A research based project

Researching to find solutions for problems in society

-Dvig Butkar (Std. IX A)

St. Joseph's High School,
Wadala
11th December 2013

Our team (Vismit Chavan, Atharva Chaturvedi, Mubarak Khalife, Dvig Butkar) worked on a project for the inter-school annual Science Exhibition that had two important aspects in consideration: (1) Mosquito menace and (2) Slums. The diseases spread by mosquitoes are well known - malaria and the dangerous dengue - which at times can be fatal.

We conducted a small research to find the conditions suitable for the laying of eggs by the mosquitoes.  We took white, red and green colored containers and on observation, noticed that the the mosquitoes avoided the green and were most attracted to red, and less to white. Bubbling air through the container to increase the oxygen content, we observed that no eggs were laid.

We arrived at the conclusion that well lit,  effectively ventilated and green colored areas were avoided by the mosquitoes (More research however has to be done on this).

In the slums, the houses are very close to each other, thus increasing the heat in the atmosphere and surroundings. We came upon the idea to cover the roof with a mat (which is easily available) with seeds sown in them.  This has two advantages: (1) The room is kept cool. (2) The plants grown could be sold thus increasing the meager income of the people.  Besides, being a green top, probably the mosquitoes will not be attracted to the place!

A 'zeer' refrigerator

A POT IN A POT

- Master Kshitij Kadam (Std. VII A)

St. Joseph's High School,
Wadala,
11th December 2013


The Science Exhibition held annually by the Education Department presents an opportunity to our budding scientists to create, experiment and innovate. Four of our students from Std. VII (Kshitij Kadam, Ayush Kamble, Yohan Mhatre, Anirudh Bhattacharya) have designed a 'pot in pot' refrigerator or 'zeer' (in Arabic) pot fridge.   It is an evaporative cooling refrigeration device which does not use electricity. It uses a porous outer earthernware pot, lined with wet sand, and an inner pot (which can be glazed to prevent penetration by the liquid) within which the food is placed - the evaporation of the outer liquid draws heat from the liquid. The device can be used to cool any substance.

The 'pot in a pot' cooling system, a kind of 'desert refrigerator', helps subsistence farmers by reducing the food spoilage and waste, and thus increasing their income and limiting the health hazards of decaying food. This device consists of two eartherware pots of different diameters, one placed inside the other.  The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand that is kept constantly moist, thereby keeping both pots damp. Fruits, vegetables and aerated drinks are put in the smaller inner pot, which is covered with a damp cloth.

A few examples of its effectivity:

- Tomatoes and apples lasted for three weeks or more.
- Green plants stayed fresh for 27 days instead of three.
- African spinach that usually spoils after a day, remained edible after 12 days when placed in the 'zeer' pot fridge.

Harvesting today means selling today:

1. Lack of electricity in most of the northern rural communities - without electricity there can be no           refrigerator.

2. The towns and cities too have erratic power supply that affects the refrigerator.

3. In an agriculture based populated area, the majority of people live in abject poverty to afford a refrigerator.

Hence a 'pot in pot' can grow popular and be marketed judiciously for its huge benefits:

1. Simple and effective use of the laws of thermodynamics.

2. Cheap and easy to build.

3. Needs simple innovation that can drastically change the lives of the poor.

4. It is a great way for those of us looking to live off the grid to keep some of the organic foods fresh for longer periods.

Time to innovate and live simple!

ONE NATION READING 2013

BRINGING BACK THE JOYS OF READING

St. Joseph’s High School

Wadala

03rd December 2013

One  Nation reading was launched by Scholastic in 2008 to celebrate the joys of  reading among students. They invited schools from all over India to spend a specific amount of time reading for fun and engaging in book-related activities.  Though the date for this event this year was fixed for 29th November 2013, our school got this organized a day prior to the scheduled date on account of the school Sports Festival on 29th Nov 2013.  The entire school (from Std. I to X) was immersed in this engaging activity from 12 noon to 12.45 pm.  The task was made simple through some meticulous planning and a detailed program for each of the classes.  This was how the program looked like:

Std. I      -              AV-aided Reading

The Class Teachers will get suitable stories in AV form for the students to read from the screen while viewing.

Std. II    -              Read A Story Book

The children may bring their own books or books may be taken from the library for individual reading in a soft voice. 

Std. III   -              Read A Short Story and Draw A Picture related to it

Children will be given books with short stories for them to read and then illustrate. 

Std. IV   -              Read A Book Of Your Choice and write about it

The children may bring their own books to read.  Listed below are points that they may elaborate on in their English exercise books. 

Std. V    -              Reading A Story In Unison

Books of the same kind should be borrowed from the library for the students to read aloud in unison. 

Std. VI   -              Reading A Story In Unison

Books of the same kind should be borrowed from the library for the students to read aloud in unison. 

Std. VII -              Read A Book Of Your Choice and write about it

The children may bring their own books to read.  Listed below are points that they may elaborate on in their English exercise books. 

Std. VIII                -              Read A Book Of Your Choice and write about it The children may bring their own books to read.  Listed below are points that they may elaborate on in their English exercise books. 

Std. IX   -              Chorus Recitation and Enactment of a Poem, Making a Bookmark

A poem will be given to the class for group recitation and enactment. The students should then design a bookmark based on it. Students must carry with them materials needed for the bookmark. 

Std. X    -              Read A Book Of Your Choice and write about it

The students may bring their own books to read.  Listed below are points that they may elaborate on in their English exercise books. 

Points to write about:

A new word I learnt from the story is ….  It means ….

This book is about ….

My favourite character is …. because….

The part I liked the best is ….. because ….

Now isn’t this a fabulous activity! Surely an idea worth emulating not only for a day, but most of the days of the week!  

A sports fest to remember!

A MEMORABLE SPORTS FESTIVAL 2013

- Ms. Sunita D’Souza

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala,

29^th November 2013

29^th November.  8 a.m.  St. Joseph's High School, Wadala witnesses an awesome display of colour, creativity and charm! The 'sound' of water echoes in the air as the students participating in the class floats from the K.G., Primary and Secondary sections assemble on the school basketball court.  It’s the annual Sports Festival and through our theme, we have chosen to give thanks to God for His precious gift of water on this special day.

The Opening Ceremony began with the Guard of Honour welcoming the Chief Guest, Mr. Ramesh Dound (retired teacher of St. Joseph's, Wadala), who was accompanied by the Members of the Management, Rev. Fr. Godfrey D’Sa (Rector), Rev. Fr. Bernard Fernandes (Principal), Rev. Fr. Vivian D'Souza (counselor), Ms. Nicole Britto (Vice-Principal), Mrs. Sangita Bhattacharya (Secondary Supervisor) and Mrs. Matilda Fernandes (Primary Head teacher).  A warm welcome was accorded to the honoured guests by the comperes who goaded everyone into effecting the 'rain clap' applause.  Once the distinguished dignitaries took their places on the dais, the morning prayer was recited and the National Anthem sung with due reverence. The School Flag was then hoisted by the Chief Guest. The four house squads - blue, green, red and yellow marched past the audience in unison and gave a smart salute to the Chief Guest. This was followed by the recital of the Sportsman's Oath by the School Head boy, Master Moksh Jain and the Sportsman's Prayer by the Assistant Head boy, Master Nihar Chothani.

The Sports Festival Flame was then ceremoniously lit and carried around the stadium by the champion state representatives of St. Joseph's, Wadala in various sports - basketball, football, handball and gymnastics – together with student representatives from the Pre-Primary and Primary sections. The Chief Guest, Mr. Ramesh Dound then addressed the gathering. He expressed his happiness at coming back to school to witness and be a part of the Sports Festival.  Stating that 'Health Is Wealth' he reiterated that sport is a reminder that we need to take good care of our health.

The most attractive, impressive and significant part of the program was up next - the presentation of the class floats by the K.G., Primary and the Secondary sections. The little children from the Pre-Primary and the Primary kept all present spellbound through their unique and innovative styles of the display of their class floats. Every class float was briefly and eloquently introduced by the comperes. The students demonstrated the sources of water and focused on the need to save water, exhibited the water-cycle in action, basic sanitation, freshwater sources in North India and South India respectively. Each class float depicted ideas to convey the message that each one of us must do our bit to save water and use it carefully. The breathtaking secondary section class floats that followed the drill, yoga and karate displays continued with the theme of the day, ALL FOR WATER, WATER FOR ALL.  Their presentation was through drama, dances and beautiful banners.

The finalists of a few select events then took the field for the competition. The races began with the tiny tots from the K.G. Section and Primary Section and continued with the finals in football, basketball and handball finals for the Secondary Section. The much awaited event between the staff and the students – this time, a game of basketball – lived up to its billing as an exciting top drawer match. The staff prevailed! As the events of the day progressed, the prize winners from every category were felicitated simultaneously with medals and certificates by our staff members.

Before long, it was time for the Closing Ceremony. It began with the Prize Distribution where the champions in the midgets, sub-juniors and seniors categories were awarded their championship prizes.  The Green House outscored the other houses by an overwhelming margin to bag the prestigious trophy for the day - the winners for the Sports Festival!  The creative display by the students (and teachers) of Std. IV won them the best class float award in the I-IV category, while the joy of the students of Std. X knew no bounds when their class reps and teachers marched to the stage to receive their prize in the VIII-X section. The Blue house won the prize for the March past Display that was smart and elegant.  The vote of thanks was proposed by Fr. Bernard (Principal). He thanked everyone for contributing to the grand success of the school Sports Festival. A respectful silence descended upon the grounds as the torch bearers carried the Sports Festival Flame for one last time across the field and then had it extinguished to mark the solemn end of the sports extravaganza. The School Flag was then lowered and handed over to the Principal by the school head boy, Master Moksh Jain.

This brought to an end the Sports Festival that witnessed solemn occasions, exhilarating and emotional moments, hollering supporters, and impressionable class floats. The Sports Festival 2013 will live on in the minds and hearts of everyone present with the message 'All For Water For All' reverberating and causing a ripple effect in every home!

NCC training camp at Nashik

Naval treat for NCC cadets

-Cadet Yash Tirmalle

St. Joseph’s High School, Wadala

26^th November 2013

The N.C.C.A.T.C. (National Cadet Corps Annual Training Camp) was announced for the Diwali vacations beginning from 7^th November 2013 to 16^th November 2013 at K.T.H.M. College, Nashik.  Nine cadets from St. Joseph’s High School, Wadala, registered for this camp. On the day of the departure, the nine cadets together with the teacher-in-charge, Mr. Raj, gathered at the Dadar station to board the train to Nashik.

Once there, the cadets were allotted a room for their stay. There were close to 400 cadets from the other schools and colleges who had assembled for the training camp. We were clubbed together with another four cadets from Don Bosco High School, Matunga.  In the evening of the same day, the coordinating officer described the daily routine of the camp to the cadets assembled at the site- these instructions were duly followed right through the duration of the camp.  Many interesting activities and games were conducted right through the day that kept us on our toes – competitive games such as tug-of-war and volleyball tested our physical skills, while the quiz competition was a test of our knowledge. On one of the days, we were taken for a sightseeing tour on the mountains where were situated the caves built by the five Pandavas and a majestic temple of Lord Buddha. This was one of the most memorable and cherished moments of the training camp for all of us.

On children’s day, we were engaged in an interesting activity – the firing event. This event, as always, was enjoyed by the participants. On the penultimate day, there was an entertaining cultural program planned for us – there was singing, dancing and music. One of our cadets, Lokesh Wakhre was awarded the bronze medal at this cultural event for his amazing performance.

We returned back from the training camp not empty-handed, but with a prestigious award for the third place in the March past competition, and surely with a bag full of happy memories of the place and the event.

Champions at DBYS Sports Fest 2013

Heroes yet again!

St.Joseph’s High School,

Wadala

24^th November 2013

It was a tiring and energy-sapping, yet rewarding day for the Josephites in sports today. Our football and basketball teams participated in the inaugural DBYS (Don Bosco Youth Services) Sports Fest 2013 organized at Dominic Savio High School, Andheri.  In a well coordinated event that witnessed the cream of Don Bosco institutions from Mumbai and Pune, our teams excelled in their games and won accolades from the aficionados and well-wishers. The school u-16 Basketball ‘A’ team were drawn against their arch-rivals Don Bosco Matunga ‘A’ in the finals, and the players came up with a stellar performance to bring home the prestigious trophy. They won 19-15. Earlier on they defeated the second string teams from Andheri and Matunga without breaking a sweat.  Our B team – consisting mainly of our u-14 team players – played creditably to make the semi-final grade. 

In football, our unsung heroes gave the formidable Don Bosco Matunga team a run for their money in the finals played on the fast paced astro-turf. In fact, the game went down to the wire as the winners were decided via the tie-breaker – the full time score being tied one all.  Our boys lost 0-1 in the penalty shoot-out. In their march to the finals, they got the better of the teams from Dominic Savio, Andheri and Shelter Don Bosco. 

Two of our students capped the outstanding performance with their superb skills that won them the best player awards. Master Smith Shinde – who is also a Maharashtra state player - won the best player award in basketball for his amazing skills, while the agile Tej Bahadur won the best player award in football.  Both these players were also the highest scorers of the tournament in their respective disciplines. 

No trophy is won without the hard work of the silent achievers who never hog the limelight. They are our dedicated coaches who leave no stone unturned to exact the best from their players. Congratulations to Mr. Raju, Mr. Somnath and Mr. Ali – our coaches in basketball; Mr. Avinash, Mr. Tony and Mr. Michael – our skilled professionals in football. Truly St. Joseph’s rocks!

Management Day

 We Salute Our Dynamic Management Team and say, "THANK YOU'!

-Ms. Sunita D’Souza

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala,

30th October 2013

A special day is earmarked every year on the school calendar to felicitate the Management. This year the Management day coincided with the last day of class before the commencement of the Diwali vacations. The excitement of the last day of class however did not take the shine off the elaborate celebrations to wish the Management team: Rev. Fr. Godfrey D’Sa (Rector), Rev. Fr. Bernard Fernandes (Principal), Rev. Fr. Vivian D'Souza (Counsellor)), Rev. Fr. Allwyn Misquita (Administrator), Ms. Nicole Britto (Vice-Principal)  - the pillars of St. Joseph's High School, Wadala. 

A plethora of events and special items were line up by the staff and students of the Pre-Primary, Primary and the Secondary Sections to mark the occasion.  At the first program of the morning organized by the Pre-Primary and the Primary sections of the school, the Members of the Management team were accorded a warm welcome by the two little comperes of the ceremony and by all the staff and students. The backdrop bearing the names of each and every member of the Management team held the message 'We Love You All'.

A prayer dance with symbolic expressions of love and gratitude; a wonderful address by Master Ian D’Souza, the Headboy of the Primary Section, on behalf of the staff and students, expressing sentiments of love and gratitude; and a floral tribute in the form of handmade cards and fresh flowers to the Members of the Management as a token of love and appreciation; all bore a stamp of sincere affection.  Rev. Fr. Godfrey then addressed the gathering and urged everyone to give of themselves freely. The tiny tots of the Pre-Primary Section then, donning the clothes of the animals in the jungle, enthralled everyone with their cute rhythmic walk-cum-dance in the jungle! After a melodious rendition of the ‘Thank You Song’ by the Primary teachers, the serenade by the boys and ‘girls’ of the Primary section through some foot-tapping remix (medley) of popular Hindi movie songs, capped the proceedings.  Fr.Bernard then proposed the vote of thanks. He thanked everyone for all the efforts taken to make the Management Day celebration heartwarming, exciting and memorable!

The students and staff of the Secondary section were equally effusive in the showering of warmth and affection on the Management. A touch of variety lent humor and entertainment to the felicitation program. The homely address, a succinct power point presentation featuring the qualities of the members of the management team, energetic and thrilling dances, harmonious melodies in the form of songs, and humorous skits not only showcased the talents of the students but also served as a platform for a sincere display of gratitude and appreciation.

In the afternoon, the members of the staff gathered around the management team for a fellowship meal. In a show of strength, the entire gathering, with hands held together, formed a circle of love, and praised and thanked God for all the blessings.  The Members of the Management were thanked personally for their meticulous planning, dedication, unstinted efforts, hard work, passion for excellence and love. They were appreciated for helping St. Joseph's reach greater heights, through their effective leadership, networking, encouragement, support and guidance. Fr. Godfrey, Fr. Bernard, Fr. Vivian, Fr. Allwyn and Ms. Nicole were presented with a token of our affection, gratitude, love and fond remembrance.  The Management team in turn thanked the staff for their dedication, cooperation and commitment.  

May Don Bosco continue to bless us all!