Hopes soar at Primary Appreciation and Graduation Day of Apeejay School, Nerul 

Spending time with children is a two-way activity. You learn and re-think the whole world as much as you make them learn. Apeejay School Nerul, Navi Mumbai held its Pre-Primary Appreciation and Graduation day for these tiny tots to cherish and celebrate their learning, growth and development at the school. At the event, Chief Guest Mr. Jaideep Pawar, Deputy Commissioner Garden and Property with the Navi Mumbai  Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Ms. Vinita Vyas, a school alumni and well-known actor, theatre professional, filmmaker, author and storyteller were present. Members of Apeejay Education also graced the session.

Invoking the blessings of goddess Saraswati by lighting the ceremonial lamp, students presented a soulful rendition of the Saraswati Vandana. They danced to the rhythm of a melodious song to promote communal harmony across different religions in the world.

Addressing the august gathering, Mr. Rakesh Joshi, Regional Director Academics at Apeejay Education said, “It gives me immense pleasure to welcome our guests today. I extend my gratitude to all the parents, grandparents and our students’ relatives who have joined us. Special mention for our team at Apeejay School, Nerul whose relentless efforts have made this show a grand success.”

“Apeejay, Nerul was established in 1986 under the aegis of Apeejay Education, and I would like to pay my tribute to our Founder-Chairman, Late Dr. Stya Paul, a fatherly figure and a great source of inspiration for us. We are till today guided by his vision of holistic learning and value-based education. I wish to convey the blessings of his only daughter, Madam Sushma Paul Berlia who is now carrying his legacy forward. At Apeejay, we strongly believe in having an academic focus for the child. Not just that, their social and emotional wellbeing is crucial for us. We work in a partnership between students, parents, teachers and the school as it is our collective responsibility to nurture students and make them future leaders. Therefore, the theme of our Appreciation Day is ‘Umeedon ki Udaan’ – which signifies this optimism for the future and the ability to dream without inhibitions. It is what we, at Apeejay, imbibe in our students. At today’s ceremony, I am eager to witness the enthralling performances of our little angels. I conclude with a saying: Reach high, for the stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream big, for every dream precedes the goal.”

Chief Guest of the session, Mr. Jaideep Pawar said, “I am fortunate to witness the excellent performances today. I appreciate the team of Apeejay for nourishing children and preparing them to become good citizens of India. As a Deputy Commissioner, I am assured that Apeejay is guiding children to be respectful and responsible and I say this with full conviction. Students, today, have taught us that one must face, enjoy and learn through problems even if we fall or fail several times. I would like to relate an anecdote about Lord Krishna in Gokul where he had a group of friends. He would often ask each of them to get the food prepared at their homes and would eat with them. This small episode teaches us that we must share despite our differences. The last two years of Covid-19 have been a learning for us to know how to cooperate and collaborate with each other. My daughters too are Apeejayites and I am proud to see their growth at the school. I wish to congratulate all the fellow parents and Apeejay management.“

Ms. Mrinalini Singh, Pre-Primary Coordinator, read out the Annual Report for academic year 2021 -2022. She said, “The school conducted theme-based morning assemblies to inculcate ethical and spiritual values in students in the last one year. These assemblies have given every child an opportunity to showcase their talent. Teachers have also stressed on the experiential learning model at school and the curriculum of jolly phonics has helped students to read well. The school conducted several creative activities such as drawing, colouring, and clay modelling and paper craft to develop the fine motor skills of the students. For the betterment of their language skills, we held show-and-tell, poetry recitation competitions. Apeejay School, Nerul has been regular at observing Special Days such as the Grandparents Day, Joy of Giving Week, Founders’ Day, Gandhi Jayanti and other religious festivals. I hence, extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the parents for their collaborative efforts in every activity we have taken up at the school.”  

Students presented enthralling performances in the form of a skit which encouraged the audience to never give up on their aspirations and dreams. Ms. Vinita Vyas, a school alumni who is also the recipient of Dada Saheb Phalke Janmabhumi Puruskar for her movie ‘Take It Easy’, addressed the students. She said, “I would like to share my story today. I come from a very small town in Haryana and many years ago, when I shifted to Navi Mumbai, my parents started to look for a school for me. I was an above-average student and wasn’t very well versed in English. However, I was overconfident. When I gave my entrance examination for Apeejay, I could not answer the questions in the exam and began to cry. At that time, Principal Sir, Mr. Jason encouraged me. Due to his trust in me, and my parents’ belief, I could clear the paper and I am here today. Soaring High Is My Nature, and so it is my request to the parents today that they should give wings to fly to their children.”

The pre-primary students also observed their Graduation ceremony at the event. Students left their primary nest to step into a new academic journey of 2022-2023. Their class teachers shared experiences of the past one year, appreciating the efforts of their students. Presenting the finale, students delivered an exciting performance on the song, ‘Umeedon Wali Dhup’.

The event concluded with a Vote of Thanks to the Apeejay management, guests, parents, students and the team at Apeejay School, Nerul for their efforts and presence. The audience sang the National Anthem marking the end of the ceremony.