OBA Initiatives for the academic year 2016 - 2017

I. Welcome to the OBA (Std. X and XII) – 17th January, 2017
It was that time of the year when transition sets in and change is inevitable. The students of Class 10 and 12 are welcomed to the OBA as they venture from the portals of SJBHS into the ranks of Alumni. At the ‘Welcome to the OBA – 2017’ programme, students were introduced to the fellowship and development initiatives conducted during the OBA chapters in India and overseas. Mr. George Kurian (Old Boy – Batch of 1983) was the chief guest.

Currently CEO of Netapp Inc., a fortune 500 company, Mr. Kurian graduated from Princeton University and Stanford University in the USA and has held leadership positions in several global technology companies.

Mr. Kurian spoke to the graduating students of Class 10 and 12 on the ‘Power of Conviction’ and one’s own capacity to shape one’s own destiny. It was indeed commendable that the power of position and rank did little to diminish Mr. Kurian’s bonding with the school and his memories of life at SJBHS.

The OBA wished the graduating classes of 2017 the very best as with cherished mementoes and fond memories the students moved ahead from the sheltered school environment to the unknown and exciting tomorrow.

II. Career speaker series (Std. X, XI, XII)
Gone were the days when students graduated from schools and were shepherded into the traditional career streams with or without their consent or choice. Today, the world offers a plethora of options each more interesting than the other. These are the alternative careers. The OBA organized the ‘Career Speaker Series – 2016/17’ designed to educate and motivate the graduating students of Class 10, 11 and 12, those of whom may still be undecided about their future plans. The career areas addressed during the series were as follows:

22 Jun, 2016: Session 1 – Healthcare (Panel lead – Dr. NavneetMotreja)
13 Jul, 2016: Session 2 – Information technology (Panel lead – JyotinathGanguly)
26 Aug,2016: Session 3 – Unusual and Alternative Careers (Panel lead – Ashwin UG)
14 Oct, 2016: Session 4 – Law (Panel lead – VenkatPurushottam)
22 Nov,2016: Session 5 – Hospitality (Panel lead – Vijay Alphonse)

III. Career Mentoring (Std. XI and XII)
Driven by technology and fueled by experience over forty Old Boys and Girls, alumni of SJBHS, located worldwide discussed career options with over 200 students through the formation of an Online Community. Networking was at its very best and the mentoring through group questions and answers enlightened the students of Class 11 and 12 of SJBHS.

IV. Innovation Lab (Std. VII, VIII and IX)
The innovation Lab initiative was launched in 2016 with the aim of encouraging critical thinking skills, logical analysis along with greater social consciousness among the boys of Class 7, 8, 9. Teams were formed and OBA mentors were assigned. The academic year saw the development of innovation projects ranging from those on the improvement of road safety, garbage collection and mental health to the eradication of poverty and illiteracy and air pollution. In a move to prevent bias, the projects were adjudged by Old Boys and Girls worldwide and prizes were announced. Needless to say, the Innovation Lab was a grand success and will be a regular part of the OBA curriculum in the years to come.

Till the close of the academic year 2016-2017, the OBA has worked tirelessly to initiate competitions and projects which have been beneficial to the management, the school and the students and has generated immense pleasure in the Old Boys and Girls to give back to their Alma Mater.