Annual day celebrations

                                                           96 years and counting…

Labelled as the the blue riband event of an institution during the scholastic year, the 96^th Annual Day celebrations of St. Joseph’s High School, Wadala, on 2^nd February 2013 lived up to its billing as a topnotch event.  A host of mini-events were lined up for the day’s program besides the grand musical ‘Go For Gold’.  Over a thousand five hundred people were in attendance to witness Josephites come alive with a string of exquisite and well-rehearsed songs and dances.

Fr. Boniface D’Souza, the coordinator of the Education Commission of the Mumbai Province graced the occasion as the Chief Guest of the day.  He, together with the other dignitaries and members of the management – Fr. Godfrey D’Sa (Rector), Fr. Bernard Fernandes (Principal), Fr. Vivian D’Souza (Counselor), Ms. Nicole Britto (Vice-Principal), Mrs. Sangita Bhattacharya (Supervisor), Mrs. Matilda Fernandes (Head teacher, Primary section), Mrs. Shilpa Shah (PTA rep – Secondary), and Mrs. Vidya Harikrishna (PTA rep – Primary, was given a floral welcome by a team of cheer leaders.  The guests were presented with specially designed – by our own staff and students – terrariums replacing the customary bouquets.

The two comperes, accompanied by the Mascots for the JPL (Josephite Premiere League), kept the audience spellbound and entertained with their smart commentating, while at the same time keeping them abreast of the events of the evening. The razzmatazz began with a welcome song by the cute tiny tots of the Pre-Primary section followed by a magnificent prayer dance by a group of energetic and enthusiastic parents teamed with a few students of the Jr. Kg.  The students of Std. I and II, with a green touch, arrested our attention through their mini-musical on the Aesop’s fables. 

It was a day also of the achievers and the prize winners.  The scholarships, the awards and the shields were presented at an impressive ceremony following the speech of the chief guest, Fr. Boniface D’Souza.  Interspersed between these events was the annual school report presented by our Vice-Principal and headmistress, Ms. Nicole Britto, backed by a picturesque power-point presentation.

Thereafter, it was the musical, ‘Go for Gold’, all the way.  The stunning backdrops, sets and scenes – the handiwork of our own staff and students – transported us to the ethereal home of the gods and goddesses of the Greek Pantheon, and lo and behold, we landed slap bang in the middle of the Olympic stadium in Greece!  Many a shy and reticent pupil made it to the main cast of the musical to narrate to us the story of the Spartans and the Athenians, about Zeus and his army of gods of the Greek Pantheon, and of course relate the inner struggle of the athlete Joseph Swift to make it to the big stage – the Olympics.  The perky dances performed by our spirited and dapper dancers – from Std. III to Std. IX – livened up the proceedings no end. And then there was the 130-strong choir that completed the narration of the story through the melodious and rhythmic rendition of the songs in the script.

Pivotal to the theme of the day’s program was the quest for excellence.  This was summed up effectively by the Principal, Fr. Bernard Fernandes, in his vote of thanks where he extolled the ‘champion stuff’ dished out by every member of the Josephites’ team, and gave a clarion call for all to join hands to make this quest a reality in all walks of life.