Author: VIBGYOR Group of Schools

‘Alternative Schools’ is the emerging trend today. Parents are looking at institutions that offer a different perspective of education in comparison to mainstream schools. VIBGYOR strongly believes that there can be no alternative to the goal of education, that is, to develop the whole child, to help children be the most they can be.

Our holistic educational programme helps students realise their potential by learning about themselves, seeing connections and learning about relationships, facing challenges and learning about resilience, appreciating the beauty of what is around and learning about aesthetics .Learning should not be merely restricted to mastering a few subjects, but should inculcate creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration, global awareness, environmental literacy, social and cross-cultural skills, leadership and responsibility.

With this motive, VIBGYOR High has launched V-EMBARK (Educational Milestones Beyond Academics Redefining Knowledge), a bouquet of engaging programme that take learning beyond the confines of the classroom and provide opportunities to students to experience and learn in realistic and prolific learning environments. V-EMBARK is a conglomerate of educational clubs and programmes that engage students in trans-disciplinary learning activities outside and beyond regular school hours.

The main purpose of the V-EMBARK programmes is to offer multiple avenues to students to connect with the real world, experience the interplay of skills and knowledge when transferred to real-life situations and thereby learn new skills, achieve new milestones and redefine the boundaries of knowledge. Like for instance VH-MUN(Model United Nations) Club that is part of V-EMBARK, helps the students develop multiple competencies such as public speaking, global awareness, convincing ability, networking skills, leadership skills, etc. Participation and training in MUN reflects many characteristics that admission officers of Universities worldwide look for—leadership, communication skills, teamwork, and critical and creative thinking.

VHNC (VIBGYOR High Nature Club) develops sensitivity and sensibility towards nature and the young minds learn to appreciate the role of flora and fauna in their everyday life or gain first-hand experience, for instance, of recycling paper and the importance of three R’s- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in the conservation of our natural resources. They are exposed to a new world of activities by zealous environmentalists which also helps them in deciding on a vocation in the field of Natural Science.

VHGC (VIBGYOR High Greaders’ Club) is a Literary Club that offers a lot more than a regular reading club. As Dr. Seuss has said, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” The VIBGYOR High Greaders’ Club satiates this greed to read. Besides enhancing their vocabulary, children hone their reading and writing skills, and develop a keen interest in reading. They interact with eminent authors and understand their style of writing, thereby fostering a love for books.

To shape them as better individuals, students need to be encouraged to develop virtues such as respect, compassion, justice, humility, and understand their social and moral responsibility towards humanity. This is undertaken as part of VHSSRC (Students Social Responsibility Cell) wherein students and teachers voluntarily pledge their time and efforts to work towards social causes and undertake several time bound social engagement activities that aim to help them contribute to the betterment of the society.

V-EMBARK’s programmes like EUmIND (Europe meets India) foster contact and exchange of ideas at the educational level between students in different continents helping them develop knowledge, tolerance and respect for each other’s culture and values
Thus, through V-EMBARK we help our children go beyond the realms of academics, pursue and excel in their domains/spheres of interest and use their success to affect a positive change in the world. It is a journey of creating effective, socially aware, mature and well rounded individuals.

I invite parents to actively engage their students with the V-EMBARK club programmes implemented in their schools. The linked video represents what we aim at achieving through these programmes. As Barbara Carter states- “Together, may we give our children, the roots to grow and the wings to fly”.