My Dream - Kandhasamy (I Prize, Class XI-XII)

(Translation of prize winning essays from the competition. This is by Kandhasamy who won the first prize in Group 3 - Class XI-XII. This is an artwork cum essay, Checking out the original scanned essay is highly recommended even if you don’t know Tamil.)

Hearty thanks to Mrs. Chithra Krishnamurthi for the translation.

Introduction:
"You Should Keep Dreaming and Then Strive to Realize Those Dreams"
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, President of India

With these golden words of our President, I would like to offer my thoughts and dreams in the form of an essay on this white paper and gladly submit to you.

Content: My dream is to become the President of India.

New Translator On Board

If you had been waiting for the next translated essay, this is to announce -- no, not a translation, but a new translator, all the way from Malaysia. :)

Mrs. Chithra Krishnamurthi (Sangi’s mom) was so impressed with the first essay (Sasi Kumar) that was posted here that she has volunteered to translate the next essay. Thanks Amma.

Essays written in Tamil Nadu, India; translated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; posted online in Washington DC, US – what more proof do you need of the connected world?

Await the next installment of the translation…

My Dream - Sasi Kumar (I Prize, Class VI-VIII)

(Translation of prize winning essays from the competition. This is by Sasi Kumar who won the first prize in Group 1 - Class VI-VIII)

Introduction
Everyone who is born in this world has a dream. Let us see what my dream is in this essay.

And the winners are…

The results for the first annual essay competition are in. And the winners are…

Group 1 (Classes VI-VIII)

1. S. Sasi Kumar, VIII


2. S. Kathiresan, VII


3. M. Sakthi, VII

Group 2 (Classes IX-X)

1. S. Balasubramaniam, IX


2. M. Vignesh, X


3. V. Prashanth, IX

Group 3 (Classes XI-XII)

1. P. Kandhasamy, XII


2. S. Suresh, XI


3. M. Karthi, XI and R. Yuvaraj, XI

Group 4 (Girls)

1. T. Tamilchelvi, XI


2. A. Priya, IX


3. M. Pavalarasi, XI

Prizes will be distributed Tuesday morning during the school assembly and prayer time. More details to come, including photos from the event.

We are also planning to scan and translate some notable essays. So, do check back.

Essay Competition - Evaluation Update III

I should have known! The minute I said we might announce the results early, the scheduling gods heard us and threw a monkey wrench (a.k.a a boatload of snow) into our plans. We got hit by a snow storm and I could not even get to a post office to mail the essay papers to the next evaluator. Finally the papers left the shore (I had to jump across piles and snow and slush, so it is literally a shore) today. We will hopefully have something next week.

Essay Competition - Evaluation Update II

Update on the essay competition: Three evaluations are done. One left. It looks like we will be announcing the results soon…very soon. Come back for more.

Essay Competition - Evaluation Update I

Update on the first annual saheli-sponsored essay competition: Two evaluations are complete. Two more to go. At this rate, we might finish earlier than planned. Keep checking back for more updates.

Essay Competition - On the Day of January 19, 2007

It starts off slow and easy and ends up being quite hectic (doesn’t it always?). Our appointed time is some time after lunch. When we get there, the first sight that greets us is a whole crowd of students, overwhelmingly boys, sitting in the hallway, talking up a storm. We wonder if this is a physical education class waiting for the teacher as we walk up to the Headmistress’s room.

First Annual Essay Competition

First annual saheli sponsored essay competition was a smashing success.

On 19th January 2007, 61 students from the Government Higher Secondary School in Kangeyam (Tamil Nadu, India), from Class VI to XII, took part in the competition. The topic - My Dream - was announced at the venue. There were 8 girls and 53 boys (side story to come).

saheli’s very first event. Of the very first project. Of the very first program. And it was a fantastic event and experience.

Evaluation has started already. Results to be announced within the next month or so.

More soon…

Graphic Look: Youth Literacy Rate in South Asia

(Click on image to see the larger version) 

From UNICEF's "State of the World's Children 2007: The Double Dividend of Gender Equality" 

This year UNICEF is also releasing regional reports besides the international one. I grabbed this from the South Asia regional report. 

The links for the reports:

1. State of the World's Children 2007: The Double Dividend of Gender Equality full report


2. State of the World's Children 2007: The Double Dividend of Gender Equality South Asia regional report