eSummer Camp- Learning Continues for Classes IX and X

In response to the current pandemic situation the eSummer camp was a blessing in disguise for the children of SAI International. They were blessed with a complete learning range both Scholastic and co-Scholastic. Let’s have a sneak peak of what the children of Classes IX and X did through the 14 days.

Day 1

The day one of eSummer Camp received a hearty welcome by the students.  The Sculpture Making Session of Class IX consisted of making body parts of an elephant by sculpting it out from clay. They also had a Science Magic session by our guest faculty Shri Aurorashmi Mohanty, an eminent expert in science. He demonstrated how to make a simple DC Motor using battery, copper wire and a simple bar magnet. There after he also demonstrated the process of making an electromagnetic crane using a nail, copper wire and battery, card board and paper. The entire session was highly educative, interesting and interactive. On the other hand Class X students joined the session to learn the basics of Spanish language; they learnt the colors, salutations and some commonly used words. In the music session they learnt Bhajans from the resource person, and later to make the class livelier they even sang some Punjabi Bollywood songs taught by the trainer.

Day 2

An activity on Puppet Show was held for the children of Class IX and also a basic in Drumming was conducted. They were even briefed about gripping the drum sticks, tuning the drums, types of drums, and even played the popular songs on the drums such as Maa tujhe salaam, Hum honge kamyab, Sha la la. Class X students learnt the art of Sculpture making and the types of art, they sculpted two birds on a tree by using clay. They were even briefed about adding texture, and detailing to a clay model and how to give finishing touches to it. There was also an interactive session where doubts were addressed by the trainer.

Day 3

Class IX children were taught to play tunes using keyboard on the third day of the summer camp. They learnt the chords of Maroon 5 and Canon tune in keyboard.  Tunes of Maroon 5 and Shape of you were played together in a single chord. The session concluded with a keyboard performance by Ronak of IX G, which made the session an interactive one.

In the sports and fitness session of Class X  students were briefed upon the importance of fitness, Importance of sports in day to day life, basic skills on Basket ball , Football, Table Tennis, Kho-Kho, Cricket techniques by the legend Sachin Tendulkar. In the Music session they learnt about the 5 various parts of drum, different types of drum, basic elements to beat the drum, basic rock drum beats, to play digital drum. Clay Modeling was also a session for them where they learnt turning still painting into real with the help of clay and the importance of base while making a clay model.

 Day 4

The eSummer Camp brought about a whole new world of experiences for the students of SAI International; Class IX students were engrossed in synchronizing the Aerobics steps with the song Mile Sur from Street Dancer and Ye lelo. There was also a Communication Skill session for them where they heard wonderful stories and interacted about ‘Accepting ones flaws’. Sristhi Mohanty of IX concluded the session by reciting her beautiful poem.

In the Keyboard practice session of class X they were taught how to create a tone. And played the chords of sa re ga ma in keyboard and violin also. The trainer played a Bollywood song for the children. In the Clay modeling the students learnt how make a Swan model through clay. Some students made their models through flour dough.

Day 5

Colors bring happiness in life Class IX students attended the eSummer Camp on Pot Painting and learnt about the importance of colors in life. Students participated enthusiastically in this interaction session. The resources person advised on how to hold a brush and how effects can be made on a surface with different strokes of a brush. She even showed how we can make creative utilization of our broken crockery. Finally they answered all the queries that children had & advised them to use their creativity whenever and wherever they can. A Guitar session was conducted for them where they learnt striking chords, movement of fingers, importance of practice (Sadhna), importance of rhythm played some popular songs.  Students even played some popular songs

A Communication Skills workshop was held for the students of Class X where the resource person spoke about introspection and communicating with self. She began with a story of a broken pot which related with once flaws. How to identify ones flaws and accept them, many other stories were also narrated to the students reflecting different situations. Aerobics session was also held for the students for class X. The teacher explained each and every move nicely and neatly through practical demonstration to keep them fit.

Day 6

Class IX students had a session on Video Editing by Shri Ashwini Kumar Satpathy, where the resource person spoke about graphic designing and video editing while the class on Best out of Waste Activity made a Dream Catcher with simple things like tissue paper, threads and bangles.

In the Dance session by Ms Revati Khattar briefed about the various dance forms. She spoke about the importance of dance in our life to the students of Class X. Followed by a warm-up session for the first 15 minutes where students were encouraged to take part. She advised how to use a prop while dancing like a chair or so. The trainer also spoke about gesture moments, posture moments, and facial expressions. Later in the session she performed on same famous Hollywood lyrics. In the Master Chef Session, SAIoneer Divyashish shared the recipe of Vegetable Biriyani using paneer, jackfruit, soya chunks, and potatoes. He explained each and every step of the dish very nicely and the origin of the dish too.  The second recipe was complimentary for the Biriyani…. the infamous “Raita”’, while the 3rd dish was a very famous Hyderabadi dessert- The Shahi Tukda. The recipes were explained wonderfully with demonstration.

Day 7

An interactive Life Skill session was held by the Life Skill trainer Ms Anuppma on the topic ‘Finding your passion’ for class IX students. The trainer spoke about the importance of passion in one’s life emphasizing on talking to oneself and deciding the passion and also on the importance of values. She said passion is directly linked to happiness. She showed some interactive videos also. Finally there was a question answer session.

Dance session by Ms Revati Khattar, began with leading a particular dance with different body parts like elbows, hips and legs, followed by how to use the entire body while dancing on a particular number. She also taught that movements should be sharp and crisp. Students were briefed about how to do Passe jumps, and Chasse (French words), that are a part of contemporary dance form. Finally she showed some steps on the song- “Fix You” by Cold Play

In the Health Hygiene and Skin Session by Ms Lopamudra Pradhan for Class X was held to identify skin and hair type, benefits of using a particular shampoo, checking vitamin D3 level in our body on a regular basis. Importance of oil message on hair roots was also discussed.

While in the 2^nd session for Class X the value of money, expenditure and saving was discussed. The trainer also discussed about utilizing the pocket money judiciously. The difference between necessity and luxury was also discussed.  She also briefed about the importance of banks and opening a savings account and how to multiply money by using various means. It was an interactive session where students asked questions on the related topic.

Day 8

In the Language session of Class IX students learnt the basics of Spanish language by Ms Kalyani Mohapatra where they learnt twenty nine Spanish alphabets, numbers, different colours, greetings in Spanish, gender with objects, months of the year and a story of Roja and story of Pajaro bird.

In the Money Wise session students learnt about the value of money, spending and saving money properly, opening a bank account and what is the difference between necessity and luxury in a student’s life.

Class X a session on Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships was taken by the Life Skills trainer Ms Anuppma where she interacted with the students and explained about balanced/healthy relationships and unbalanced/unhealthy relationships through different case studies. She spoke about the boundaries of different relationships. How healthy and unhealthy relationships can be determined by using boundaries. How acceptance plays an important role in healthy and unhealthy relationship s. towards the end she gave an idea about how to tackle with unhealthy relationship. In the Dance Session by Ms Revati Khattar she had a warm up session followed by the Contemporary movements and the three techniques of Rond de Jambe, Passy Jump and Chasing was shown to the students.

Day 9

On day 9 students had a session on Table Etiquette where they were briefed on the actual meaning of table manners, basic -Do’s and Don’ts of table manners, basic table manners in office, party and meeting. Table manners in India and western countries were also discussed. In the Photography session for Class IX by Shri Milan Machhar where he explained about the basics of photography such as ISO, aperture and shutter speed. The trainer also presented few of his own master pieces. He discussed about cinematography and difference between photography and cinematography. He concluded the session with two small videos.

In the video editing Session for Class X by Shri Ashwini Kumar laid down the importance of thinking before we begin, importance of sound, the designing process, making short films, there was an active discussion about movies and animation too

In the Best out of Waste session students made a wall hanging using metal string, thread, tissue paper sand coloured paper. They used waste materials in painting as well. The resource person gave some information about using colour combinations in art. The session was interesting and the students enjoyed it.

Day 10

Ms Revati Khattara Dance trainer conducted a session for the students of Class IX where she spoke about the importance of dance in our life. There was a warm up session for the first 15 minutes where students were encouraged to take part. The trainer advised the students to how to use a prop while dancing like a chair or something. She spoke about two focus fixed and peripheral focus. She even spoke about gesture moments, posture moments, and facial expression. She explained how to create a tone and dance with the same. In the session on Drama children learnt about the significance of drama as an activity. Students enacted different situations and roles.

In the Spanish Language Session for Class X Ms. Kalyani Mishra taught about greetings in Spanish, different professions, nationality, countries, farming small sentences and some commonly used adjectives and conversation, while in the musical session children learnt about Keyboard. The Resource person played the theme of 1920 movie and asked the students to identify it. He then played the song” Pehla nasha” from the movie Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. He interacted with the students and sang a few songs. He played a few more tunes and asked the children to identify them. He taught how to identify the chords and notes, he also taught to play the song “Abhi mujh mein kahin”.

Day 11

The concluding day ie the 14^th Day of the e Summer camp was more of a celebration where students showcased various art, cooking and all that they learnt in the last 14 days. Parents and Grandparents had also joined the celebration with great happiness.

All through the eSummer Camp children as well as the parents were highly engaged in the various sessions designed for the student. They shared ppts, performed classical dance, recited poems, played violin and guitar to showcase what they had leant all through the days.

Workshop on Skill Development in LSRW

“Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow.” – ‍Oliver Wendell Holmes

An in-house workshop on Skill Development in Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing (LSRW), was conducted on Saturday, February 8, 2020, for the faculty members of English, Hindi, Oriya, Sanskrit and French. Language teachers from Classes VI to X participated in the workshop.

The objective of the workshop was to discuss the CBSE curriculum, comprehend the aspects of the CBSE curriculum and analyze its implications and explain how curriculum in language and literature can be implemented in the classroom, so as to enhance teaching/learning and language skills.

Resource persons Ms. Swati Sengupta and Ms. Swati Srilekha briefed the participants about the four core skills of language and how to effectively implement it in the classroom. They also discussed about various reading strategies, listening techniques, principles for designing the listening techniques which are intrinsically motivating, carefully considering the listeners response and encouraging development of listening strategies through bottom up and top down approach. Participants also learnt about elements of good speaking and functions and mechanics of good speaking skills. The aspects of writing and the principles of writing process were also discussed.

Several activities were conducted like Chinese whispers, Reading comprehension, and Analysing what are the sub-categories of actions that happened during listening, reading and speaking.

Proficiency in each of the four language skills is essential to become a well-rounded communicator. It gives learners the opportunity to create contexts in which to use the language for exchange of real information, evidence of their own ability and, most important, confidence.

Workshop on Art of Questioning

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” – Albert Einstein

A capacity building workshop on Art of Questioning was organised for Science teachers from Classes VI to X on Saturday, February 8, 2020. The objective of the workshop is to make teaching-learning process more effective by proper questioning.

Resource person Ms. Sunita Mishra spoke about how effective questioning can built an inquisitive mind and how to frame different level of questions as per Blooms Taxonomy. The participants were also briefed on how a student can be judged by the type of questions asked.

Some of the key points discussed were characteristics of good questions with concept of GRACE – Grab attention, Requires upper-level training, Allows for a variety of acceptable answers, Connects course content and students’ lives, Is essential and Is student friendly.

She also discussed about the consequences on students if good questions are not asked, like they would shift their attention or won’t get enough practice using upper level thinking skills. Discussion also centered on avoid using certain words like understand, be familiar with, be aware of, have a good grasp of, have a knowledge of, realise the significance of etc and use words like describe, explain, evaluate, identify, design, explain, select, distinguish, construct and solve.

Mathematics Workshop

“Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience.” – David A. Kolb

Mathematics makes our life orderly and prevents chaos. It is the cradle of all creation, without which the world cannot move ahead. Learning mathematics becomes easier and enjoyable if done through interesting games and activities.

A workshop on ‘Experiential Learning in Mathematics’ was conducted on Saturday, February 8, 2020, with an aim to enable teachers from Classes VI to X, include experiential learning in classroom with the available resources.

The objective of the workshop was to understand Kolb’s cycle of learning so as to help children learn mathematics through experience. The participants were also guided to understand the history of mathematics and its development and also know the family of quadrilaterals.

Resource person Kalana Mishra skilfully guided the participants to apply experiential learning in classroom activities as well as analyse and improve the experiential learning through Kolb’s cycle.

Experiential learning is not only engaging but also stimulates children to understand the concepts and practices. It helps them to identify problems, use constructive reasoning to make viable arguments, and applying mathematics in real-life problems.

 

Going Global Club

“Diversification and globalization are the keys to the future.” – Fujio Mitarai

The Going Global Club Members of Class IX and X as well as Senior Secondary students conducted their Club Presentation. It commenced with a prayer, followed by students showcasing various activities done in different months of 2019.

They presented each activity in form of a slide, explaining the activity details and finally describing the learning outcome of each of the activities. They talked about International Youth Day, Global Village, Community Services, Adoption of a school and the Round Square Conference.

The students then shared details about the Going Global booth to be put up during UNWIND 2019. They showed the various merchandise like headbands, badges, head gears, dream catchers etc, made by the students of the Club. They also shared details about the games which will be there in the booth.

The assembly was concluded by the distribution of certificates to the proud winners of Dada Saheb Phalke awards. This year, the ever creative SAIoneers have once again won the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival Award. The students received the Award in three categories Best Public Service Announcement, Best Short Documentary, Best Background Music at the 9th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, held in New Delhi on Tuesday, April 30, 2019.

Chairman’s Cup Debate 2019

“Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.” – Benjamin Franklin

Debating is one of the best educational training which gives insightful and everlasting benefits to a student, as he acquires skills, knowledge and the yearning to master a topic.

Chairman’s Cup Debate is an annual activity, initiated in the year 2012 to hone the debating skills of the students and encourage them to put forth their opinions in a creative manner. It is conducted in two different groups, Junior and Senior, and is personally mentored by Dr. Bijaya Kumar Sahoo, Founder, SAI International Education Group. Every year students are selected for the final round through a rigorous process.

The prestigious Chairman’s Cup Debate for the students of Classes XI and XII was held on Thursday, August 22, 2019. It was an excellent battle of ideas between five pairs of students who spoke for and against the motion “When opinions became facts, democracy becomes history.”

The young debaters spoke brilliantly in presence of students, teachers and Jury members. Students speaking for the motion pointed out various situations from across the world where opinions of people resulted in making the democracy defunct. Students speaking against the motion opined that democracy is built upon the opinions of people and public opinion is the ultimate source of power.

The Chairman’s Cup Debate for the students of Class IX and X was conducted on Thursday, September 26, 2019. Six pairs of students spoke for and against the topic “Exorbitant fine is the only way to make people disciplined”.

The young debaters showcased excellent debating skills including great confidence, poise and rich content. Students speaking for the motion were of the opinion that heavy fines are the only way to make people disciplined and bring the desired result. Some of them cited examples from countries like Dubai and United Kingdom, where levying heavy fines on public brought in a great reform in traffic management and in other areas.

Students speaking against the motion opined that discipline should be encouraged, not enforced, and the best way to bring about a change, is by creating awareness among people to inculcate self-realization and self-discipline. They put forth the point that children should be taught from early childhood to respect the Government rules, so that it becomes their second nature.

Dr. Sahoo appreciated the students for the high level of debating. He encouraged other students to participate in debates to hone their oratory skills as it enhances the ability to communicate which is pivotal in the present age. The students were judged on parameters which include clarity of concept, quality of comprehension, diction and presentation style.

SAI Football League 2019

“Players win games and teams win Championship.” – Anonymous

The 3^rd edition of SAI Football League was conducted from July 15 to August 19, 2019. It was participated by students from SAI International School, SAI International Residential School and SAI International College of Commerce in two different categories.

In the Senior category, five teams participated. They are XI-Science Dazzlers, XI-Commerce Hunters, XII-Science Radiants, XII-Commerce Big Bullets and SICC-Galaxy. In the Junior category, four teams participated like SIRS-Movers, Class-IX Bloomers, Class-X Young Controllers and a team from Class VIII.

SFL 2019 was declared open by Senior Principal Shri Nilakantha Panigrahi on Monday, July 15, 2019, followed by a match between XI Science-Dazzlers and XI Commerce-Hunters. After a round of interesting and energetic matches, SFL 2019 finally concluded on Monday, August 19, 2019.

On the last day, two electrifying matches were played both at the Senior level and Junior level. In the Junior category finals, the Class X-Young Controllers and Class IX-Bloomers had an exciting match which was won by the former team by two goals.

The match between the SICC Galaxy and XII Commerce Big Bullets took a dramatic turn with a tie breaker. It ended with the SICCans winning the SFL by scoring a total of four goals against the two goals scored by the Big Bullets.  The SFL 2019 winners were Class X-Young Controllers (Junior) and SICC Galaxy (Senior).

SAIMUN 2019: Inspiring the Students of Tomorrow

“You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.”  – Mother Teresa

The Annual Model United Nations (MUN) Conference of SAI International School was conducted from July 25 to 27, 2019 in the school premises. SAI Model United Nations Conference (SAIMUN), considered as Eastern India’s largest MUN was inaugurated by Chief Guest Mr. Roderick D. Fraser AM, Chairman, Round Square and Guests of Honour Dr. Sumer Bahadur Singh, Trainer and Mentor, Global Dimensions as well as Dr. Bijaya Kumar Sahoo, Advisor, Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya Sangathan. Around 650 delegates and 10 International delegates from 8 different countries are participating in the event.

Participants from countries like USA, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Canada, South Korea, France, Netherland and India including students from around 36 schools like Mumbai, Varanasi, Himachal Pradesh, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Raipur etc participated in the mega event.

The Inaugural session was attended by students of Shri Harsha Memorial School for Deaf, Bhubaneswar, who will also visit Kala Bhoomi along with the International delegates to witness the State’s art and craft under one roof and encourage inclusivity.

On Day 2, renowned Motivational Speaker, Ms. Sharon Prabhakar conducted an inspirational session for students on how to become the Best version of themselves.

The Valedictory Session of SAIMUN 2019 held at SAI International School on Saturday, July 27, 2019, was graced by Chief Guest Shri Samir Ranjan Dash, Hon’ble Minister, School and Mass Education, Government of Odisha and Guest of Honour Dr. Bijaya Kumar Sahoo, Advisor, Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya Sangathan, Government of Odisha.

Speaking to an assemblage of more than 650 students from 36 different schools across the globe, Shri Dash said that ‘this present congregation is a perfect training ground for nurturing young delegates and instilling the requisite knowledge and leadership qualities. He added that “International or National Conferences and workshops aiming to elevate the knowledge level of students are thoroughly appreciated” and advised the students to put into use the highly enriching and lifelong skilful learning accumulated during the three-day conference.

Dr.Sahoo shared with the students the significance of the theme of SAIMUN, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, through a wonderful real life story. He asked the young students to make optimal use of the learning and wished them a brighter future.

On the occasion, Hon’ble Minister, Shri Dash released the ‘SAI Tribune’, the newsletter of SAIMUN, which is prepared by the dynamic team of the International Press. The event culminated in the award ceremony where prizes and awards were given to outstanding participants from different committees.

This year, the students discussed, delved and deliberated on global issues in eight different committees including United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), United Nations General Assembly – Disarmament & International Security (UNGA-DISEC), United Nations Security Council (UNSC), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and The Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC).

SAIMUN is a duly accredited registered event of United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan (UNIC), under the aegis of the United Nations (UN). Initiated in the year 2013, the maiden event of SAIMUN was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik.

The event has been a changing platform for all the delegates to shape talent and leadership apart from fostering Global harmony and peace. It is held every year to build leadership skills; increase global literacy and expand critical thinking in a student by exposing them to the working of the United Nations.

A walk through the Stars

The greatest achievement of man is crossing the boundaries of this Earth and landing in Space.

Greetings! I am Samriddhi Agrawal of Class X F, a student of SAI International School.

I am fortunate to have embarked on an exposure visit to ISRO this year along with 19 other participants. ISRO is one of the largest space agencies in the world. Its vision is to harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration.

At ISRO I saw two kinds of satellites like Optical Wave Satellite and Micro Wave Satellite, which gives greater resolution and is compatible in all weather condition. The payloads I watched being made were designed and developed in a way which catered to the needs of that satellite perfectly. There I got to know that there are many kinds of rockets, satellites and spacecrafts, that are designed keeping in mind the challenges which can come across in space. I got to know about the increasing space traffic and the space graveyards that we have built.

I also got an opportunity to witness the massive ‘PLASIV’, which gave me the experience of real space photography carved out on a screen. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Exhibition and the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) at Ahmedabad helped us unravel many mysteries about space. I discovered that the Sun sings! At PRL, I got to know many more interesting facts and latest updates on the Sun, Moon, Stars and other Planets. The presentations gave me a clear insight about how we use our telescope with resolution to capture better images of the celestial bodies. It was wonderful to see the working behind Chandrayan.

The interaction with the Scientists really moved me. It was a dream come true for me. I went there with a plethora of questions to discover their answers and I came with plenty more! The humongous amount of appreciation that poured in from everyone filled my heart with deep joy. This made me realize that nothing is impossible. This gave wings to my imagination…I might be one of them in the future.

#SAIAchiever

#YoungAstronomerTalentSearch

Inter-house Debate Competition

“A successful person never loses, they either win or learn”. – John Calipari

The final round of inter-house debate competition for Classes IX and X was conducted on Monday, April 8, 2019. The competitions were held in four different languages, Odia, Hindi, Sanskrit and French on the topic ‘In the 21^st Century, India will be the most powerful country in the world’.

Earlier the preliminary round was held in the respective classrooms. Most of the students were of the opinion that India is the next super power of the world with its rapidly growing economy. The well-researched and enthusiastic participation of the students was worth appreciation.

The participants were judged on parameters like organisation and clarity, presentation, information and use of facts and response from other team.

Orientation Programme

“When parents or guardians and teachers work together well, everyone wins.” – Julia Thompson

Parents Orientation Programme is a perfect platform for parents to understand about the child’s scheduled scholastic and co-scholastic activities for the next academic year. They get introduced to the subject teachers and the various parents of students studying in the same class, which helps in developing a bond.

Parents of students going to Class X attended an orientation programme on March 6, 2019. Principal Shri Harish Sanduja spoke about stress in adolescents and shared the various factors that would help a parent identify whether a child is stressed or not. He gave some valuable tips on how to handle it.

Shri Sanduja shared about various achievements of students like excelling in Joint Entrance Examination, bagging seats in foreign Universities etc. He spoke about goal setting and task management.

He outlined the process of registration for Class X Board Examination, briefed the parents on the career counselling facilities, how to use SAMS, the assessment process of a child, the changed examination rules on Mathematics, communication structure of school, phone rules, bus rules etc.

Shri Sanduja requested the parents to encourage creativity and self-study in children and help them develop an attitude to learning to learn, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, purposeful engagement and individual responsibility.

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Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“Action speaks louder than Words but not nearly as often.”

Good words alone are not enough.You should also do good deeds and that’s how you come to be respected, says Buddhist monk Sumangalo. When we speak of action, we always mean making sure that our conduct; behavior and all our deeds are such that we can properly call each act “Right Action”. An ancient proverb says: “Actions speak louder than words.” Good words ought to be coupled with good deeds. No matter how cleverly we may try always to speak in a good way, we shall fail to disguise our true nature unless our acts are the same as our words. In today’s world, practical aspects of life weigh more than the theoretical. Life is full of hazards and to overcome the obstacles of life, a person must strive to be practical and stop wasting precious time on unnecessary preaching. In other words, he must be man of action in order to succeed in life. Many great personalities of history have put into practice what their conscience told them to do and have acted according to their beliefs. They have not contemplated too much on how to reach their set goals. Precious time must be converted into moments of action for real success in life. Idle talk can lead one nowhere. On the contrary, life should be moulded on the firm basis of action. It must be secondary to the practical aspects of life. In our dynamic world, success and happiness depend on action, not on theory or empty words. It is better to take a step ahead and work hard in achieving your dream rather than feeling proud about it. For example, you are a good student and you keep saying that I will come 1^st in my class, it will not give you the pride and respect that you will earn when this fact actually comes true. The day you come 1^st in class, it will be known by one and all sooner or later. What is noticeable about the achievements of the great personalities in the world is that they always dreamt big but never boasted about achieving something big even though they were highly capable of achieving more than what they dreamt of. These eminent personalities were aware of the fact that they can achieve more than they desire but never boasted about their hidden qualities. Take the example of Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, they achieved phenomenal results in their works but never boasted about the fact that it was their leadership that brought a change in the world. Here the saying “action speaks louder than words” can be aptly applied. Ego and pride can kill any achievement and in cases reduce the value of any achievement to zero. All the people who remain down to Earth have achieved phenomenal success in the history of mankind. Just follow your dreams and try to achieve whatever you desire; your actions will definitely speak louder than words. All of us ought to arrange all our actions so that they will earn us respect from our friends and all who know us. But this is only half the picture. The other side is the importance of keeping our self – respect. If we commit wrong actions, we ought first to think carefully to see if it will bring us joy or sorrow. If we think and act wisely and well, then we shall not need to feel shame for our conduct. Wise thought coupled with wise action brings us the respect of others and keeps us from losing our self-respect. So many say they believe Lord Buddha’s teachings. But when we look at their actions, we wonder if they are telling the truth, because their deeds do not fit in with their words. We must always remember that Buddha’s religion is something to do, not just something to talk about. Among the Tamil people of India, there is a legend about a holy man who became known all over India as a famous teacher and preacher. Thousands of pilgrims came to learn from him. He showed kindness to all, regardless of rank. The goodness of his heart was shown by his actions. Everyone who came to visit this great and holy teacher went away feeling that he had received deep instructions. Yet this great teacher and preacher had never in his life been able to utter even one word. He had been born dumb. The examples he set by his actions was the only sermon he could preach. “Good people shine from afar, like the snowy mountains; bad people are not seen, like arrows shot by night.”

By: Lovely Mohanty

Webinar at SAI

“Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make, makes you.” – John C. Maxwell

A Webinar on the topic “Stream Selection, students first academic decision”, was organised for students of Class X on Wednesday, January 16, 2019 in the Sushila Devi auditorium. It was conducted by Ms. Muskan Bhatia, Univariety Counsellor. She addressed the probable questions regarding higher studies that arise in the minds of students during this stage of life.

Ms. Bhatia briefed the students about different streams and possible career options for each stream. She spoke about the available streams like Commerce, Science and Humanities, what are the vital points to consider before selecting the right stream as well as pros and cons of various streams. She also spoke about the various myths attached to each stream and cleared them with logical reasoning. Ms. Bhatia elaborated the benefits of taking Commerce with Mathematics.

Some of the other issues on which she spoke were, ability to take the career aptitude test, choosing the subjects with different combination, information about Vedic Maths, new upcoming streams, professional courses etc.

SAI International School believes in bringing about a meaningful change in the lives of its students by constantly guiding them to pursue the right path. Through proper nurturing of talent and skill, it equips the students with versatile qualities. Simultaneously, the school takes care to identify and understand the area of expertise of the students as well as motivates them for self-reflection to assess their own strength and weakness. This gives them the ability to weigh options before taking any decisions and also inspires the children to gain a better control over their life in order to move ahead successfully. The career counseling and the personalized care provided by the school further helps the students make informed decisions which leads them to their desired higher or professional studies.

SAI Scouts & Guides take part in Camporee 2018

“A Scout is never taken by surprise; he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.” Robert Baden-Powell

The Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG) is the national Scouting and Guiding association of India established with an aim to inculcate and promote reverence to God/Dharma and selfless service to Mother and Humanity.

Camporee is a local or regional gathering of Scouting units for a period of camping and common activities. The 28^th District Camporee of Bharat Scouts and Guides was held at Capital High School, Bhubaneswar from November 1 to 3, 2018. Twenty-Five Scouts and Guides students of SAI International School took part in the 3-day camp.

Two thousand fifty-one Scouts and Guides from around 70 Schools participated in the event.  Several activities were conducted like demonstration on firefighting, first aid etc. SAI students participated in various competitions, adventure activities, cultural programme, Peace March etc. Guide Krishna Tanutrishna bagged the first position in the painting competition held during the 3-day camp.

In India Scouting was founded in 1909 as an overseas branch of the Scout Association. It  became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1938. Guiding started in the Country in the year 1911 and it was amongst the founder members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1928.

YATS Competition – Fostering interest towards Space Science & Astronomy

“To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.” – Stephen Hawking, Astrophysicist

The Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) 2018 organised by Tata Steel in association with Pathani Samanta Planetarium was conducted at SAI International School on Monday, October 29, 2018.

Two different competitions were held for students from Class VI to X to foster their intellect towards space science & astronomy. The Open Quiz Competition on Astronomy was held for students from Class VI to VIII. Around 150 interested students took part in the competition, out of which 16 students received prizes for giving the correct answer. For Class IX and X students, an Essay Competition was held on the theme ‘Imagine Space Exploration 50 years from now’. Forty-one interested students took part in the competition.

The flagship event of Tata Steel seeks to identify and promote the talents of school students of the state in the field of space science by providing them platforms to test and express their knowledge. It also aims to popularize the contributions of legendary Odisha astronomer, Pathani Samanta in the field of Astronomy.

Pathani Samanta Planetarium is a premier institute of Odisha promoting science, astronomy, astrophysics and space science under the administrative control of Science and Technology Department, Government of Odisha.

Enabling Students to Choose the Right Career

Career planning is extremely crucial for a student as it lays the foundation for selecting the right career option. For students studying in Secondary School, the first step is to select the appropriate stream in Class XI as per the interest level of the student. The next step is to select the subject combination that would complement the career the child wants to pursue.

To guide the students of Class IX and X on selection of streams after Class X, a Career Workshop was organised by Univariety on Monday, October 29, 2018. It was conducted by Ms. Stuti Verma, Assistant Manager, Guidance, Univariety.

Students got an in-depth idea on various streams as well as on different subject combination in each stream.  They were also briefed on related career options. Ms. Verma guided the students on subject selection in case of students interested to pursue their studies in foreign land.

In the interactive workshop, students asked a variety of questions. The workshop helped them in creating awareness and pepped them up to introspect, explore the right career they want to pursue. While making a career planning, it is important for students to identify and understand their own area of expertise, assess their strength and weakness and weigh options before taking any decision, so as to gain a better control over their life and be successful.

SAI Netritva Camp Commences

“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.” – Henry Ward Beecher

In this highly competitive global village, it becomes essential for students to cultivate the traits of a leader from a very young age. Leadership does not indicate a title or a designation, rather it is about one’s attitude and actions that makes a positive profound impact on people and society. It is about innovations, thinking about big goals and translating it to reality with a team spirit.

The Leadership Programme of SAI International School, the SAI Netritva Camp aims to inculcate the qualities of a true leader within each student and make them aware and confident global learners. The two-day and one-night camp focusses on building and fortifying attributes and skills to help students emerge with improved communication and numerous other life skills. The specially designed location with its training facilities help each and every child to explore their innate talent.

The Annual Leadership Programme 2018 began on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. It commenced with 54 students of Class IX and X in the camp site, set amidst the sylvan surroundings of the Chandka Forests. For Class X students, the theme is “The Leader and Team Synergy” and for Class IX students, it is “The Confidant Self”.

Here students are ably guided and assisted by experts for the tenure over various areas which include leadership, soft skills training, communication skills through dramatics, social work and outdoor activities. To leverage the qualitative component of SAI Netritva, this year an hour-long Grooming Session and Pottery classes are being introduced, which will enable students to augment their confidence and refine their personality further.

Anti-Tobacco Workshop at SAI International School

“The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror – not the glamour and sophistication the pushers in the tobacco industry try to portray.” – David Byrne

An Anti-Tobacco Workshop was conducted at SAI International School on Friday, October 5, 2018, to create awareness among the students on the ill effects of Tobacco and Smoking. It was conducted by Prof. Dr. Narayan Mishra in association with Rotary Club of Berhampur, National College of Chest Physicians (NCCP), Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Indian Chest Society (ICS).

Prof Mishra briefed the students about the ill effects of tobacco in smoking, inhaling and chewing as well as on the various health hazards relating to smoke like smoke from Chullah, Mosquito Coil, Fire Crackers etc. He also spoke about the impact on passive smokers and the remedial measures for the tobacco affected people. In the highly interactive workshop, Prof Mishra outlined the various risk factors associated with tobacco and interacted with the students to get their views.

Speaking on the occasion Principal Shri Harish Sanduja said that “it was quite informative to know that Tobacco cultivation to consumption cause a national loss of more than 6000 crores. I hope students will keep themselves away from all the tobaccos, specially the hookah bar”.

Tobacco use is the single greatest cause of preventable death globally. As many as half of people who use tobacco die from complications of tobacco use. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that each year tobacco causes about 6 million deaths (about 10% of all deaths) with 600,000 of these occurring in non-smokers due to second hand smoke.

Joy of Giving celebrated at SAI International School

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

The Joy of Giving Week is an event that is observed every year at SAI International School with a lot of enthusiasm, reflecting the spirit of empathy and generosity of the students, teachers and parents alike. This festival of philanthropy held from Oct 2 to 8 unites millions of people across the country in celebrating the joyous donation drive. This gives us an opportunity to reach out to less privileged people with our acts and words of kindness.

As part of the celebration of Joy of Giving Week or Daan Utsav, twenty students from the Going Global and Interact Club and three Teacher-Coordinators of SAI International School visited ‘Vriddhi’, a vocational centre for Special Children on Thursday, October 4, 2018.

The inmates of Vriddhi are involved in soap making, which is a few months old Startup. To help them leverage their activity, students of SAI conducted a training session covering hygiene issues like use of latex gloves, hair nets, aprons etc. They also provided the organization with a Storage bucket, gloves, hairnets, aprons to help them maintain the hygiene level while making soaps. SAIoneers also learnt to make soaps, getting involved in the 5-step process of soap making, working hand in hand with the inmates of Vriddhi.

A small community library was also donated to the organisation under the 100 Library Project of SAI to help the new friends enhance their learning horizon. A story telling session was organised, songs were shared, and all the children sang and danced to their heart’s content.

The preparation for the event started few weeks prior to the D-day. A selected group of students and teachers visited the organisation to understand their requirements and accordingly charted out the list of activities. Students deeply felt the need for maintaining the hygiene level of soap making and also saw the lack of storage space which motivated them to pool in money to donate a huge bucket and the other essentials. Students also felt the children at Vriddhi need to read and enjoy books, for which they suggested to install a library and accordingly an almirah and books catering to their needs were provided. Finally everyone was happy as the day came to a close.

Music Competition

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” ― Plato

Music is the language which brings people together. People worldwide are connected to each other through music. In children learning music not only leads to better brain development, but also enhances skills in other areas. It is also a wonderful way to relieve stress.

At SAI, music plays an integral part and no event is complete without music. The School has a strong Music department, where children get to learn various instruments and vocal music. To inspire the students, music programmes and competitions are held in a regular basis. The final round of inter-house Solo Music Competition (Both Singing and Instrumentation) was conducted for students of Class IX and X on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 in the Indraprastha Auditorium.

The melodious presentation of both vocal and instrumentation by the selected students mesmerized the audience. It was judged by an external musician, who marked the students on three parameters like tune, rhythm and style of presentation.