KINDNESS MATTERS

Blue Bells Model School celebrates ‘KINDNESS MATTERS’

 “Kindness is like a seed that when cultivated can grow and grow and grow.”

Truly giving from the heart fills your life with joy and nourishes your soul. Giving provides an intrinsic reward that is far more valuable than the gift. At Blue Bells, it is our firm belief that when we share our time, skills, knowledge, wisdom, compassion, wealth, and love—the world would be a more peaceful and healthier place.  In furtherance of the same vision and soaking in the spirit of sharing is caring, Blue Bells Model School, Gurugram, celebrated  ‘Kindness Matters’ on December 21, 2022, with the students of Spreading Smiles, Gyan Kendra, Nathupur, Gurgaon. The occasion was embellished with the illustrious presence of Dr. Saroj Suman Gulati, Director, Blue Bells Group Schools.

Dr. Alka Saxena, Deputy Director (Health & Wellness), BBGS, ideated and mentored this unique initiative with the motive of ‘Service Before Self’. In an attempt to promote good deeds and assure acts of kindness, students of Blue Bells Model of Schools collected open-heartedly stationery items for the children of Spreading Smiles with the thought that small deeds and acts of kindness can make a big impact on someone's life.  The event organized under the aegis of the Health & Wellness Programme, BBGS aimed at instilling values such as empathy, sensitivity, and generosity in each student.

To celebrate the occasion a program was organized at Blue Bells Public School, where Blue Bells Model School had enthusiastically participated. The collected stationary items were presented as a token of love and gratitude to Dr. S.K. Dhingra, Founder Director of Spreading Smiles and members of the school. A special cultural event was prepared for the visiting children. Skill enhancement activities like Sports and Art activities were taken up with the children of Spreading Smiles and they participated with enthusiasm and fervor. They also showcased their talent on stage which was commendable and applauded by all.

 In order to create a compassionate and selfless partnership with each one, the Health & Wellness Programme of BBGS believes in inculcating the spirit of giving back to the community. The happiness and enthusiasm of the school as well as the visiting team during the event is a proud testimony to the venerable commitment of the Health & Wellness Team of BBGS.

CITATION CEREMONY

“Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.”

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

When a student graduates from school, he takes a bag full of memories which become his strength in the coming years. Donning the cap and the graduation gown is a moment of pride for the teachers, parents and certainly the students.

With the year nearing its end, the school observed yet again, the same annual spectacle where joy and emotions are at their unique confluence- the crossroad from where the students can see a vast world beckoning to them to explore it and the effaceable years of comradeship gone by. Blue Bells Model School commemorated the Citation Ceremony for the outgoing batch of class XII, 2022-23 with great fervour on December 24, 2022 to acknowledge the unique gifts of the outgoing students of class XII and motivate them to hone their skills and prosper with time.

The occasion commenced with the Diya lighting and Ganesh Stuti which created a perfect ambience to invoke divine blessings. J.D. Hall reverberated with the school song. Ms. Alka Singh , Principal, welcomed the august gathering.

Each one of them then lit a candle as an insignia of their cognitive growth during their school years and sought the blessings of their parents and mentors. They were presented with a personalised certificate which glorified their personality and journey at school, from being ordinary to an extraordinary leader of tomorrow.

Rightly quoted by Ralph Waldo Emerson, students do not follow where the path may lead but to go instead where there is no path and leave a trail for others to follow.

Next in the sequence of events was the much waited reading of the citations of the students by their respective class teachers. Pride was clearly visible in the aura of the students as they stepped on the stage to collect their citation from the Dr Saroj Suman Gulati, Director, Blue Bells Group of Schools. The encapsulation of academic accomplishments and their achievements in co-curricular activities was a treasure bestowed upon the students to be cherished forever.

The Director of the school addressed the gathering and showered her blessings on the students to do their best in the future and become exemplary.

With tears in the eyes and faces lit with smiles, our Senior Ambassador , Head Boy and Head Girl  shared some of the most amazing experiences they had lived at the school right from when they landed their first step here. Along with nostalgic reminiscence of the past, to combat the imminent challenges in the coming year, the parents also expressed their views and experiences they had, as a part of Blue Bells. It was a proud moment for the parents and teachers to see the young students get ready to embark on a new journey.

 The audience were enthralled with a foot tapping symphony dance performance by the students.The students in their graduation gown and cap bore a live testimony of a beautiful emotional journey of their citation and graduating from school.

A farewell song ended the heart-warming event though it was conspicuous that the end was only on a physical level as their hearts shall stay connected. The ceremony culminated with sprinkles of blessings as the students part with the aim of making their school proud in all arenas of life.

Aabhaar: Jeewan Ka Aadhaar ; Annual Day Cum Prize Distribution Ceremony

“The greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times.”

The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful a person is the more pleasant he becomes in his life. This realization was brought forth by Blue Bells Model school, Sec-4, Gurugram by hosting Aabhaar: Jeewan Ka Aadhaar,a spectacular cultural extravaganza on the momentous occasion of Annual Day Cum Prize Distribution Ceremony on December 18, 2022. The mega event was  hosted exclusively by the students of the primary wing of the school. 

Captain Indu Bokan, District Education Officer and Mr Sanjay Bhasin , Director Haryana Kala Parishad, Mr Ashish Gulati, Vice-Chairman BBGS, Dr Saroj Suman Gulati, revered Director BBGS, Deputy Directors, coveted members of the Management and other distinguished dignitaries graced the august ceremony.

The dignitaries inaugurated the day’s proceedings by lighting the ceremonial lamp to the chanting of the slokas. A scintillating ‘Ganesh Stuti’ to seek the blessings of God Almighty was an enthralling dance presentation by the tiny tots of the school. This was followed by the welcome address by Mrs. Anu Sehgal, Head Mistress, Blue Bells Preparatory School. The school has always believed in a culture of constant progress and a relentless commitment to raise the bar of excellence in all spheres of the educational mindscape, be it scholastic or co-scholastic. In keeping with this legacy, the Annual Report, a validation of the attainments of the Blue Bellians in the academic session 2021-22 was read out by Ms. Alka Singh, Principal, Blue Bells Model School in co-ordination with Somit Kothari and Nuzha of class XI. It was followed by a band presentation by the talented students of the school which was a mellifluous synchronization of rhythmic beats which entranced everyone’s attention.

The scholastic gems of the school exhibiting exemplary performance in the Board Examination were honoured for their meritorious achievement. Shri Sanjay Bhasinji and Captain Indu Boken felicitated the proud achievers and appreciated their diligence and academic excellence. Ace performers showing excellence in their co-scholastics were also complimented and awarded. The dignitaries appreciated the school for instilling positive values and traditions in the students .

Annual Day cum Prize Distribution

"Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world." ~ John Milton

Gratitude is a gesture which has changed courses of history. Eklavya’s gratitude toward his Guru, Guru Dronacharya, resonates till this day. He showed how a student can go beyond everything to be grateful to his teacher. Mahabharata, the epic is not just about a war but about the teachings of Lord Krishna in the form of “Geeta Updesh” as well, for which we will be forever grateful. Bhagirath’s efforts to bring Ganga to the earth was an act of “aabhar” and so was King Ashoka’s change of heart with the teachings of Buddha which converted the ideas of oppression & hatred into morals of love & peace. All these things were presented through Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts by our students.

ANNUAL DAY CUM PRIZE DISTRIBUTION

“Chipko Andolan” was a herculean effort that was a milestone in our country’s awareness towards nature and the environment. It was a light in the dark and it brought a very positive change in the mindset of our country. As we look back and analyze our journey so far, we realize that we have lost our way. The cost of so-called development & progress has been the absence peace, hatred, anger, pollution etc. The world has deviated from its direction and SDGs are the way forward. Our students focused on all these points and reiterated the actions and steps to be taken through their beautiful performances.

DISTRESS TO DE-STRESS: HANDLING EXAMINATION STRESS

During examinations, it is important for the students to be in a calm state of mind and to deal with any emotion which may cause distress. To address the feelings and concerns of students and to help them manage their emotions; Health & Wellness Resource Centre team prepared an interactive module for the students under the mentorship of Dr. Alka Saxena, Deputy Director (Health & Wellness), BBGS. The session to deal with Examination Stress was conducted for the students of Class X on December 05, 2022   and Class XII on December2, December5 and December7, 2022 respectively.

The session included a brief about signs and symptoms of stress so that one can identify stress along with some internal and external factors that may lead to stress during examinations. The objective was to facilitate students to become aware of automatic negative thoughts and acquire helpful and adaptive ways to manage and deal with stress during exams. Prioritizing of tasks was also taken up to emphasize on giving importance to revision time along with identifying time-consuming tasks so that they can be better prepared.

The students were apprised about three steps of planning their time effectively. At first making an overall planner, followed by a weekly time-table and then listing the daily things to do.

The students were briefed about the different learning styles. They were encouraged to identify their own learning style and incorporate them so that their learning and recalling become efficient. The students were encouraged to identify the time wasters they face, like phone calls, social networking, poor planning, cluttered desk and procrastination; especially when they are preparing for their examinations. These were followed by tips that can help them to increase their productivity.

In order to improve students’ concentration span, a few concentration exercises were conducted. These exercises were appreciated by the students as they all participated enthusiastically. These exercises were followed by a short progressive muscular relaxation and guided imagery. Both of which helped them to feel calm and relaxed, which will later help them in increasing their concentration.

The importance of a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet, regular exercises and good sleeping habits, was also emphasized upon. The harmful effects that simulating activities like T.V., phones, video games, arguments, etc. can have before sleeping was also discussed.

The session concluded on a positive note where it was shared with the students that they could connect individually with the counsellors for any further support. Examination Stress Module will be conducted for Classes VI-IX & XI in the forthcoming month.

For further reading, kindly visit following links:

https://wellnesswise.in/resilience-and-coping-with-stress/

https://wellnesswise.in/tips-for-staying-healthy-during-exams/

https://wellnesswise.in/skills-to-acquire-in-2022-time-management/

https://wellnesswise.in/using-smart-timetables-in-your-daily-life/

https://wellnesswise.in/hands-on-tips-for-your-learning-style/

INTERNATIONAL CONNECT

“Meaningful connection is formed when we bravely share our truth”.

 We ,at Blue Bells Model School  strive to strengthen our bonds globally. Taking a step further , we got an opportunity to interact with the students of VSC School, Vietnam and Meo Vac School on the topic “2-D and 3 – D shapes and Data Collection and Sampling” through a Google Meet session on December 12, 2022 at 12:00 pm. Connecting with others gives us a sense of inclusion, connection, interaction and Communication.

 The session initiated with greetings of mentors from all the three schools. Thereafter, all the students introduced themselves and felt enthusiastic for the session. All the three schools gave their presentation on Geometry and life. The students of Blue Bells Model School shared a power point presentation on Introduction of Data Collection and Comparison of data of Physical features of India and Vietnam. Ms.Alka Singh, Principal Blue Bells Model School thanked Mrs. Sa Lan Anh and Mr. Nguyen for such a fruitful session.

Staying connected and getting reconnected feeds the flow of goodness which empowers our humanity.

DESIGN THINKING WORKSHOP

“Innovation is the unrelenting drive to break the status quo and develop anew where few have dared to go.”

An interactive "Innovation and Design Thinking" workshop was organized by Blue Bells Model School, Gurugram for Class XI students on 1^st December 2022. The Resource person, Mr Mohit Bhardwaj, UX Designer, Digital Artist, Futurist and Design Educator elaborated on the importance of Design and its applications in every field.

The students were divided into groups for an activity in which they were supposed to make a poster on the given topic, in the most logical and innovative manner, in the specified time, using the material provided to them. Each group was then allowed to present their design and explain the logistics and its usefulness while the other teams were allowed to interject.

The activity was enjoyed by the students thoroughly and they were motivated to develop innovative strategies based on the design principles. The students also got to know about career opportunities in the field of design thinking. It was an enriching and informative experience wherein students interacted and shared ideas about promoting innovation.

Veer Gatha Project

The Government of India launched “Veer Gatha Project” to inspire school children, by making them aware with stories of war heroes and brave hearts. The project aimed to disseminate the details of acts of bravery and life stories of the officers/personnel of the Armed Forces, other lawfully constituted forces and civilians, among the students. As a part of the project and to increase awareness among school students Sergeant Amit Kumar Jha, Vayu Sena Medal recipient, accompanied by Sergeant Sumant Singh, Education Instructor, addressed the students of Classes IX and XI and spoke at length about their experience and life of Air Force personnel.  The students were also overwhelmed on listening to the incidents shared by the Principal, Ms. Alka Singh. The endeavour of the project was to infuse patriotic fervour in the students.

LEADERSHIP TALK

LEADERSHIP TALK

SCHOOL INNOVATION COUNCIL

... A leap to transform innovation landscape

 Fostering the culture of Innovation,Ideation,Creativity,Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship, the school registered to School Innovation Council(SIC),an initiative of Ministry of Education’s innovation Cell. The schools will have to conduct various activities for students and teachers under SIC annual calendar plan.

The first calendar activity, ‘A Leadership Talk’ was conducted  in Blue Bells Model School on November 22, 2022 for the students of classes 6 to 8 in the school premises. The representative of Ministry of Education Innovation Cell, Dr. Elangovan Kariappan, Assistant Director, Innovation Cell  interacted with  Mr. Yashraj Bharadwaj, co-founder of Petonic Infotech fellow and adviser, UC Berkeley and the interview snippet was shown to the students through the You Tube link . The speaker highlighted his journey from being a school student to a successful entrepreuneur.

The school has joined hands with School Innovation Council to promote out of box thinking in school education as envisioned in National Innovation and National Education Policy 2020.