Planting Hope, Growing Change : Celebrating World Habitat Day 2024!
Scottish high students made a lasting impact in Gurugram by planting 100 saplings of shady trees like Tamarind, Muringa, Kala Siras, Amaltas, Arjun, Papri Kachnaar & Lemon at Karma Lakelands!
After attending an insightful orientation on Aravalli forests & it’s conservation, by the environmentalist Ms. Diki Bhutia, our young Highlanders took eco-friendly action towards sustainable urbanization.
Their dedication inspires us to strive for a greener, more sustainable future!
Kudos to our eco-warriors! Let’s join the movement!
Scottish High International School is dedicated to making a positive impact on society. As part of the commitment to promote inclusion, the school came together for a breakthrough initiative called UNITED FOR AUTISM. The event was a powerful demonstration of collective efforts to raise awareness and support for individuals with autism. Students, teachers, and staff worked together to showcase the importance of inclusion through various inspiring performances. From a heartwarming video highlighting Scottish High’s inclusive environment to a motivational speech by School Chairman Dr. Cdr Kartikay Saini and Deputy Chairperson Ms Bakhtawar Saini, the event was filled with moments that celebrated the true essence of inclusion. The major highlight of the event was the incredible performances by the special education needs students, who showcased their talents through group songs, dances, solo performances, unique skills, and abilities. Their heartfelt musical performance and talk show truly illustrated the power of inclusion and left a lasting impact on all attendees. In addition, national and international guest athletes executed an inspiring skip rope routine, displaying their carefully choreographed moves and perfect synchronicity, leaving the audience in awe. A spectacular show by team Scottish High, and a significant step towards the great cause. It will surely serve as a source of inspiration to all and help mobilize the community to join forces and propel the inclusion movement forward. Together, we can make a difference and ensure no one is left behind!
To bring Joy, light, and laughter into the lives of children living in the orphanages of Gurugram, the Highlanders collected fancy party clothes like Lanhngas, Kurtas, frocks, ethnic wear, etc. which they have outgrown and are in mint condition. The collected clothes were packed nicely into the 12 cartons and handed over to Ms. Shalu Johar Sahni, the representative of the NGO ‘Pure Hearts’.
These clothes will be customized further by the volunteers of the NGO Pure Hearts’ and will be distributed among all the 505 children living in the orphanages Aarushi Homes, Udayan Boys, Udayan GirlsHome for Homeless Children run by the District Council for Child Welfare, Gurugram. The volunteers of ‘Pure Hearts’ will be lighting and decorating the orphanages and shelters, providing snack treats, hygiene products, and will be distributing these customized outfits collected by our caring Highlanders to bring joy and festivity on Diwali. Continue doing the good work Highlanders! These small gestures will definitely help bring real change in society.
Highlander Green Warriors have joined hands with the student representatives of many schools in Delhi and the NCR region and visited the Prime Minister’s Office, Environment Minister’s Office, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Haryana and Rajasthan Chief Ministers’ Offices to give their petition to support the ‘Aravalli Bachao Campaign’ for the threat that ‘NCR Draft Regional Plan 2041’ poses to the entire ecosystem and the quality of life of everyone living in the NCR area.
Earlier the entire Scottish High Community signed a petition to remove the environmental dilutions from the NCR Draft Plan 2041. In their petition, the Green Warriors highlighted that the implementation of the new NCR Draft Regional Plan 2041 will threaten the quality of life of millions of people living in the 25 districts of the 4 NCR states as this draft plan excludes the terms ‘Aravallis’, ‘Forest Areas’, ‘Natural Conservation Zone’. It has also removed tributaries, floodplains of rivers and waterbodies not created by acts of nature and other natural areas not recognized in revenue records or notified under central or state acts etc.
They handed over the petition which was signed by more than 12000 students and 900 teachers and requested the authorities asking them to remove the environment and ecosystem-related dilutions in the NCR Draft Regional Plan 2041.
If this draft plan is implemented the way it is, it will take away protection for most of our natural ecosystems and will open them for commercialisation in 25 districts across the 4 NCR states of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
While talking to the Highlanders, the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Mr Hardeep Singh Puri, ensured that he will consider their request and suggestions given by the environmentalists and will invite the students for a workshop to strengthen the environmental and ecological aspects of Aravallis.
Students are planning to give the petition to the Chief Ministers of UP and Delhi as well as to the top bureaucrats to register objections to this draft plan and give suggestions to them to increase the forest cover of Aravallis.
The students walked their parents through their classes as they explained their journey of learning of the present session. Students demonstrated excellent communication and self-management skills while sharing their understanding of Primary Years Programme. They exhibited the attributes of IB Learner Profile and international mindedness with great enthusiasm. The parents were impressed with immense confidence and poise of their children. We as teachers were very proud of our PYP learners.
Eco Warriors of Scottish High – Celebrating the true spirit of Independence by Going Native
On the occasion of the 75th Amrit Utsav of Indian Independence, Class XI-DP of Scottish High International School, in collaboration with the NGO, ‘IAmGurgaon’, visited the Aravalli OxyVan to revive and restore the area which is spread over 180 acres at the Faridabad Gurugram road near khushboo Chowk. In a specially arranged drive for the tree plantation, the students gained the valuable experience of learning about a vast array of plant species, and gaining knowledge about the plants and trees native to the Aravali environment, some examples of which included Arna, Barna, Bistendu, Dhudhi, Dhak, Goya Khair, Jhinjheri, Goondi, Gangeti, Mithi Jaal, Adulsa, etc. They expressed their admiration and care for the natural environment, each of them playing their part to help to reforest our Gurugram by planting various native saplings and aiding against deforestation and the drive to decrease air pollution levels. Each of the environmentalists there clearly had much passion for their cause and helped the students learn the proper manner of planting trees, to ensure the maximum chances of a plant surviving and hopefully, becoming a self-sustaining tree. Overall, it was an enriching experience for the students enhancing their environmental knowledge, as well as putting them in the unique position of being able to benefit their local community by dedicating a few hours of their time. The School Director Mrs Sudha Goyal praised the students and motivated them further to plant the saplings in their neighbourhood areas also and nurture them till the time they become self-sustained.
The Highlanders made the School proud by winning the First Prize in Panasonic’s “Harit Umang Olympiad 2022” for their contribution and participation towards the initiative of creating, sensitizing and implementing green practices. The event was held on the eve of ‘World Environment Day’, at India Habitat Center, New Delhi.
Panasonic felicitated the School’s ‘Green Ambassadors Team’ members- Debyani Kishore, Ashreya Goyal, Ray Verma, Tvisha Singhal, Tanush Zutshi and Kabir Mathur for representing Scottish High International School in the nine months long initiative “Harit Umang Olympiad” for engaging youth across educational institutions in Delhi-NCR in which more than 25 schools and colleges participated.
In the Individual category Shrey Kulkarni of XII DP won First Prize in theme ‘Conserving the Biodiversity’, while Aanya Agarwal and Ray Verma both from XII DP won First and Second prizes respectively in the theme ‘E-waste and Hope for energy’.
Along the journey, students conducted various Biodiversity and Conservation Awareness Sessions, Tree Plantations and E-waste Collection drives, and took part in quizzes and ‘UN Dialogue’ sessions with the goal to save the environment for sustainable living.
The school’s efforts were appreciated by all for nurturing Green Ambassadors for a positive impact on the environment.
SAVE SOIL-a global movement to address the soil crisis, aims to bring together people from all over the world- to advocate for soil health and support leaders of all nations in instituting national policies and actions to increase the organic content of cultivable soil. Joining this campaign, the Highlanders attended the Social Media Influencers’ Meet at Karma Lakelands. The drive aims to mobilize and demonstrate citizens’ support across borders and empower governments to take policy-driven actions to revitalize the soil and prevent further degradation. Ensuring to take the cause to the next level and spread awareness around, the Green Ambassadors have already written more than 900 letters to the Honorable Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi to raise their voice to save the soil.
A Covid Vaccination Camp was initiated by Scottish High International School organized by Chief Medical Officer – Government of Haryana on Thursday, 24th March 2022 exclusively for its students. CORBEVAX was available for the same and administered to the age group between 12 to 14 years. The parents and the students were really enthusiastic about the same and appreciated the efforts of the school. A huge number of students under the above-mentioned age group took the vaccine. The school followed all the necessary protocols prescribed by the government to hold the vaccination camp. The School has and shall always ensure the safety and wellbeing of its students.
A Covid Vaccination Camp was initiated by Scottish High International School organized by Chief Medical Officer – Government of Haryana on Monday, 10th January 2022 exclusively for its students. COVAXIN and COVISHIELD were available for the same and administered to the age group between 15 to 18 years. The parents and the students were really enthusiastic about the same and appreciated the efforts of the school. Lot of students under the above mentioned age group took the vaccine. The school followed all the necessary protocols prescribed by the government to hold the vaccination camp. The School has and shall always ensure the safety and wellbeing of its students.
Climate change is a reality and its pace is increasing at an alarming rate. Concern about climate change makes people all over the world join hands and do their bit to save the planet from Global Warming. Youth Climate Action Day is a worldwide movement of young people who are concerned about climate change and global injustice. Since 2012 young people in several countries of the world started concrete actions for climate protection and climate justice around the date of the UN-Climate Conference. Contributing to the movement, 125 Highlanders from Grade 6-12th and teachers of Scottish High International School participated in a Plantation Drive, to celebrate the Youth Climate Action Day on 5th December 2020. The students of Class XI (Geography) took the initiative and compiled the information on the plants which were planted and their uses on a ARC-GIS cascade map. The link to this map is provided below. It showcases the work of the Highlanders and their efforts and endeavours on reducing pollution in Gurgaon. It’s a beautiful collection of all the activities that took place on Youth Climate Action Day.
Exhibiting their learning through PYP, this year Highlanders took a step forward as they organized a blood donation camp at the PYP Exhibition. Collaborating with Rotary Club, the Highlanders of all age groups enthusiastically contributed to the noble cause.
A perfect illustration of the IBPYP learner Profile ‘Caring’!
The Eco-Green club of Scottish High presented the annual report, consisting of various activities and initiatives by the members of the club throughout the year. The club was established in June 2019 with the idea to initiate and promote various environment-friendly activities. The founder members, Anshita Gaur and Bhanvi Tyagi, leading a team of 20 members, have conducted numerous activities throughout the year, like making best out of waste material, conducting awareness drives, participating in plantation drives and others. The event also included an expert talk by Ms Ritu Bharadwaj, a global documentary filmmaker and photographer running a collective filmmakers association in India and she is actively working on social justice and climate-related issues. She talked about current environmental issues, like carbon footprints and climate change. Certainly, it is the fuel for the Green Warriors of Scottish High!
Carrying on their campaign against pollution, the NCC cadets of Scottish High along with their mentors, once again took to the streets and the roads to raise voice and awareness for a pollution-free environment. Volunteering and joining forces with the ‘Swachh Bharat Rally’ that started from Dronacharya College, Gurgaon, the cadets picked plastics and litter from the road and marched along with their spirited slogans to bring the society together in saving the environment. Truly, their consistent efforts for the environment deserve a pat on the back!
Eco-Green Club- 🌱PLANTATION🌱 DRIVE ‘He who plants a tree, plants hope!’ In view of this beautiful saying, the students of Eco-Green Club-led by Anshita Gaur, took a step ahead to contribute to the environment by organising a plantation drive in school. The students planted Guldavari plants in the school garden and learnt about numerous seasonal plants.
On their mission to make the environment better and sustainable for the future, the Highlanders took a step further by participating in a campaign to conserve the biodiversity of the Aravalli Ranges.
Taking a collective action with leading environmentalists and volunteers of the NGO ‘I AM GURGAON’, the Highlanders planted more than 200 native trees at various places like Sikanderpur Bundh, MG Road Gurugram etc.
Led and guided by the renowned ecologist Mr Vijay Dasmana, the Highlanders planted various native species like Bistendu, Goya Khair, Chamrod, Khejri, Dhak, Adulsa, Marodphali, Desi Babool etc. which are elemental to the ecology of the Aravalli ranges. Relevant to note that these native trees will help in restoring flora and fauna by recharging the groundwater table.
‘Nature needs natural’ and who understands it better than Highlanders!
Taking their initiatives to the next level, the green warriors of Scottish High visited Karma Lakelands to gain an insight into environmental sustainability. They learned about – eco-friendly bricks, concept to reuse plastic and the productive use of the waste. They then formed a team known as ‘Eco-Brick Crusaders’. It is worth mentioning here, that the members of Green Eco-Club and students of the department of integrated studies prepared the eco-bricks by using single-use plastic waste which they collected from the school and outside. These eco-bricks will be used to make huts and benches at Karma Lakelands, which is a self-sustained green resort.
At Scottish High, learning is no holds barred. This central idea is well supported by CAS- (Creativity, Activity, Service) as Highlanders took to Aravallis for their project- Aravalli Action & Thrill; to get one on one with their capabilities of ‘decision making’ and ‘team building’, particularly when they are outside their comfort zone. Trekking and horse-riding helped them understand the merits of discipline, patience, and self-control.
Not only this, participating with nature by removing paper and plastic waste on their trek route and volunteering at ‘Animals Shelter Home’ came useful to them in reflecting on compassion and accepting environment and its equals.
A visit to the Government School at Wazirabad and spending quality time with the underprivileged kids dug deeper into them the values of responsibility and care towards the society.
SOCA ‘Spirit of Community Service Awards – India for the year 2019’ Towards a Greener Tomorrow
Team Highlanders – Palakh Khetrapal, Aryaman Mittal, Kanishka Yadav, Iss-haaq Gobindram and Ian Baswana, of grade XI and XII ISC and IB DP, have been selected as finalists in the Group Category for the prestigious SOCA ‘Spirit of Community Service Awards – India for the year 2019’.
Out of 3500 applicants, the above have been selected among the top three finalists for the National award. They will be invited to the ‘Kingdom of Dreams’ on 30th March 2019 to showcase their work in front of the eminent Jury panel. It is worth mentioning that through their unique project, students have been able to spread awareness about e-waste and plastic disposal in Gurugram. They carried out many E-waste collection and awareness drives to check plastic pollution and proper disposal of e-waste.
Highlanders once again gathered together to raise their voice to save the environment. Bringing awareness and calling for attention of the public and the political leaders, the Highlanders put forth their environment agenda clearly, that they are the voters of tomorrow and wish to vote for leadership that envisages to take bold steps towards saving the environment.
Scottish High in collaboration with Rotary Club organized a ‘Blood Donation Camp’. Highlanders cut across all age groups came forward, together, to take active part in contributing to the humanitarian cause, thus truly putting their learning of trans-disciplinary models into practice. This is how Highlanders go around to tell the world that ‘WE CARE’.
