Moodubelle: Students put up excellent performance during Annual Day celebration of English Medium
By Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pictures by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network
Moodubelle, 20 December 2011: There is no doubt that St. Lawrence English Medium High School, Moodubelle has come of age since its foundation in 2000. This was evident by the fact that the entire programme of the Annual Day celebration on Monday, December 19, 2011 was conducted in English. It is really a matter of pride for the school management, principal, staff, students and their parents that the quality of the variety entertainment programme was excellent and appreciated by one and all.
Prior to the programme, the chief guest of the day, Rev. Fr. Frederick Mascarenhas, Correspondent of St. Mary’s Educational Institutions, Udupi and Dean of Udupi Deanery who was the guest of honour, Commodore Jerome Castelino and Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes were received to the music of the band and Rev. Fr. Frederick Mascarenhas was given the guard of honour at 2.30 pm. Soon after the stage programme commenced in the school hall with prayer and the dignitaries being invited to the dais. Fr. Joswey Fernandes presided over the programme. Other dignitaries on the dais included, Rev. Fr. Frederick Mascarenhas, Commodore Jerome Castelino, Fr. Paul Sequeira, Principal of St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Fr. Lancy Saldanha, Principal of St. Lawrence English Medium High School, A.K. Alva, Vice President of the Parish Pastoral Council, Mrs. Janet Menezes, President of the Parents-Teachers Association and Mrs. Sundari Nayak, member of the PTA.
Following the floral welcome by Mrs. Malathi, Fr. Lancy Saldanha presented the annual report of the school highlighting academic, cultural and sports activities and achievements of the students. The school has 351 students from the Lower KG to the 10th standard. The greatest academic achievement was that the first batch of the SSLC students of the school obtained cent percent result in the examinations held in last March. He highlighted the performances of the students at the Zonal, Taluka and District level in Pratibha Karanji and sports. The SMART Classes and the vehicle facilities have been the hallmarks of this year’s facilities provided to the students.
Commodore Jerome Castelino gave away prizes to the successful students in various activities from Lower KG to 6th standard. Speaking after the prize distribution, Commodore Castelino traced the growth of the school from the humble beginning eleven years ago founded by Fr. Charles Lewis, the problems faced by the school initially and the perseverance by which under succeeding parish priests-Fr. Valerian D’Souza and Fr. Joswey Fernandes the school emerged as the pride of the Belle village by the first batch of the SSLC students achieving 100 percent results. He also pointed out how he was closely associated with the school activities, especially the band. He and his wife Mrs. Rose have donated a school bus. Besides, he was also instrumental in sponsoring an Omni Maruti Van through the Lions Club of Moodubelle of which he is the founder president. He assured the management that he would acquire additional instruments for the School band and also promised to use his good office to secure NCC Naval Wing in the near future for the benefit of the students of the school.
Rev. Fr. Frderick Mascarenhas gave away prizes to the achiever students from 7th to 10th standard. In his message, Fr. Mascarenhas greatly appreciated the academic, cultural and sporting activities of the students. He had a special word of praise to the girl students who accorded the guard of honour. He further hoped that under Fr. Joswey Fernandes, the visionary Correspondent, St. Lawrence English Medium High School will scale new heights. He also said that parents have great dreams for their children and want their children to achieve greater academic success. However, he pointed out that just acquiring knowledge is not enough. Students should have a balance between academic learning and other activities in sporting and cultural fields. He highlighted the importance of Attitude, Ambition and Action to achieve success by quoting examples from the life of the former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam.
Donors and sponsors of various programmes associated with national festivals and annual day celebrations were honoured by Fr. Joswey Fernandes by offering them roses. For his service to the school, Commodore Jerome Castelino was honoured by Fr. Joswey Fernandes by draping a shawl around his shoulders and offering a garland and a memento.
In his presidential address, Fr. Joswey said that St. Lawrence English Medium High School, with the motto of Honesty, Humanity, Hard Work and Knowledge aims to impart a sound moral, intellectual and physical education to its students. It also fosters god habits, sense of brotherhood, patriotism and inculcates creative ability and critical thinking.
Speaking further, Fr. Joswey said a lot of development has taken place in recent times in the school. The school is proud of the 100 per cent SSLC result achieved by the students of the first batch. The school also has its own hall with a stage for various programmes. SMART classes and school buses are the other added advantages that the school has provided to the students.
Fr. Joswey recalled with gratitude the support given to the school by various well wishers, donors and parents. In this respect, he mentioned the moral and material support given to the school by Commodore Jerome Castelino who was honoured during the annual day celebration of the school.
The stage programme ended by Ms. Maria Barboza proposing the vote of thanks. Ms. Sandra Lobo anchored the programme.
The capacity audience, including the parents and students who were eagerly waiting for the variety cultural programme were welcomed through the Diya Welcome Dance by the students of 7th and 8th standards. Group dances-both classical and folk by the students right from KG classes to 10th standard, skits on historical topics, mimicry and environmental awareness presentations were the highlights of the annual day celebration. The entire variety entertainment programme was very well anchored in English by two talented students of the school-Disha Rai and Mavrel D’Souza.
The skits on ‘Onake Obavva’ in Kannada and Jallianwalabagh in English were well enacted by the students with fluent dialogue delivery and natural acting. The tableau on the Christmas theme “Service to the Poor” in English, an adaptation of the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’ was well presented by the students of the 6th standard. Saurabh and Nehal through their mimicry of animal sounds showed the range of their voice modulation. The children from the KG and primary section put up good show through their beautiful dresses and graceful movements. The final dance, a classical one, depicting three forms of Indian classical dances-Kathak, Katahkkali and Odissi by the students of 9th and 10th standards lifted the quality of the entertainment programme to a new height.
With the encouragement of the Correspondent, Fr. Joswey Fernandes and leadership of Fr. Lancy Saldanha, the principal of the school and the relentless training provided by the teaching staff and enthusiasm of the students and support from the parents, the quality of this year’s Annual Day celebration of St. Lawrence English Medium High School was quite impressive with the students putting up excellent performance in various cultural presentations.