Inter-school creative competitions play an important role in nurturing confidence, imagination, and problem-solving skills in young learners. They encourage students to think beyond textbooks, work under real-time constraints, and explore themes such as sustainability through hands-on artistic expression. Meet one such student, Vreedhan Koushal of Class V at Apeejay School, Sector 15, Faridabad.
In a candid interview, this second position holder, in the Artistic Impression-Inter-school Competition (Trash to Treasure), talks about his experience.
Tell us about your artistic achievement and how the idea came to you.
I got the idea after searching on social media and then merging different concepts into my creation. I worked on the decorations and supplies myself, while the basic layout of the wind chime was inspired by something I saw online. I used waste materials to create the wind chime and tried to give it my touch.
How much time did it take to complete your artwork?
The competition duration was three hours, and I completed my work in around two hours and thirty minutes. Our Fine Arts teacher informed us about the competition and encouraged us to participate. I participated as it was my first opportunity to take part in an Inter-school competition, and that itself motivated me a lot. I wanted to try something new and challenge myself.
How did your school and family support you during this journey?
My art teacher guided me at school and helped me understand how to approach the competition. At home, my mother supported and guided me throughout the preparation.
You also play tennis. How did that interest begin?
I have been playing tennis for about a month now. I started getting interested in tennis when I was in Class II. Earlier, I used to play badminton, but later I decided to focus on tennis.
Any memorable moments from the competition day?
I got lost while returning from the washroom at the start of the competition and lost almost thirty minutes. I was nervous and frustrated, but I still managed to complete my work on time.
How did you feel when your name was announced?
I believe that thinking positively brings positive results, so I did feel that I could win a prize. So, I was extremely excited and felt very happy. Winning a prize in an Inter-school competition on my first attempt felt very special.
What was your biggest learning from this experience? Any challenges?
I learnt that patience is very important during competitions. If we hurry, something can go wrong. Staying calm helped me fix problems as they came. Some glitter spilled and the ropes got badly tangled. I slowly untangled them according to how they were stuck.