AVEC Mumbai

Monday, 17 September 2012

DON BOSCO HIGH SCHOOL, MATUNGA: STD IX E&F ORIENTATION

DON BOSCO HIGH SCHOOL, MATUNGA: STD IX E & F - VALUE ORIENTATION

September 17, 2012: One hundred students of Standard Nine, Divisions E & F, participated in a half day's Value Orientation program that was organized by AVEC. Fr. Glenford Lowe, AVEC Director and Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes, AVEC Project Coordinator facilitated the program. The theme for the program was : "Lead your Life by a Value Compass"

After a brief introduction that enabled the students to get focused, a prayer song 'Sarveshaam Swastir Bhavatu' was played. Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes then took the students through a moment of personal relaxation and calming down. Using a fantasy meditation, the students were able to de-stress themselves and calm down. The students really participated very seriously in this meditation. Mr. Fernandes then introduced Fr. Glenford Lowe to the students. He also briefed the students about the 'great act of love' by Fr. Lowe in donating his kidney to a fellow Salesian Priest, a little over a year ago.

Fr. Glenn began his session citing two concrete examples of Ryan's Well and Kia Scheer's One Life Alliance that makes a difference in the lives of people over the globe. "I am here to disturb you. All of us in our own way can become MAD. Make A Difference! Guiding our lives by a Value Compass will enable us to Live Life more meaningfully and purposefully, rather than merely surviving another day", emphasized Fr. Glenn. The students accepted the challenge to Make A Difference!

Through the use of various everyday life's experiences, personal testimonies, motivating video clips, challenging insights and moments for personal sharing and group activities, the students were given TWELVE DIAMOND VALUES to cling on to in their lives: Having a Winner's Attitude, Being a Synergistic Team Player, Communicating Effectively your 'happy' and 'Sad' messages, Living Confidently and Creatively, Learning from Criticisms and Falling Forward, Motivating One self and Leading Others, Multi-tasking and Prioritizing one's schedule, Seeing the Big Picture, Telling the truth about Money, Living a Balanced Life 'Body-Mind-Heart-Soul' and finally Having an Abundance Mentality were the important Values that were needed to live one's life with a difference.

The session ended with the song 'The Climb' where the students were challenged to move from being mere Quitters, to Campers to being real Climbers in life. At the end of the session, a number of students were invited to come forward and write their words of appreciation in the AVEC log book.

The following entries were made:

"The seminar was enhancing and made me a 'Lighthouse' child" Joy Myers IX-E

"The seminar by Fr. Glenn and Mr. Rochwyn was very good. It made me feel very high and it encouraged me too" - Jeevan Kodiyan IX - E

"The seminar was very nice and heart touching and it helped us to learn good values for life" - Joel DSouza IX -E

"The seminar of Fr. Glenn was very nice. It was enjoyable and we got to know many things about life and it also changed us" - Joy D'Souza IX -E

"Many thanks to Father Glenn for this seminar and I'm very glad and grateful to him for making me go MAD" - Gaurav Gorde IX -E

"Life is going on..we cannot stop it. So go forward and do the best in whatever you do. Thanks for making me MAD" Merwin Pereira IX -F

"Quiet an amazing experience at this Value Orientation seminar. Thank you Fr. Glenn for making us go MAD" - Dhruvil Rana IX -F

"The seminar was amazing. I had a good experience about our life and when I leave this place, I really felt like a 'light house' student" - Lester Fernandes IX-F

"Congratulations to all the students of Don Bosco High School - Matunga, for your whole-hearted cooperation and attentive participation all through the program. I pray God's blessings on your educative journey to wholeness and meaningfulness in live. God bless you all!" Fr. Glenn and Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

DON BOSCO HIGH SCHOOL, MATUNGA : STD IX-A & D VALUE ORIENTATION PROGRAM:

SEPTEMBER 11, 2012: Fr. Glenford Lowe and Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes from the Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC) spent a second day at Don Bosco High School, Matunga animating Ninety Students from Standard IX A & D divisions. The half day session took place in the school auditorium. The students took part in the entire session with a lot of attention, participation and above all connected well with the Topic of the day 'Live Your Life Guided by a Value Compass'.

Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes began the day with a prayer song 'Sarvesham Swastir Bhavatu' that enabled the students to quieten down. The students were then taken through a brief fantasy meditation, while focusing on the breath of life, to an inner silence that we often find difficult to listen too. The students participated in this in a very prayerful and serious manner. Fr. Glenford was then introduced to the students by Mr. Fernandes.

Fr. Glenford Lowe, Director of AVEC animated the students for the next part of the session focusing on the importance of guiding one's life by a Value Compass. "In life, it is not how fast you run, but whether you are running in the right direction, that really matters", began Fr. Glenn. It was a session with a 'certain degree of disturbance'. "I have come to disturb you today, so that you become M.A.D (make A Difference) so that you see life with a different perspective. What you see is what you get", Fr. Glenn kept insisting.

Fr. Glenford proposed TWELVE DIAMOND VALUES to the students that would help them make a significant contribution to the world and to themselves. Through a wide range of examples. personal testimonies, insightful teachings, powerful Video clippings and moments for sharing coupled with a sense of humor, the students were able to grasp the importance of living a Value based life. The students were challenged to stop being Magic bouncing balls or mere wheel barrows and to start being 'Light house' students that are built of a firm foundation while reaching out beyond horizons.

At the end of the session, many of the students came forward to express their sense of gratitude for this session.

The following comments were written in the AVEC log book:

"I felt it was like a refreshing experience. It was quite spiritual too. I liked the talk given by Fr. Glenn. My kind regards are for him" Ryan IX -A

"I have learnt the meaning of being M.A.D Make A Difference! and it is we who can make a difference. Thank you Fr. Glenford for making us realize how to make a change " - Aditya IX D

"I felt that Fr. Glenford is a very interactive and inspiring person. He has changed my life. He is a roll model in my life from today. Thank you father for changing my life" - Atharva IX-A

"It was a great experience attending this session. Fr. Glenford shared the Twelve Diamond Values of life. I like the PowerPoint presentation. On behalf of the standard nine students I thank Fr. Glenford" - Vaibahv IX-A

"It was a great experience to be here with father Glenn. He shared Important Values and spoke to us like a friend. He shared many examples too for each of the Values" - Parth Morabia IX-D

"First I thank Fr. Glenford for making me understand the meaning of M.A.D - Make A Difference!. He helped me to understand the importance of having a 'Winner Attitude' - and to never quit in life. I like to be like him and give my heart to God. Hats off to him. May God bless him" - Royston Pereira IX

"I will give thanks to AVEC for helping me to understand the meaning of life. Today I learnt many things on Values. I was impressed with Fr. Glenn who donated his kidney. I am also grateful to him for teaching us about life. I promise I will become a LIGHT HOUSE student." - Zuber Dilshad IX-D

Congratulations to all the students of Don Bosco Matunga, standards IX -A & D. You really impressed me with your whole hearted participation and cooperation. May God bless your young hearts, minds, bodies and souls and help you to leave a Significant contribution to all those you come in contact with. God bless your educative journey with hope, meaning and fruitfulness.

Monday, 10 September 2012

DON BOSCO HIGH SCHOOL, MATUNGA: VALUE ORIENTATION IX B-C

DON BOSCO HIGH SCHOOL, MATUNGA: VALUE ORIENTATION PROGRAM STD IX B-C

September 10, 2012: Fr. Bosco D'Mello, Principal of Don Bosco invited the AVEC Team to animate six sessions on VALUE ORIENTATION in his school for students from std IX-X. The first of the sessions began today for Ninety Six students of Std IX B-C. Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes and Fr. Glenford Lowe animated the students through a two hour program. The theme was "Live your Live Guided by a Value Compass"

The first part of the session was animated by Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes. After the prayer song 'Sarvesham Swastir Bhavatu', the students were taken through a fantasy meditation that helped them to calm down and relax. The meditation also enabled the students to focus on the 'breath of life' that sustains them. The students took this fantasy meditation seriously and really felt at ease. He then introduced Fr. Glenford Lowe, Director of AVEC, to the students.

Fr. Glenford Lowe, invited the students to take an honest look at their 'Life and Time', two God given gifts and to live life more meaningfully, directed by a Value Compass. Using a lot of powerful video clips, personal examples and everyday student life experiences, he brought home Twelve Diamond Values that would enable them to live a 'Quality of Life' - that would help them go M.A.D - Make A Difference!

The students took part very attentively and were able to connect well with the Twelve Diamond Values because of its very practical yet very insightful teachings.

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

"The session was very useful to us. We learned the 12 Diamond Values which can help us throughout our long run in life"

"T^he session helped us to plan our direction and future plans in life based on Values"

"This session was very useful for us and it would help us lead a very meaningful life". - Mayank Tanna IX-C

"Life is not about how long you live, but how you live it" - Neelay Jain

"This session awakened in me that 'life is not a punishment, so just enjoy it" - Yash Ramani

"A very useful session. Giving us motivation, inspiration and guiding us on how to live a life of meaning. "If money is lost, everything is lost. But if character is lost, everything is lost" - Charles Fernando IX

Congrats to all the students for their whole hearted cooperation and for the teachers who accompanied the students during this session.

God bless you all and may you all continue to be 'Light House' students and shine your light far and wide, saving amny lives above the horizons.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/105448183

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC Mumbai)

is organizing a

One-day Value Education Forum for

Principals and Value Education Coordinators of Schools

affiliated to the ABE

on October 4, 2012

at Don Bosco Primary School Hall, Matunga

from 8.30-4.00pm.

Entry by Registration only!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/105448183

Saturday, 8 September 2012

St. XAVIER'S HIGH SCHOOL, VILE PARLE: TEACHERS' ORIENTATION

ST. XAVIER'S HIGH SCHOOL, VILE PARLE: TEACHERS' VALUE ORIENTATION

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012: AVEC organized a one day Value Orientation program for seventy two teachers of St. Xavier's High School, Vile Parle. The Principal of the school, Mrs. Veera Fernandes welcomed Fr. Glenford Lowe and Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes to the school. The program had been rescheduled on many occasions but today there was nothing to stop us. Inspite of the death of Fr. Ronnie Menezes, the program still went ahead. Fr. Theo, Manager of the school, was also present to welcome us.

The session began with a prayer song 'Sarvesham Swastir Bhavatu' followed by a fantasy meditative exercise to enable the teachers to relax and calm down. Mr. Rochwyn also took the occasion to explain to the teachers the main objectives of AVEC and the various ways in which AVEC could enable the school to promote the 'Diamond Values: Education to Becoming" program. He then introduced Fr. Glenford Lowe, Director of AVEC to the participants.

Fr. Glenford started off with his challenge to 'Make a Difference' and talked about the importance of 'Living One's Life Guided by a Value Compass'. "What you see is what you get! What you speak is what you inspire in others", he affirmed. Taking the teachers through a battery of 'Teacher's Assumptions and Attitudes', he clarified a lot of misconceptions and enlarged new visions and horizons to strive for as educators of the young.

After the break, two main points were discussed: The need to align one's Personal Values with that of the Institutional Values and to know one's place on the 'Tonna-Hall Value Map' and to start living by a new value system. Through the use of a number of personal examples, deep insights and moments for sharing and personal soul searching, and the use of a PowerPoint presentation, the participants were able to look at their call to be educators of the young and to make a new response to it based on Values.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Ms. Christine DCruz. A floral tribute was also handed over to Fr. Glenn. After the session, many teachers came forward to personally thank Fr. Glenn for this inspiring session.

A few words of appreciation were also written in the AVEC log book:

"Very often we want our students to do what we want and fail to let them 'Be the Best of whatever they are". Thank you Fr. Glenn for making us realize again that we can be MAD - Make A Difference!" Rochelle Rodrigues

"Thank you Fr. Glenn for enriching our perception on Value based thinking. Truly 'Our thoughts shape our lives' and making us realize about Universal Values. Thank you and keep up the good job" - Christine D'Cruz

"It's been a pleasure attending this seminar. "Words" are what I use maximum and it has made me aware of using it rightly. The "Means" and "Goals" insight has truly clarified many aspects" - Lloyd Noronha

Thanks to all the Teachers and the Management for making the time and for all the arrangements. Thanks to Fr. Cajetan for being so kind to us. God bless you!