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Project Citizen promotes competent and responsible participation by students in
local and state government for political efficacy. The program is being implemented
by Learning Links Foundation across India with the objective of encouraging participants
to develop support for democratic values and principles and to monitor and influence
public policy.
Project Citizen has opened our eyes. It is a platform for raising awareness about
social issues.Watching the projects at the showcasing has given us an insight into
concerns which exist around us.
Urmika Aggarwal. Birla High School for Girls.
The 3rd Inter School Showcasing Competition of Project Citizen was held
at Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Kolkata on January 28th, 2010 amidst
a gathering of several luminaries from the city. 6 schools participated in the showcasing
event with each presenting a project on a topic which they felt most concerned with.
Topics taken up included a project titled 'Aashayein' on the differently
abled by the Birla High School for Girls. On 'Carbon Footprints Management'
by the Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, on' Health & Hygiene ' by Apeejay School,
Salt Lake, 'Child Labour' by Khalsa Model Senior Secondary School, 'Air
Pollution' by Apeejay School,Park Street and on 'Nutrition in Schools'
by Techhno India Group of Schools, Hoogly.
Students identified and researched on a problem, evaluated alternative ideas, developed
their own solutions in the form of a public policy and created a political action
plan to enlist local or state authorities to adopt their proposed policy. Participants
also developed a Portfolio of their work and presented their project in a hearing
showcase before a panel of civil-minded community members who are all eminent citizens
of Kolkatta.
After a lot of deliberation the Outstanding Project Award was given to Birla High
School for Girls. Their project 'Aashayein' promoted a positive approach
towards life by sensitizing students towards differently abled children.
The students through their project wanted to maximize the participation of all learners
in the community schools of their choice, make learning more meaningful and relevant
for all, particularly those learners most vulnerable to exclusionary pressures.
To rethink and restructure policies, curricula, cultures and practices in schools
and learning environments so that diverse learning needs can be met, whatever the
origin or nature of those needs.
In the valedictory function held at the end of the day, the Chief Guest Mr.Anil
Grover, a free lance journalist who launched the Newspaper "The Telegraph"
spoke on the "importance of student participation in a democracy since they
were the future leaders of our nation". He was very impressed by the work being
done by the schools and complimented Learning Links Foundation on the implementation
of this civic program. The special guest for the evening Mrs. Bose, Principal of
Birla High school for Girls, shared the need for the youth of today to be aware
of the problems of society. The only way she said to curb these problems is "through
active participation of the younger generation"
In the concluding address by the Principal of Laxmipat Singania School, Mrs Meena
Kak spoke on how the program helps students become active citizens and understand
and deal with the issues of their community. She was grateful to LLF for implementing
this program in her school.
The students of the award winning project from Birla High School were also very
appreciative about the project. Kinzal Jallan from the 11th standard
felt "our project has made us better citizens and has also enabled us to do
something for the differently abled. We even celebrated the World Disabled Day in
our school this year to understand and change people's perception". As Radhika
Dutt, also from the same school said "We did something to change the state of
differently abled, the world calls them disabled, we call them the differently abled.
We understand now, they ask for empathy and not sympathy and that is the message
of our project".
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