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!

Dengue Awareness Campaign

DENGUE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala

29^th October 2013

The sickness is indeed a cause for concern in the city of Mumbai, the state of Maharastra and our country India. Dengue has taken its toll on the health of unsuspecting ordinary citizens, and if not checked, can prove to be fatal, as is happening with the people in our country.

It is indeed praiseworthy to notice the resoluteness of the government and Education department to conscientize the public and fight the sickness. Our school teacher representatives were part of the Dengue Awareness program that was organized by the Education Department for the staff of the many schools in Mumbai. The knowledge gained at this seminar was shared by the teachers with the entire school staff community at a staff meeting. 

The focus of the campaign has now shifted to the students of the school who are made aware of the causes and ill-effects of this dreaded sickness.  The Primary section and the Secondary section are given inputs in groups by our staff members Mrs. Manjusha, Ms. Sagaya Rani, and Mr. Somnath.  The students gather either in the AV hall or the school hall for an AV presentation that highlights the meaning of the term, the mosquito that is the carrier of this sickness, the breeding places of this mosquito, the remedies for sickness, solutions to protect ourselves, and above all the need to keep our surrounding clean. The explanation was well documented and supported by striking pictures and images.  A discussion would follow the AV presentation where the students would resolve to take the necessary measures to spread awareness of the dengue sickness and also the means that need to be taken for prevention and cleanliness.

A specially designed handout enumerating the do’s and don’t’s to safeguard against this dreaded disease has been prepared by the teachers to be handed over to every student – a small step to take forward this campaign and keep Mumbai safe!

Let the light of God touch us – the Diwali Prayer service

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala,

28^th Oct 2013

The conclusion of the first session of the scholastic year marks not only the beginning of a well-deserved mid-year break but also allows time of preparation for the festive Deepavali season.  The secondary section of the school today ushered in this beautiful festival of lights through a quiet and meaningful prayer service.

The mood in the hall was just right – sober stage-lighting and a calm prayerful ambience.  The guests – Fr. Godfrey D’Sa (Rector), Fr. Bernard Fernandes (Principal) and Ms. Nicole Britto (Vice-Principal) lit the samay (lamp) as a devotional bhajan played in the background.  The readings from the holy books – the Bible, the Koran and the Bhagavad gita were read and this was interspersed with some rich commentary and insights by the leader, Ms. Joanna Fernandes. 

Fr. Godfrey D’Sa, in his address to the assembly, touched on the salient aspects of the Diwali festival – the return of Rama from exile, the victory of Krishna, and Laxmi pujan – all of which signify the triumph of good over evil.  He exhorted the gathering to allow the light of God to touch and transform them this Diwali season. 

A beautiful dance – that was also performed earlier on at the inter-school dance competition ‘Festival of Love’ – by our students showed that love is still the answer for peace and harmony in the world.  A heartfelt rendition of the profound hymn ‘Make me a channel of your peace’ by the entire assembly summarized the mood at the prayer-service.  The environment and its care and protection are something that will always be close to our heart.  Master Vismit Chavan shared a few green initiatives that could be practiced by each of us this Diwali season, making it thus an even meaningful and a bright shining festival.

A remarkable prayer service to mark the festival of Diwali, and a commendable team effort by Ms. Joanna Fernandes, Ms. Cressieda Murzello and students to get it organized! Thanks.

Happy Diwali!

Assembly - IV B

Working Together With The Local Community

- Ms. Sunita D’Souza

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala,

1^st October 2013

The two comperes of Std. IVB warmly welcomed everyone in the school hall. They highlighted the theme for the class assembly viz. to make everyone aware of the rights and responsibilities they are entitled to, and which must be put into action. The backdrop held the words depicting the theme for the class assembly. The Chief Guest for the assembly, Fr. Bernard Fernandes, was escorted in the school hall by Mrs. Matilda Fernandes (the Headmistress of the Primary Section).

A prayerful beginning was followed by the song 'People Over The World' sung by a group of students dressed in ‘global’ costumes. The song reflected their desire for universal brotherhood, peace, sharing, understanding and love. A group of students with hands held together with a display of unity marched on the stage singing melodiously the action song, 'Bind Us Together' imploring peace and unity.

Charged with the theme of cleanliness, tidiness and modesty, some students then performed a lively dance with brooms and mops. It portrayed the joy in one’s work and pride in wearing the school uniform - dignity of labour as well as the expression of love for the school they call their second home!  The dance, the banners with the messages based on cleanliness, tidiness and modesty, and the unfurling of the paper rolls to reveal the words - 'We Love You' 'St. Joseph's High School, Wadala', all had a touch of creativity.

It was now time for the members of the local community to take the stage. The students dressed in the costumes of the members of the local community they represented - Greenline Team, Don Bosco Shelter, Safe Kids Foundation, Doctors, Traffic Police, Parishioners, Municipality and the School Canteen- spoke about the ways in which they reach out to our school. One student in turn emphasized how they as students could help the local community by following the rules and becoming good citizens. In the power-point presentation that followed, three students had the words 'cleanliness, 'tidiness' and 'modesty' pinned onto their costumes. They conducted the power-point presentation with an express desire to entreat cleanliness, tidiness and modesty.

Fr. Bernard then addressed the students. He thanked the students and their class teacher, and praised them for the innovative and informative presentation on the theme for their class assembly. He reinforced the theme on cleanliness, tidiness and modesty through a series of questions and answers. Later, the winners of the Friday competitions were awarded their certificates. Fr. Bernard congratulated the winners of the ‘Best Out Of Waste’ competition and complimented them for the fantastic works of art they created out of waste material.    

The assembly concluded with the singing of the school anthem with due reverence.

A Day in the Sun (and Water) – Class Picnics!

St. Joseph’s High School,

Wadala,

18^th October 2013

The excitement was palpable; the atmosphere charged and laden with anticipation of the unfolding of the exciting activity of the day. The restless birds had trooped in as early as 5.30 am.  By 6.30 am, the Adventure tour buses were lined up on the quiet lanes of Nathalal Parekh road and the adjoining flyover leading to Wadala (E) to transport the eager students to their class picnic destinations. The energetic volunteers of the Adventure tours sporting red t-shirts and caps stood ready to escort their charges to the awaiting marked vehicles.

The entire school (including the Kindergarten students) had the itinerary chalked out for the day’s class picnics.  The Jr. and Sr. Kg. were to visit the sprawling Patwardhan gardens at Bandra (W); the Primary section opted for the scenic Panormic Resort at Karnala, Panvel; the picturesque Silent Resort, Manor was the destination for the lively group of students from Stds. V to VIII; the students of Std. IX took the long ride to their picnic spot, Sargam Water Park, Vasai; while the batch of Std. X chose to spend some quality time at Suraj Water Park, Thane.

After a common prayer at the start of the day at school, there was a beeline to the main gates of the school to board the vehicles specially arranged for the occasion. The bus journey – to and fro – though a little long, provided enough mirth and entertainment for the picnickers as there were wise-cracks, shayaris, songs and the like.  The picnic spots and swimming pools offered ample moments for fun, relaxation, swims, games and the usual banter associated with such excursions.  The delicious food and snacks capped the thrill of the fabulous outing.

 Thanks to the management for a special day set aside for the class picnics, as also the meticulous planning for the same; to the staff for their cheerful, yet mindful presence among us; and to the excellent support staff and volunteers of Adventure tours who left no stone unturned to give us the best.  Signing off feeling invigorated yet grateful!