The importance of teamwork

By Sunayana Singh

It was the time of spring holidays for students of Lavender High School. They looked forward to every vacation until school projects came their way. It was the holiday season but they still had a choice – to either spend the holidays with their family or stay at the school dormitories.

‘So your project…..Mrs. Mehta said, looking at the file in her hands.

This year you have been given a group project. You have to make groups of five and make a report on the mythistory of Mussoorie, India. The group captains are…….Mrs. Mehta followed till she said and at last, Rohan R. of Group 10.’

Rohan was excited! He was the captain for group 10!! Soon after Mrs. Mehta left the classroom, all the captains huddled and chose 4 members each for their teams. Rohan chose his best friends: Rohit, Amalya, Nia and Lily. All of them except Amalya were going to stay at the dorms. Amalya was to visit her family in Mussoorie!

Rohit was the technology-driven guy. He would check all the records and books related to Mussoorie’s mythistory. Nia was a bookworm, and so, she had to go through all the books related to Mussoorie’s mythistory. Liya was a literature major, so she would edit the report. And as Amalya’s hometown was Mussoorie, she could visit the eldery people’s houses and interview them and she could also go to the libraries located in Mussoorie.

Rohan was very happy and proud as this was the first time he had ever been appointed as the leader in anything! He was daydreaming and without even knowing it, he planned a whole report on his own. The next day, it was announced that the time given to complete the project was a week. Rohan immediately called the others and told them that it would be better if they all made separate reports of their own and then voted whose report was the best, and finally submitted that. The others were a bit reluctant but they soon gave in. They each made a report of their own and took their time. But, all Rohan could think about was submitting the report in his name. And so he did. He finished his report in a day and submitted it without telling his teammates.

All the teammates were eager to see who was voted the best. And Amalya was the winner of the voting. She submitted the report to the teacher.

After the winter break was over, they finally got their results. Rohan was eager to see Mrs. Mehta. She came to his seat and gave him his report. The colour of his face drained out. He got a ‘D’!  He went through his report and he was shocked at what was written at the last page.

“Never bite more than you can chew.” He then realised that the teacher had graded him on the basis of his lack of teamwork.