Tagore International School Vaasant Vihaar Highlights of Session 2012-2013 Path Breakers of the Session……… Art to Art exchange –Tagore International School and Jinyuan Senior High School, Shanghai, China Tai Chi is the oldest form of martial art of China. A group of students from the school’s Taekwondo club have the unique opportunity to learn this art through video conferencing by the Tai Chi teacher at Jinyuan Senior High School, Shanghai,China. This is a weekly program that is ongoing. Beginning at a slow pace, the martial art then moves to a normal one, picks up momentum once it is mastered by the performer. Once mastered the students will perform in the same school in China a few months hence. We reciprocate to the students of Jinyuan Senior High School with the teaching of Kathak, a form of North India’s classical dance through video conferencing. Ms. Shruti, the dance teacher of the school has introduced our Chinese counterparts to the basic hand movements and to the footwork of Kathak dance. Visitors from Lycee Francais school Delhi for an exchange program French students and teachers from Lycee Francais school in Delhi visited the school for an exchange program on 17th April 2012 and participated in various activities. 1 Visit to Lycee Broceliande, Guer, France from 24th April 2012 to 10th May 2012 under Indo‐French Exchange Programme Fifteen students, along with three teachers of Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar had the unique opportunity to visit France from 24 April to 10 May 2012. This visit was a part of an Indo French exchange programme to Lycee Broceliande, a school in Guer in the province of Bretagne, France. The visit was a unique exchange in that each French correspondent played host to one of the visitors from Tagore International. As a sequel there will be a visit of the French correspondents in the month of January 2013 when they will be hosted by the Indian correspondent during their stay in India. The visit was a fifteen‐ day long trip, with 13 days being spent as hosts to the French families and two days in Paris. Bretagne which formed a major part of their stay was typical French countryside with scenic beauty. Classes were also attended and a visit to Lycée et Collège Broceliande. A visit to the city of Rennes, the capital, a visit to Mt. Saint Michel, part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites, rappling at Domaine de Trémelin, situated in a 220 hectares forest was a part of the itenerary. At Maure de Bretagne there was a grand Repas Indienne, an Indian night where an Indian meal was prepared not only by the student correspondents but even the parents and the teachers of Lycee. At the Town Hall the students attended a reception with the Mayor of Guer. The students also visited Paris, the capital of France, which they found picturesque and full of monuments. Eiffel Tower, Dame the church, Le Louvre‐the museum, Versailles Palace, Arc de Triomphe, Champs‐Elysees, Place de la Concorde, Place Vendome and Gare du Nord were also visited. The host families showered each visiting Tagorean with care and attention, making the visit memorable for one and all. 2 Visit to Auckland, New Zealand under teachers' exchange programme in June 2012 A 15 day tour aiming at building relations with the Auckland Girls Grammar School, New Zealand began on 28th May when Ms. Preeti Chadha (Junior School Headmistress) and Ms. Neha Maheshwari (French Teacher) took off for New Zealand. It was indeed a pleasant exposure for us to assess the working of this school. The level of confidence and social responsibility that exudes in all their interactions is something to marvel at. Their methodology is soaked in practical experiential learning, much advanced than the CCE pattern in India. It was heart‐warming however to find out that our students are also in the league of international learning. Having attended the MUN (Modern United Nations) meeting, it re‐assured our faith in the teaching and learning patterns of our school. The discipline patterns here at our end are definitely more effective. Our visit consisted of attending classes along with the students, cooking an Indian meal for the staff, interactions with the teachers, visiting the city’s museum, cinema, food joints etc. and above all having the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) signed between the two schools in order to facilitate the student exchange program between the two schools, or actually between the two cultures, nations and race of human beings. An experience to cherish life long, our visit to Auckland taught us the nuances of building relations and understanding. And we hereby look forward to the physical exchange of students of Auckland Girls Grammar School preceded by the virtual exchange through e‐mails. 3 A visit to Kennedy Space Center, Orlando, U.S. Thirteen students along with Ms. Ishita Mukherjee,TGT Math were a part of a delegation that visited the hub of technology and discovery, Kennedy Space Centre near Orlando.The visit gave them an opportunity to tour up close NASA’s launch and landing facilities, experience interactive simulators where they were trained to be astronauts in the simulators room, enjoy live shows and have jaw‐dropping encounters with massive rockets. Plus, they even met a veteran NASA astronaut, Wendy Lawrence who spoke about her experiences and journey with NASA. The students interacted over lunch. It was all what the students could expect from an inspiring day at the Kennedy Space Center. During their six day stay in Orlando the students visited Universal Studios, Disney world, the famous cocoa beach, Apollo Saturn V Centre and Florida mall. The various rides like the roller coasters and various water rides in Disney world and Universal Studios made it a fun and enjoyable experience. Also the shopping sprees at the very famous Wal‐mart and Florida Mall added to the excitement. On the 7th day the group left for New York. In New York they travelled in metros and also walked long distances. Their tour guide Mr. Guwaana shared enlightening and interesting facts about the history of New York. On the last day of their nine day trip from the 10th to the 19th of May, they also got to visit famous places like The Statue of Liberty, Times Square and Central park. Over all it was a wonderful and amazing trip with a perfect blend of education and fun where they learned valuable life skills. NASA especially motivated them to choose a career as astronauts. 4 Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) in Washington D.C and New York, United States from 18th June 2012 to 27th June 2012. K.Lakshmi Alekhya and Antriksh Kaul of class 12th of Tagore International School , Vasant Vihar , represented the school at the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) in Washington D.C and New York in the United States from 18th June 2012 to 27th June 2012. The conference brought together about 130 students from over 100 countries around the world and provided a platform for cross cultural communication. The representatives of the countries were divided into the groups of five permanent members of the United Nations ‐ UK , Russia, China, USA and France The goal of the program was to provide the representatives direct access to the leaders of tomorrow and to critically examine complex global issues. Sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership council (CYLC) the program is a leadership program which focuses on role play and simulations of the United Nations agencies like the Security Council. The students were provided opportunities to display leadership skills through role play and simulations of the United Nations Security Council, discussions on global issues, debates and critical thinking . Besides, interactions with Mr. Gary Weaver‐professor ,the American university ,Ms.Liz Forkin Bohannon‐founder and CEO of Sseko designs. ,Ms. Shawna Walsh –event coordinator at Int’l Monetory Fund , Patrick Hayford – Director of the office of the special advisor on Africa at the UN headquarters gave the students an insight into global issues and enhanced their cross cultural thinking. The global summit brought the program to a close. Besides, visits to Lincoln memorial, Vietnam memorial, Holocaust museum , The Embassy of Egypt in Washington DC and the Statue of Liberty , Rockefeller plaza and Times Square in New York were a part of the itinerary. They 5 were taken to Philladelphia , the birth place of US Democracy , The Times Square & China Town . They also got a chance to see the construction of the new World Trade Centre . In the evening, the farewell dinner on a boat cruise at Chelsea Piers sealed the emotional bonds that were created among the representatives during the course of the program. The trip was very informative , educational and interactive for one and all. Visit by teachers from Indonesia on 11th July 2012. A Group of teachers and delegates from Ministry of Education, Indonesia visited school on 11th July 2012 Students visit Italy as jury members in International Film Festival hosted at Giffoni from 14th July 2012 to 24th July 2012 Three students along with Ms. Uma Chopra, TGT from Tagore International School Vasant Vihar, who are a part of Chinh International Childrens’ Films Cooperative had the unique opportunity to travel to Italy to attend the Giffoni Film Festival. The Giffoni Film Festival is a film festival which continues for a period of 10 days every year in the month of July. Each year representatives from over 39 countries from all over the world participate in this festival. The Jurors are first divided on the basis of their age group ranging from 5+ , 10+, 13+,16+ 18+ to 20+.