Primary School Annual Day 2015

The stage was set…..the large LED screens were in place….. the crowd milling around the SJBHS grounds falling into place, giving way to a sea of heads……parents, grandparents, neighbours and friends….an air of anticipation, excitement and frivolity— the occasion— the Primary and Middle School Annual Day, 2015.

The Chief Guest for the evening, Mr. Oswald Miranda (Managing Director, Impel Dental Pvt. Ltd.) and his wife Mrs. Jean Miranda entered the portals of SJBHS escorted by the management represented by Rector Rev. Fr. Anthony Joseph, SJ.; Principal of SJBHS Rev. Fr. Clifford Sequeira, SJ.; Vice Principal Mrs. Miriam Angelo; Rev. Fr. Sunil Fernandes, SJ. The Secretary of the OBA, Mr. Brian D’Lima; the Vice President of the PTA, Mr. Vinay Mritunjaya and the Secretary of the PTA, Mrs. Kavita Muthappa. The impressive entourage was given the famed Josephite ‘Guard of Honour’ as they moved towards the dais to begin the formal section of the programme.

The lighting of the symbolic lamp followed by the Invocation song “He Is Exalted” bore testimony to the fact that:

“God is on our journey, too”.
Josephites are well-known for their athletic prowess, academic achievements, cultural expertise and holistic education. A glimpse into the past year, through the Annual Report, showcased the salient features of education as perceived by the Jesuit Educational ethos.

The Welcome Speech by the Principal Rev. Fr. Clifford Sequeira, SJ., was in keeping with the Indian tradition of “AthitiDevoBhava”. The messages of the Chief Guest and the Rector were truly inspiring and echoed the thoughts of John Dewey as he once said that “Education is not a preparation for life…Education is Life itself.”

Being a parent and an Old Boy of St. Joseph’s,Mr. Miranda spoke about brand “St. Joseph’s and the parents listened in to his experiences of the ‘Josephite Advantage’. Fr. Rector’s speech focussed on the fact that SJBHS was not an academic factory but a temple of holistic learning where students were formed into men for others, to bring about social change, unity of the nation and work with ‘Faith and Toil’ for the last, least and the lost!

The prize distribution was a recognition of the ACHIEVERS and a motivation for the others that Gen-next is an integral part of a very competitive world.

The “Cultural Fiesta” that followed was a riot of hues as the students of Class 2 celebrated the “Colours of Life”— from white caps and black hats to multi-coloured umbrellas and colourful lengths of satin cloth— the boys with radiant faces and intricate dance manoeuvers, set the stage ablaze.

Not to be left too far behind were the boys of Class 1 with the “Carnivals of the World”, a supreme effort at depicting the traditional fanfare around the globe —from the drums and dragons during the Chinese New Year festivities to the puppets and ‘Dandiya’ of our very own Rajasthan— the journey culminated in the ‘Mardigras’ festivities of Mexico!!

Beethoven, Mozart or maybe even Zubin Mehta would surely stop by to listen in to the “Instrumental Rendition’ of “Somewhere over the Rainbow” by the musically inclined Josephites of the Primary and Middle school!

The highlight of the Annual Day, however, was the multi-starrer, mega production of SJBHS namely “CHOCOLATES FOR CHARLIE”.

SYNOPSIS – “CHOCOLATES FOR CHARLIE”
‘Chocolates for Charlie’- an Annual day play presented by the students of Std. 3,4,5 and 6 was an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1964 book release ‘ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. The production was an amalgamation of upbeat music and dance that featured over a thousand students.

The story highlights the adventure of young Charlie Bucket inside the Chocolate Factory of an eccentric Chocolatier Willie Wonka. Four children including Charlie win ‘Golden Tickets’ to visit the factory and compete for the ‘Grand Prize’. Patience and Honesty triumph over Selfishness and Greed as only one true winner emerges.

In today’s materialistic world, children take for granted the many luxuries that their parents can afford. Parents who fail to teach their children to be content with what they have, may fuel a selfish generation that does not concern itself with the needs of others as reflected in the play.

The curtain call was given after the last scene of ‘Chocolates for Charlie’. The ‘enraptured’ audience were brought back to reality with the Vote of Thanks and the National Anthem— a fitting ‘Au revoir’ to a memorable evening!!!