On Sept. 7th, 2018, Deerwalk Sifal School organized a Literacy Day programme for all the students. We, all the students arrived at school. After greeting each other and our teachers, we all headed towards our classroom. As the programme was scheduled for the last four periods, the day had begun with our first period when our English teacher came and explained us the chapter two of the novel named “Lord of flies.” After the period was over, the second period was followed with computer. The computer teacher took us to the computer lab. After the second period, we could not continue our third period because the desks and the chairs were taken for the programme. So, Mr. Tej came and asked us to have our group work to prepare our work for the exhibition. We all were very excited to show our work in the programme. Without delaying any further time we started to prepare the programme. Many junior siblings performed dramas which was also quite interesting. I also wanted to perform a drama but I could not. We explained our book talk to our teachers and our junior siblings. They all liked and praised our work. Their liking and praising motivated us to do more and more in the future. Overall, the Literacy Day programme was very interesting and beneficial. At 3:35 the school bell rang and we all departed to our home.
Today I woke up early in the morning and also woke up my sister who was sleeping by my side. After doing my daily routine I went on checking my social networking sites to get updated and to start reading the messages sent by my friends and relatives. Instantaneously, I remembered about the Literacy Day Programme that our school was organizing today. Excitement was within me along with the nervousness. I opened my bookcase and took out the book named Karnali Blues straight away as I had to write a book talk on it; and started searching some of the important points from the novel and listed them down in my notebook. After having my breakfast, I got my school bag ready and headed towards the school with my father and my sister. As usual, I reached my school at 8:45 in the morning and greeted my friends and my teachers. After that we all went to our classroom with our bag. After some time our class teacher entered the classroom and told us a little about the importance of education and literacy in anyone’s life. Then, our normal classes continued till the second period; we had our five minutes break after the second period. After the break time was over, our class advisor Mr. Tej Prasad Kafle entered the classroom and asked us to discuss the preparation we had made with our group partners for the programme. Following his orders, we discussed the topic that was to be presented today and also went to get the necessary equipments needed for the event. My group partner and I decorated the chart paper with borders, plot and setting of the novel “Karnali Blues,” which was finished around 2:20 in the afternoon. We went around the school ground where the book stalls were already with the grade name on it.
We presented our project to our teachers and our junior siblings. We had a lot of fun presenting the project. I want to thank my school and my teachers for conducting such an entertaining and beneficial programme for the students on the occasion of Literacy Day.
As usual I woke up early in the morning and got ready for my school after having my breakfast. Today was Literacy Day and Deerwalk Sifal School organized the literacy day programme for the students, we all were very excited about the programme. The programme was scheduled for the last four periods. We had our normal class till the second period. After that, we had a break of five minutes. After the break time was over, the classes could not resume because the desks and the chairs were needed for the programme. And then, our class advisor, Mr. Tej Prasad Kafle, suggested that we plan and start working for the programme. Mr. Pukar and Mr. Tej had divided the group of students in various categories like (skit, book talk, profession of my choice, character sketch) etc. I selected the book talk group with my classmates, Rusha and Anshushree. My group decided to do a book talk on the novel named “Karnali Blues” by writer, Buddhisagar, which we recently read. We also started our work with the necessary materials required as our teachers told us to be in the school compound at 2:20 in the afternoon. At 2:20 we were at the school ground with our work, and went to our respective stall. Teachers, parents and junior siblings visited each and every stall along with ours. We explained about the books and what we expected from the book. Overall, the programme was very interesting. Deerwalk Sifal School held a new concept of celebrating Literacy Day. I think other schools also need to celebrate this day as it holds a deep meaning.
Finally it was August 29th. The wait was over. I was utterly excited and a little nervous. It was Wednesday. I started my day quite early. I went to school at 7AM sharp, earlier than other days. As soon as I reached the school, I met my friends. They were more excited than I was. At about 8:40 AM, we left from our school. We were eight people including two teachers and six students. We caught two cabs and headed to our destination. After half an hour, we finally reached our destination - DAV Sushil Kedia Vishwa Bharati Higher Secondary School at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, for interschool Sanskrit Shlokas recitation and dance competition. I, along with other two students, participated in the dance competition while the other three students participated in Sanskrit-Shlokas recitation competition.
The event was organized to acknowledge late Janardan Ghimire’s devotion in Sanskrit. Mr. Ghimire was the employee of DAVSKB who had joined the school 25 years ago as a Sanskrit teacher and who had later become the Chief Administration Officer at the school. He passed away two years ago in an accident at the age of forty-six. The event was delayed due to the odd/even number plate system of vehicles’ movement in the valley due to BIMSTEC conference. The program started about an hour later than the estimated time. All the participants participating in the different categories were welcomed and led to different places where different competitions were held. Dance instructor of DSS and the mentor of our dance, Ms. Rameshwori Kisi was there for encouraging us. DSS Dance Group was the first performer in the dance competition followed by other performances from different schools all over the valley. Our dance was unique; we performed Tandav, which is believed to have been introduced by Lord Shiva as a vigorous dance that is the source of the cycle of creation, preservation and dissolution.
After the competition of every category, all of us were provided lunch. After lunch all of us gathered in the biggest auditorium of the school, Buddha Hall. Various Sanskrit scholars from all over the country were invited in the event as chief guests. The students of DAVSKB showcased their Sanskrit dance, song, and drama. The result of the competition was announced and the winners were given medals and certificates. Me and my friends were pleased to hear that our dance bagged the second position. We were actually glad as just three days practice has led us to the second position in the competition. More than securing the second position in the competition, I was delighted for getting an opportunity to be a part of the event.
This event has changed my perception regarding Sanskrit language. I felt that more than the competition, it was an event held to develop the love for the Sanskrit language and of course to honour the late Mr. Ghimire. To be honest, I had not had any respect for Sanskrit language before this event. Sanskrit language has gained a lot of respect in my eyes after attending this event. I even realized that me and my friend’s small negligence had made us stand second. If we had cleared out our confusion on the dance steps rather than waiting for the next day to correct it, we would have stood first in the competition. I learnt an important life lesson that the next day never comes. Everything has its own time. It is better to do things in time than to regret later, because time and tide waits for none.
One of the most active organizations of Nepal, Lions and Leo club of Chabahil, organized a public speaking competition entitled “Next Speaker of Nepal.” It was an inter-school competition with a daylong workshop where all the participants were taught about the important skills for a better public speaking. The workshop was followed by the competition held on 1st June, Friday in Bagmati Boarding School.
More than seven schools of Kathmandu valley participated in the public speaking competition. Three students from each schools participated in the competition making total number of participants twenty-eight. The big and shiny trophy made all the participants excited as well as nervous. All of the participants aimed to take the trophy home. The competition started with the first round where all the participants were allowed to choose their own topic and speak for four minutes. All the participants performed well. In the second round all the participants were showed a random picture and given three minutes for describing the picture. Likewise, in the third round we had to choose a paper. The chosen paper consisted of the topic we had to speak and 30 seconds time was given for preparation. Some of them spoke well while some of them were unable to just to speak a word also. In the third round, my topic was “If I become a Ghost.” The topic was something really unexpected. However, I was able to make the audience laugh, and they appreciated my idea. At the end, Aashika Parajuli from Daffodil Public School was declared first, Kripa Bhandari from Apex school stood second, and Sanshi Pokhrel from Bagmati Boarding School stood third. Though I did not win the competition, I was really happy that day.
This competition was a great platform for me. I made new friends and I learned about various topics. That day I understood why winning is not mandatory. Though the winner took the trophy, we got the same knowledge and experience. Also, I understood that there should not be any boundaries, at least in our thinking. We should be open-minded and should not be bounded by anything because success is always beyond the boundary. Furthermore, winning the trophy is not always important. Winning the hearts of the people is rather important. The world was really different from my perception. Today’s world is full of competition.