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Strides Newsletter - March 2024 - Issue 213

Counseling & Assessments

From Radhika Sasankh's Desk

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Early Intervention and V-Excel Remedial Centre

From the staff of Early Intervention and V-Excel Remedial Centre

Greetings from Early Intervention and the Remedial Unit!

Free Health Checkup

Free Health Checkup at Early Intervention/Remedial Unit of V-Excel: Early intervention and consistent care play a vital role in promoting the health and well-being of toddlers with special needs who have various challenges, including sensory sensitivities. Toddlers with special needs may have difficulty maintaining proper oral hygiene, making them more susceptible to cavities. Early and consistent eye care also contributes to the overall well-being of these toddlers. They may have unique visual challenges, and tailored interventions can support their visual development. With all these in mind, the Early Intervention and Remedial Unit of V-Excel Educational Trust organized a free health camp in Sharada on 2nd March 2024, in association with Kauvery Hospital, Chennai.

The health checkup took place between 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the children and staff here at V-Excel. The following were assessed during the checkup: oral hygiene, eye examination, and general health. The parents of the children and the checkup beneficiaries were given guidance on how to proceed with follow-up care after the health examination.

Women's Day and Awareness Session

Women's Day and Awareness Session: As part of our collaboration with TATA Power's Pay Autention Project, a meet up was organized on the 8th of March 2024, in the Manur Block of Tirunelveli district to conduct an awareness session for the anganwadi workers, noting Women's Day. The session held was about how to incorporate fun-filled group activities during playtime for children. A demonstration of the activities was carried out as part of the session. The guests of honour for the event were S. Parvadharani, District Programme Officer, ICDS, Tirunelveli, and J. Samsudeen, Statistical Inspector, ICDS, Tirunelveli. Eighty-nine anganwadi workers participated in the session. This was a closure event for the Pay Autention Project in Tirunelveli organized by TATA Power in collaboration with V-Excel Educational Trust

Work Ethics:

Work Ethics: A training session was conducted on the 22nd of March 2024, by Ms. Shobana, Administrator, EI/VRC, on ‘Work Ethics'.

The key areas of work ethics were discussed:

• Attendance: This includes not just coming and/or leaving on time but starting and finishing off work within the stipulated time. Seeking prior permission or informing of a planned absence also reflects in how we handle our role and responsibilities.

• Appearance: Maintaining an outlook that reflects your role as a professional

• Attitude is the way in which one approaches something or a situation. Keeping a positive attitude not only boosts your morale but helps keep those around you chirpy as well.

• Character: This refers to having key traits that help the individual fit into the role or responsibility given to them.

• Respect refers to the way in which an individual conducts themselves, be it when interacting with someone or using something (their own or that of others), being mindful as to not disregard or discriminate against someone or something.

• Skill: This refers to how well one can take up and execute a given task.

• Cooperation and teamwork: being able to take on shared responsibilities, considering the individual strengths and challenges of those working alongside you.

• Communication: This refers to how well one can receive information from another and get across something that they wish to share in a way that is easily understood too.

• Leadership: This refers to being able to lead a group of individuals, understanding their capabilities, and delegating responsibilities accordingly.

Meet and Greet

Meet and Greet: Noting the end of the academic year, a meet and greet was conducted on the premises of Olcott Memorial School and Korattur Government Schhol on the 27th of March, 2024, to mark the end of our tenure for the year. Representatives from the stakeholders, Olcott Memorial School, Korattur Government School, Chola MS General Insurance, and V-Excel Educatioal Trust attended the event.

Students who are taking up occupational therapy, remedial, and/or counseling sessions from grades K.G. to V were addressed and asked to share their experience of having sessions with us for these past months. Words of appreciation and encouragement were shared in light of the recognition of the efforts put in by the beneficiaries to take up our support. Stationary kits were gifted as tokens of appreciation for their efforts.

Kaleidoscope Learning Centre

From Shashikala Subramaniam's Desk

Love is every colour that bursts into shades of your heart's song

- Shiva Sachien

March, Summer comes rolling and temperatures suddenly soar in the city. Raw mangoes, watermelons, paanagam, lots and lots of water, salads and everything cool is the flavour of the month and the children in school enjoy these summer treats. It is also the term end and curriculum work in classes are in full swing.

Birthdays

It was also the month when we celebrated Gita aunty's birthday with a special dosa cake, singing, being together and most importantly the gift for her. This year she received a Dohar stitched by the students in the stitching vocation of school. It was a Kalamkari printed Dohar and her favourite. She was extremely happy to get it from the children. We also celebrated birthdays of Latha, Aparna, Sathya, Zainambu, Raza and Prasaad.

Friends reunite

Friends of KLC hold a special place for the students in their hearts. Fabian, a German Student Volunteer who worked with the students in the year 2017-2018, visited Chennai and he came to school to meet his students. They were happy to have him amidst them and spent the lunch hour with him.

August 14th, 2018
March 6th, 2024

Project: Healing for mothers

A calm inviting accepting space was created in the kindergarten room where a 7-week parent's handwork session is being conducted by Kavitha, one of our senior teachers. This is a project for her to bring about healing through handwork. Every week brings a new handwork skill, known or unknown to the mothers – hand braiding, mehendi, flower braiding, cooking a dish etc. The mothers are enjoying these sessions, and find it calming and therapeutic, sharing their stories, or just calmly working. This will be a precursor to a more detailed consistent handwork project in the coming academic year.

Movement Workshop

12 teachers from KLC attended this workshop. It was rhythmic movement mostly, something we are all used to in KLC, and it was something that the teachers caught onto very easily. The two young women, who came from theatre Nisha were very skilled, weaving in with the teacher's mindset very quickly. It was a very interesting and enriching workshop.

Outdoor Trips

Grade 1 and Grade 3 students and teachers went to Senganthal Poonga, Gopalapuram. The trip was related to their main lesson. The children enjoyed the play area in the park, the park full of trees and flowers. They had lunch in the park and returned to school.

On the 21st of March 2024, the students and teachers of Stirring Hearts went for a visit to Vandalur Zoo, as part of their main lesson story. The children were overjoyed looking at the different animals at the zoo. They were especially excited to see the Royal Bengal Tiger, The White Tiger, Lion and Lioness, Rhinoceros, Giraffe and an Otter which sat on top of a rock silently. We took the zoo bus to go around the zoo, which helped the children to have a safe and good view of all the animals.

8 Senior School Students went on an overnight trip to a farm with 4 teachers. This farm trip to IYAL VANAM a farm in Molasur, near Tindivanam, was born in the heart of Kavitha, Gaya Heart (A teacher of Gaya Hearts, Curriculum Coordinator at KLC) deeply inspired to do something for the Earth. Close to the eve of our Play Kadambari, an original production from last year (2023) the love of Kadambari's they went to this farm. To reconnect to the earth, to step out of familiar land, to breathe fresh air, and to meet more of the world - for this trip, Subha (who was also one of Kadambari's voices) and her family generously invited this little group to the farm! Though it was just one night away, they experienced freedom and life!

Achievements

Open – State Roller Skating Championship for Special Students was held on March 24th and 2 students from KLC – Adarsh Balasubramanian and Sai Hariharan V participated in it and won medals. Congratulations to both the students.

Tarang

The Tarang program of March, with Suchitra Balasubramanian, Advaith and Sarvesh, on the theme “Ayodhya” was an exhilarating experience in music. The hall of BVB reverberated with a divine feeling, filled with the songs of Rama. Suchitra kept the audience mesmerised with her clear voice and the children enjoyed the music glued to their seats.

Blue Blue Sky Choir

Fashion Spectrum, the annual inter – college Cultural Fest, hosted by National Institute of Fashion Technology, requested the participation of Blue Blue Sky Choir on March 21st. A few of the students and teachers participated in this Fest. The students at the college came a few days ahead, interacted with the school students, watched them practice, and designed a badge for the scarves that the choir wore.

Holi Hands

The Holi celebration at KLC took a different form this year. The wall at the back of the school where a garden is being grown and taken care of by the students, became a canvas for the colourful handprints of all the students, staff of KLC, EI, VRC, Admin and we are waiting for some more handprints of staff from other units.

The month of April will be busy with year-end term reports and school closing for the summer holidays.

Satellite Centers

From Jayanthi Vishwanath in Nashik

Spiral Binding Workshop for Students

On 6th March, practical skill of Spiral Binding taught to students of BLA by Vaibhav Sonawane with the assistance of BLA teachers. Eight students were taught to align pages, punch holes, insert coils, and secure the binding. The students actively participated and were excited to learn this new skill.

Maha Shivratri celebration at VTU

Shivratri celebration - Students and faculty gathered and offered prayers to Lord Shiva. The center was filled with devotional songs and chants to seek blessings of the Lord.

Women's Day

All the women staff who entered the premises were greeted with a beautiful rose, symbolizing admiration, gratitude, and shared words of encouragement, acknowledging the strength and resilience of women from all walks of life.

Happy Streets Program by Times of INDIA - 10th March,2024

VTU dancers delivered a mesmerizing performance at Happy Streets on Sunday morning, organized by Times of India.

Crowd cheered them on, applauding their every move. Their performance added an extra spark to Happy Streets and brought people together through the universal language of dance.

Solapur Teachers Visit to Nashik Units

On 11th March,2024, two teachers from the Solapur center Mrs. Ashwini and Mrs. Deepmala visited V-Excel Nashik for a NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) orientation, where NIOS OBE (Open Basic Examination) was discussed by the Centre coordinator Mrs. Niliesha Sharma. Mrs. Varsha Waghmare, who coordinates the Pratham curriculum oriented them about the Marathi medium curriculum.

Both Nashik and Solapur teachers exchanged best practices and novel approaches to address common challenges of teaching to enrich the educational experience of their students.

Aviral Godavari Mission

On 15th March, our students of BLA had a unique experience, when they attended the My tree sensitization workshop under Aviral Godavari Mission. During the workshop, visuals unveiled various experiments showcasing plants' astonishing sensory capabilities, akin to human sensations. These revelations served as a powerful catalyst, urging attendees, especially children, to cultivate a profound relationship with trees, considering them not merely as objects but as companions worthy of care.

Through engaging activities, visuals and motivational sessions, children were encouraged to adopt saplings and nurture them as their own. This hands - on approach instilled a sense of responsibility towards environment among the participants.

In a symbolic gesture towards sustainability and conservation, saplings were distributed to the students, with the mission to nurture them and return them to the My Tree team for plantation on the revered Brahmagiri Hill, in Nashik. This initiative emphasizes the Foundation's goal of revitalizing the Godavari River as a perennial lifeline, transcending regional boundaries to embrace a shared commitment towards environmental preservation.

Cervical Cancer Awareness Workshop

On 16th March,2024, Cervical cancer awareness workshop organized by the Goonj Foundation, was attended by teachers and parents of V-Excel. Radha Lakshmi Multipurpose Group cancer awareness workshop raising awareness about cervical cancer, promoting early detection, discussing treatment options, vaccine provision, providing support to those affected by cancer. Teachers of V-Excel and parents attended this workshop.

International Down Syndrome Day

On 21st March,2024, International Downs Syndrome Day was celebrated at all the centers. Down's Syndrome Day served as a powerful reminder of the resilience, joy, and inherent worth of individuals with Down syndrome. Through collective action and unwavering solidarity, communities around the world affirmed their commitment to building a world where diversity is celebrated, and every individual is valued for who they are.

Celebration was marked by a rally, where individuals of all ages and backgrounds marched hand in hand, advocating for equality and acceptance. Colorful banners and enthusiastic chants echoed through the streets, spreading messages of love, respect, and understanding. Various activities and inclusive games were taken to showcase their talent and abilities.

Holi and Ranga Panchami Celebration

On 28th March,2024, Holi celebration took place at all the three centers. Students came in colorful attire and played with natural colors. Dancing to the festive tunes and fostering unity and understanding cultural significance.

Erode

As we come to the closing phase of this academic year, we have planned for a summer camp for a month for our School Program students. We have set the time table and the activities keeping in mind the need and to give them an enjoyable experience before they go for the holidays. Activities planned are yoga, water games, memory games, aerobics, water games, traditional games, ADL training, music, arts and craft. We are ready to start it and want every child to enjoy this. Shall update all about it in our April Strides.

This month Anand Sir and Sivaprakash Sir from the head office visited our center to address our parents. On March 14th we had a parent meeting and the following was the agenda

• General guideline on the health and safety of the special needs children

• Feedback from parents regarding the center and suggestions for improvement

• A briefing on the activities of V-Excel and other satellite centers

• Outing for the children to be planned for the coming academic year

The feedback from parents was very promising and we are very happy for that. Attaching feedback of two parents: (names not disclosed)

DOB of student:16.06.2012

Services given : School model.

Date of Joining : 24.06.2016

Condition: Autism

My son has been coming to Erode center since June 2016. He had a lot of behaviour concerns and was hyperactive. It was very difficult to make him sit in a place even for five minutes. After coming to the center, i could see changes in him in many areas. Now he can do aciviites like brushing, toileting and eating by himself. His hyper activity has considerably reduced. He can follow instructions and is also able to sit quiet and do colouring activities even at home. He is now participating in actiivites done at school and in the celebrations. I am very happy to see him improving and thank every staff of the Erode center for the support. The staff are very kind to my son and this brings lot of motivation in him.

DOB of student:01.03.2016

Services given: School Program

Date of joining: 17.09.2021

Condition: Intellectual Disability

My daughter is a child with Intellectual Disability. My wife and I have accepted her fully and giving her the care and love for her to lead a normal life. But I feel the society is not able to accept her fully and include her as a normal human being. This brings lot of difficulties and we are trying to motivate her. Erode center is giving her a friendly and comfortable atmosphere where I see her smiling and happy to come and learn. She had concerns in her academic skills and many areas of daily living skills. I am very happy to inform that she has been making consistent progress in these and in her Academic skills. She is very much interested in extra-curricular activities and the Center also encourages a lot. I wish the center and all those who are working here all the very best. Would like to bring in more technology related advancements for my daughter to learn and become an independent person. Also, I would like to bring in more sentization programs for the general public to bring in more awareness and inclusion for children like her.

Tirunelveli

Austism Awareness Programme

V-Excel under the Tata Power Project - Pay Autention conducted a program in connection with the Women's day celebration for Anganwadi workers in Manur Block of Tirunelveli. Around 90 Anganwadi teachers participated in the program on 8-March-2024. Our unit head from Chennai Lekshmi Ramesh mam and co ordinator Mrs. Lavanya Ashok Madam gave tips on handling children with autism and demonstrated games that can improve their functioning. Staff members from Nellai center also attended this.

The guests of honour for the event were S. Parvadharani, District Programme Officer, ICDS, Tirunelveli, and J. Samsudeen, Statistical Inspector. We are happy we could participate in an important event like this. We are also trying to bring in more therapy related games for our children.

Solapur

Parent Training Program on 2nd March

Parent training (PT) is a promising form of support for improving parents' mental health and behavior of children with ASD and those who are developmentally disabled. In this regard, many systematic reviews have provided evidence for improved parental mental health and child behavior. On 2nd March at the V-Excel Center parents training program was conducted by Dr Ashwini Andhare took the training program. The main motive of this was awareness and how to develop their patience when working on their children. This training program included how to develop attention and sitting tolerance, make them socialize and teach to communicate, reduce their sensory issues, give toilet training, and make them independent and confident. Maximum parents attended the program even grandparents also showed interest towards the program. Parents were satisfied with the knowledge and techniques that they practically showed to them.

Down Syndrome Day Celebration on 21st March

Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome or an extra piece of a chromosome. This extra copy changes how a baby's body and brain develop. It can cause both mental and physical challenges during their lifetime. On 21st March at our V-Excel Centre we celebrated Down Syndrome Day. Down Syndrome students participated in activities like play activities, bag jumping, and sensory activities. They enjoyed the activities and like this way we celebrated this day.

Exams of Academic Year 2023-2024 on 27th & 28th March

Exams are an integral part of a student's academic journey, and they play a crucial role in assessing a student's progress, identifying areas that need improvement, and helping students develop essential skills such as time management and critical thinking. On 27th and 28th March our V-Excel Centre exams were conducted. All students attended the exams with full preparation. Subjects like Math, EVS, Language, Art and craft considered. All class teachers took exams of their students.

Rangapanchami Celebration on 29th March

Rang Panchami is celebrated five days after the festival of Holi. The word ‘Rang' signifies ‘color' while ‘Panchami' refers to the 5th day. Panchami is celebrated by applying colors and splashing color water on each other, family members, neighbors and friends. On 29th March Friday at our V-Excel centre we celebrated Rangpanchami. Teachers applied colour to students.

Kendra, Srirangam

Women's Day

We celebrated Women's Day on March 8th,2024 at our Srirangam center.

Every year since 1975 Women's Day is celebrated on 8th March. On 8th March 1975, the United Nations started celebrating Women's Day to honor their contribution to society and give them the equity they deserve. This year also Women's Day was celebrated all around the world on 8th March with great festivities , parades, music, and historical movies were also telecasted depicting the contribution of women in society.

We celebrated Women's day in a humble way. All our Teachers, Skill Trainers, Therapist, Support staff, and all the students in our vocational training unit assembled in one of the classrooms and exchanged their greeting cards and sweets for the women's day amongst them.

We are busy preparing our reports and Home Programs for our trainees and remedial students. We have taken lot of care in including activities that they can practise at home so that they don't get regressed in the skills acquired when they are back in June.

From Outreach Remedial Center, Pollachi

Parents Teachers Meeting

On 23rd March 2024, we conducted Parent Teachers meeting at to foster effective communication and to orient the parents about the performance of the students. We are glad that we got only positive reviews by all the parents.

Holi Celebration

Holi, the festival of colors was celebrated with full of joy and happiness in our remedial center on 25th of March 2024.

Candle Making Session

Candle making session was conducted for remedial students, training on complete procedures in making of Aromatic candles, Tealight candles and Jar candles on 18th March 2024.

Graduation day ceremony

Dr. Manju, Trustee, was invited as chief guest for graduation day ceremony at RKR GRKS SCHOOL, Udumalpet on 27th March 2024.

From Anandam Special School, Ambattur

Greetings from Anandam Special School!

March 2, 2024: Sign language classes

Sign language classes started for teachers by Nithya mam on Saturday 2nd March.

March 4 & 5, 2024:

From 4th March class room rotation of teachers started for 1 hour daily 11.30- 12.30 p.m.

Nurses from omayal Achi college of Nursing visited the school on 4th and 5th March.

III Term meeting was held for teachers on 4th March with Bhageerathi Madam and Sumathy Madam regarding students improvement, goals and achievements so far and also about the next academic year's resolutions.

March 7, 2024:

Birthday celebration was organised for teachers and students.

March 8, 2024:

Women's day celebration was celebrated by the teachers.

March 9 & 11, 2024:

Bakery and confectionary practical classes started from 9th March for NIOS Students.

Bakery practice demo for the students.

March 12, 2024:

Our students harvested spinach in our school Garden.

March 16 & 17, 2024:

Ananda Bharatham a unique ramp walk by grandmas and grandpas along with special students “ at Multi-purpose Hall” Anandam Special School, was organised by the Anandam Trust to mark the 21st Annual day celebration. Same Programme was organised at kuchalambal kalyana mandabam for the donor and the distinguished guests on 17th March.

March 20, 2024

Swamy Athmananda Ji visited our school and blessed the children.

March 21, 2024

NIOS Practical exams started and Students were blessed by our correspondent.

Hydrotherapy sessions for children and therapies for EI students.

March 31, 2024

Aari Work Blouse completion done by our students Sujithra and Meenakshi.

From Therapy & Learning Centre, Pandharpur

On March 8th, V-Excel learning centre Pandharpur arranged Women's Day program to our parents. In that all mother parents took part enthusiastically We arranged fun games which helped them as a stress buster. Inner wheel club ladies also participated in that. We served yummy snacks after the programme.

Youth Empowerment Services

From Gayathri Suryanarayanan's Desk

Key highlights for the month of March 2024

• Vocational training, Counselling, Therapy and other fitness activities

• Choir performance at Vidya Sagar

• Women's Day celebrations

• Movement workshop

• Annual parent review meetings

• Intro meeting with Compass team

• Internal orders – Donation receipt books, Voucher books

• Production – For Sringeri.

Vocational training, Counselling, Therapy and other fitness activities

During March, there was a perfect balance between vocational training and production work. We had a lot of internal orders to be completed along with one bulk order for soaps. Vocational training also went uninterrupted and as per schedule.

Counselling was more focused on personal goal setting and anxiety management.

Therapy and fitness programs were happening regularly along with yoga, silambam and archery

Farm program ended this month and will resume in July after the summer break

Intra vocational training happened for Arts and Crafts.

Choir performance at Vidya Sagar

Trainees from VTU and YES were part of the Sargam choir performance at Vidya Sagar during their event for Women's Day. The event. 'Launching accessible and adaptive outfit prototypes' was organised by Sciartsrus and supported by Artabilities 4 all. V-Excel trainees performed 6 songs on stage, which was well appreciated.

Women's Day celebrations

YES, celebrated International Women's Day on 08 March in a grand way. Having the theme as 'Celebrating our own', the event invite was sent to all the parents and the other units of V-Excel. Ms. Sundari, one of our advisory committee members presided over the event and spoke about the importance of self-care and shared a few health tips. There were interesting fun games with gifts and activities and all the mothers and siblings participated with great enthusiasm and energy. The event was very joyous, and each participant enjoyed it. Trainees made cards for the lovely women participants and handed it over to each one of them. Towards the end of the event, in the ladies only group discussion, all the women shared very useful tips and suggestions on health beauty and self-care.

Movement workshop by Theatre Nisha

Mr. V. Balakrishnan of Theatre Nisha organised an exclusive Movement workshop for V-Excel staff memebers on Saturday, 16 March 2024 at SPACES, Besant Nagar, Chennai.

11 staff members from YES along with trainers from other units participated and benefited from this workshop. Ms. Meera and Ms. Aparna of Theatre Nisha facilitated the session which incorporated movement, music, dance and team activities supplemented with loads of fun and laughter.

Samunnati team visit

Mr. Gurunath and Mr. Anand from Samunnati visited YES and took a tour around the center. They also met a few trainees to try out the possibility of offering them internship opportunities at Samunnati.

Annual Parent Review meetings

As we are nearing the academic year end, YES had one to one parent review meeting during March. Earlier, a quantitative report along with a consolidated summary was shared with all the parents. This was followed by individual meetings with each one of them according to their time slot. A clear action plan was decided at the end of the meeting and the same was shared with the respective parents. Overall, parents were very happy with all the YES initiatives, and they could see visible progress with their ward.

Meeting with Compass team

Compass group Chennai extended an invite to YES to present about V-Excel services and placement process. Ms. Romina along with their Admin and HR head attended the meeting and Gayathri from YES presented V-Excel, its services including Early Intervention, Special Education, Vocational training program and the detailed placement process. They have committed to creating opportunities for our trainees at Compass and plan to visit the centers in the coming days.

Internal orders – Donation receipt books and Voucher books

As usual we have completed the order for printing donation receipt books and Voucher books for the new financial year for all the units, Chennai and other satellite centers.

Production

We have completed many orders for Podi's, mugs, notebooks, cookies and keychains. Laundry

Services were happening without any interruptions.

We are working on a bulk order of soaps and screen printing for Sringeri mutt.