Award Ceremony at Birla Vidya Mandir, Nainital

An Award ceremony was held at Birla Vidya Mandir, Nainital on 26 May, 2018 with enthusiasm. Parivesh Pandey, Award Leader shares a brief report here.

The aim of this Programme is truly reflected among our young volunteers, which is that young people don't just enjoy an excellent academic education, but are able to develop for themselves the skills, behaviour and attitude that are needed to be a great global citizen.

It was a very prestigious moment for our school to announce that 15 students registered themselves in 2017 for the Award Programme and all of them brought laurels for our school by achieving 7 Silver Awards and 8 Bronze Awards.

Being an Award Leader, I salute the undaunted spirit of our Award participants and hope that they will continue their commendable efforts for serving society.

Thanks to the National Award Authority, especially Bivuji Mukhoty (Programme Manager). I would also like to thank R. S. Pant, Asha M'am and above all, Principal A K Sharma for providing this opportunity to our participants to prove themselves and for showing his belief in us.

Award teaches patience, tolerance and compassion

Bronze Award participants of Pathways School, Noida, adopted different activities to improve their skills, to serve society and to keep fit. Rohini Rode, Award Leader, is presenting a brief about their work.

Creating awareness on Entrepreneurship. Spreading awareness on suicide and depression. Learning classical vocal music. Improving debating skills to take part in World Scholar’s Cup and Model United Nations. These are some of the areas Award participants of Pathways School Noida decided to choose for the Bronze Award Journey.

The participants set goals for themselves and decided to persevere in order to achieve them. Nehal took up painting to develop her skills. She worked on her creativity and practical skills. She presented her work at three different exhibitions and won the praise of many. Prachi worked on her debating skills. First, she had to brush up her research. She went to Yale to take part in debates. This opened her mind and she understood from a practical point of view what is required for her to win. Harveen practised the piano regularly and also worked on theory.

Unnati participates actively by doing community service in JP labour camp by compassionate teaching and helping other children. She improved her own leadership skills as well. Reading about ways of preventing suicide, researching about different disorders, staying awake at nights to understand insomnia: These are all events that Snigdha experienced before writing a book to create awareness about suicide and depression. Chitrali taught young children the English alphabet. Manushree expressed her love and care towards dogs in an animal shelter. The participants, thus, understood that the service section fills them with a sense of worth from having given service and help to others and their community.

The participants were able to learn patience, tolerance and compassion. They increased their self-confidence by setting a goal and achieving it. They worked on their physical fitness. IAYP Silver is their next target and they are determined to achieve it.

Walk Around Mauritius -- 3rd edition

The Gold Award Holders Association of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, Mauritius, invites you to Walk Around Mauritius (WAM). Walk Around Mauritius is a concept that gathers people of all ages and helps them discover the island and the Award Programme in a very friendly and fun way. There is also a cause behind it: In each WAM, a particular theme is selected for sensitization.

To promote the spirit of friendship, teamwork, social and community work, as well as interaction and involvement as we walk around the island using the skills and talents of our Gold Award Holders, Award participants and our youth from all walks of life in engaging in one common activity (The Walk for a Cause) at a national level and also promote and make others (youth, parents, families and friends around the island including Rodrigues) discover the Award Programme.

Walk Around Mauritius (WAM) 2018, will be held from the 20 - 28 July 2018. If interested, get in touch with wam2018.gaha@gmail.com

‘OOTOPIA’ at the Ooty Lake

Students of Ooty get together to cherish Ooty Lake on World Water Day

On the 22nd of March, 2018 the Award participants of Good Shepherd International School, in liaison with the Citizen Voluntary Group Make Ooty Beautiful, celebrated the World Water Day at the Ooty Lake as ‘Ootopia’: a dream for an eco-friendly and culturally sensitive Ooty.

Attracting almost 3 Lakh tourists in 2017 alone, Ooty Lake has proved to be invaluable in securing Ooty’s current economic state. Yet, with the vast influx of sewage water, waste, and muck into the lake, its name has become almost synonymous, among the local citizens, with that of a cesspool. Thus, the Award participants of Good Shepherd International School found it thoroughly imperative for some form of ownership to be inculcated within the primary stakeholders for the condition of the lake: the citizens themselves.

To further strengthen their initiative, they collaborated with 18 other schools of the town, each school putting up a performance for ten minutes, with regard to water sanitation. To also broaden the expanse of the students’ creativity, the schools produced on canvas their interpretations of ‘Ootopia’, how the town could be the true epitome of ecological stability while also basking in the splendour of its cultural significance.  Click here for more pictures

ORB Next Generation

We welcome Vivek High School, Mohali and The Sagar School, Alwar to New Online Record Book Next Generation.

Online Record Book (ORB) Next Generation is simpler, faster and more accessible and has some great new improvements. Once registered, this new version can be accessed anytime, anywhere through the Mobile Apps designed for Participants and Award Leaders.

If you are interested, please get in touch with the Programme Team for more details.

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

@ Dyal Singh Public School, Karnal

An Award Leader Training Workshop was organised on 4th - 5th May, 2018 at Dyal Singh Public School, Karnal. The workshop was attended by 21 participants from Dyal Singh Public School, Dyal Singh Colony, Karnal; Dyal Singh Public School, Jagadhri; Dyal Singh Public School, Sec 13-17, Huda, Panipat; Dyal Singh Public School, Sector 7, Karnal and Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, Gwalior.

The workshop started with a session on introduction and expectations. There were sessions on the Framework and Philosophy of the Award, followed by the four pillars of the Award, Residential Project, Risk Management and ORB Next Generation. The workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla (National Director), Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager), Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT and ORB) and Ranjana Rai (Member, National Training Panel). Bivujit Mukhoty also delivered an Orientation session to the students of Dyal Singh Public School, Dyal Singh Colony, Karnal, which was attended by 150 students.

NAA would like to thank Mrs Ramesh Lather (Principal), Mrs Shushma Devgaun (Head Mistress), Mr Ashok Sethi (Administrative Officer) and the staff of Dyal Singh Public School, Karnal for their support in conducting this workshop. Click for the pictures of the workshop

Greening the Desert – Build a Greenhouse

Eighth Gold Level Adventurous Journey and Residential Project for Gold Participants: 8th - 23rd June, 2018, Spiti, Northern Himalayas, India

Gold Award participants from around the globe are welcome to apply for the two-weeks Solar Conservation Project at Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, organised by Ecosphere in collaboration with IAYP India. The project is one of its kind, combining an Adventurous Journey and Gold Residential Project exclusively for Gold Award participants.

During this journey, the Award participants will be travelling through Spiti and will spend 5 days assisting the local community in the construction of a Greenhouse enabling a local farmer or a Monastery/Nunnery to have access to green vegetables throughout the year. You will participate in the actual construction of a greenhouse and will be assisted by a dedicated team comprising a qualified mason and trained person from Ecosphere. The activity will entail physical work. The trip is a mix of work and pleasure. During this trip participants will be visiting some of the highest villages in the world, going on a high-altitude trek, visiting some ancient monasteries dating back to over a 1000 years, and taking a yak/horse safari and mountain bike -- if interested. Traditional homestays further enrich the experience by giving one an authentic understanding of the life and culture in a Spitian home.

Detailed information and application form can be obtained from here. The last date for registration is 20th May 2018.

Gold Award Ceremony 2018 - July 10th

The time has come to celebrate YOUR achievement: The Gold Award. Achieving a Gold Award is one of the biggest milestones of your Award Journey. It shows that you have the ability, focus and determination to achieve your set goals and pursue them with passion and perseverance. It shows that you have done your share to achieve all-round development and at the same time are open to learning from what the future has to offer. Therefore, it is imperative that you celebrate this achievement with others and The Gold Award Ceremony is designed to celebrate this achievement of yours.

We are happy to announce that the Annual Gold Award Ceremony 2018 will be organised on July 10, 2018, at India International Centre, New Delhi.

We cordially invite you to join this celebration and you will soon receive an invite to GAC 2018. It goes without saying that your presence will make this event memorable and successful.

The last date for submitting Record Books is 10th June 2018.

Award Leader Training (YES) Workshop

at Chennai Public School, Chennai

An Award Leader Training Workshop was organised on 25th - 26th April, 2018 at Chennai Public School, Chennai. The workshop was attended by 32 participants from Chennai Public School, Annanagar, Chennai; Chennai Public School, Thirumazhisai, Chennai; CPS Global School, Annanagar, Chennai; CPS Global School, Thirumazhisai, Chennai and Vidyamandir @ Estancia, Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu.

The workshop started with a session on introduction and expectations. There were sessions on Framework and Philosophy of the Award, followed by the four pillars of the Award, Residential Project, Risk Management and ORB Next Generation. The workshop was led by Kapil Bhalla (National Director), Bivujit Mukhoty (Programme Manager), Priyank Kumar Gupta (Head IT and ORB) and Sasi Kiran (Programme Officer, South). Pavithra, K a participant from Chennai Public School, Thirumazhisai, Chennai, who completed her Gold Award in 1989, shared memories of her Award Journey and the learning that transformed her life.

NAA would like to thank Mrs. Chitrakala Ramachandran, Principal, Chennai Public School, Thirumazhisai and her team for their support in conducting this workshop. Click for the pictures of the workshop