To learn more or apply for admissions in the academic year 2026–27. Click here
To learn more or apply for admissions in the academic year 2026–27. Click here
To learn more or apply for admissions in the academic year 2026–27. Click here
To learn more or apply for admissions in the academic year 2026–27. Click here
To learn more or apply for admissions in the academic year 2026–27. Click here
To learn more or apply for admissions in the academic year 2026–27. Click here
It is a very common sight these days to see teenagers in possession of hand-held gadgets texting away at lightning speed. Or having their ears plugged with earphones listening to music incessantly. Or even replying, liking, commenting on social media sites fervently. In one of our assemblies held at Bethany High School, we realized that many of our students are using such gadgets and are online for a major part of their day leading almost virtual lives. Parents also expressed concerns about how to provide, control and ensure mindful and meaningful use technology while bringing up our little “digital natives”.
So the Bethany High School decided to address these issues and empower students and parents with strategies to help them deal effectively with this festering issue. Sessions were thus held with students across all age groups i.e. from 3-18 year old and their parents. These sessions received an overwhelming response from both parties and the interactive sessions that followed these sessions put things in perspective for all of us. I was privileged to be a part of this sensitization drive initiated and conducted by Bethany High School. This was done in the hope of creating awareness about the toxic and addictive effects of the digital age that stare us in our face and we refuse to accept it. Is this ignorance? Is it denial? Several answers and many more questions raised during a series of these sessions across various departments of the institution and cross-section of parents of toddlers to teenagers point to the latter! It is denial! to a great extent, digital natives cannot think of a world without it. we, the digital immigrants, however, have lived the pre-digital era and yet fail to recognize the overuse, misuse or abuse of gadgets & technology. Such is the magnetic pull that we do not want to forego the “perceived comfort and safety” that our gadgets offer to us or so we think.
Time to introspect:
Are we using/overusing/ misusing/abusing technology?
Do we “need” it as much as we “use” it?
Are the reasons we give real/perceived?
Are we connected virtually/emotionally?
Are we losing our decision-making & survival skills due to being gadget dependent?
As a psychologist, my job is to question human behavior and understand why people behave the way they do. How can lack of empathy be explained? Is the constant and easy exposure to violence through games and internet responsible? Is the virtual violent content numbing our senses and making us incapable of “feeling” which is the core of human existence?
According to research, brains become “rewired” due to being virtually online often exposing our brains to shocking and sensational images and videos. Neural circuits may become desensitized due to this exposure and little or no training on empathic skills or life skills.
Many researchers have shown that empathy is negatively impacted by technology use, especially social media use.. Social media has taken social comparison and certification to an all new, never-before-seen level among youngsters today, the most vulnerable of which are our teenagers or “Screenagers” as they are popularly called these days. Self-obsessed individuals are seen taking selfies where ever they go. They are seen clicking pictures of all their activities as well as their food. The check-ins and “feeling” tabs on popular social media sites are robbing our skill to express ourselves in self-devised words. Everything is provided from which we only have to choose. Over-reliance on these prompts for self-expression makes it difficult for us to express ourselves otherwise. Also, a large population is doing this under peer pressure or just because “everyone does it”. It is something that becomes mechanical or compulsion to show off. This leads to social anxiety or depression among youngsters. Statistics reveal the alarming rate at which youngsters are seeking professional help to deal with issues pertaining to gadget addiction, social media cravings, social anxiety or depression. With the result, there has been noted a remarkable rise in aggression among the said population.
Another classic case of losing some of our survival skills is the reliance on GPS while finding an address. Asking for directions, understanding those instructions, giving such directions, retaining them in the memory, approaching a stranger in a strange land, often involving an unfamiliar language are all extinct skills. Losing data, battery or network in such a situation triggers panic. Just a little food for thought, guys!!
Howsoever, the good news is it’s reversible. Let’s see what we can do as adults in our households to promote gadget/techno-hygiene and protect our children –
Have set boundaries. Have a structure. Set screen-time.
Allow no technology or gadget use behind locked doors.
Educate and talk to your children about responsible use of gadgets/technology/social media
Do not give your child his/her OWN gadget
Refer to the screen-time allowed for different age groups by pediatricians and set accordingly
Be role models
Have gadget-free family times
Encourage family outings/ drives to be gadget free
Have meaningful conversations with your children (easier said than done especially in case of teenagers)
You are the provider so you get to lay down the rules. (sorry kids!)
Be the parent. NOT a friend.
Say NO when you must. Often, that is.
Do not gratify immediately. Make them wait. Make them earn
Stay connected. Emotionally.
Be available. Physically.
Trust me, it is possible. It is difficult but possible. Going by the experience of working extensively with teenagers for quite some time now, I can recognize it is difficult but not impossible. For the brave parents that is!
It is extremely ironic that I’m talking about gadgets and technology and how they affect and intrude and pervade our lives, bodies and minds! Yet, I’m using it to reach out to you all! I have used it to research. And you too are using it as you read this!
Yes, we cannot do away with it! But we have a choice to make… and empower the youngsters to make the choice! Technology is all-pervading and extremely useful if used mindfully. Now whether we use, over-use, misuse, abuse is a CHOICE we have to make! For gadgets do not come with “STATUTORY WARNING: A MENTAL HEALTH HAZARD!”
In honor of the Bethany High Senior Choir’s performance and Silver Diploma rating in Singapore, a Homecoming concert at Bethany was planned in short span of 9 days! The 2-hour program featured special excerpts from the other Bethany Institutions. There were 2 shows running from 5-6: 45 pm and 7-9pm, and both were packed, full- house shows!
Program:
Bethany Junior Schools Choir performed the song from Mathilda, WHEN I GROW UP, which was introduced by a super cute and eloquent 4-year-old.
Bethany High, Sarjapur, performed a highly exciting African folk song called BONSE ABA complete with choreographed moves.
Primary Department captivated the audience with their renditions of EARTH IS MY HOME and the anthem MUSIC CHANGES THE WORLD
Middle School performed the song FINGERPRINT OF GOD composed by Mr. Saroop Oommen, HOD of Music & Drama Dept. The song was based on the tragic story of the Bethany Founder Mrs. Mignon David, who rose like a phoenix after the loss of her 2 sons in a swimming accident and started the Bethany Home School in 1963. Apart from the Choir, 2 talented dancers conveyed how negativity can be conquered by the light of positivity.
Special School, performed a choreography to the theme ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, with special needs children which was simply scintillating.
Junior College, presented the DANCE OF LIFE, a spell-binding fusion of Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Odissi Indian Classical dances, with a gripping narrative explaining how life goes from Birth, to tragedies of life and the victory when life’s purposes are realised. Again connected to the birth centenary of our founder Mrs. Mignon David. At the end, all 3 dancers came together still dancing in their individual genres, but yet looking in sync – it was a goose bumps moment!!
High School, dancers performed a dance called CLASSICAL ALLEGRO, which combined the nuances of western dance with Kathak! Brilliantly executed.
3 students from the Bethany Alumni, lead by professional dancer Brian Shaji, performed an eye-popping dance-off complete with some comic elements!
The Bethany Music Department, performed their own arrangement of the song LEARNING TO BE THE LIGHT in an interesting negatron genre.
SICF PARENTS: The parents of the Choristers who traveled to Singapore. What fun! Lead by pianist/conductor Dr. Maya Mascarenhas, the SICF parents pulled out all the stops and performed a Beatles medley, making the crowd join in for a classic sing-a-long session!
THE FINALE – Bethany High Senior Choir
To end the great evening, the moment everyone was waiting for, the Bethany High, Senior Choir took the stage, conducted by Mr. Saroop Oommen. Resplendent in their quasi Indian costumes, a lacy shrug on the girls and a golden shiny waist-coat on the boys, the choir’s entry itself was majestic! The pieces they performed include: 1. Intonation Showcase: The choir started off with a unique showcase of vocal dynamics & intonation – the 4 groups that make up the choir, had to speak out different phrases in coordinated volume levels mimicking a crowd of people speaking, soft to medium to loud to super loud – all in tandem with small hand gestures from the conductor. And then suddenly they had a perfectly timed foot stomp & hand clap, and then back again to the speaking, interspaced with a Yawn sound and sleep gestures and back to a crescendo of the talking to a super loud volume – and as suddenly as they began, snapped to silence!
Sadhvartha: The Choirs favorite song, of which Mr. Raghu Dixit’s Instagram post went viral, was the next song by the choir. Incidentally, the composer of the song, Mr. Wesley P Kuruvilla was present, beaming in the front row. In his words, “I gave you a baby, and you’ve made it all grown up!” The audience lapped up the Carnatic elements and the Bharatnatyam vocal percussion.
Adagio in G Minor: The persona of the choir changes completely for this song as it’s specifically Western Classical, and complete with the lilting melody, a western flute, and piano, the song transports you immediately, to a European scenic venue, complete with its Latin words ‘Kyrie Eleison’ (Lord have mercy), ‘Requiem’ (in remembrance) and ‘Aeternam’ (forever to come).
THIS IS ME – This song, from the blockbuster movie the Greatest Showman has been rocking this year’s charts, with the heart cry THIS IS ME. The choir’s rendition had choreographed segments too which added impetus to lyrics like ‘Won’t let them break me down to dust!’ The audience couldn’t help but join in clapping to the pulsating beat and passionate faces!
SUPERSTITION – Purposely kept as the last song, due to its intricate blues/rock harmonies and highly choreographed show choir format. The crowd went wild when the song ended with a flip and stance by 2 male dancers from the Choir! At that very moment the rest of the choir, bunched up and froze into a jazz hands position! Scintillating and super thrilling!
STANDING OVATION: The Audience went wild and then it happened!! Row by row, the audience rose to their feet and soon the whole auditorium was offering a Standing Ovation, much to the surprise of the conductor and choir!! Truly a divine moment!
Certificates: To end the evening, Mrs. Yasmin Sengupta lead the awards ceremony where each chorister was given
a Certificate from the Singapore Festival organizers,
a Certificate from Bethany High and
a plaque with a beautiful photograph of the choir on stage in Singapore.
A grand, fitting ending to the last 3 months of a dream coming full circle into a victorious Silver rating and a journey of learning, fun and bringing the international flavor a lot closer to home!
One of those typical re-affirming mornings at our school invariably begins like this on most days!
The answer, my dear readers, is straightforward and simple! It’s our children who think and know that Bethany Junior School 2 is the right choice for them because their school makes them SO HAPPY DAY IN DAY OUT!
Apart from the absolute warm and caring atmosphere, if you are wondering what else makes our children want to come back to school, morning after morning, video below will let you take a glimpse of all that we have in store for our children for a super wholesome development at Bethany Junior School 2 in HSR layout!
HERE’S A SHORT VIDEO OF WHAT LIFE IN THE BJS2 IS LIKE:
JOY …. SENSE of BELONGING and NEVER A DULL MOMENT is certainly not an exaggeration at Bethany Junior School 2 for children and teachers alike!
And if you’d like to visit our children’s little kingdom for a personal experience of all that we do at Bethany Junior School 2, then please drop by at –
Bethany Junior School 2
173, 14th Cross Rd,
Sector 6, HSR Layout,
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560102
Phone Number – 080 2572 3198
Also to keep up with the latest from our school, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram-
This March 2018, the Bethany High, Senior Choir took up the daunting task of applying and wanting to participate at the ‘Singapore International Choral Festival’ for the Under 19 Category.
The challenges included;
The detailed application process,
The song selections which were specific, as one song had to be of an Indian composer,
Original Music Scores had to be purchased as and sent to the Festival Artistic Committee.
120 hours of rehearsals, spread over April & May summer holidays, weekends in June and July
Singapore International Choral Festival: The 5th ‘Singapore International Choral Festival’ or SICF for short, had its competitions from the 19-22 July 2018 in venues like the Yong Siew Tow Conservatory and the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore. The International panel of Choral clinicians were from US, Latvia, Finland, Venezuela, Singapore and Indonesia. There are in total 64 choirs from China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Canada, Poland, Indonesia and Philippines.
21st July – The Adjudication: Competing for the Under 19 (B1 Category) the Bethany High Senior Choir had to face tough competition from Choral experts like the Poland Cathedral Choir, Macau Baptist College Choir, Hong Kong Choir, SMAMDA Singapore and many others. The Auditorium is acoustically treated which means there is no microphones – which was challenging as the Bethany Choir was not used to singing in that kind of an auditorium. 4:56pm was the slot given and true to Singapore timing, the chaperones assigned to the Bethany Choir lead them backstage first, and on to stage!
Singing before an informed and discerning audience, and knowing that the Adjudicators are watching every move of the choir, was unnerving at first, but the choir quickly picked their paces, starting with their signature song ‘Sadhvartha’ with the Bharathnatyam & Carnatic elements. Next song was the 20th Century Western Classical piece ‘Adagio in G Minor’, which the most was challenging owing to the intricate dynamics and intonation. The last song performed was the 1979 Stevie Wonder single ‘Superstition’ in an acapella format, with an intricate choreography throughout the song – that made it a difficult act to perfect, jazz/rock singing in a funky groovy style, and dancing to it! The song ends with 2 male singers doing a flip while the rest of the choir, forms quickly into a jazzy dance freeze step. The applause was enthralled and the immediate comments were that Bethany High had broken the mold of the traditional choral festival format, and that they were a joy to watch!
22nd July AWARDS CEREMONY:The next day was the Awards Ceremony, where the choir waited with bated breath as the various awards from Categories were announced. Finally the moment of truth, and the children went wild as Bethany High was awarded 75.33%, a SILVER DIPLOMA RATING beating Hong Kong and even Macau College Choir! It was a tremendous high!!! The award is given to Bethany by adjudicators from around the world:
Mr Māris Sirmais – Latvia
Jennifer Tham – Singapore
Mr Tommyanto Kandisaputra – Indonesia
Sharon J Paul – USA
Joel Navarro – Singapore
The Choir had another public performance at the Asian Civilization Museum, which was even more fun as the competition element was off, and the choir could interact with the audience.
23rd July – was the last day in Singapore, spent in the heat at Universal Studios, Singapore on the many exciting rides, velociraptors in Jurassic Park and Lights, Camera, Action with Stephen Spielberg. Exciting!! The flight back home was quiet and at the Bangalore airport there as a surprise waiting for the choristers – a welcoming committee of over 40 parents, Bethany Board Members and teachers, with cakes & doughnuts and tons of love!
Our Founder Mrs. Mignon David had the highest standards for service towards children. This article teaches us why Bethany carries on that legacy today which has found itself in the list of top inclusive schools in Bangalore.
The Earth is the mother of all people and all people should have equal rights upon it.
Equality another beautiful quality that Bethany believes in unequivocally. When our Founder Mrs. Mignon David a woman of immense strength and fortitude began a little home for the destitute little would she have known that decades later this little home would emerge as a shining beacon, an institution that metamorphosed into a haven of integrity and creativity. An institution that generates a deep sense of loyalty and love among its staff, children, and alumni.
What makes Bethany standout in times when the world around is so divisive that it welcomes into its loving fold children from all backgrounds. In all these years the school has admitted its students simply by word of mouth and of course alumni who want nothing more than wanting their children to go through the same alma mater. The admission process does not restrict anybody from applying. Needless to say, it’s not easy to obtain a seat in Bethany High. This is simply because it’s a rare event when a parent decides to withdraw a child from school unless the reason is completely unavoidable. A child who joins in Pre Nursery simply continues right up to grade 12. The Bethanite tag is a badge of honor that the person will hold close to his or her heart all their life.
The principles which our founder Mrs. Mignon held so close to her heart have in no way diluted over the years. If anything the management strives ever so hard to ensure that the school continues to uphold the high standards set by her. The Director who is the grandson of Mrs. Mignon David, the Principal Mr. Robert Khin and the Board of Directors whose Vice President is Mrs.E.H.Ryall have the values so deeply entrenched in them which is one of the reasons why Bethany High stands so tall, proud and coveted despite the fact that there are multitude of schools in Bangalore. Even much before the RTE came into force whereby schools were compelled,( some unwillingly) to take in children from unprivileged backgrounds Bethany quietly went about admitting children from all walks of life much before this rule was enforced.
Bethany opened its loving, generous arms to children from all backgrounds irrespective of social standing, caste or religion. Be it the children of the support staff, the school gardener, the school security guard, bus drivers or children from families who lost a parent. Basically, the school without much ado took over the education of the children which would otherwise have been interrupted. Every child given the right opportunity is bound to blossom. Lack of financial support at a crucial juncture should not be a deterrent to a child’s development. That is precisely what Bethany ensures. Children who may have under normal circumstances have discontinued their studies have gone on to become capable young men and women.
The teachers showered the same amount of love and care and these children many of whom went on to make Bethany proud by becoming persons to reckon with. The school management ensured that these children continued to be supported even after they graduated from school. The beauty lies in the fact that all this is done without much fanfare. A chat with some of the Heads of Departments reveals heartwarming tales of how the Principal Mr. Robert Khin and the Director Dr.Akash Ryall have gone out of the way to support a family in times of utter despair. These actions are born out of empathy and genuine concern. It is also performed in anonymity and never used as an opportunity for a photo shoot. A rare thing indeed in times of today’s social media frenzy in a materialistic world.
The children being supported in this manner are in no way differentiated and the beautiful culture that Bethany fosters ensures that children from all walks of life enjoy every aspect of the school life be it taking part in the school picnic or being a part of the school musical. Every single child enjoys equal opportunity. The child of a famous surgeon or the school van driver’s child sit shoulder to shoulder and therein lies the greatness of Bethany.
Co-curricular activities are vital to a child’s all-round development. In this article, we take a look at why Bethany believes and champions co-curricular activities in schools. We trust that this will be a new and informative perspective for everyone reading this.
How is it possible to gauge just how busily the children are kept engaged in co-curricular activities in Bethany? That is easy enough….a glance at the events calendar in the school diary will give one a fair idea. The pages are packed with events, each one more interesting and enriching than the other. The feeder schools which is home to the little ones of Bethany has such a range of activities that it would make an adult envious. Colour days, Readathons, Tell me an Old Story Day, Plant a Seed Day, Newspaper Festival and a multitude of other activities. No doubt the parents are kept on their toes but the little ones thoroughly enjoy these special days.
Every single child gets an opportunity to participate in these little but innovative events. Apart from these in-house activities the children also go on field trips to the Special school bakery, the fire station, the police station, the post office and any other place which will help the little ones broaden their horizon. The smaller classes begin their confidence building with their first step on stage with the Choral Recitation. The children sing, recite and even dance with gusto. They do get a little perturbed at first but as each year passes they become so much more confident. This sets the stage for what the child may blossom into, in his or her future years at Bethany.
One such success story out of so many at Bethany High is Alex Koshy. Alex has been a pupil of Bethany from 2003 and passed out of grade Twelve this year. Little did one know that Alex would go on to make his school so proud in the years to come.
At the Pre Nursery and surprisingly, when he heard the drums being played for the first time he ran away refusing to listen to the loud sound. His mother believes that this was actually because Alex had a very sharp sense of hearing. Alex, according to his mother was a restless and impulsive little boy. When Alex was in the Pre Primary school, the Head of the Department Mrs. Bharathi Ponappa would laughingly say that Alex does not need a mike to make his voice heard. His teacher in grade three Evon d Cruz played a pivotal role in channelizing his impetuous nature towards singing. She recognized that he had a gift and she ensured that he was in the school choir. From there on there was no looking back.
When in the fifth Grade Miriam Andrews the genius behind the Bethany musicals gave the children a song to practice over the holidays. Alex sang the song non-stop during his vacation and perfected it. When he returned from the summer holidays his rendition of the “Any Dream will do” bagged him the lead singer’s role. In the Fifth Grade, Alex joined the Harmony Choir conducted by Sandra Oberoi. As a part of the choir, he went on to take part in numerous singing competitions. Alex was also a part of the Freedom Chorale Festival conducted by William Joseph. The feather in the cap was when Alex won the second place in the American Protégé ( an international vocal competition) and was invited to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York.
The Musicals are a huge part of Bethany’s cultural scene and children right from the Primary school have an opportunity to showcase their singing, acting and dancing prowess’s. Watching Alex perform in Shrek, renowned choreographer Judie Bidappa singled him out and casted him in the musical Cats. Needless to say, Alex took part in most of the musicals Under the Sea, Aladdin, Shrek, and Pippin. His last stint in a musical will, of course, remains the most memorable. Roaring his way through Madagascar as Alex the lovable Lion. His powerful roar which reverberated through the packed auditorium and his deep-throated singing stole many a hearts.
Alex is superb at sports too. He plays a mean game of basketball, is good at javelin throw, discus throw, shot put and skating.
Alex went on to become the school captain and President of the Bethany Student Organization. His mother’s display picture on Whatsapp shows Alex proudly marching with the school flag.
“All children have within them the potential to be great kids. Our job is to create a place where this potential can flourish.” Said Stanley Greenspan.
For Alex this place was Bethany High. His teachers, the Principal the Director and the Bethany Education Board supported him through and through in all his endeavors. His mother says all that Alex has achieved today is because of the immense support that the school gave him. Alex performed amazingly well in his academics as too which is no mean feat considering the vast amount a child in the ICSE curriculum has to study. A fine balancing act indeed. Bethany nurtures all its children so they can soar. Alex is just one of the thousands of success stories.
