CAMPION SCHOOL - FORT: STD X VALUE EDUCATION ORIENTATION PROGRAM

CAMPION SCHOOL - FORT: STD X VALUE EDUCATION ORIENTATION PROGRAM

August 27, 2014

This year, Campion School took full advantage of the AVEC program "My Life: A Valued Journey". Today was the final day in a series of sessions for the students. 70 students of STD X took part in a very interactive and lively value based session. Mr. Paul Machado, Principal of the school, warmly welcomed the guest speakers. On behalf of the management and students, Mr. Savio Alphonso officially welcomed the guest and introduced them. The session began with a prayer song that set the spiritual tone to the session. Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes then introduced Fr. Glenn to the students.

 The session, "My Life: A Valued Journey" was filled with a lot of powerful video clips, inspirational life stories, and moments of deep introspection coupled with a lot of humor too. "Have you traded your value compass for something cheap, and in the bargain got lost in the game of life?", he questioned the students. Today's session was an occasion for the students to get back to their lost values and to cling on to the higher values. The small video clip, 'Two plus Two equals Five', was a powerful starter to challenge the students to have values worth living and dying for!  "There is a sacrifice that we will have to pay when we chose the higher value, but it is worth it and makes our life meaningful and significant", he added.

The students were presented role models in Kia Scherr, Malala Yousafzai, Immaculee Ilibagiza, Jacquie Subarido. "You too can be a role model for others, if you chose the higher values in life", he challenged them. The students then went through a series of personal introspection. They focused on their 'Now moment' - listening attentively to their inner voice and daily choices in various dimensions of their life. The next part focused on the 'Spiral of life' - revisiting their past and connecting the dots of their life to find meaning and purpose. The last part of the session focused on their 'Wheel of Life' - reorganizing their future and getting in focus the dream they wish to live. The Present, the past and the future.... came so much alive through this value based session

The three hours passed by too quickly! In fact, in his vote of thanks, student Sujay Choksey very rightly concluded, "What we learnt in the last three months is not as important as what we learnt in the last three hours. We are challenged to choose the higher values in life!" 

Mr. Paul Machado, principal of the school, presented Fr. Glenn and Mr. Rochwyn a token of appreciation on behalf of the students and teachers.

 Many students came forward to write their comments in the AVEC log book:
"Intellectual session" - Harsh Zota
"Good intellectual session which was helpful" -  Rannaq Sabharwal

 "Very inspirational session" - Karan Bhavnani
"A life changing and valuable session" -  Ayush Contractor
"Made me think... happens once in a life time" -  

 "Gave all this a thought and now will be thinking for quite sometime" -  Pratyush
"Much needed. Thank you" - Sujay Choksey
"Opened my eyes. Thank Fr. Glenn" -  Yusuf Shah

 "Gave us God's message for the youth" - D. Kumar Singh
"The session taught me how to differentiate between what is right and wrong and how I can improve my lifestyle in every way" -  Yashwardhan Deora

  "Thank you Fr for this inspirational talk. i really think this talk has given us a better understanding of ourselves" -  Hritik Bhansali
"Thank you Fr. this talk was truly inspirational and I am now going to seriously interpret" -  Manan Mittal

 "Thank you Fr. Glenn for this inspirational talk. It will surely change my way of living' -  Varun C

 "Gave me a new perspective of life" - S Mathur
"It was a very beautiful session and I thoroughly enjoyed myself and learnt some great life values" -  Aditya Mukerjee

Thanks to Mr. Paul Machado for his confidence and appreciation of the AVEC programs and for giving us five opportunities this term to conduct these value based orientation programs. God bless you all as your nurture the students along the valued path!

LITTLE FLOWER HIGH SCHOOL - POKRAN, THANE: TEACHERS' ORIENTATION

LITTLE FLOWER HIGH SCHOOL - POKRAN: TEACHERS' ORIENTATION

August 26, 2014

Finally after a number of years of knocking on the doors of Little Flower High School, the AVEC team were able to conduct a Value based session on "Management By Values" for 110 teachers. Thanks to the management, Fr. Rudolf Andrades, Fr. Joel Pinto and Sr, Veena Monteiro for choosing to have an orientation program for the teachers. The seminar took place in the parish church, The session began with a few words of welcome by Fr. Joel Pinto. Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes took over the session with a prayer song, 'Dil Ke Mandir Mei'. A fantasy meditation followed that enabled the teachers to slow down and get connected with their inner self. Mr. Fernandes said a few words about Fr. Glenn and made a reference to his kidney donation.

 The session by Fr. Glenn was more a heart to heart talk than one of mere information. He focused on the need to make a 'turning point' by managing one's life by values. 'Choose the higher value' was the invitation. The world offers and proposes to us and the young lower values in very attractive packages and it is important that we always make the choice for that which is higher. He challenged the teachers to have 'perspective changes' that are deeper and insightful. He helped the participants to make necessary 'perspective shifts' from prison to palace, from referee to coach, from career to Vocation. The various examples, while having a touch of humor, were very insightful and challenging.

A number of examples were given about people who made 'qualitative changes' and as a result have caused a ripple effect in a 'quantitative change' too. Educational institutes have to move from rewarding mere 'more of the same' to celebrating 'change in change itself'. He then showed two small video clips that challenged the teachers to connect life to education and education to life. Values need to be discussed and taught in the classroom. The teachers were than made to understand the world and attitudes of the young and to enter the world of the young and to respond with the heart of a guru.

The last part of the session focused on making practical and valued based interventions in the class room. The teachers were given opportunities to clarify some of their own personal assumptions and attitudes. "When a student hears the word teacher, does your picture download in front of his mind?", was a question that made them view their relationship with the students differently. At the end of the day, teachers are second parent and school is second home! Only is such a healthy environment, will our students blossom and grow into their full potential. The session ended with a song, 'Go light your world'. Mrs. Violet John, proposed the vote of thanks on behalf of the teachers.

At the end of the session, a few teachers came forward to write their comments in the AVEC log book:

"Resourceful, though provoking. Wonderful to have your session. All the best for your future endeavors" -  Krupa Rathod, Clinical Psychologist & School Counsellor

"Extremely edifying. Brought radical changes in our perspective. Thank you fr. Glenn"

"This should be done for our students as well. It was really very good and changed our views. Thank you Fr"

"You rekindled a light long lost. Thank you for your inspiration"
"A wonderful session. An eye opener. It showed us what er are and what we should be. An inspiring session. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts"

"Resourceful thought and a wonderful enlightening session. it was very inspiring"  Agnes
"Excellent session, you made us more responsible in our life. may God bless you"

"Thank you Fr. Today's session gave us a new view towards life"

"Excellent and very enlightening. Thanks a lot"

Thanks to one and all for your very kind hospitality and warm welcome. We pray God's blessings on your management, staff and students of the school and may it grow to greater heights and meaningful contribution in the field of education of the young!

ST. MARY'S CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL - MULUND: STUDENTS & TEACHERS' ORIENTATION

ST. MARY'S CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL - MULUND: STUDENTS & TEACHERS' ORIENTATION

August 22, 2014

Thanks to Sr. Smitha, principal of the school, the AVEC were able to conduct a whole three hour session for the students of Std IX & X. 460 students participated in the Value Orientation "MY Life: A Valued Journey". The entire session was a moment of deep insights, coupled with humor and powerful video clips of inspiring lives. The session began with a a few words of welcome by Sr. Smitha. An interfaith Prayer song gave a spiritual tone to the session. Mr. Fernandes than took the students through a deep awareness fantasy meditation. Through rhythmic breathing, the students were able to relax and slow down. He then introduced Fr. Glenn to them.

 The session, "My Life: A Valued Journey" was an occasion for the students to introspect on their own personal lives and to go beyond merely seeing life from the material point of view. From the material point of view, there is hardly any value, living our lives on a higher level is significant and purposeful. Through the many examples of people who chose to live their lives guided by a 'value compass', the students were able to challenge themselves to choose higher values.

The exercise of the Now moment - listening attentively to the present, the 'Spiral of Life' - revisiting our past, and the "Wheel of Life' - reorganizing our future was a real moment of deep soul searching. The students really took part in the entire program very actively and their sense of discipline was above the mark. Congratulations! The session finally ended with 'writing their problems on the sand'. 

 At the end of the three hour long session, many students came forward to write their words of appreciation in the AVEC log book:

"You have awakened the real me within. You all are doing a wonderful job. Continue to motivate many like us throughout your life" - Avi Jain 10 A

"Its really going to change my life. I really came to know about my life. Thank you very much" -Humera Patel - X A

"I really enjoyed the speech. It was amazing. It just changes the thinking of my life. Thank you" - Sachi Rithe IX C

 "I really appreciate the teaching that Fr. Glenn gave us. It has helped me alot and to change my point of view" -  Pooja Thakkar IX C
"Thank you Fr. You have really touched all of us" -  Eullann Fernandes IX A
"I was really happy to attain this seminar"

 "It was an extremely helpful session. It helped open our eyes to the various problems of life and how we could deal with it. Thank you Fr very much for your guidance" -  Annie DSouza, Kalasha Shetty X B

 "Fr. Glenn really motivated and encouraged us. He prepared us for our future. He is an inspiration for all of us" -  Shruti A Mishra , Kashvi Gosran IX D

 "It was a great session and it really helped us release our stress and make our life worth living" - Kinnary Panchal X A

 "Thank you Fr. Glenn for giving us a session for us. We enjoyed it a lot and I am thankful for attending it. Once again thank you" - Shefali R. Lohar X A

 "I was extremely motivated by the session and felt inspired by Fr. Glenn's magical words. It was a mind-blowing experience. I would remember this all my life. Fr. Glenn talked to us in a way as if we have know him for a long time" -  Shreya Pai, Alisha Punwani X D

 "It was an excellent session and it motivated and guided us for choosing the journey's of our life and the important values needed for it" -  Anisha Nagaranjan, Saniya Khan

 "It was an excellent session. It made us understand the real meaning of our life and what to do in our future life ahead. Thank you Fr and Mr. Fernandes for giving us this meaningful and good seminar" -  Deepali Waval X A

 On behalf of the entire std IX & X, Ms. Kritika Krishnakumar proposed the vote of thanks.

After lunch, AVEC conducted a two hour session for 63 teachers of the school. Sr. Smitha once again introduced Fr. Glenn and Mr. Fernandes, and welcomed them to continue the part two of the session.

The session consisted on two parts: The first focused on basic teacher attitudes and assumptions and how Don Bosco's method of education could help in enabling the teacher-student relation to grow and be more effective.

The second part of the program focused on "Management By Values' and the teachers were asked to plot their values on the Brian Hall-Benjamin Tonna Value map. The teachers found this entire session very informative and practical too. It challenged them to make the necessary Value shifts in their personal lives in order to make the qualitative changes necessary in order to be a value guru in the lives of their students. Ms. Soni proposed the vote of thanks.

 "It was very inspiring. Taking the means available to achieve our goals was most creative and practical method. The session was short, meaningful and inspiring" -  Mrs. Beeta Allen

 "Thanks a lot for your inspiring sessions. I was helped to know my values, where I am and where I need to focus on. Thanks" -  Sr. Edwina

God bless you all and thank you for your whole hearted participation all through the sessions.