested in reviving RWH at these schools through investing in pending infrastructure requirements, and raising awareness on how to effectively utilize and maintain this resource. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8yxQeSOyYpmt6XseQYYFMaZnktvLniwk2_S1_bH0p9MK7emfsxcB9ikIRJ1Wu2sUBfQ6Fo9ouC9iERINNmyLF30wqq0mmDCAn3WTNchbcBg5HVg3Na5c-IHjhhzRNdN1BPXy/s1600/RWH_Workshop+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8yxQeSOyYpmt6XseQYYFMaZnktvLniwk2_S1_bH0p9MK7emfsxcB9ikIRJ1Wu2sUBfQ6Fo9ouC9iERINNmyLF30wqq0mmDCAn3WTNchbcBg5HVg3Na5c-IHjhhzRNdN1BPXy/s200/RWH_Workshop+007.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sackhumvit Trust and DSF hired HINREN Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (“HINREN”) to build RWH facilities at a higher-primary government school in Nelamangala (Nursapura Ramanagar District, Magadi Taluk, Solur Hobli). While the Higher-Primary Government School has basic RWH facilities in place from Suvarna Jala, this structure is incomplete and dysfunctional; lacking sufficient piping, a filtration system, and an adequately sealed water sump. Moreover, the school is burdened by a severe water crisis as its local borewell is completely dry, compelling staff and students to walk 10-15 minutes to collect water from the closest functioning borewell. The school is unable to provide potable water for its students, who must carry their own drinking water to school. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">HINREN technologies completed construction of RWH facilities at the Higher-Primary Government School on May 25th, 2010. The construction was completed just in time for the school to harvest rain during the monsoon seasons. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>RWH Workshop</u></strong> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXxCSqlBXJJg_NJ-3LgtJqZWSpwcEZXSMW482Q9maJeujwzJKaugHTdz07Y3_y8uv4Oq-w0lVle3u49KxZduSMeWEUUjdGPazaS9pMLaAzBTK7MwwUILqxlimGrU8TpxYjQoe/s1600/RWH_Workshop+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXxCSqlBXJJg_NJ-3LgtJqZWSpwcEZXSMW482Q9maJeujwzJKaugHTdz07Y3_y8uv4Oq-w0lVle3u49KxZduSMeWEUUjdGPazaS9pMLaAzBTK7MwwUILqxlimGrU8TpxYjQoe/s200/RWH_Workshop+031.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sackhumvit Trust and DSF also organized workshop on July 9th, 2010 at the Higher-Primary Government School to raise awareness amongst teachers and students about the benefits and maintenance of RWH. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Sunil from HINREN, who discussed the importance of RWH, and how to maintain the RWH facilities recently constructed at the school. He also shared interesting facts such as how many liters of rain water can be collected based on the surface area of the school’s roof. Mr. Sunil performed a drinking-water quality test, and explained how to purify harvested rainwater so that it is potable. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The workshop was well-attended with a total of five school staff and 30 students participating in the program. Teachers at the Higher-Primary Government School, who had earlier expressed that they knew very little about RWH, found the session to be informative and practical. During the workshop, Mr. Sunil worked out a schedule with students who divided various maintenance responsibilities amongst themselves, such as flushing out stagnant water in the collection pipes, and cleaning the roof once every two weeks an the water sump once every quarter. The main discussion points of the workshop are summarized in the following sections.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><u><strong>Benefits of RWH</strong></u></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">RWH is the accumulation and storage of rain water. RWH can be used to provide drinking water and water for live stock, irrigation, and water to refill aquifers in a process called ground water recharging. Rain water can be collected from the roofs of houses and other types of buildings, or from water sheds (generally found in rural communities). In some cases, rain water may be the only available and economical water source for a community. Household rainfall catchment systems are simple to construct, relatively inexpensive, and are successful at most locations with average rainfall greater than 200mm/year. Roof rainwater is generally of good quality and may not require treatment before consumption, as long as the roof is regularly cleaned. However some rooftop materials may produce rainwater that is harmful to human health. Acid rain is generally not a problem for countries located in the sub-tropics, close to the equator, as the circulation of air prevents the concentration of air pollutants.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><u><strong>Maintenance of RWH</strong></u></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5V3gZ-ld1xQOP9fS5ViXvm9hV1hrhzMBlwj4d_1f7KNCriLfzOLPa_h7azB4Bf6klcbBoXXYut-dGY1w52nHL0Zoi1PxvvUCB8wCh3qfAy01WX9NDKO5I0AOPNzRslwW1-DR/s1600/RWH_Workshop+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5V3gZ-ld1xQOP9fS5ViXvm9hV1hrhzMBlwj4d_1f7KNCriLfzOLPa_h7azB4Bf6klcbBoXXYut-dGY1w52nHL0Zoi1PxvvUCB8wCh3qfAy01WX9NDKO5I0AOPNzRslwW1-DR/s200/RWH_Workshop+017.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ewcrh_xIlTLrHPEf546Jajssfd8kgLsvwLNqKDi0_0C9d_ZL7rM7HmCDvoJ6pFnTcLw70wvggTRGy7NQiywYg7WxRzYP__lQPw0qGpgVCiRANoU_-0wrCG4rWxo7Ui4Z0LKe/s1600/RWH_Workshop+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ewcrh_xIlTLrHPEf546Jajssfd8kgLsvwLNqKDi0_0C9d_ZL7rM7HmCDvoJ6pFnTcLw70wvggTRGy7NQiywYg7WxRzYP__lQPw0qGpgVCiRANoU_-0wrCG4rWxo7Ui4Z0LKe/s200/RWH_Workshop+016.JPG" width="150" /></a> 1. Clean the school roof thoroughly one every 15 days. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. Clean the water tank once in 3 months, and keep the tank closed tight. The water sump should not be exposed to any sunlight or dust, and should be sealed air tight. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWn0eRzG3zF7A5zzINGqOcVCVwZnBIzWqtdiqGAhK8aXYe_OS6_SlG7VqiTJM2gm0505MnryArvlTfzLajwSAQoplZNAPR-oW66RDmxow4wkkSKRGYv_CO0pzTWaZLwsbqNIx/s1600/RWH_Workshop+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWn0eRzG3zF7A5zzINGqOcVCVwZnBIzWqtdiqGAhK8aXYe_OS6_SlG7VqiTJM2gm0505MnryArvlTfzLajwSAQoplZNAPR-oW66RDmxow4wkkSKRGYv_CO0pzTWaZLwsbqNIx/s200/RWH_Workshop+009.jpg" width="200" /></a>3. Flush the tap everyday in the morning to clear dirty and stagnant water stored in the collection pipes.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4. Change the coal in the filter once in two years, as dust particles can settle on the coal and will eventually contaminate harvested rainwater.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u></u></strong> <strong><u>Calculation of Rainwater Collected from the School’s Roof</u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The school’s roof measure 80 square feet * 20 square feet </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwzpvWTnrZ6VUYsC-GO2D2eqabXGN3gMC5loGMQlPilqKo4IX29u3jClFk9KEDGxtBJHqtdXU7M_UrEW3vCY-P94ONhNJV28QRZr__Cvgx9fOVFOIlHyOt89JPyy-wCaxDpiD/s1600/RWH_Workshop+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwzpvWTnrZ6VUYsC-GO2D2eqabXGN3gMC5loGMQlPilqKo4IX29u3jClFk9KEDGxtBJHqtdXU7M_UrEW3vCY-P94ONhNJV28QRZr__Cvgx9fOVFOIlHyOt89JPyy-wCaxDpiD/s200/RWH_Workshop+036.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">80*20 = 160 * 20 liters of rainwater per square foot per day of heavy rain. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">= 3,200 – 10% of water waste. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">= 3,200 – 320 </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">= 2,880 liters </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><u><strong>RWH Testing </strong></u></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLfai8qkIdTXoZn4Tv-VVbsUUicq_UoJ2sRG2vWHQ-NmtIIoeitl4lztoEE6yvLMEv7Vte4KSacggm_HmyB_oAJNDTnDSzGpGt2ON62sLy8ZsyVrXtX4t5PT8zyHy2hdUUwjD/s1600/RWH_Workshop+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLfai8qkIdTXoZn4Tv-VVbsUUicq_UoJ2sRG2vWHQ-NmtIIoeitl4lztoEE6yvLMEv7Vte4KSacggm_HmyB_oAJNDTnDSzGpGt2ON62sLy8ZsyVrXtX4t5PT8zyHy2hdUUwjD/s200/RWH_Workshop+022.jpg" width="200" /></a>An important aspect of RWH quality testing is to determine bacteria contamination. Bacteria can develop if water is exposed to contaminants (such as dust found in the water sump or roof), and adequate sunlight and air. For this reason, RWH sumps are often sealed to avoid light exposure and are regularly cleaned. Nonetheless, it is important to regularly test harvested rain water for the presence of bacteria, especially if RWH is being used to collect potable water. Mr. Sunil advised teachers and students to clean the school’s roof once every 15 days, and the water sump once quarter. He also encouraged them to test for the presence of bacteria in harvested rain water once every quarter while cleaning the water sump.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRDFIRsIL2ADsS-o2W1vDFmZzvt685hWOkF9-vNpqo-uM0b661gHtnqeABDmRinR4nK2nlsiQI39CJlp5q0rnrddFabn53NeokGLf01FEKif7VApzuSbFtNUnWBxMZIXxXpcI/s1600/RWH_Workshop+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRDFIRsIL2ADsS-o2W1vDFmZzvt685hWOkF9-vNpqo-uM0b661gHtnqeABDmRinR4nK2nlsiQI39CJlp5q0rnrddFabn53NeokGLf01FEKif7VApzuSbFtNUnWBxMZIXxXpcI/s200/RWH_Workshop+028.JPG" width="150" /></a>The H2S Strip Test is a ready-to-use, simple device that measures the presence of bacteria by detecting the presence of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), a chemical produced by bacteria during decomposition of organic material. The test involves a sterilized paper strip treated with Agar base. This compound is manufactured in a lab with some food particles and proteins, and is then stored in a sterilized glass bottle. Upon filling the glass bottle with a water sample from the water sump, store the bottle for 24-48 hours at room temperature (25-37 degrees Celsius). If bacteria are present in the water sample, they will produce H2S during their decomposition of the paper strip, which turns the water sample black in color. This means that harvested rain water is not potable and hence students and teachers should not drink this water.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><u><strong>Features of H2S Strip Test Kit</strong></u></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxve_vRdwGQzmolcrshh7S_79KBwPFXtOdiTz71doDp1HdMhWZN6eF6ON_kSvHmTQabIRGj7LCfRhQsTo73UEbJuJ3UxlGP2VEJe3RdJCW8UCGYMHepdDZiBGC8LURsYu98Rh/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxve_vRdwGQzmolcrshh7S_79KBwPFXtOdiTz71doDp1HdMhWZN6eF6ON_kSvHmTQabIRGj7LCfRhQsTo73UEbJuJ3UxlGP2VEJe3RdJCW8UCGYMHepdDZiBGC8LURsYu98Rh/s200/1.jpg" width="90" /></a>1. <strong>Ready-to-use</strong>: The water sample (20 ml) from the source can be directly placed into the glass bottle. The paper strip in the bottle is already coated with the Agar base, so no further preparation and sterilization of the glass bottle is required. The water sample does not need to be treated before placed into the sterilized glass bottle. The bacteria test can therefore be conducted directly at the water source (i.e. at the water sump).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. <strong>Simplicity</strong>: The H2S strip test–kit is so simple to use that anyone can perform its water-quality test. For the reason it is most suited for rural locations where there is inadequate infrastructure and resource persons to conduct a thorough laboratory test. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3. <strong>Economical:</strong> The H2S strip test–kit is very economical, as it does not require laboratory services and the materials for the test-kit are readily available and cost-effective.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4. <strong>Portability</strong>: The H2S strip test–kit is made up of glass, light in weight, and easy to carry anywhere.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Disposable: The H2S strip test–kit can be easily disposed after use.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EAXOHQ9lC-V3SRvG-9clSbxESPKcTefsuG0Y2d8j3YjgAxhyPSogAuWggDRQc8bHDyG13pqmHt8R7A5ug1RqUrNgxV7hRtP2Lj7zD7h0sZ_tmEnGNgfEmumuCM-couc1zolR/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EAXOHQ9lC-V3SRvG-9clSbxESPKcTefsuG0Y2d8j3YjgAxhyPSogAuWggDRQc8bHDyG13pqmHt8R7A5ug1RqUrNgxV7hRtP2Lj7zD7h0sZ_tmEnGNgfEmumuCM-couc1zolR/s320/2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5. <strong>Confidence</strong>: The H2S strip test–kit’s results are reliable, meaningful and reproducible.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6. <strong>Illustrative Direction</strong>: The H2S strip test–kit includes easy-to-follow, illustrative directions on how to use the kit.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Mr. Sunil left ten sets of the H2S strip test–kits with the Higher-Primary Government School. This would enable them to regularly test the quality of harvested rainwater to determine if it is suitable for drinking purposes. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>How to purify the water?</u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziYIvXlWTPQLtmKXgbqbSD7j4U3KdQ45b6Xak-LZAvuiEdqmmkThjJ28DcFM0Sysmv9sUAQ7LKwhMkV98zK0hgwFoy0jJUJpYXuFqjuielb4j9sn9IpoPxsnw1R7Lw8tGXVxm/s1600/images3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziYIvXlWTPQLtmKXgbqbSD7j4U3KdQ45b6Xak-LZAvuiEdqmmkThjJ28DcFM0Sysmv9sUAQ7LKwhMkV98zK0hgwFoy0jJUJpYXuFqjuielb4j9sn9IpoPxsnw1R7Lw8tGXVxm/s200/images3.jpg" width="200" /></a>If the rain water in the H2S glass bottle turns black, the water is not fit for drinking. In such case, take an empty, clean, and transparent plastic bottle and fill it half-way with harvested rain water. Place the plastic bottle on a flat roofing steel sheet, as shown the picture. Leave the bottle under the sun for three to four hours. This will kill any bacteria that are present in the water, and the water will be ready to drink. Alternatively, harvested rainwater can be made potable by boiling the water.</div>Sackhumvit Trusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10030483013357888817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-37388394160563964692010-06-04T17:18:00.000+05:302010-06-04T17:18:22.205+05:30DSF Summer Camp - Field Trip to the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium and Karnataka State Level Energy Park<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong>Field Trip to the</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong>Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium and Karnataka State Level Energy Park</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><em>May 13, 2010</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><u>Introduction</u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKhKG0NVRR4-vLHlk77NKgi0GQV08Jivepn9SXu9wzAlD474haf0PY_LWK4EX1RrVzwLfNP4lYD-svT2pqyvxHERQG6fD37J4kxSUNyAXw65-AGIwABqGykWhgse6DeTh96MU/s1600/DSF_Outing+067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKhKG0NVRR4-vLHlk77NKgi0GQV08Jivepn9SXu9wzAlD474haf0PY_LWK4EX1RrVzwLfNP4lYD-svT2pqyvxHERQG6fD37J4kxSUNyAXw65-AGIwABqGykWhgse6DeTh96MU/s320/DSF_Outing+067.jpg" /></a>Sackhumvit Trust and Dream School Foundation (DSF) organized a one-day outing for high school students at Govt. PU College to the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP) and Karnataka State Level Energy Park (KSLEP) on 13th May 2010.This event was organized as part of DSF’s summer camp programme and a total of 68 students participated in the day’s activities. The objective of the field trip was for students to learn about the solar system and recent innovations and applications of renewable energy. </div><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP)</u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXiBQoICuYGNFcVf85AMkADDsZkohvvRLLrI0ow9rR7Lmjl1h8xp8XFBZwhVuW1BBZ0t6-XiMTRT9FEN75UAuug2BblJOLXTwMC1ai71_AZI6qW4ThckiCpDCdUL33ypx1xFu/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXiBQoICuYGNFcVf85AMkADDsZkohvvRLLrI0ow9rR7Lmjl1h8xp8XFBZwhVuW1BBZ0t6-XiMTRT9FEN75UAuug2BblJOLXTwMC1ai71_AZI6qW4ThckiCpDCdUL33ypx1xFu/s320/3.jpg" /></a>JNP was founded by the Bangalore City Corporation in 1989. Later in 1992, the administration of the planetarium was entrusted to an autonomous body, the Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE). BASE is devoted to the dissemination of science among the public and the student community. In addition to its famous planetarium, JNP also includes a science park and centre where visitors can explore some applications of science in a natural and playful manner. Fascinating models are on display such as models of DNA, resonant swings, whispering dishes, sun dials, kaleidoscopes, and a model of the polar satellite launching vehicle. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbeK8b6N5mgYZlwYdzLVuralIa6g23Nd4Wvb4IG5bo8mMGqwlUovXZjAtChziyCcMw53GmP-lptaBXDO1D9PGiVpeewCVzZgFBIpKf2rKiUXKlY-AWDPYaZ3-jHeRcIXJTxEI/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbeK8b6N5mgYZlwYdzLVuralIa6g23Nd4Wvb4IG5bo8mMGqwlUovXZjAtChziyCcMw53GmP-lptaBXDO1D9PGiVpeewCVzZgFBIpKf2rKiUXKlY-AWDPYaZ3-jHeRcIXJTxEI/s320/4.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPVCTWW9ySlATcPFg2RGKyAC4IzYAuIR1qhT1PIQcM2JsqZq-NtcAnjwNU2xD6h45xDFUOtEalRwCo_aoFxOD46fKGcVy61Wnt8oMWY2yaSSmxyOwOMgtGRZzuBJiRHj64GhA/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPVCTWW9ySlATcPFg2RGKyAC4IzYAuIR1qhT1PIQcM2JsqZq-NtcAnjwNU2xD6h45xDFUOtEalRwCo_aoFxOD46fKGcVy61Wnt8oMWY2yaSSmxyOwOMgtGRZzuBJiRHj64GhA/s320/5.jpg" /></a>None of DSF’s students had been to such an interactive science park where they could develop their minds while participating in their favorite pass time—playing!! Students were refreshed and inspired by their experience at JNP, thus highlighting the endless possibilities to engage youth with science through hands-on and child-centered teaching methods.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) </u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_DNq3He0xh8E8w4ZfHl92QFKcVloQD1nQatJXFlhdUfwtit7tnCEbrGpLuOK7UfJGy0oD06zgTV6Gc1wq_zoOCkwvSyhr1-F1F8mZB2O2PvauoOZQMsYjxoLYqwVEEDkfHwt/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_DNq3He0xh8E8w4ZfHl92QFKcVloQD1nQatJXFlhdUfwtit7tnCEbrGpLuOK7UfJGy0oD06zgTV6Gc1wq_zoOCkwvSyhr1-F1F8mZB2O2PvauoOZQMsYjxoLYqwVEEDkfHwt/s320/6.jpg" /></a>JNP also included a demonstration of RWH, which some of DSF’s students could immediately relate to based on their prior field trip to the Karnataka State Council of Science and Technology in October 2009. Ayyanar, a 10th standard student who is particularly passionate about working with his hands to create innovative machines and models, explained how to harvest rain water in paved vs. unpaved areas as demonstrated by the RWH facilities at JNP. He even discussed the purpose of a recharging pit, where harvested rain water is stored underground to restore our ground water supply.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>Solar System Show</u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOJR0hwYBZndAFSCm4FwyPMXIk8lOyENyDRl14EgTFf4577MLyv8vDwYmUuzLiLeGeqclRrEn16tC5wcSLz-e_nO3_qAyjxWoijSUwm59m3xFygHqNt74KJrk1iBVNPzjafKQ/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOJR0hwYBZndAFSCm4FwyPMXIk8lOyENyDRl14EgTFf4577MLyv8vDwYmUuzLiLeGeqclRrEn16tC5wcSLz-e_nO3_qAyjxWoijSUwm59m3xFygHqNt74KJrk1iBVNPzjafKQ/s320/7.jpg" /></a>At the planetarium, students participated in a thirty minute programme which showcased wonderful images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope from a height of about 575 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. The programme discusses some of the landmark discoveries about the universe based on observations of the space telescope. It is a fascinating tour of the cosmos, briefly halting at various galaxies such as the Milky Way Galaxy.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The programme begins with an introduction to the night sky, identifying the planets, stars and constellations. The twelve constellations in the zodiacal belt enable us to observe, study and formulate the motions of planets. Man’s understanding of the universe has undergone a sea of change since the advent of telescopes followed by space probes. The programme has liberal sprinkling of visuals as captured by these scientific instruments. The formation of solar system, including the sun, is also discussed. The programme includes many animations. Most interestingly, the programme examines our own position, the existence and significance of life on Earth, relative to the vast realm of the cosmos.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzaCYr9XTuzp3Zn7FFHmhYQAP2ZPjfuDWBF9_UUct9aAC0gogZkVVHFi_19ifBBAP_Qh-7am_8zZt0QY6Aeb9rfHFUzq5HhQTH-oYD7-4EoVUyvP87rUhTeAcmE_ry0HoVfYv/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzaCYr9XTuzp3Zn7FFHmhYQAP2ZPjfuDWBF9_UUct9aAC0gogZkVVHFi_19ifBBAP_Qh-7am_8zZt0QY6Aeb9rfHFUzq5HhQTH-oYD7-4EoVUyvP87rUhTeAcmE_ry0HoVfYv/s320/8.jpg" /></a>After the solar system show, the students toured an exhibition of books, science kits, models, telescopes, photos, etc., all concerning astronomy. There was a weighing scale that shows one's weight on all the planets based on their respective forces of gravity, and gives a print-out for the cost of Rs. 5/- It goes without saying that all of our students at DSF participated in this activity with great enthusiasm!. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>Karnataka State Level Energy Park (KSLEP)</u></strong> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-CCVFnJFQ1iW9lb9vXFVhQ_3SeXkkEL6O8U97v3OC-Q1HDOzYEJwttXgtQOkAVkOupRrB42SgbUcRNZJLWg08OAjjgFo42fp8bdYbiLpFVwUHygzPT1J5ZdsiB1CcsJ2_DUG/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-CCVFnJFQ1iW9lb9vXFVhQ_3SeXkkEL6O8U97v3OC-Q1HDOzYEJwttXgtQOkAVkOupRrB42SgbUcRNZJLWg08OAjjgFo42fp8bdYbiLpFVwUHygzPT1J5ZdsiB1CcsJ2_DUG/s320/9.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01qvFQOi9FY1YejpCCKPzJcwauFJscfplCOR-DOnKpy8ab1yNXD36ml7zzOob_1nwVFS8RXo3BOAp0AO4ASFKgbG9rGTnkxnMlT2jy0Sh-6z83Eur-YB1DWym3PfxxeUQ15NJ/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01qvFQOi9FY1YejpCCKPzJcwauFJscfplCOR-DOnKpy8ab1yNXD36ml7zzOob_1nwVFS8RXo3BOAp0AO4ASFKgbG9rGTnkxnMlT2jy0Sh-6z83Eur-YB1DWym3PfxxeUQ15NJ/s320/10.jpg" /></a>It is indeed impossible to imagine our lives, planet, and universe without energy. Energy is omnipresent in various forms from anywhere to everywhere, and from anybody to everybody. It doesn’t matter how young or old we are, we all need to understand and appreciate the various forms and sources of energy that factor into our lives. KSLEP was established with exactly this objective in mind; providing information about renewable energy through various interactive exhibits. Spreading over eight acres, this is a space for Action, Interaction, Invention and Exploration that adds a refreshing dimension to the urban buzz of Bangalore city.Students observed various models at KSLEP, but most impressive was a solar house entirely constructed from bamboo. The house had the following facilities fully powered by solar energy:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xwNfFrtRCV5qe-HZqxb4VuaSO2ZDv_Zomjvn5OT7ZVq2BIESjY9ALvCcMHh91rURgZRyEuy08BGykVmMh_KsxXMG0GJGd1PGz3Y-F71vmQzwLvdOWqQA1N3MdGAdTmiZM5m6/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xwNfFrtRCV5qe-HZqxb4VuaSO2ZDv_Zomjvn5OT7ZVq2BIESjY9ALvCcMHh91rURgZRyEuy08BGykVmMh_KsxXMG0GJGd1PGz3Y-F71vmQzwLvdOWqQA1N3MdGAdTmiZM5m6/s320/12.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7tGtqhMtQ2hBlRG3shyphenhyphenJLa1bMg5fCjirAn5AXEnXZUurMgCLCKy36tUBCQwAVlQv0zIkv8clDjIpYtJVlEaGHSlDS7VOUtLcf7-f7UwAdkPnbceQp0B5GVXj-EFfDotBvwEr/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7tGtqhMtQ2hBlRG3shyphenhyphenJLa1bMg5fCjirAn5AXEnXZUurMgCLCKy36tUBCQwAVlQv0zIkv8clDjIpYtJVlEaGHSlDS7VOUtLcf7-f7UwAdkPnbceQp0B5GVXj-EFfDotBvwEr/s320/11.jpg" /></a>• Six11-watt lights.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">• Two high efficiency ceiling fans working for six to seven hrs/day.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">• One refrigerator working for 24 hrs/day.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">• One 21”colour TV operating for five to six hrs/day.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">• One P4 computer, multimedia with internet facility working for six hrs/day.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozah3Lq4T3MFMFktTpLLLYcNvKtNDgHYQ6L2L0dTzoSusLyHDlmPLUYfv2JwQMqwLTzkIVuJ5b_MLHnakstso5njkJ0StjzXcTIBSp-vQtNUHgZhsQey-ABTJAIM21nKyakAm/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozah3Lq4T3MFMFktTpLLLYcNvKtNDgHYQ6L2L0dTzoSusLyHDlmPLUYfv2JwQMqwLTzkIVuJ5b_MLHnakstso5njkJ0StjzXcTIBSp-vQtNUHgZhsQey-ABTJAIM21nKyakAm/s320/13.jpg" /></a>In addition to the solar house, students also observed a solar swimming pool, battery and solar-powered cars, an energy generating slip and drum, a parabolic and box-type solar cooker, a wind-powered water pump, a solar-powered water heating system, and many other structures. Students also participated in various computer-based energy quizzes and games, which enabled them to review various concepts of renewable energy.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u>Conclusion</u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KxXdQr6ofslqVHEeVWulkLCENbyonVpmk4oSqXhA348UMFJmlShD1vU4hkx_arAW7V2azXqxvx3tVoNoqTetF6RMbrosqpaiCEPuSwpFFnksrGQUQMH8MLywX8d6MpUpoA7q/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KxXdQr6ofslqVHEeVWulkLCENbyonVpmk4oSqXhA348UMFJmlShD1vU4hkx_arAW7V2azXqxvx3tVoNoqTetF6RMbrosqpaiCEPuSwpFFnksrGQUQMH8MLywX8d6MpUpoA7q/s320/15.jpg" /></a>Overall, the field trip was jam packed with fun and educational activities. DSF’s students had a wonderful time exploring the realm of science through hands-on applications ranging from a tour of the solar system to learning how to manifest alternative, eco-friendly sources of energy. At the end of the day, students collected a wealth of information to share with their friends and family. It was extremely satisfying to observe their excitement and enthusiasm to participate in the day’s activities, explore new concepts, and to share their experience with others.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBH7Xwm1ThKNY4qcYE28Vsj18d_V2ZWPBNgp23438l8RkJZswWkSgbKzxODDDO0DPM2-JEFd5Y3WTwYZ1wPqVDHAwMRbi5y5Rio3CMdMJm8IQ7OvMmSy8OzpHQSd4tDkHLsc1/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBH7Xwm1ThKNY4qcYE28Vsj18d_V2ZWPBNgp23438l8RkJZswWkSgbKzxODDDO0DPM2-JEFd5Y3WTwYZ1wPqVDHAwMRbi5y5Rio3CMdMJm8IQ7OvMmSy8OzpHQSd4tDkHLsc1/s320/14.jpg" /></a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXsrDnAaizhB3L7ZeFdXZjFyQJmXztPr9U2pMyGaHkWOXamTHA9IgM3pINrAx92-6uCCMdg4KtKECWqQQGlcm3CWY2-053UKTzqg0MEiMYh2c7GlmQf5CoMW0Nb5XPfqz9XHe/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXsrDnAaizhB3L7ZeFdXZjFyQJmXztPr9U2pMyGaHkWOXamTHA9IgM3pINrAx92-6uCCMdg4KtKECWqQQGlcm3CWY2-053UKTzqg0MEiMYh2c7GlmQf5CoMW0Nb5XPfqz9XHe/s320/16.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvvJquw1m68B2oxQrvwF24Nvfroor3DBs7vyU6Khcyx_lJm6mHCHIkzMcdKErbiTEuR-fHvORNb_uCNPXNnzMu4bXBySCuDlNtPZiBJu1KoFzzeGVgzW0F-WCDo_T0blc7baT/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvvJquw1m68B2oxQrvwF24Nvfroor3DBs7vyU6Khcyx_lJm6mHCHIkzMcdKErbiTEuR-fHvORNb_uCNPXNnzMu4bXBySCuDlNtPZiBJu1KoFzzeGVgzW0F-WCDo_T0blc7baT/s320/17.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25WT4mj4KhEsWHQ1js0UY9fhv0XKdmIK3djBmffjgPo1Fd9hcy1jFW1v6tWrjk4FvQ59bogIqY6Ta2rSQwpqVlPDV84JXoNBJaQ7i4E9HPzrlA0ZGR9ghuA99GrhBa0gIvAtO/s1600/18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25WT4mj4KhEsWHQ1js0UY9fhv0XKdmIK3djBmffjgPo1Fd9hcy1jFW1v6tWrjk4FvQ59bogIqY6Ta2rSQwpqVlPDV84JXoNBJaQ7i4E9HPzrlA0ZGR9ghuA99GrhBa0gIvAtO/s200/18.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbC0rR8GFF7WEFdkhhoQ5xKcmKHT0uG4O83_blY_JnSqmr46bu3JUQOeCcetxtkudkC8c5krstD1A9SYGeKw6yTu3M1xFz9BDfg3vRQrnxrMgcO8Kg25KlkrLYDjKZRo9L5zuA/s1600/19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbC0rR8GFF7WEFdkhhoQ5xKcmKHT0uG4O83_blY_JnSqmr46bu3JUQOeCcetxtkudkC8c5krstD1A9SYGeKw6yTu3M1xFz9BDfg3vRQrnxrMgcO8Kg25KlkrLYDjKZRo9L5zuA/s320/19.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLhIZ905vO_7qHfkyvq1ZSfeMjamyF3V1bLyvJjcgni0ohX2VFWlwkePiH_89eppEsxIo1u-iTr52dfYcokeSd-yCtglXYcB-GdxF-25ECa_enM6jJt7QrqTYhLv7Qw_FMEgB/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLhIZ905vO_7qHfkyvq1ZSfeMjamyF3V1bLyvJjcgni0ohX2VFWlwkePiH_89eppEsxIo1u-iTr52dfYcokeSd-yCtglXYcB-GdxF-25ECa_enM6jJt7QrqTYhLv7Qw_FMEgB/s320/20.jpg" /></a></div>Sackhumvit Trusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10030483013357888817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23968452.post-47219550664390068962010-05-07T13:57:00.008+05:302010-05-07T14:43:22.698+05:30Folk Art Workshop - Apr 26, 27 (2010)It had been a while since I met my buddies at the DSF after-school centre in Yeshwantpur. While every time the children are either entirely a different set or partially so, the fact that remains constant is the excitement about any interaction outside of a class room setting. I did have to play "the teacher" to some extent in curbing their over-enthusiasm, but I mostly curbed my own senses to maintain the respected discipline! This workshop was meant for the children to learn from their own experiences and imagination than from my personal notes :)<div><br /></div><div>I would like to believe that it did succeed to some extent, and the best testimony being these works we managed to create -<br /><br />This one being a team effort, where we had each participant create a little warli man / woman so we could create the dancing ring:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Jn0ZjKWJJ2-hfPnBm1nbEQ08kefyu3LA9sBXYqKWF9td9Mu2fuMFZ8oVE-akdp7qqNirbuXMz_NrmPh54mcm5FxNnXlIKn7HrRZDz_iTqkkeX6BrwRWv__uxXe5YvHDTV8L7Tw/s1600/DSC06504.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Jn0ZjKWJJ2-hfPnBm1nbEQ08kefyu3LA9sBXYqKWF9td9Mu2fuMFZ8oVE-akdp7qqNirbuXMz_NrmPh54mcm5FxNnXlIKn7HrRZDz_iTqkkeX6BrwRWv__uxXe5YvHDTV8L7Tw/s400/DSC06504.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468445235364997938" /></a><br /><br />Anjum and I worked on this piece, mostly Anjum did all the hard work. And this work has already received kudos from several fellow DSF members and friends. She's had many a pat on the back, the most rewarding of which are those pats coming from her peers! Anjum is also very good with making the mehndi patterns and has a commendable eye for precision, consistency and detail!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeUZfX1bpEz77yE48X34kS9GrAmfYUJfXiVizInBNAgt8Euwtf0U0p7UNl6cAUalowEu0qV283Tx4goYw3_GiPUi8Pc1vU3uwAxgw7HviZG9-S_8qt9I32M8w8-mruTV1uK5y6A/s1600/DSC06515.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeUZfX1bpEz77yE48X34kS9GrAmfYUJfXiVizInBNAgt8Euwtf0U0p7UNl6cAUalowEu0qV283Tx4goYw3_GiPUi8Pc1vU3uwAxgw7HviZG9-S_8qt9I32M8w8-mruTV1uK5y6A/s400/DSC06515.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468445242416605890" /></a><br />The first day of this workshop was quite a challenge. What the children most enjoyed was skipping the wordy slides to just see pieces of work projected on the ceiling. And yet even as they lay on their backs, were wow-ed by images from <a href="http://www.ethnicpaintings.com/indian_painting_styles/pithora-paintings.html">Pithora</a>, <a href="http://www.thetribalart.com/saura-paintings.html">Saora</a>,<a href="http://www.indianfolkarts.com/formsofart/chittara.asp">Chittara</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warli">Warli</a> Art, some of them couldn't relate to this kind of art. "Why draw people like this?" - a girl came and asked me :) ... that was my chance to imprint the values, such folk art call for - simple, secular monochromes that depict that communities work well when they work together with the strongest building blocks being - respect for each other and respect for nature<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6GKze8zEj0FIUpetNcQlO5aFvP2qiO0l3Iv6mi_GW0791xVqE34Z-45zM4OF_1njqxM6xbiclOkdXeBPK-0I6ya56HZNfGBY0MUUZyzAULQPu3pDwvn0l7m99gzxAoYgtIo5mQ/s1600/DSC06447.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6GKze8zEj0FIUpetNcQlO5aFvP2qiO0l3Iv6mi_GW0791xVqE34Z-45zM4OF_1njqxM6xbiclOkdXeBPK-0I6ya56HZNfGBY0MUUZyzAULQPu3pDwvn0l7m99gzxAoYgtIo5mQ/s400/DSC06447.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468448340338537954" /></a><br /></div><div>This is one piece of art I worked on for my slides to add value through simple folk art -<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufUzqiXIFkzPp2MMZFbgrLahrSSpZ8Ye9EXwwway4ex2l1BZ9B8ZpA4JY4zFl7v3KM8mA8IrgMLSpOjt_QG85WtLc6wZ_6wSipiKL2JlMDfgEq3tDvd5UfWruHFR8Es1DeMjX4Q/s1600/5.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 354px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufUzqiXIFkzPp2MMZFbgrLahrSSpZ8Ye9EXwwway4ex2l1BZ9B8ZpA4JY4zFl7v3KM8mA8IrgMLSpOjt_QG85WtLc6wZ_6wSipiKL2JlMDfgEq3tDvd5UfWruHFR8Es1DeMjX4Q/s400/5.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468450455962762018" /></a><br /></div><div>I look forward to more such interactions and thank My3 and Sabu for encouraging me to conduct these sessions. And I hope the children enjoyed working as a team :) -<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLE0mW27q_6WV5RhmCV41EMGp5Kz7Xfko2_y2mTvuq0E23CvBcU7kyrIu6KIBDIiG38kFAVuKEeCQ2Q8DkSTyMezMq8V0JK9mkxp2f_RAopxp1iCKoJToYnDpRI9N_j7IG-ji7mQ/s1600/DSC06502.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLE0mW27q_6WV5RhmCV41EMGp5Kz7Xfko2_y2mTvuq0E23CvBcU7kyrIu6KIBDIiG38kFAVuKEeCQ2Q8DkSTyMezMq8V0JK9mkxp2f_RAopxp1iCKoJToYnDpRI9N_j7IG-ji7mQ/s400/DSC06502.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468453237187487522" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>More pictures from the sessions follow:</div><div><br /></div><div><div><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="288" height="192" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fmegha.vishwanath%2Falbumid%2F5464850671205014177%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCIyo2oPC2KvMKw%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div></div></div>Meghahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063799783554641499noreply@blogger.com0