NEST MAKING WORKSHOP BY MR. RAKESH KHATRI

“Let us save our sparrow’s habitat before it’s too late.”

A unique workshop on ‘Nest Making’ was hosted by Delhi Public School, R K Puram on 13 July 2021.  It was taken up by Mr. Rakesh Kahtri, an environmentalist and founder of Eco Roots Foundation, who is well known for saving sparrows by having made thousands of nests so far.

The workshop started with showing a video on saving birds and it was followed by the address of the Principal, Ms. Padma Srinivasan.  Next, Mr. Rakesh Khatri was invited to interact with students and instruct them the process of nest making. He spoke about the importance of sensitising young minds towards the habitat of birds and their migration due to the rapid expansion of cities.  He shared his life experiences pertaining to the beginning of the process of nest making and the success that followed as 70 to 80 percent of these nests were occupied by birds.  He explained the habitation system of birds, the food birds eat, the medicinal value of turmeric to heal an injured bird, using ice cream sticks to feed birds, and placing a bucket full of water in balconies or verandahs to help the survival of home sparrows. He exhibited various kinds of nests made from waste material, tetra packs and organic material.  

He showed the step by step process of nest making using materials such as plastic jar, pencil, cloth, jute, rope, wool, paper cuttings and dry leaves etc.  He talked about the placement of the nest 10-12 feet in the wall.  This was followed by ‘Question- Answer Session’, various queries of students and teachers were addressed.  It was also announced that ten beautiful nests’ creators would be awarded a ‘Warrior Badge’ and a certificate for their creations. The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks as given by the Headmistress, Ms. Rashmi Malhotra and a special note by Ms. Preeti Pratihari and Ms. Vinita Gupta.

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH 2021

The World Federation for Mental Health celebrated World Mental Health Day on 10th October 1992, under the aegis of the then Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter with the aim of promoting mental health advocacy and educating the public on relevant issues related to mental health. Since then, the day is commemorated every year on 10th October. This day serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with the stigma around mental health and the pressing need for greater acceptance of people with mental health issues as well as recognition of mental health professionals.

The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day was ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’ to bring into focus the glaring disparities in access to mental health services due to the widening health, social, economic, and cultural inequalities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To celebrate this year’s World Mental Health Day, the Psychology Club prepared a short presentation on the topic ‘Dealing With Setbacks’. It began with snippets of a survey the members conducted in which they asked people about what they think mental health means and how awareness around it has evolved over the years. This was followed by a panel discussion held by four of the members in which each of them spoke about the major setbacks they faced and how they dealt with them. The aim of the presentation was for teachers to conduct classroom discussions and encourage students to share their experiences as well. Students in all classes actively participated in these discussions and it was an enriching experience for both the students and teachers alike. 

MENTAL HEALTH DAY

The Social Service League conducted a Mental Health Workshop for the student members of Class X and XI  on 12th October 2021 on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated on 10th October. Around 50 students participated in this workshop. This Workshop aimed at  highlighting the importance of Mental Health and how it should be prioritised. 

The event embarked with a presentation, which explained the importance of mental health, the factors affecting it, and seeking acceptance. Additionally, a short activity ‘Scribble’ was conducted which initiated heartfelt expressions of the students’ thoughts as the participants penned down their feelings. The main aim of this activity was to help everyone understand their emotions and feelings better. It was conducted by Gauri Verma (XI-S), Parnika Banerjee(XI-I), Arpita Sahoo(XI-U), and Veronika Dhingra(XI-F) with the full support of Simran Joshi(XII-Q), Anushka Gautam(XII-S), Riya Jain(XII-R), and Sanya Aggarwal(XII-V), under the guidance of Ms.Preeti Pratihari(teacher incharge).

ONLINE WELLNESS DELEGATE PROGRAMME

Delhi Public School, Ghaziabad organized a National Online Wellness Delegate Program on 11th and 12th of October 2021.This program was based on the theme:Mental Health In An Unequal World . The students who participated in this programme were Parmarth Gupta – Anecdotes (Case Study Analysis) Izeen Hussain – Dodgers (Brochure) Nysa Kaur Kohli – Impatica (PowerPoint Presentation) Prerna Aggarwal – Poesy (Poetry Writing) Disha Khanna – Page Turner (Web Page) Saaniya Makandar – Spoof (Comic Strip)

Through these engaging and fun activities, the students were able to connect on a deep level with the concepts based on mental health.This event also made them aware of  different mental disorders, ways to identify them, and methods of  dealing with them and helping  people going through such issues.Parmarth Gupta took the lead in his activity and prepared a detailed Case Study Analysis Report for the entire group and presented it.Izeen Hussain prepared a brochure highlighting mental wellness.

Through this truly enriching experience, the students got a better outlook on the importance of Mental well-being and its relevance in the current world. 

Teacher incharges for this event were Ms Shalini Chanana and Ms Neelam Ajwani,under the guidance of Ms Niva Chhonkar ,Biology Head of Department .

NTSE Results 2020-21 Stage-1

Fourteen students from Delhi Public School, R.K.Puram qualified in NTSE Stage 1 from Delhi out of 152 students in the current academic session. The results were declared on 13th August 2021.

1.  Aniket Gupta
2.  Ashutosh Shukla
3.  Ayush Kumar
4.  Divyansh Nayan
5. Hargun Singh
6. Ishaan Semwal
7. Muhammad Ali Ayaan
8. Prathmesh Jha
9. Rahul Kumar Nirala
10.Satyam Birla11. Shashwat Shankar
12. Shail Choudhary
13. Prachi Jindal
14. Utkarsh Chauhan

We are proud of our students’ achievements and  wish them the very best for NTSE stage 2.

Personal Hygiene Awareness

Developing and maintaining good personal hygiene is key to having a healthy body and mind. Keeping in mind the rising importance of hygiene during the pandemic, Inquisitio, the Biology Club of the school, encouraged students of classes VIII, IX, and XI to film videos on maintaining good hygiene. The poster for personal hygiene awareness was shared with all students from class VI onwards.

Good personal hygiene involves keeping all parts of the external body clean and healthy. It is important for maintaining both physical and mental health. In people with poor personal hygiene, the body provides an ideal environment for germs to grow, leaving it vulnerable to infection. So, hygiene becomes increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, to keep germs at bay and to stay protected. One must develop a healthy routine that involves regular brushing of teeth, washing hands for 20 seconds, cleaning and trimming nails, and taking a proper bath every day. Endowed with this knowledge, students showcase their talent in the form of videos of speeches and animations. The event saw enthusiastic participation from the students as creative and informative videos started pouring in. 

Some of the best entries included Jia Gupta of class IX N, who quoted Benjamin Disraeli in her video “Cleanliness and order are not matters of instinct; they are matters of education, and like most great things, you must cultivate a taste for them”. Avaniee A Lunia of class VIII G provided great insight into the social aspect of maintaining hygiene, stating that people tend to avoid a person with poor hygiene, which may lead to isolation.

Laavya Malhotra of XI B created an animation listing out suggestive methods to ensure bodily and dental hygiene, while Ananya Gupta of VIII G outlined the advantages of good hygiene. 

Arihant Kumar of VIII D noted that a nutritious diet, grooming, bathing, and meditation are imperative for maintaining hygiene, while Harsh Yadav of Class XI C emphasized the importance of wearing a mask and isolating oneself when sick.

The objective of this activity was to sensitize students towards the significance of cleanliness and personal hygiene, and to teach them to  research and compile their views and findings in an innovative manner.

The activity was conducted by Ms. Kusum Yadav of Biology Department with the support and guidance of the head of the department, Ms. Niva Chhonkar.

‘RASHTRIYA POSHAN MAAH’

‘Poshan Abhiyan’, Our Prime Ministers’ overarching Scheme for Holistic nourishments was celebrated by the students of Class VI to XII. The aim of this initiative is to have a unified comprehensive strategy to develop practices to nurture health and Wellness. Students participated in the activities like Designing a Chart with good nutrition, Logo designing ,Poster making and Quiz were organised.
Presentation with voice over explaining the role of students towards holistic nourishment and healthy lifestyle:shared with students of all the classes.On an online platform ,a student of class VII shared his views on ways to keep the heart healthy by avoiding junk food and consuming nutritious ,seasonal balanced diet .
As a part of Poshan Abhiyan, Poshan Vatika ‘Ayura’ has been created  in the school  campus. Plants like mint, lemon grass,ashwagandha,basil, coriander, turmeric, ajwain etc were planted.The significance of a balanced diet was elaborated while teaching the chapter “Why Do We Fall ILL” in class IX .Discussion was done on various diseases which are a result of malnutrition with respect to specific nutrients.
Students and teachers were encouraged to share or offer a nutritious meal with at least one child from the underprivileged sections of the society ,living in their neighbourhood.
This activity helped the child understand the nutritional levels in the society ,and imbibed a sense of social responsibility and volunteerism.
Activities were organised by Ms Shalini Chanana and Ms Kajal Sethi under the guidance and supervision of Ms Niva Chhonkar (H.O.D Biology Department)