SETU 2024: A Unifying Step Towards Environmental Change 🌱

On 2nd October 2024, Little Scholars School, Kashipur, proudly hosted SETU 2024 (Social Enterprise Towards Unified Understanding and Undertaking), a dynamic event centered around this year’s theme: “CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS EFFECTS ON BIODIVERSITY.” This event brought together bright young minds, educators, and experts to foster discussions on one of the most pressing global challenges we face today—CLIMATE CHANGE 🌿. The event was set in motion with an inspiring introduction, as the hosts, Shrusti Agarwal and Shivank Dhyani, welcomed the audience, setting the tone for an impactful day. Our esteemed Chief Guest, Mr. Sourabh Popli- Associate Professor at the School of Planning & Architecture, Bhopal, and Resource Person, Dr. Soumya Prasad- an ecologist and biodiversity expert along with Mr. Taukeer Alam- a passionate bird watcher, and Mr. Rajesh Bhatt – a devoted nature lover - were greeted with a traditional Tilak ceremony and bouquet presentation. The ceremonial lighting of the lamp followed, symbolizing the illumination of wisdom and knowledge, with the gracious presence of our school management Mrs. Ritu Bhalla, Ms. Bindu Bhalla & Mr. Pankaj Bhalla, principal Ms. Shikha Gautam, vice principal Ms. Ruma Agarwal and special guests. Principal Ms. Shikha Gautam delivered a warm welcome speech, inspiring the spirit of the gathering and requesting the audience to work hand in hand and protect our wetland ecosystems.

✨ Key Highlights of SETU 2024:

• Insightful Speeches: Our Chief Guest and Resource Person shared their invaluable insights on the connection between climate change and biodiversity, explaining how ecosystems are suffering due to environmental shifts.
• Student Presentations: Students from various schools across the region presented thought-provoking ideas on climate change’s impact on biodiversity, showcasing both innovation and awareness.
• Vibrant Cultural Performances: The event featured soul-stirring performances, including a beautiful Saraswati Vandana and an electrifying band performance by our school’s band, Velvet Concord.
• Microplastics Awareness Presentation: Our students delivered an eye-opening presentation on the dangers of microplastics, revealing how these tiny pollutants are wreaking havoc on our ecosystem.
• Sustainable Fashion Show: One of the most anticipated segments of SETU 2024 was the Sustainable Fashion Show, where students showcased stunning garments made from eco-friendly materials like organic cotton and linen, as well as upcycled fabrics. The show highlighted the fusion of traditional Indian attire with modern Indo-Western designs, emphasizing that fashion can be both stylish and sustainable.
• Creative Assessments: Talented students from Group A (9-12th) and Group B (6-8th) displayed their creativity and understanding of environmental issues through unique presentations, which were evaluated by a panel of esteemed judges.
• Dance Performance: An energetic dance performance left the audience mesmerized, reminding everyone of the power of art to communicate important messages.
• Presentation by Environmental Sentinels: Our students focused on the Kosi barrage area, delving into its history, identifying key issues, and proposing practical solutions. This initiative was showcased through an engaging presentation. Additionally, the team built a model illustrating both the problems and solutions and captivated visitors with interactive games. The highlight of their solutions was the innovative suggestion of a motorboat proposed by the talented students of Little Scholars.
• Recognition and Gratitude: The day concluded with the presentation of mementos to our esteemed guests and trophies to the participating and winning teams. A vote of thanks was delivered by the head girl Sukhmeet Kaur, recognizing their contribution and dedication to environmental advocacy.

SETU 2024 was not just an event—it was a movement towards a sustainable future, bridging the gap between awareness and actionable change. We are incredibly proud of the efforts of all our students, teachers, and participants who made this event a resounding success! Let’s continue to push boundaries and take bold steps to protect our planet. 🌍💚

#SETU2024 #ClimateAction #Biodiversity #Sustainability #LittleScholarsSchool #Kashipur #EcoFriendlyFashion #ClimateChangeAwareness #YouthForClimate #SustainableFuture #SocialEnterprise #CollectiveImpact

Annual Social Conclave 2023: "Sustainable Water Management"

Little Scholar's, Kashipur, hosted its highly anticipated Annual Social Conclave on October 2, 2023, at 9:30 A.M. The event brought together participants from 25 different schools to deliberate on the crucial theme of 'Sustainable Aqua-Water Management for a Sustainable Future.' The conclave encompassed a diverse range of engaging activities, seamlessly blending both online and offline components. The pinnacle of the event featured the recognition of the most innovative solutions put forth by young minds. Vision: "Reimagining Waters Around Us" One of the highlights of the conclave was the educational activity titled "Reimagining Water Around Us," tailored for students in grades 6-8. This creative endeavor encouraged students to express themselves artistically while underscoring the importance of responsible water usage. By merging various art forms with water-related concepts, this initiative aimed to instill a sense of environmental consciousness among the participants. Exploring Water: From Survey to Solution Designed for students in grades 9-12, the " Exploring Water: From Survey to Solution " played a pivotal role in promoting water conservation. Through hands-on experiences, this activity heightened awareness about the precious resource of water. It equipped students with practical skills in water analysis and empowered them to advocate for positive change within their communities.

Competition Results

In Group A, the third position was secured by Samar Study Girls School, Kashipur, the second position by R.A.N. Public School, Rudrapur, and the coveted first position was clinched by Vision Valley School, Kashipur. In Group B, R.A.N. Public School earned the third-place distinction, Vision Valley School secured the second position, and Chhauni Children’s Academy, Kashipur, proudly claimed the top prize. This Annual Social Conclave was not just a celebration of academic excellence but also a testament to the commitment of young minds to address pressing environmental concerns. It showcased the potential of the youth in shaping a sustainable future. We extend our sincere congratulations to all participants and winners for their outstanding contributions and dedication to a brighter, more sustainable world.

On October 2, 2023, Little Scholars School celebrated Gandhi Jayanti with an elaborate event, drawing attention to their annual "Setu Program". Since its inception in 2015, the program has touched upon themes of global importance, and this year, it shone a spotlight on "Sustainable Water Management" in the context of the world economy. The proceedings began with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony. Mr. Ranveer Singh, the esteemed Regional Education Officer from CBSE, took the lead, flanked by Dr. Chhavi Mathur, the dedicated school administrator, and the spirited Principal Shikha Gautam. The air was filled with reverence when the students offered a Ganesh Vandana, a devotional tribute to Lord Ganesha.

But what truly captured the essence of the event was a meticulously choreographed dance performance by the students of Little Scholars School. The dance imbued with traditional elements, was executed with a dedication that spoke of hours of practice and passion. The grace and beauty of their movements left the audience deeply moved, creating an enduring memory of the day's celebration.

Sustainable Consumption and Production - SETU 2022

Little Scholars Social Service Group "SETU" organized the Grand Finale of its mega event on "Sustainable Consumption and Production" on 2nd October 2022 in the school auditorium. The auditorium was all set for the event and was fully in sync with the theme "Sustainable Consumption and Production".

The program was inaugurated by lighting the lamp, by the Chief Guest Mr. Kalyan Singh Rawat, awarded #Padma_Shri by the President, the leader of #Meiti_Movement". On this occasion Mr. Miteshwar Anand, STO Ramanagar, Members of Clean and Green Club, Rotary Corbett Club Kashipur, Jury members, proficient Principals, Teachers and students from all the participating schools were present. The school band paid tribute to the "Heroes of the Nation" by their lively and melodious performance. This was followed by informative presentation by Mr. Ankur Chib, founder of Shun Co. Then the SETU team showcased their journey of the event through the week by presenting a video which depicted the hard work that has been done in curating the event.

The event continued with a virtual interaction with Mr. Gunraag Popli, a young architect and thinker, who shared his opinion and his contribution towards Sustainable Consumption and Production, through his dedicated work for the Bhalsva Landfills. The participants were super excited to have a live interaction with Mr. Pankaj Sehowalia and Ms. Nidhi Nikhanj, after being under their guidance for a number of online sessions. They shared their experiences of working with the young innovators and applauded them for their amazing work. Later, a thought provoking musical skit "Farq Padta Hai" was presented by the theatre group of Little Scholars, which was truly an eye opener. The performance was highly appreciated by the audience.

The next segment showcased Mr. Lokesh Ghai, textile artist and researcher working with traditional craft practice, who even mentored the participants detailing them about sustainability in terms of fashion. He shared his experience, with the teams and also wished them luck. Later the gathering was addressed by our Chief Guest Mr. Kalyan Singh Rawat, awarded Padma Shri by the President. His contribution in terms of the renowned "Meiti Movement" was an inspiration. His work is truly an inspiration for all. Next was the much awaited segment where the assessments started under two sections namely "Claps for Scraps" and " Healthy In, Healthy Out". Participating teams presented their work, according to what they have learnt during the online sessions. The first section of assessments was the "Ramp Art" where the teams showcased upcycled outfits made out of old and unused stuff.

Later the Jury assessed displays for both the segments. Continuing with the legacy of the event Mrs. Shikha Gautam, Principal of the school spearheaded an innovative campaign "Say NO to single use plastic pens". Based on this a complete research and stats based documentary was made by the students. The Principal requested everyone to join hands in a sincere bid to make a difference. The most mesmerizing setup depicted "Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi", showcased by students of Little Scholars as mannequin. The audience was thrilled when the students who were portraying Father of the Nation took a round of the auditorium.

Also the students from classes 6-12 from Little Scholars presented their working models as a part of Art Integrated Project. Citations were given to the winning teams, along with hand made souvenir made by the team SETU were presented to the proficient Principals of the winner schools. SETU is an awareness event of Little Scholars and being the host school the team was not a part of competition. Results of the event are:- Group A ( Classes 9-12/ Organisations) "CLAPS FOR SCRAPS" First position- Vision Valley school Second position- RAN Public School, Rudrapur Third position- Gurukul Foundation School. Group B ( Classes 6-8) "HEALTHY IN, HEALTHY OUT" First position- RAN Public School, Bilaspur Second position- Vision Valley School Third position- Sai Public school. The event came to an end by Vote of thanks by the Principal, Ms Shikha Gautam. She appreciated hard work of all performers and whole team SETU.

"Streets For Me"- SETU 2021

The theme of SETU 2021 is “Streets for Me”. Building onto the multiple editions of SETU over the years and anchored in the broader agenda of sustainable development goals 2030, the overall objective of SETU 2021 was to simulate the native curiosity of young people and foster their active participation in the affairs of the city. Starting September 19, 2021, the event consisted of a series of online workshops and related events, culminating in an offline event on October 2, 2021 at Kashipur, Uttarakhand.

Multiple resource persons from all over India anchored and facilitated the workshop for 14 teams consisting of students from around thirteen schools/colleges/institutions in and around Kashipur. In total, 140 students participated in the workshops.

About the Workshop

Sustainable Cities are those that seek to make our cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. It calls for taking steps to simultaneously foster green sustainability, social sustainability and economic sustainability. It also calls for minimizing required inputs of energy, water, and food, and drastically reducing waste, output of heat, water and air pollution by all stakeholders. The objective of the workshop on Streets for Me was to facilitate students to explore people’s relationships with the place, directly and indirectly. By mapping narratives of different stakeholders, their associations and their belief systems, it was expected that the stories will bring forth the values that different stakeholders from various walks of life held for the place Kashipur. It was hoped that the students will also capture physical changes in their neighbourhood thru observations and will present the most desirable outcome on how they perceive the place by presenting the same as artilized. The workshop was organized around the framework consisting of the tasks to observe, relate, design, action:

SETU 2020-- WHO MAKES THE CITY

In these Covid times, when everyone is striving desperately, seasawing between earning a living and staying away from the fatal scourge, a few schools have come together and initiated the daunting task of continuing not only their academics but also ensure that their students perform their annual activities. Little Scholars, Kashipur has successfully such an activity in order to enhance students' sociocultural leadership skills. This was done through a series of online webinars, interactive workshops, enriching group discussions, screen sharing, etc. Such digital conclaves were unheard of pre- Covid scenario. SETU KASHIPUR 2020-- WHO MAKES THE CITY, is an event conducted over a fortnight, commencing on the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and culminating on October 17th, 2020. During the entire activity oriented programme, many issues concerning Bazpur- Kashipur- Jaspur belt of the Terai region were addressed by the student fraternity as well as eminent illuminaries from diverse walks of human endeavour. It's an earnest quest to preserve our fragile ecology.

The hosts investigated, compiled and put up a power packed presentation in the form of an interactive webinar Dronasagar- A Hydrological Disconnect. It is an initiative by SETU 2020 to reclaim and rejuvenate the wetlands in and around Kashipur. This curtain raiser on October 2nd brought together renowned environmentalists, leading architects, esteemed town planners, acclaimed naturalists and above all, enthusiastic students who are true stewards of our planet.

Professor KT Ravindran, former Head, Delhi School of Architecture and Planning with a stupendous and enriching experience of over three decades in various conservation programmes, and Mr. Manoj Mishra, IFS & convenor of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan shared their valuable expertise on conserving our dwindling ecosystem in context of shrinking water resources. This digital workshop was duly moderated by architect Vasudevan R Kadalayil, who himself is a well known town planner and reviver of lakes and ponds. Architect Vasudevan is an authority on contemporary and innovative concepts of town planning and Green building projects. These stalwarts shared their valuable experiences and also recommended future course of the proposed action plan for a Resilient Kashipur 2030.

Little Scholars, Kashipur under the tutelage of Mr. Peeyush Sekhsaria, a well known naturalist and also author of periodicals and publications on birds and other species alongwith, Mr. Raman Kumar from Nature Science Initiative, an NGO based at Dehradun, conducted an exuberant interaction and workshop 'Birds In My Backyard', allowing students from various competing schools to observe their surroundings to enhance their appreciation of the bounties of Mother Nature. The main motive behind this activity is to provide the students a chance to amalgamate with their ecosystem.

The fortnightly programme would have remained a distant dream without zealous support and active involvement & collaboration of Professor KT Ravindran, Mr. Manoj Mishra, Mr. Peeyush Sekhsaria, Mr. Raman Kumar, Mr. Vasudevan R Kadalayil, Mr. Saurabh Popli, Mr. Amit Chawla, Ms. Aruna Bhardwaj, Ms. Sonal Thanawala, Ms. Maitaryee Mukherjee, Mr. Nipun Prabhakar and not to forget, SETU, Kashipur.

Apart from myriad activities organized over two weeks, SETU (Social Enterprise for Unified Understanding and Undertaking) envisages to carry forward its action plan in collaboration with 'Seasons Watch', an NGO. SETU 2020 intends to address various issues related to flora and fauna in compliance with aqua. Such fora shall be conducted and mapped on a monthly routine. For the moment, major focus is on continued efforts and not just an annual conclave.

The fortnightly itinerary also included an invigorating workshop on "Intergenerational Memories" under the expert guidance of Ms. Aruna Bhardwaj, Ms. Sonal Thanawala, Mr. Nipun Prabhakar and Ms.Maitaryee Mukherjee. The onus revolved around the novel concept of mapping catastrophic changes down the generations. Participants were asked to share their reminiscences of their recent experiences in contrast with those of their Grandparents and parents. It's an attempt to consolidate the process of data collection and thereafter, process and present the compiled information. Obviously, the theme was 'Our shrinking wetlands" and their impact on the entire ecosystem. With optimism, "Every long journey begins with a small step."

SETU 2019- Clear Water Revival

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Sustainable Management of Our Water Resources

KASHIPUR (October 2nd): On the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, a lively talk show or symposium was organized by #SETU, an initiative by the Social Service Group of Little Scholars, Kashipur. The event was held at The #Aveo on Ramnagar Road from 4.30 pm onwards. The key resource persons were Mr. #Saurabh #Popli (Leading Landscape Designer) and. #Vasudevan R #Kadalayil (Practicing Architect & Green Building Specialist) both stalwarts in the field of clear water revival. They presented their digital papers and answered questions from the audience. Even the students of Little Scholars' Social Service Group presented a Power Point talk followed by a proposal to restore and revive a local lake in Kashipur. The project is to revive the #DronaSagar lake. Many leading personalities of Kashipur were cordially invited on this occasion. Many invitees came up with solutions and even committed themselves to lend a helping hand in salvaging water resources in and around Kashipur. The evening concluded with a thought-provoking speech by Mr. Pankaj Bhalla, Manager of the hosting school.

#SETU an initiative by Little Scholars Social Service Group organised a Conclave on CLEAR WATER REVIVAL- Sustainable Management of Water Resources, on the auspicious occasion of #Gandhi #Jayanti on October 2nd 2019... 16 prestigious Schools of the vicinity participated whole-heartedly & enthusiastically in the Conclave and presented their PPT and Working Models based on the theme.... Our honourable Patrons of the Conclave, Mr. #Saurabh #Popli (Leading Landscape Designer) and Mr. #Amit #Chawla (Contemporary Architect & Town Planner) adorned the programme with their esteemed presence. Mr. #Farhad #Contractor (Eminent Environmentalist & Philanthropist) & Mr. #Vasudevan R #Kedalayil ( Practicing Architect & Green Building Specialist) also graced the occasion as Guest Speakers..