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Inter house patriotic singing competition
There was a low chatter in the school auditorium. While some audience members were talking about which house would win, the participants were quiet, biting their nails with anxiety. Yes, you guessed right, it was the inter-house patriotic group singing competition, held on on 26 August 2010. As the judges entered, the buzz slowly quietened down.
The panel of judges comprised Mr. Narendra Kothambikar, Mr. Shashikant and Ms.Anjali Taleker. After a brief introduction of each of the esteemed judges, the houses were ready to compete for the positions of the nightingales of Aditya Birla World Academy. The competition began with the Red House (Kalidas) singing, “Taqat watan ki hum se hai.” Next was the Green House (Vivekananda). They too expressed their patriotism with the song “Vande mataram”, followed by the Yellow House (Chanakya) singing “Hum Hindustani”. Finally, the Blue House (Aryabhata), presented their song. Each performance was followed by loud applause and cheering.
When the performances had ended, our principal, Mrs. Sinha, came up on stage and expressed her appreciation for all the participants .She also expressed her deepest gratitude to the judges for having taken time out from their busy schedules to judge and motivate us with their presence.
In the end, the judges gave a brief vote of thanks. This was followed by a song they performed, which exposed us to tuneful Indian music. We even got to sing along, which made it an even more enjoyable experience. When the time came to announce the winner, all the participants sat anxiously with their fingers crossed. Mrs. Sinha came up on stage with the results. Amidst huge applause and cheers, she announced the third runner up — Vivekananda, followed by the second runner up — Chanakya. With only two houses remaining, the suspense got deeper and deeper until finally, the results were declared. Kalidasa claimed second place, while Aryabhata was the proud winner! As expected, the Blue House was overjoyed. However, all the houses were happy to hear the results and thought that the judging was fair.
— By Hiya Sanghvi,
Class 5B
Investiture ceremony 2010-11
The investiture ceremony for the academic year 2010-11,
held on 26 August 2010, was truly an enthusiastic ceremony
during which the newly elected council members were
not only awarded their badges but also instilled with
a sense of pride and responsibility. At the end of what
had been a busy and eventful day, the senior school
students gathered in the assembly hall. Ms. Akshada
called upon our principal Mrs. Sinha, our IGCSE coordinator
Mrs. Franak Bandekar and our IB coordinator Mrs. Grace
Mangar (IB Coordinator) to light the traditional lamp
and begin the ceremony.
There was an audible murmur in the room as the audience
anxiously waited for Ms. Akshada to call out the names
of the council members. While students were thrilled
to see the candidates they had voted for a week ago,
being inducted formally, parents of the would-be council
members were also invited and were delighted to see
their children receiving the shining badge and sash.
Ms. Akshada announced the name of the head boy Jaiveer
Mariwala to a huge round of applause. As we did not
have a head girl this year, Yash Bhansali was elected
as the deputy head boy. The school council also comprised
school captains (Mansa Shroff and Vikramaditya Kanodia),
cultural captain (Jugal Doshi), sports captains (Aaliya
Issa and Vitrag Mehta), house representatives, house
captains and vice captains.
Standing tall with beaming smiles, all the leaders were
greeted with pride and hope by their friends and fellow
students. The council members stood proudly, reflecting
the strength and leadership that accompanies their roles.
The solemn ceremony drew to a close with Mrs. Sinha
leading the swearing-in of the new council members,
which emphasised the importance of their duty towards
ABWA. They were made aware of their role in encouraging
fellow students in all ways to bring honour to our school.
This was followed by the national anthem after which,
the gleeful parents congratulated their children.
The words spoken and the oath taken during this ceremony
will transform into actions through the course of the
next academic year, as the council members try their
best to keep our school banner flying high.
— Mohit Madhiwala,
Grade VII A
Annual
concert
On the 30 April 2010, the Birla Matoshree Auditorium was abuzz with activity. One could hear the cheerful yet nervous chatter of the children, the unmistakable warnings by the teachers and the cool and calm demeanour of our director. So what was the fuss about?
The day for the junior school of Aditya Birla World Academy Annual Concert had finally arrived, with the play aptly titled ‘Once Upon a Time’. The parents on arrival were greeted by posters that portrayed the entire school community working together to make this evening a magnificent one.
The junior school presented the Panchatantra Stories taught by Saint Vishnu Sharma to the three naughty princes. These stories had a moral that help us to learn the right outlook to live a happy and enriched life. Our director Abhishek Saha and his team skillfully wound these stories into vibrant dances and humorous dialogues that left our parents enthralled. All the students had worked very hard, whether they were squirrels chewing away at their acorns or they were menacing iron chomping rats.
The pre-primary also participated to make this concert a sensation. The students from Grade 3 to Grade 5 acted out the stories interspersed with dances by the LKG, HKG, Grade 1 and 2.
The teachers were a source of inspiration and guided us whenever we needed their assistance. With the help of our director and his team our first junior annual concert was a grand success.
— Aanshi Gupta, Grade 5 A
ABWA student
ranks no. 218 in the world U-15 table tennis players
list
It has always been
the effort at ABWA to polish each student like a precious
gem. Thus, it is overwhelming to see one of those gems
bask in the glory of fame. We are talking about Vitraag
Mehta of Grade IX who recently having participated in
the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Open
at Bahrain entrenched his name in the list of world
U-15 table tennis players (boys) at the 218th position.
ABWA website correspondent Mansa Shroff takes
us through Vitraag’s fantastic journey past the
hallway of name, fame and achievement.
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Can you take
us through the selection process for the ITTF Open?
The selection criteria required the players to have
represented any district team and played in the Inter-District
Team Championships 2009. I was the captain of the Mumbai
City District Junior Boys Team. When my coach, Mr. Pradeep
Gupta got a call from the Maharashtra State Table Tennis
Association to suggest players to represent the country,
my name was foremost in his mind.
Tell us about your experience
at Bahrain…
It was an exhilarating
feeling to represent our nation. It was the most memorable
experience and one I shall always cherish. I was the captain
of my team (India-B). It was good exposure to be playing
in one of the topmost competitions of the sport. The playing
arena and infrastructure were excellent. Playing opponents
from different countries made me realise my strengths
and weaknesses. We of the Indian team managed to build
strong team spirit by staying together. We never failed
to coach, cheer and encourage one another in the single
events, irrespective of the long hours and fatigue. It
was an opportunity of a lifetime to play for India and
win the consolation prize in the cadet boys’ team
category. Last, but not the least, I humbly share with
immense pleasure that I am ranked no. 218 in the world
in the U-15 boys category, updated on 30 March 2010.
One unforgettable moment of your
play at Bahrain was…
The most exhilarating
moment came when our team won. We played our own native
team India-A for the consolation prize and won by a set
score 3-2. It was the doubles, which was the most crucial,
where Parth, my partner, and I managed to win a thrilling
decider game (set score 3-2). It was indeed a moment of
glory to win merits at the international level.
What challenges did you face? How
were your competitors?
The competition
was tough with strict rules such as surprise racket testing
and “fault” for trivial mistakes during the
match. The challenges were many, such as deciding the
order of our players in the team events, deciding and
changing strategies during matches, performing well under
pressure, being focused and keeping a positive attitude
in spite of defeats. The competitors were a challenge.
The toughest opponents I faced in the cadets section were
those from Singapore and Iran. I tried my best and managed
to reach the Top-16 in U-15 boys (cadet boys). My hard
work, talent and good luck gave me satisfying results,
though it could have been better. I learnt a lot and will
apply it ahead in my games in the future.
What kept you going through the
championship?
My enthusiasm for the game, diligence, my coach’s
valuable advice, my fellow-teammates’ cheering,
my team manager’s encouragement and most importantly,
my mother’s encouraging words and wholehearted support.
How do you go about striking a
balance between sport and academics?
Since I took up table tennis seriously, I aspired to do
well in both sport as well as academics. So I ensure that
I put in a lot of hard work and strike a healthy balance
between the two. I cannot forget the wonderful rapport
I share with my coach that enables me to have the best
of both the worlds. My whole family’s love and support
cannot be emphasised enough.
Should
children under the age of 13 own a cell phone?
Cell phones came into our lives
in the early 1990s. As they became more popular, our society
and the way we communicated changed as well. At first,
cell phones used to be extremely expensive as they had
just been released in the market, but as the years passed
by, they became cheaper. Myriad styles and technologies
have been incorporated ever since.
Today, almost everyone owns a cell phone. Many children under the age of 10 own one too. And that is what forms the bone of contention for this writer. Cell phones are a huge distraction. Kids spend an extraordinary amount of time focusing on the screens of their phones, reading or sending text messages. While texting, they are not aware of what is going on around them. They are completely focused on their ‘phone world’. When kids get hold of cell phones, they stop paying attention to their studies. All their time is only spent in texting friends or playing games on their phone.
Cell phones are not only an interruption but they also cause a number of health problems. Our eyesight gets severely affected, concentration levels decrease and one can also suffer from brain tumours and cancers. Children also experience a lot of peer pressure to have the latest and most advanced phones with all the newest bells and whistles.
But, at the same time, cell phones can also be tremendously helpful. The process of communication has become faster and easier with their use. Accessories or the extra devices, which are provided along with cell phones make our life much easier. Last, but not the least, cell phones act as safety devices for those who use it. You can carry a cell phone with you so you don't miss out any important calls. If you are lost, you can ask for directions. If you are stuck in an accident, you can call the police or ambulance. You can listen to music, text and play games. Most cell phones have a calculator and a phone book. You can surf the internet and connect with the whole world within minutes. You can chat and even hold a video conference.
Parents give their children cell phones for safety purposes. For instance, parents and children can contact each other, if the parent is stuck in a traffic jam or the child's practice is running late, or in case of a serious emergency. But we children use it for different reasons.
So should children aged 13 and older have cell phones? Yes, but phones that make calls and send texts only. Parents should establish firm guidelines for usage, and make sure their children understand that having a cell phone is a privilege, not a right.
— Sunaina Kewalramani, VI B
First
creations
The 'Age of Innocence', they
say, is past its prime. At Aditya Birla World Academy,
our faith and endeavour is to not only preserve that but
also nurture this childlike quality. It is armed with
this innocence and dipped in the elixir of creativity
that our Grade VI students have penned these nascent verses.
Introducing ABWA’s budding bards...
Art
There’s something I do when I’m happy and
gleeful,
It’s not listening to music,
Or baking a cream pie.
There’s something I do when I’m enraged
and fuming,
It’s not playing with my friends,
Nor is it reading Enid Blyton&rs Famous Five
There’s something I do when I’m gloomy and
depressed,
It’s not watching TV
Nor is it surfing the net.
There’s something I do when I’m bored and
jaded,
It’s not whiling away time,
Nor is it, to look pale and faded.
Though all these sound tremendously interesting,
I still prefer to stick with one...
The thing that I love to do the most...
Is known as Art...
— Sunaina Kewalramani, VI- B
Reading!
There’s something I do when I’m happy and
high,
It’s not baking cookies or a nice mince pie.
There’s something I do when I’m sad and low,
It’s not watching the clouds or a babbling brook flow.
There’s something I do when I’m angry and mad,
It’s not counting sheep or all the vacations I’ve had.
Though all of these sound a lot of fun, out of them I love only one.
Reading, it’s a lot of fun! Reading is for everyone!!!
— Gunes Yoruk, VI B
White
Like a glowing moon without a blemish,
I feel that life is such a beautiful wish.
Oh! The snow, the beautiful snow,
The frozen landscapes outside my window.
The colour of God reverent,
So pure and free of sin.
The sweet sugar in the hot coffee I drink,
The peaceful mornings I spend alone.
The skies as clear as cotton.
But sometimes I feel that without colour, my life is forgotten.
— Naviya Kothari, VI- B
Down memory lane with Grade X
It was 9 April, Friday evening…the students of Grade IX had assembled in the school auditorium with crimson bows, silvery guitars and a lot of affection. They were preparing the setting as well as themselves to recreate the memory lane for the first Grade X batch of Aditya Birla World Academy. Being the first ABWA residents to step out of the IGCSE threshold, they have always been the endeared and pampered ones and the red carpet was ready to roll out for them. The members of the students’ council put in their best effort in organising this memorable event – the Social.
The event kicked off at 7:30 pm, or
so, and everyone danced their feet off. The DJ handled
the mood of the evening wonderfully, thrusting energy
into all the ninth and tenth graders at the party. There
was also a humorous but touching video of all the teachers
answering quick-fire questions about the endearing students.
All twenty-four of them managed to form a special bond
with each of their teachers over the past two years.
Working in close proximity with their juniors, guiding
them through their important school days and taking
responsibility for them time and again. The Grade X
students had earned the special title of ‘friends’
in the hearts of their juniors. This was well echoed
in their heart-warming speech, which reminisced and
appreciated every special moment when they worked in
collaboration to put up a good show for the school.
The finale of the event arrived in the form of the class
awards! The awards recognised the special qualities,
talents, quirks even, of the Grade X students and added
an extremely personalised touch to the event.
The organising committee was on their feet for three whole days to mobilise this massive undertaking. And this paid off to the fullest as the tenth graders were emotionally moved as well as inspired to bring glory to their alma mater in the form of outstanding IGCSE exam results.
— Student Editorial Board
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