ST. THERESA'S HIGH SCHOOL - BANDRA: STD IX

ST. THERESA'S HIGH SCHOOL - BANDRA, STD IX VALUE ORIENTATION

March 20-21, 2013: At the request of Fr. John Mascharenhas, Principal St Theresa's High School - Bandra, three sessions were taken for 200 students of standard Nine over a two day period. Fr. Glenford Lowe and Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes conducted the 'Live your Life by a Value Compass' program. At the very outset, AVEC would like to congratulate the students for the very attentive and participatory way in which they responded to the entire session. Fr. Mascharenhas welcomed the guest speakers to the school and introduced them to the participants.

In all, three sessions were conducted for the students. The students were divided into smaller batches to facilitate better participation. The session began with a multi faith prayer song that invoked God's abundant blessings of health, peace, joy, love and hope on all. The students joined in the latter half of the prayer song. Mr. Rochwyn invited the students through a fantasy meditation that also included being aware of important highlights of their academic journey. All the three groups really took this exercise very seriously. He then introduced Fr. Glenn and gave a brief of the AVEC activities over the last three years.

Fr. Glenford Lowe challenged the students to look at life and the gift of time through a new perspective. When we Value Life and Time, two important resources and gifts, we are able to make life more meaningful and significant. "Value Education is an Education to becoming', he kept repeating. "A good Value compass enables us to reach there. But sad to say, many have lost their value compass, broken it or even traded it for something less valuable", he reminded them. "Today's session is a home work for all: to reconstruct our broken Value compass and begin the journey again". The students were really glued to every word that Fr. Glenn kept challenging them.

 Through the use of a Powerful PowerPoint presentation, coupled with inspiring songs, True life stories and also from his own personal testimonies, he was able to bring home to the students the TWELVE IMPORTANT VALUES that can make one's life more meaningful. The interaction between the students and the daily true life examples kept the students attention all through. Fr. Glenford Lowe, invited the students to look at Twelve Values that need to be imbibed in order to make a meaningful and fruitful life. He challenged the students to start by having a 'Winner Attitude'. Once we Value a 'win-win' situation in life and see the optimistic side of life, the journey of life becomes more interesting and worthwhile.Other important values were the importance of 'Being a Team Player', Communicating Effectively, Exuding Confidence, Honing Creative Skills, Multi Tasking and Prioritizing One's Time and Schedules, Being Honest and Accountable, Motivating and Leading Others, and the need to Live a 'Balanced and Abundant Life'. Living and directing one's life by a Value compass is indeed important.   

At the end of the three sessions, a number of students came forward to write their words of appreciation in the AVEC log book:

"Yes, today's session was really good and it inspired me about my life" - Zaid Khan IX-C

"I really liked the session" Patni Saad IX-B

"A very meaningful session that showed us the importance of life" - Shahzad Shaikh IX-B

"It was very interesting and easily understandable too" - Shaikh Salman IX-B
"I know I have to live life King Size from now on" - Faisal Zindran IX-B
"Have a winner attitude" -  Abuaas Farooque IX -B

"

"It was very interesting and I taught us how to be good persons in life" - Yusuf Shaikh IX - B
"This seminar has taught us the Value of education too" - Umesh Makwana IX-C
"It was very meaningful and special for me" -  Shaikh Huzaifa IX-B

"It was very good for us in the long run of life" - Kapil Ganwani IX-C
"This seminar was very good for us students" - Shabez Khan IX-C
"I liked it very much" - Mustakam Khan IX-C

"It was presented very well and we understood it" -  Harshal Kolaviya IX-C
"It was a very nice experience meeting Father Glenn" - Shobit Dubey IX-C
"This seminar will turn me from being good to being the best" - Shaibaz Ahmed IX-C

"Thank you for helping me and to think about my life.. it gave me the courage to dream and to think big too" - Sadik IX - D
"Thank you for giving us courage and showing us something about our life and also about our country. We promise that we will improve in our lives" - Vishal Tak IX-D

"This seminar changed my way of thinking. It helped me to look at things and situations in a completely different way. This helped me to think differently too" - Nathan Rodrigues IX C
"Due too this session I was made to think creatively. I also learnt the importance to never let go and to have a Winner Attitude" - Sarfaraz Siddique IX-C

"This seminar was motivating and I changed the way I used to think. I have now learnt to respect life" - Fernandes Jordan George IX-A
"This seminar was very inspiring. It helped me in many ways and the way in which I think about others and myself" - Shawn Fernandes IX-A

This seminar was really good and I had fun too by attending this seminar" - Roshan DSouza IX-B
"This seminar challenged me to live life meaningfully. It was an inspiring seminar which made me a Valuable person too. thank you Father Glenford for this seminar" - Arshad Shaikh IX-A

"This seminar really helped me to plan for m\y future and thanks to Fr. Glenford Lowe and team" - Manzoor Ali IX-A

Congratulations to all the students of Standard Nine for your whole hearted cooperation and participation all through the three sessions.God bless you all and may your lives be more meaningful and Make A Difference too.

ST. STANISLAUS HIGH SCHOOL, BANDRA: VIII STD ORIENTATION

ST. STANISLAUS HIGH SCHOOL - BANDRA: STD VIII VALUE ORIENTATION PROGRAM

March 16, 2013: The AVEC team today visited St. Stanislaus High School - Bandra to conduct a three-hour Value Orientation program for 208 students of STD VIIII. The Principal, Fr. Jude welcomed the guest speakers and introduced them to the students in the school auditorium. This was the first of its kind for the students. 

Mr. Rochwyn Fernandes, Project Coordinator of AVEC began the session with a brief introduction followed by a Prayer Song that invoked blessings on each one. He then took the students through a time of personal relaxation coupled with a fantasy meditation that enabled the students to sync with their breath and the daily activities of a student. Most of the students took this session seriously. He then introduced Fr. Glenford Lowe, sdb - Director of AVEC, and invited the students to pay attention to the session ahead.

Fr. Glenford Lowe began the session by asking the students to look at the level of their contribution to society and their outlook of life. The theme for the day was: 'Live your Life by a Value Compass'. "If your life is not guided by a Value Compass, then you are bound to be lost along the way", he said. The students were asked to self evaluate their life in terms of being a 'Light house', a 'Wheel barrow' or a 'Magic Bouncing Ball'. Light house students have a firm Value based foundation and it helps them to shine their light and save lives too, wheel barrows have no inner drive, they need to be constantly pushed around. Magic bouncing balls look nice and colorful on the outside but are directionless and unpredictable too. Using the examples of Kia Scherr and little Ryan Well's Foundation, he challenged the students to start Making A Difference too.

In the next session that followed, Fr. Glenford, with the help of a PowerPoint presentation, spoke to the students about Twelve Important Diamond Values and Skills that were necessary to live a Value based life. He spoke on the need to reset one's Value compass and to set a direction in one's life. The important Values given were: the Power of a Winning Attitude, the Synergy in Team Work, the Value of communicating Effectively even our 'sad stories', the energy in Confidence, the joy in Creativity, the nobleness in Motivating and Leading others, the Quality of Multitasking and Prioritizing one's schedules, the need to learn to 'fall forward' and learn from criticisms, the art of being accountable and transparent, the need for a well Balanced life in Body-Mind-Heart- Soul and lastly, living a Life of Abundance. With the use of a number of powerful Video clips and true life stories, the students went through this three hour program with an open heart. Though it was a bit  long and tiring, being at the end of a day, they were still able to get the messages clearly. Sr. Vera, resource personnel from AVEC also participated in the event.

                                

Sr. Gloria, FMA, Vice Principal concluded the day with a vote of thanks on behalf of the students and management.A few students came forward to write their observations in the AVEC log book: 

"It was a very good session especially with the inspirational videos too. The point that struck me the the importance of the Value of Team Work. There was much more that impressed me but I have no time to express it now" -  Warren D'Silva VIII-A

 "It was a very interesting session and we learnt many important Values and we should be focused on our future" -  Rahul D'Silva VIII - B

 "It was an interesting session. We had many things to learn. One thing that I would like to share is that we must never give up in life and always go for it. The most important for me also the Value of Team work" - Jesdin Raphael VIII - C

 "This session was required because it was necessary to enlighten us at this important time of our exams. It makes a lot of efforts for AVEC to give these wonderful thoughts and Values for life. Thank you to much AVEC" -  Ansh Shah VIII - D

Thanks to Fr. Jude, principal of the School and Sr. Gloria for inviting us for this Orientation program. We pray God's blessing on each one of the students and wish them every success in their examinations.

30-day Sacredness of Life pledge (video resources)

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC Mumbai)

Resources

 

The Sacredness of Life pledge

a 30-day video presentation

by Kia Scherr

(President - One Life Alliance)

in collaboration with

Don Bosco Youth Service (DBYS Mumbai)

and Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC Mumbai)

Click here to view the video presentations

http://www.scribd.com/doc/128084210/Values-for-the-Yatra-March-2013

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC- MUMBAI)

resources

to view or download the 'Values for the Yatra' - March 2013

please click on the link given below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/128084210/Values-for-the-Yatra-March-2013

NIRMALA NIKETAN COLLEGE - HOME SCIENCE

NIRMALA NIKETAN COLLEGE OF HOME SCIENCE: DBYS 'M.A.D' Venture

Feb 18-22, 2013: Thanks to the initiative of their College Principal, Dr. Perpetua Machado, a hundred and twenty Final Year Students were able to have a 'M.A.D' venture at Don Bosco, Karjat. The program was coordinated by Fr. Glenford Lowe, Director DBYS together with a high powered team of Salesians - Fr. Xavier Devdas, Fr. Cleophas Braganza, Fr. Anthony Charles and Bro. Renold Lemos. Fr. Xavier, Director of DB Karjat welcomed the first batch of sixty students and promised them a 'Camp with a Difference'. He introduced all the guest speakers and animators of the various sessions.

Fr. Glenford Lowe began the first session with an invitation to 'set one's perceptions' on what is important rather than what is superficial. "What you see, if what you get", he kept repeating. "Once we adopt a 'perceptive change', only then will we embark on a 'procedural change' too", he added. Through a variety of introspective moments, life changing testimonies and group sharing, the young students were able to see the 'M.A.D' program in a better light and readily launched into it from the very start. 

In the afternoon, the students were taken on an 'Eco tour' by Fr. Xavier. "No one is useless and there is wealth in trash", he insisted. The students got a first hand knowledge on the importance of a sustainable and Eco friendly enterprise and environment in all that we undertake. "The passion of Fr. Xavier, his creativity and his strength of focus is really inspiring", commented a young student who learnt a lot from this two hour session.

The students were in for a total surprise when they were invited to the playground for a round of Baseball and Square ball. The screams and ripples of laughter were clear signs of an enjoyable and relaxed moment together. Thanks to Fr. Charles and Bro. Lemos for initiating this in the program. The setting sun generated a fitting landscape to the close of a wonderful day.

The session that followed 'Living Your Life by a Value Compass' was animated by Fr. Glenford Lowe. Through the use of a PowerPoint program, powerful video clips, inspiring songs and  fascinating role models, he challenged the students to live a meaningful and purposeful life that was directed by a Value compass. Get MAD about your life and time and Make A Difference in all that you do and are. Using his own personal testimony of 'Kidney donation' he inspired the students to make a worthy contribution to society and to leave a lasting legacy.

The 'journey' metaphor was the theme for the entire day. The students were invited to make journeys  into the various landscapes of self, others, the world and God. The 'M.A.D' program brought the spirit of adventure in all....leaving behind their inhibitions of being a 'Quitter' or a 'Camper', the young students ventured to scale the Karjat peak in the early hours of the morning. Breathing in the fresh morning air and accompanied by the chirping of the birds they marched up the peak. "Never had I undertaken anything like this since my school days", exclaimed an excited climber. 

The second part of the day's journey was into the landscape of one's own life - in relation to self, others  the world and God. "The Labyrinth Garden experience was an opportunity of a life time. Thank God I did it well", said an emotional student. Going through the inner journey and the outer journey enabled most of the students to calm down, to take a look at the bustling nature around, to let go of unwanted worries, to forgive the difficult people and experiences of the past, to dwell in the presence of the divine, to look at oneself in a new perspective, to promote life and to leave a prayer of blessing and lasting legacy for all to see. The inner change experienced was worth the silence.

In the afternoon, they took time to do some team building exercises through the sessions conducted by Fr. Cleophas and Bro. Lemos. The students were able to analyse, discuss and work in teams to bring home the values of team building and understanding one another through the daily choices they make. After tea, the students were in for a bigger surprise, they began to pitch tents the scout style!!! In a few minutes, an entire camp site was set up and then... 'too many cooks didn't spoil the broth'...it was interesting to see the campers get the act together, with limited resources and facilities, they prepared a delicious meal for all.

The day ended with a lively camp fire organized by Bro. Charles and Bro. Lemos. Fr. Glenn took the time to enlighten the students on some 'star gazing' too. Disco time wrapped up the day on a happy note. Thanks to all the facilitators and the staff and students of Don Bosco - Karjat for going out of their way to make this program a truly 'M.A.D' venture for all. Thanks also to the teachers of Nirmala Niketan who accompanied the students all through these refreshing camp days.

 Given below are a few comments by the students about the 'M.A.D' Venture:
"Mad Adventure - a thoughtful presentation" -  Sadaf
"Superb, great experience and the sessions too" -  Kanika

 "We feel great...connecting with all these settings and ourselves too...to think about our past, our present and our future... had a great time" - Laveena S

"The sessions were beautiful and touching and close to the heart and soul. The Value session was amazing! thank you so much for all the sessions" -  Tanvi Jain

 "All the sessions were really nice and adventurous. The labyrinth garden was an excellent one." Nidhi TY HD
"Amazing experience...I got a lot more than my initial expectations...the time given for self reflection and God brought me out of darkness..." - Larrisa DMello

 "MAD experience was really awesome...and the labyrinth experience was just marvellous" - Unnati G. Maru

" MAD was an opportunity to forgive and forget the past in which we suffer... the best of moving forward in life..thank you for all this" -  Sonali R

 "I thought it would be really difficult to see myself in reality..I am glad I found time for my self during the labyrinth garden experience. Thank God I took it seriously or I would have missed out on a great opportunity" - Zoya

Congratulations to all the students of Nirmala Niketan for participating in this M.A.D Venture, a camp with a difference. I pray God's blessings on your studies and on your future endeavors too.
May your experience at Don Bosco Karjat be the start of a new journey toward wholeness and a meaningful life for all. Fr. Glenford lowe