Photo Update for Our Andovar School in Porayar, Tamil Nadu

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Education and Building Fund

Hello everyone! We are pleased to share some recent photos of our school renovations. Classroom space has been expanded and repairs have been made from the flooding last fall. This month the roof is being installed on the new classroom space. All this work has been generously supported through your donations! Thank you.

Workers preparing to install the roof

Corrugated metal roofing sheets

We are also pleased to post some photos of Dr. Rajamuni our new science teacher at work inspiring the students. He has started on his second month of teaching our students. Notice the new science books and materials.

Dr. Rajamuni on left posing with our school administrator
Mr. Venkatesh

Dr. Rajamuni with students and
new science materials

Girls on break

Boys with Dr. Rajamuni

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New Science Teacher Enriches Andovar School! Introducing Dr.P. Rajamuni

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Students Intently Listening to Dr. Rajamuni's lecture

We are pleased to announce the addition of a wonderful teacher to our Andovar School Faculty. Dr. P. Rajamuni has been teaching our students Science since the beginning of February. Dr. Rajamuni is from south India and has a PhD in Biotechnology from Madurai Kamaraj University. We are fortunate to have such an esteemed teacher to help our students excel in Science. 

Some of the topics he has introduced this month include: environmental science- including water, forest and wildlife conservation, combustion, evolution of the species, photonics, microscopic life and more!  Dr. Rajamuni finds the students attentive, with good interest and focus, and of course, sometimes playful and mischievous! He is enjoying his work so far.

India celebrates National Science Day on February 28th each year. Dr. Rajamuni guided the students to create science charts all month long. These are colorfully displayed in the classroom-see above.

Thanks to our wonderful school administrators, faculty, staff and donors like yourself our school is rising to provide an even higher level of education for our students. We hope you enjoyed this blog post. Please consider sharing it with friends. Our goal is to build a new school with science labs, library and computer rooms. We can't do it without your help. Thank you! Marie

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Expansion and Repairs Underway at Andovar School in India

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After the flooding in South India in October and November of last year, our school was left with significant damage and problems. Due to the generosity of our donors the process of repair and rebuilding is under way. Here is the photo of the top floor of one of our buildings right after the flooding.

Below is the current view of the same area now that repair work is underway. The mold from weeks of standing water has been cleaned. The brick walls have been repaired and strengthened. Wooden awnings have been installed on the outside of the lower floor windows and the metal roof for the top floor is ready to be installed.

Soon the students will be able to use their classrooms again. Currently they are in very cramped quarters while the repairs are underway.

 Many thanks to all of you who came to the aid of our students!

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Celebrating the South Indian Festival of Pongal at Andovar School!

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Dear Friends of Andovar School in Tamil Nadu, India

I am pleased to share with you photos of our school's celebration of the festival of Pongal. The harvest festival of Pongal is celebrated by the people of Tamil Nadu from Jan.13-16. It is a festival that marks the Sun's shift to its 6 month journey northward. It is primarily a festival to thank the Sun and all the laws of Nature for a bountiful harvest-especially of rice.

Deity statues are beautifully dressed and decorated
 for the occasion of Pongal

The festival is celebrated by Tamil people throughout the world-and especially in the state of Tamil Nadu. Our school celebrated in the traditional way. The first rice of the season is boiled with milk in an open courtyard until it boils over.

Beautiful drawings of spiritual significance are made outside of homes, temples and other public places. Homes are decorated with mango and banana leaves. It is a time to celebrate abundance and all the blessings of Mother Nature.

Our school administrators preside over the festivities as the students look on. 

After the rice and milk have cooked and have been spiced to create the dish called "Pongal" everyone has a taste and enjoys other sweets and savories as part of the celebration. In the photo below, our students dressed in their best enjoy the feast.

The students at Andovar School celebrate all of the major holidays of each religion Hindu, Muslim and Christian so that the students gain and understanding of each other, each culture and its special place in Indian culture and the world.

First Science Fair at Andovar School!

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First Science Fair at Andovar School

Porayar, Tamil Nadu

January, 2016

Andovar school students assemble for the
first science fair on food, nutrition and health

Last week our Andovar school in Tamil Nadu enjoyed its first science fair. It was a simple beginning of what we hope will be a regular event as our school gathers resources. The theme of this fair was simple-the topic was health and how the best medicine comes from the kitchen!

Oral presentations were given by the 7th and 8th grade students. In South India, there is a famous proverb that says "Kitchen is the hospital with mother as doctor and food as best medicine".

Students brought fruits, native vegetables, herbs and greens, milk, milk products, and spices from their homes. They discussed the special properties of each food item in maintaining health. 

Students brought native foods to discuss
nutrition and health benefits

.

There were not too many scientific details discussed about the food items but practical information was given about important health issues. Students discussed how each respective food item was a remedy for common health problems.The students got good experience presenting before a group.

Students practiced speaking and presentation skills

A skit with Traditional VILLU PAATU (musical bow) accompaniment was also presented based on health and food. The skit was about modern hospitals and how common ailments were better treated by prevention.

Villu Paatu or musical bow used to accompany
dramatizations with song and verse


Of course there was room for creativity and artistic expression!

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Happy New Year From Porayar School

Thanks to your help the students at Andovar School in Porayar, Tamil Nadu India are back in classes! 

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The school was closed for about a month due to heavy rains and flooding. Thanks to your generous help we were able to send $3000 for roof repairs and to build a temporary building to replace badly damaged classrooms. 

Since the geographical area where the school is located is prone to flooding, our new school will be designed with proper drainage and as many precautionary measures as possible to minimize the risk of damages from future storms.

The children gathered together at the New Year to send their thanks and wishes for the coming year to all of you. The message reads, "May you be blessed with power to spread good cheer and smiles all around in this New Year 2016!"...signed Headmaster, Teachers and Students of Andovar School

Teacher's Day Celebrated at Andovar School : End of Year Support Requested

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Architect's Vision of the New School

The flooding and heavy rainfall in South India has abated and the students at Andovar School in Porayar, Tamil Nadu are returning to classes. A $3000 disbursement from our school fund will be sent to the school for roof repair and to build a temporary building to replace a badly rain damaged building. The 2015 tax year is coming to a close and any end of year donations are warmly welcomed as we gear up to start fundraising for the new school in 2016.

Just before the flooding in November, The children hosted Teacher Appreciation Day. The kids brought treats for the teachers and had a cake cutting celebration for them in appreciation. 

Our school staff is comprised of 6 teachers-3 men and 3 women. Together they have over 130 years of service rendered to our school! 

Students assemble for Teacher Appreciation Day

Mr. Venkatesh leads the ceremony to honor teachers

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