Dream School 2010

Dream school- not just a distant dream but a dream which we all want to become a reality; a school that beckons all to a world of knowledge and wisdom; A school that will not be for the rich or the poor, the high or the low but for children, where they will grow equally and will be educated equally. We have always dreamt of this school and now we are here to express it through a Creative Vision- Dream School.The day was 7th of May, 2010 the venue was BhartiyaNritya Kala Mandir and the occasion was Dream School 2010.Students from different schools of Patna including Govt. and Public Schools like Notre Dame Academy, Loyola High School, DAV, Gyan Niketan, K B Sahay, and Miller High School participated in the third edition of Dream School. The enthusiasm was clearly visible among the students as they started thronging the venue almost an hour before the workshop started. The preparation for the main event had started way back in march with the coordinators Akanksha Pandey, Prachi Pandey and Parma Singh visiting schools in the first phase and meeting the head of various Institutions. The students prepared a project on their “Dream School” along with an audio-visual CD with the speech of the team members. The Projects had such uniqueness, such different ways for the achievement of our common goal that it proved a difficult job for the panelists to choose the better among the best. The Panel included Mr. Binod Singh, the Convener of Students' Oxygen movement, Miss Aprajita Singh, a socially active and responsible member of the movement and Akanksha Pandey, one of the coordinators for this year's Dream School Workshop.The event started with Akanksha coming onstage and welcoming the students, teachers and everyone present to the workshop with a brief overview of different activities undertaken by students' oxygen movement and an introduction on the concept of Dream School. The stage was then taken over by Parma and Prachi who carried on through the proceedings beautifully. Parma talked about the importance of education, the importance of our dream of an ideal school and the need to realize our dream school.Prachi threw light on the importance of teachers as they are the foundation stone of our dream school and invited them to invoke God's blessings by lighting the lamp and inaugurating the workshop.Shashwat and Bhavya, the youngest members of oxygen presented the teachers with floral bouquets to the teachers as a token of our love, gratitude and reverence. The programme was inaugurated by the teachers by lighting the lamp invoking God's blessings on all of us. The first round was priority listing where all the students present were asked to list 10 distinct features of their Dream School according to their priority within 5 minutes.On the basis of projects, the CD's and the priority list 25 teams were selected who came on to the stage in groups of 5 and gave a brief introduction of their Dream School. They also faced questions from the panelists. After this grueling session the audience had a gala time with two students from DAV BSEB, Rahul Bhardwaj and Prateek performing on stage. The audience cheered for inspirational songs like “Insaaf ki Dagar pe” which have long been forgotten but are more relevant today and still stress on the need of the hour. Songs like Aashayen related the children to the present condition and the hopes of the society from them.

After the priority list round, the top 10 were announced with the audience cheering loudly. But it was a tough time for the panelists as around fifteen teams were deserving enough to be in the top 10.The top ten teams faced questions from the audience and the other teams. And the teams which put forward the best ideas with utmost conviction advanced towards the top three spots. The questions that the top three teams faced were from teachers of different schools. And on the basis of their answers they were ranked 1st,2nd, and 3rd. Meanwhile, the audience also got to enjoy a magic show by a young magician Rakesh Roshan of Sir G. D. Patliputra High School. Although the whole programme stretched for more than four hours, the audience and cheer groups never seemed low on energy with each good answer getting a big round of applause.The programme ended with teachers and students being felicitated and teachers expressing their gratitude as well as asking for a similar workshop for them too. Mrs. Bhawna Shekhar, Hindi Teacher from Notre Dame Academy also narrated a poem written by her especially for the occasion. The Vote For Kids March to be held in October was announced by Parma along with the vote of thanks and the handling of responsibilities to the newly chosen 20 Dream Leaders to take this movement forward.

Students' Oxygen movement view

7/5/2010

Let us make education the biggest issue

We are living in a society without foundation today. A foundation which will enable the structures built today stand strong tomorrow. And when the foundation itself is weak can we expect the structures to stand tall? Can we expect a future without a present? The answer is no. Innumerable people talk of the fate of doomed students who are not getting proper guidance, the much needed changes to empower the students to be able to decide what they need but these are mere hollow talks which have not taken anyone anywhere. We need a mass movement, a revolution if we really want to do something for the students. And it is for this purpose that we have started the Creative Vision Dream School Campaign. Education and true education only can be that foundation which will give children the strength and the ability to achieve what they dream of. The Dream School campaign is going to give that much required opportunity to the students, to voice their concerns and their opinions about the ills of this foundation which is failing to give them the support for a brighter future. Through this unique initiative, we have tried and are trying again and again to create awareness among the masses that schools without proper teachers, a large number of schools that are absent from the system and a huge chunk young population which does not even have access to the basic primary education, is not something that the future of this nation deserves. The rich history and the even richer cultural and literary heritage stands falsified if they fail or they are not utilised to provide concrete present to the society in the form of intellectually rich human capital. It is only through education and by utilising it that we can do more constructive work in more fields to serve more people. True education which enriches one not only academically but also morally and spiritually will eventually guide all of us on the right path where it will no more be a question of me and I but us. This feeling of oneness mingled with the spirit and passion to provide a sound educational base to our children can never fail to give a foundation to our children which we all so desperately need.

Students' Oxygen movement view

18/04/2010

Dream School 2010

With deep breathing comes long life but it is only with education that we lead a quality life as it enables us to know the purpose of our lives and work towards its achievement. After air, food and water, the basic requirements for sustenance, comes education, the only thing which separates us from the rest of the crowd and empowers us to work and change the society for the better through our efforts. We kids dare to dream and so we have the power to realize our dream that is to have a school which will give us all that we aspire for in contrast to the existing schools which compel us to be a part of the rat race and not work towards taking more initiatives. So, carrying this dream forward the much awaited third edition of creative vision- dream school campaign was announced in the discussion today- Dream School 2010. For the past two years through Dream school campaign we spread the ideas of our dream school far and wide a school whose sole purpose will be educating and enlightening young minds not only academically but also inculcating a sense of morality in the kids, therefore making the society a closely knit environment for the overall development of young minds. Dream school 2010 starts with students from different schools forming groups of two. These groups will make a project on “My Dream School” and record an audio visual speech on the basis of which students will be invited to the main event at Bhartiya Nritya Kala Mandir on 7th May, where after a couple of rounds and discussions the best 25 teams will be selected. On the basis of panel discussion, top 10 teams will be finalised, which will face the audience and the panelists. The top 3 groups among the ten will be declared, 1st with a scholarship of Rs. 20,000, 2nd with a scholarship of Rs. 16,000 and 3rd with a scholarship worth Rs. 12,000 respectively. The rest of the 7 teams will be given Rs. 2,000 as scholarship. We hope for the success of Dream School 2010 and thus see the students taking that much coveted step towards making education the biggest issue. If we want a change, we ourselves have to be the change.

Students' oxygenmovement view

11/04/2010

Coaching Institutions- A boon or a bane

There has been a rapid rise in the number of tuition centres that are mushrooming in every locality. Coaching institutions are brimming with students seeking extra help in their academics. But rather than just taking a bit of help from these sources, it has become a regular and routine affair. Tuition centres can be compared to medical clinics; just as we go to seek help of doctors when in need. The same way we take help of tuitions at times when we need academic assistance. But is the problem so deep that we have to pay regular visits to these centres or for that matter, a clinic? Surely not. Tuitions are inculcating a habit of cut-throat competition among students and are preparing them merely for money and marks. This is a major obstacle in the growth of kids in schools, the atmosphere of studies and alertness is reducing day by day. The students are taking schools for granted, paying attention only in tuitions. They keep running from one place to another for tuitions and are not able to realize the value of time and time management. The teacher also are more enthusiastic in their coaching classes rather than in schools. All the efficient and teachers have set up their own centres due to the conveniences attached to them. Tuitions shouldn't be established institutions of society; instead, the quality of schooling should be upgraded to discourage the growth of these centres. The government must ensure better pay packages and conveniences for school teachers, well equipped schools and a proportional teacher-student ratio. School is second home for kids and it will continue to be so when the teacher and students stay as a family and hence, the senior students can help their friends in solving the doubts.Due to the development of tuition centres knowledge is taken to be a commercial investment that will pay in forms of highly paid jobs. School is a temple of knowledge where students are instilled with the right values and not just a guest for material needs, as in tuition centres. Its time when we ask ourselves- “Tuitions, a boon as a bane?” and act to get the desired result.

Students' Oxygen movement view

14/02/2010

Requesting PM and CM for regular visit to schools

After a long chilly interval, this year's first discussion took place with fresh energy, vigour and ideas and a new hope for realising all our dreams and a striving to achieve more marks in more fields to serve more people.
The much awaited student council was formed today which consist of student coordinators of different schools and colleges. The council took shape to make education the biggest issue and for addressing and raising the burning issues of society by the students.
The students placed their first proposal of regular and unorganized visits of prime minister and chief ministers to schools. The values are instilled in the students and the process of future making begins right from the school, where children learn and catch things that comes their way. The young students should be well connected with the decision makers of the society.
These visits, the students instead, should not be mere formalities, instead, they should be unorganized meetings with the growing kids that creates a shared bond between the young minds and the expressed ones.
Our system makers should reach out to kids and prepare them for the inheritance of responsibilities of the nation in future; to see how they are groomed and the values they receive from schools and around.
The children will take this as a pleasant surprise and will feel secured under the guidance and counselling of caring leaders. The leaders will also feel satisfied after monitoring the growth of the future torch bearers, and if they don't, they will take corrective measures to ensure a good quality of life in society for the individual. The student council members felt that the time and security of the prime Minister and chief ministers is very important but knowing this, they put forth this proposal as the process of nation building is equally important and it will be most yielding when the chain of bonding links all.
The care and affection shown will create a wave in the student community and they will respond with positive outcomes and will strive to achieve what we lack today- a harmonious society.

Students' Oxygen movement view

07/02/2010