Chennai: It so happens that most student exhibitions organised by schools prefer grandeur over substance, but, on Friday, an in-house project day involving students of Vidya Sagar (day centre) in Kotturpuram, a special school for children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disabilities, turned out to be different. About 150 students from pre-primary to school leaving grade (4-18 age group) took part in the exhibition, a culmination of a nearly 6-month-long process of learning and experience. The theme of exhibition was ‘Science in every day life’.
“Science is a rather interesting subject for the students. The students were taken on field trips, like an eco-friendly kitchen in Injambakkam or a farm in Muttukadu. Such trips helped them recreate a miniature of what they saw,” said Kalpana Rao, principal, Vidya Sagar.She added that the special students were able to relate to what they had learnt and also more importantly, build self-confidence within them.
On display were models that replicated an actual agricultural field replete with farming tools and a stall that sought to illustrate ‘Science and Medicine’, that had special focus on both allopathic and ayurvedic forms of treatment. A class 10 student, Adieshwar Ram, affected by cerebral palsy, had a memorable day. He was seen explaining to visitors the importance of solar energy through his miniature model of a solar farm.
“The school took us to a solar farm near Chennai where we spent an entire day trying to understand its mechanics,” Adieshwar says. His mother Shanthi, a homemaker, was particularly delighted with Adieshwar’s application of mind.“Adi was so enthused that he convinced his grandfather about the benefits of a domestic solar farm! He has become a sort of an expert on the subject,” said his proud mother. Students from nearby schools like The School (KFI Foundation), Unity Public School in Kotturpuram and Sir Sivaswami Kalalaya higher secondary school were visitors to the exhibition.
