A small Get-Together meeting was arranged in the school premises on 24th February, 2013 by the Arunachalam Trust. Teachers and the dance children gathered at the school premises around 10:00 AM. Ms. Karina Stewart from Scotland, Mr. James Moyes from England, Ms. Cathy Fortier and Mr. Philippe Walle from France and Ms. Linda Nilsson from Sweden arrived at the same time to the school.
Arunachalam Trust’s Managing Trustee (I) gave the welcome speech propagating about the noble tasks of the Arunachalam Trust. And also pointed out the performance of 108 Sun Salutation Event every year on the International Peace Day and raising funds for our school by Ms. Karina Stewart. A Ganesha Memento and a salve were presented to her and a salve was presented to others. Then she taught simple Yoga for all.
After the Yoga, children’s colorful cultural programs made everyone’s Heart touched by feathers. Then all of the participants chanted 108 times of Arunachala’s Mula Mantra. After chanting the Mantra, everyone did meditation. At last the foreign friends spoke that everyone had the willingness to support the school. Our school principal thanked to all. At the end of the meeting all of us had delicious Indian Feast.
Thank you very much.
Kindest Regards,
Karuna
Visitors to Our School
Ms. Margaret Hill: Our school supporter Ms. Margaret Hill from Australia visited our school in the second week of January. This was her first visit to our school. She liked very much the new school building. She spent her whole day in the school with the children. She assured that she could support more in the future to the school.
Mr. Phillip Lucas: Our school supporter Mr. Phillip Lucas, Professor of Religious Studies, Stetson University from USA visited our school in the third week of January. He pleased very much on seeing the students in the new school building. He inquired the most needed thing at present and assured that he would inform to his colleagues and friends and through them he could support more to the school.
When he visited last year he had a wish to teach the English to the children. This year he did it. He taught English to the IX Grade students three days that were Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the first week of February. He appreciated the students’ understandings and the knowledge. He taught English through American folk music. The students learned Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land," Stephen Foster's "Oh Susanah," and Hank Williams Jr.'s "Jambalayah." He sang and they sang, both individually and collectively. Explaining "me gotta go pole the pirogue" was interesting. Then they sang him some Tamil folk songs.
Ms.Hannah: Ms. Hannah from Netherlands participated as guest on 26th January in the Republic Day celebration. She liked very much the children’s cultural programs. She wanted to teach drawings to the primary class children. So she visited on Monday the second week of February. She spent the morning session with the children and practiced drawing to the children.
Celebrations in the School
Republic Day Celebration:
64th Indian National Republic Day was celebrated 26th of January in our school. Some teachers and students gathered in the old school and others gathered in the new school building at 6 in the early morning. Apart from our one school mini bus, we hired two others. At 9:30 AM one mini bus plied to West side of the villages to bring the children. Second one plied to North side of the villages to bring the children. The third one carried the teachers and the children from the old school and went to the new school. The third one went to the Sriramanasram to bring the guests to our celebration.
The teachers and the children decorated the stage and the play ground. Some other teachers engaged in the make up of the children for the cultural programs. At 7:30 AM most of the children reached the school for celebration. Foreign delegates from Sriramanasram reached at 7:50 AM. Our Chief Guest Mr. S Ravindran, Bank Of Baroda Manager reached the school at 7:55 AM. At 8:00 AM our school SPL, ASPL and principal invited the guests to the celebration.
The celebration started with the prayer. The correspondent (Myself) Welcomed the Chief Guest, our school supporter Mr. Phillip Lucas, Professor of Religious Studies, Stetson University, from USA, Mr. Joseph Kicken, Professor of Philosophy, from Netherlands, Mr. Peter from England, Mr. Michael, an Advocate from Austria and Ms. Hannah Van Dek Schee from Netherlands with shalves and mementos and also welcomed the teachers, parents and the children.
Chief Guest unfurled the national flag. Girl students sang the flag song with sweet voice. Higher class students did the disciplined March fast to respect the flag. Guests expressed their views and distributed the prizes to the students who won in the competitions which where hold on Children’s Day Celebration on 14th of November which is Nehruji’s Birth Day.
Everybody eagerly waited for the colorful cultural programs. Children brought out their wonderful talents very gracefully and everybody clapped for a long showing their joyfulness and happiness. Mr. Joseph Kicken also performed an American Native dance. The function ended with the National Anthem and distribution of biscuit pockets to all, which were given by the Sriramanasram. It was a colorful and unforgettable day for all.
Bank Of Baroda’s Third Year Inaugural Day
Bank Of Baroda Tiruvannamalai Branch Manager Mr. S. Ravindran participated on January 26th in our school’s Republic Day Celebration and discussed with the Correspondent (Me) to conduct a function of their bank’s Third Inaugural Day in our school. We consented for the function. So on 9th of February they conducted the celebration in our school. They conducted drawing competition to the primary classes, essay competition to the middle classes and the elocution competition the higher classes.
Children made remarkable speeches about the banks and the benefits of the banks. The Manager wondered what a marvelous speech of the children. He was very astonished to the handwriting of the children in the essay competition. And also he was attracted by the drawings and paintings of the children. The Manager also spoke in the function how the banks are helping to the students and how they can utilize the banks. He distributed valuable prizes to the winners of the competitions and also consolation prizes to the participated children. The function came to an end by distributing sweets to all the children, teachers and the parents.
School Reopens, June 2006 (also visit the Urgent Needs page for additional information on the new school site, needs, and how your donation can make a difference.)