RUBY JUBILEE SPORTS PARADE

Thursday November 17th 2022- Saturday, November 19th 2022: The Management, staff and students of St. Stephen's School hosted its three-day mega Annual Sports Day Parade on the school grounds to mark the significant milestone of forty years. Vibrant exhibits, drills and captivating dances portraying a melange of India's cultural heritage were presented. The event was flagged off by an impressive parade which included a march past with the student contingent marching to the beat of the drum. There were colourful and captivating dances like the Rajasthani dance where the girls dressed up like the traditional Kalbeliyas, a snake charming tribe from the Thar desert. The music was extremely soulful. The girls wore black skirts and replicated the movements of a serpent.

A welcome speech was given by the Principal, Mr. Louis Lopez who welcomed the Chief Guest, other dignitaries and guests to the historical event of the school with all the aplomb. The Chief guest also addressed the august gathering, giving them some relevant points and thoughts to ponder over.

In the next parade called the Emotional Quotient, students presented a plethora of emotions and left an indelible impression about how negative emotions must be controlled. Another endearing performance was the Jamboree with Kiddy Winks' where the little ones kept the spectators mesmerized with their most adorable dance which included a drummers group, Elsa and the Kings. Another group of students were dressed up as superheroes and they promenaded across the field spreading the message of love and unity. The next item was a dumbbell workout which demonstrated strength, agility and teamwork. A magnificent parade that glorified nature in all its vibrant hues was showcased by the students of the Nature's glory Eco Club of our school. They emphasized the importance of the three R's, advantage of solar energy, banning of plastic and skill development among the numerous other nature awareness goals. Students passed across the field with balloons tied to their arms.

'A sound mind in a sound body' can best be reflected in Yoga, the traditional Indian exercise of the yogis of the bygone era yet it is soon gaining popularity today. The students performed some extremely difficult asanas which required a very high-level training, toil and sweat. Each asana was a reflection of their flexibility and inner strength. Many of the students who performed that day, had represented the school at the State and National levels and won numerous accolades and medals. The next item, 'Fitness' also highlighted the relevance of keeping a rigorous health routine, eating nutritional food and staying fit. Students displayed various strategies to boost fitness and maintain focused fitness goals. The spectators were then transported to the world of aerobics where students performed Zumba an exercise which involves the stretching of shoulder muscles, hamstrings, scapula, calf and abdominal muscles thus engaging in a more holistic approach to dance and health regimes.

In the modern world, peace has become a rarity. The students displayed methods of maintaining inner peace by eroding conservative barriers that might disturb the equilibrium of the mind. They presented ways to foster world peace and build a stable community that would transform the world into a better world by healing differences through love, tolerance, compassion and sustainable development. The song, 'Heal the World' really tugged at the heartstrings and uplifted the spectators.

The next dance was the traditional Haryanvi dance which was a riot of colours and euphoric rhythms where the girls donned bright, flared skirts with numerous designs and patterns on them. This dance entails a lot of twirling, spinning, and colourful dresses with sparkling mirrors embroidered on them. With their Sarangi, Chimta, Dholak, Manjeera, and Kartal, the students kept us riveted with the exuberance of the various seasons portrayed in their dance. Their dances were meaningful as they signified the advent of festivals and seasons.
Self defense has become a vital training for children and the students demonstrated various martial arts and self-defense techniques like Taekwondo, Judo, Karate and Kickboxing to protect and transform oneself from becoming a vulnerable victim to a confident victor instead. It requires focus, sustained effort, prowess, strength and stamina. Students were dressed in the attire of the martial art they performed and left the spectators on the edge of their seats with their mind-blowing acts.

The next event on the itinerary was the Tribal Dance that manifested itself through the lives and traditions of the primitive Indian tribes called the Bedars entrenched in history books. The Bedars were nomads of Karnataka and they practised paddy farming and cattle rearing in a nomadic manner. The dance was performed to bless the Bedars in the cultivation of both rice and love.

Programmes such as 'Stephenian Values' showcased the core values of the school. The teachers who had completed twenty five years were also honoured in the next parade. They walked with a banner bearing a picture of Carver sir in celebration of his 58 years of academic excellence. The former teachers were also honoured on this auspicious day. Each student dressed up like a former teacher and wore a sash with a former teacher's name mentioned on it. Last but not least, the foot tapping Bhangra was the crowning glory of the event. The pulsating beats left the adrenaline pumping. Students, parents and guests enjoyed the presentations and displays with equal gusto. The programme was concluded with a vote of thanks by the Vice Principal, Mr. John Xavier.