Coimbatore Dec. 11
The Conference Hall of the City Municipal Corporation might have seen numerous Power Point Presentations from experts from diverse fields in the past, but today it was a witness to fabulous presentations made by future architects of the country – some students.
Yes, today was the day when 50 students from Standard VIII from five Corporation schools gave an impressive Power Point presentation on the theme 'I Change My City'.
Their presentation not only shed light on a host of civic issues plaguing the city but also presented some effective solutions for the same.
On seeing their understanding, insight into the civic issues and the solutions they provided for it, one could not help but strongly feel that they are the true agents of change.
Aram Foundation Charitable Trust with a focus on making students active citizens of the country has been reaching out to five Corporation Schools and its students for the last two years under the project called " 'Balajanagraha' and provided 25 hours of training to the students on topics ranging from active citizenship, constitutional rights to disaster management before letting them go to identify civic issues near their schools and encourage them to provide solutions for the same.
As part of this project, students have to make a Power Point Presentation on the civic issues they identified and the solutions they came out with for the same.
An energetic student named Vaitheeswari from SRP Ammani Ammal Girls Higher Secondary school at RS Puram lead her team from the front and took every question raised by the judges, after the presentation with poise and grace.
No wonder, Vaitheeswari's team won the first Prize for the best presentation.
"I am always curious to know about what is happening around me and weeks of training on topics like constitutional rights and active citizens have only strengthened my conviction to work on providing solutions to the pressing problems facing the society," she said with smile.
Echoing her view, Anthony Jeyanth, an enthusiastic and articulate student from Corporation Middle School, said open drains, poorly lit roads and indiscriminate dumping of waste in public spaces grabbed their attention when they went out as a team to do a survey on the surroundings of their school.
Increasing the level of awareness among the people on civic issues confronting the city should be given priority, he stressed.
Explaining 'Balajanagraha' Project, the Managing Trustee of Aram Foundation Charitable Trust, Mrs. Latha Sundaram said it was aimed at making students grow and evolve as responsible and conscientious citizens of the country.
With their exemplary display of commitment in identifying the larger problems of lack of cleanliness and hygiene in their localities and providing workable and pragmatic solutions for the same, Corporation school students have given us more hope that with right training and exposure, they would become active and informed citizens of the country, she remarked.
The chief guest of the event, Corporation Commissioner Dr.K.Vijayakarthikeyan, gave away individual trophies to the winning team and its members.
He commended the innovative ideas of the students to handle the civic issues.
The second prize for the best presentation was awarded to Ramasamy Nagar Corporation School, while the third prize went to Selvapuram Girls Higher Secondary school.
Students of City Corporation Schools can take pride over the fact their suggestions ranging from request for more bins, ban on plastics, proper maintenance of public toilets and sustained awareness campaigns among people about clean and hygienic surroundings would find a place in schemes proposed under the Smart City Project, added Mrs. Latha.
It is not an exaggeration to say Corporation school students are now on to the path to become more responsible and conscientious citizens of the country.