LIGHT TOMORROW WITH LIGHT TOMORROW WITH ONE STEP TODAYONE STEP TODAYOur story of change byOur story of change by

THE PSBB MILLENNIUM SCHOOL, OMR, THE PSBB MILLENNIUM SCHOOL, OMR, CHENNAI.CHENNAI.

The teamThe team

Shruthi, Swaran, Aidan, Shashank, Shruthi, Swaran, Aidan, Shashank, Sabeeha.Sabeeha.

Mentor teacher: Janani IyerMentor teacher: Janani Iyer

STEP 1 : FEELSTEP 1 : FEEL

Illiteracy is one of the Illiteracy is one of the main issues which the main issues which the Government has been Government has been trying for a long time trying for a long time to eradicate to eradicate completely.completely.

We We feelfeel that as that as citizens we also need citizens we also need to take effort to make to take effort to make our society literate. our society literate.

Our first step Our first step

We decided to have We decided to have a look at some of the a look at some of the local municipal local municipal schoolsschoolsAnd this school in And this school in Palavakkam moved Palavakkam moved us a lot and we us a lot and we decided to help this decided to help this school.school.

Government High School, Government High School, PalavakkamPalavakkam

Government High School, Government High School, Palavakkam.Palavakkam.

The children in this school come from the poorest The children in this school come from the poorest of families . of families .

We discussed with the Head Master and offered to We discussed with the Head Master and offered to do what little we could by way of helping the do what little we could by way of helping the children.children.

He was very happy to have us there and He was very happy to have us there and appreciated any kind of help from our side. appreciated any kind of help from our side.

STEP 2: IMAGINESTEP 2: IMAGINE

We discussed how to help this school and We discussed how to help this school and in what aspect, with our mentor teacher.in what aspect, with our mentor teacher.Many things came to our mind like Many things came to our mind like ClothesClothes FoodFood BooksBooks Stationary itemsStationary items

Why books?Why books?

Literacy at all levels needs a lot of Literacy at all levels needs a lot of improvement.improvement.India stands second in population but we India stands second in population but we can’t move on with a bad indicator called can’t move on with a bad indicator called illiteracy.illiteracy. Furthermore, illiteracy leads to other Furthermore, illiteracy leads to other problems such as poverty and problems such as poverty and unemployment. unemployment.

STEP 3: DOSTEP 3: DOWe decided to collect as We decided to collect as many books as possible many books as possible from our school students, from our school students, which mainly included old which mainly included old text books for reference, text books for reference, fiction, general knowledge, fiction, general knowledge, quizzes and puzzles, quizzes and puzzles,

We also collected lots of We also collected lots of school stationary and bags school stationary and bags for the poor children there.for the poor children there.

We did it!!!We did it!!!The children were so The children were so happy to see us with the happy to see us with the books.books.

They gave us a warm They gave us a warm reception and we were reception and we were really overwhelmed to see really overwhelmed to see their happy faces.their happy faces.

We addressed the We addressed the students in English and students in English and the regional language the regional language about the importance of about the importance of reading more.reading more.

What is the change?What is the change?

We learned that just a little bit of time and We learned that just a little bit of time and organizing as a team work can have organizing as a team work can have welcoming changes in the life of children who welcoming changes in the life of children who are need.are need.

We found that happiness does not depend We found that happiness does not depend only on only on receiving receiving material things but also on material things but also on givinggiving things to the needy things to the needy

Having experienced the joy of making others Having experienced the joy of making others happy by giving, we feel that this should be happy by giving, we feel that this should be done on a regular basis.done on a regular basis.

How we were changedHow we were changed

We learnt the value of sharing and we have planned to We learnt the value of sharing and we have planned to continue sharing as a part of our school activity. If we continue sharing as a part of our school activity. If we can a make a change in one week imagine what can a make a change in one week imagine what changes we can bring in one year. changes we can bring in one year.

So hereafter our birthday children will be donating So hereafter our birthday children will be donating books, school stationary, bags or a pair of slippers, books, school stationary, bags or a pair of slippers, instead of chocolates.instead of chocolates.

These donations will be collected and distributed These donations will be collected and distributed before the start of the academic year to the schools before the start of the academic year to the schools were children are in need of these things.were children are in need of these things.

Feedback from PrincipalFeedback from PrincipalThis was a rich learning experience for our This was a rich learning experience for our

students who organized it all by themselves. students who organized it all by themselves. They have decided to carry it beyond their They have decided to carry it beyond their

sense of achievement to make it as a regular sense of achievement to make it as a regular activity of the school’s Karuna Club.activity of the school’s Karuna Club.