School: Lakshmipat Singhania Academy
    Kolkata, West Bengal, India

65 students, ages 16-17 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 14, 2023. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Classes and Teachers: Students of class 11

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://lsakolkata.com/

1. Description of Our Community

Kolkata, the city of joy, is one of the biggest homes to culture in India. The city is known for its enthusiastic approach towards festivals and tradition. Despite the various castes and communities that dwell here, the city projects a picture of sheer harmony and joy. In Kolkata, you find solace, peace and your true calling. Whether it be the old age community living together celebrating Durga Puja like a strong knit family, or the Anglo Indian community in Bow Barracks decorating their homes on Christmas to show the world their culture still lives. Whether it be the Potter community of Kumartuli toiling in the sun to give the world the most exquisite ceramic pots or the fishermen in Babughat working all day for the fishes that define the city's cuisine. Kolkata has almost different worlds within itself, and you see them blend when we celebrate. Be it a cricket match or the FIFA World Cup, you'll always find a lane decorated with flags, even if it might not belong to our own country. Such is the passion here and such are the lives we lead. The city has the sweetest dialect and even sweeter people. And it all lies in the mutual feeling of finding it our home. At Lakshmipat Singhania Academy (LSA) we learn how to interact with local communities and celebrate each of them. It is a true privilege to live among such rich cultures and LSA not only helps us recognize its importance but also encourages us to help those communities. Together, we aim to bring change for those who live near our homes as well as hearts.

2. Summary of Our Project

This year’s theme of Cyber Fair is very close to our heart – Be Kind and Unite. At Lakshmipat Singhania Academy we work on the various aspects of social service from offering meals to the needy to organising blood donation camps. Our students regularly donates cereals, grains, pulses, dress material & books to various NGOs. Students of the academy have stepped out and visited different NGOs and spent quality time with specially abled children to senior citizens.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:more than 50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

In order to well represent communities, it is very important to get to know them properly. This year, the biggest problem we had to overcome, was learning how to gain the trust of these communities. Since we were dealing with extremely vulnerable communities, it was very important for us to take formal permissions from these communities which was a daunting task. The key was to maintain our patience, and reassure them that we were just mere school students who wanted to help represent them. From the slum children to the booksellers in College Street, everyone was a little adamant about giving these interviews, by virtue of human nature. But this did not deter us. We worked our way through contacting all authorities involved and securing their confidence. Through resilience, an open heart and a genuine objective, we were able to strike a chord with these communities and form a healthy rapport with them.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Communities are an intrinsic part of civilization. They share values, beliefs , traditions and experiences. But the true portrait of beauty lies in how these different communities coexist with one another. How they draw inspiration from each other and assimilate each other’s cultures. But unfortunately, a large number of these communities have been overlooked for far too long. Our motto, “Be Kind and Unite” is to highlight these forgotten communities and showcase what they have to offer. These communities aren’t unknown, they are just taken for granted. But the truth is that they have as much to give to us as we have to them. Through this project, we aim to give these communities their much deserved recognition and dues.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

In the midst of our busy student life, this project gave us an opportunity to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. It reminded us about all of the culture that exists around us which defines, not only the city’s character, but also our upbringing. It gave us a chance to simply get back in touch with the roots of humanity, and give something back to the communities who so beautifully nurtured the city and culture we grew up around. The project also helped us develop interview skills and understand the technical aspects surrounding it. We learned how to create a website, work together as a team in a collaborative manner in order to be productive and yield better output.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

• In this entire process, we were heavily dependent on various technologies and tools • PCs and laptops were essential for research, data organization, and video editing purposes. • Applications such as Google Drive, Zoom, YouTube, and Video Editor were used for sharing and storing information, organizing virtual meetings, and compiling and editing videos. • Our main tool used was conducting interviews and was the most valuable out of all as it was our main primary information source • Devices like mic and headphones were necessary for effective communication and dialogue delivery, cameras were used for recording, and smartphones for further research and activities • As an information tool, Google search engine also proved to be very helpful.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

Celebrating kindness through unity was a very enriching process. The best way we could understand unity was by understanding how the different communities in our surroundings co-exist peacefully together. Our team of class 11 students ventured out and interviewed people from such communities, some of which are oftentimes forgotten too. Through this hands-on experience, the people in our team tried to understand every aspect of their culture and livelihood. Our teams also shot videos and photographed after their consent to showcase their community more. At the end of the interviews we appreciated all the participants through a token of appreciation, which was returned with a beautiful smile and thanks, thus, executing our motto “Be Kind and Unite”. As ambassadors and spokespersons of our project, we made sure to highlight each and every aspect of these communities and reached out to as many people and communities as we could.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

This project has genuinely impacted everyone, the students and the communities. Our motto “Be Kind and Unite” has been the perfect agent of bonding among all of us. Firstly it impacted students as it made us come out of our shells and speak to people from communities we never thought we would ever interact. We all learned about different cultures, their way of living, and the effects of the pandemic. Every member of the community were also very interested to share stories and facts about themselves and were very enthusiastic about this the entire time. They also expressed how honoured they were to be a part of spreading kindness through unity.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Throughout the course of this project, our teachers have been a constant source of support and guidance. Parent communities of our school have actively supported us throughout this endeavour in all possible ways. We appreciate that each member of the school and our elders never hesitated to lend us a helping hand. But the biggest support have been all the allies and volunteers of these respective communities who have helped us reach them in the first place. Without their support and mediation, this project would be an impossible task. And lastly, the interviewees themselves, who were patient enough in their approach and put forward their views and experiences in an extremely well articulated manner.