7th Anniversary Digest

The usual euphoria prevailed among the volunteers at Ethiraj College on Sunday, 7^th August. This is one day in a year when most of the members meet each other. The Auditorium was filled with a mix of colors- blue uniformed 12^th standard students; volunteers in white T shirts; and sponsors, beneficiaries, teachers, wardens & social activists all representing rest of the palette.

The function started with “Journey of SMILE”- a multimedia presentation highlighting the moments & milestones crossed. It’s amazing to watch how the organization has grown since 04-04-04.

“Me and SMILE” – This was the title of the following session. Two beneficiaries of SMILE came forward to describe how SMILE/smile came into their lives and how their lives changed. Nirmala, one of the students from government home talked about the early days of SMILE, when she was in her 8^th standard and how she grew along more confident & mature through SMILE’s various projects. Next came Logampal, who revealed how she almost missed SMILE’s scholarship, but is now a student editor in Anantha Vikatan. Valliganthan, one of SMILE's volunteers talked about how SMILE has changed his life and on the lessons he learnt from students while teaching/interacting.

Followed by this, the 'Project Report for 2010-2011' was presented and later 'Sadhana 2011' was launched by distributing Scholarship Certificates to the students. While launching the project, one important point that was brought out by Vasudevan, In-charge of Sadhanaproject was that, Gathering funds is not a difficult task; people are out there to donate for any good cause. But the challenge is in mentoring these students. It’s not monitory support that would change the lives of these children- it’s guiding & molding them that matters. Vasu also added, “You won’t know, how valuable is that 10 minutes you spend with your student, though it’s not a big deal for you”

The long awaited Chief Guest’s Speech came next, Mr. Badri Seshadri started by appreciating SMILE’s projects and how they’ve completed a full circle, by starting to spend time with the home children, and later teaching, guiding, supporting higher education and end up helping them to get a job and there by change their lives.

He lauded SMILE’s collaboration with the government and its intervention through monitory support for the needy. “Your intervention will multiply from 100s to 1000s to 10000s, and that’s the value that you create, which is tremendous”. He advised SMILE members to document their work, pointing out that the organization is growing big and it needs to be well structured. “Documenting yourself will pull other like- minded people and organisations (towards a similar goal).”

He emphasized the members to specialize each person in one trait and also voiced for the need of a theoretical framework and to take it to the next phase. Later he addressed the students on the opportunities given to them, which many others haven’t got. He instructed them to sacrifice on certain things to achieve their goal, and to become roll models.

Following his speech Mr.Badri Seshadiri and Mr.Nithayanathan, Secretary of SMILE released a book 'புன்னகைப்பாலம் வழிகாட்டி'. Nithya talked on the purpose of bringing out the book, which is based on the Personality Development Classes conducted across various schools by Team Shiksha. The students who attend PDC sessions, deviate from the motivation given & techniques taught after sometime, as there is no follow up. This book would now be given to every student attending PDC sessions and would help them in refurbishing concepts taught to them.

The handy book would focus on aspects like: Time management, Learning Techniques, Handwriting skills/presentation, Exam fear, Health, Confidence/self-confidence, Managing failure and recovering from it and also on the importance of cut-off marks (BE/MBBS admission) and Educational loans. Its based on the concept that merely studying doesn’t fetch marks, there is lot more.

The morning session ended with felicitating volunteers who contributed extraordinarily in this academic year with SMILE Excellence Awards.

By 5.00PM, the long but exciting day came to an end with charged up minds bidding adieu to each other.

Post lunch session was in a lighter note, with culturals performed by home girls and informal discussions among students, volunteers, mentors & sponsors.