by Bethany Institutions | Oct 19, 2023 | Bethany General, High School, Sports & Games
Discipline, hard work, perseverance and dedication has helped Neysa Cariappa in her pursuit to excel in competitive badminton. Neysa, who turns 14 years in December, was introduced to Badminton at the age of 8 years as a fitness activity. After a year of training under Mr. B.N. Sudharkar, she started playing state ranking and school tournaments for fun. Soon, she stepped into the world of active badminton with a lot of passion and started playing National and State Ranking tournaments. Since, the last three years she has been representing Karnataka State at the National Championship. Neysa Cariappa has been the top seed in Under 10 Girls Singles, Under 13 Girls Singles and presently in Under 15 Girls Singles in Karnataka State. Though Doubles is not her favourite choice but has been playing and has won couple of matches in the recent past, with her doubles Partner, Ashitha Singh of DPS.
Neysa is a proud student of Bethany High studying in 8th grade. This month Neysa along with four other girls from different ICSE Schools represented Karnataka State at the CISCE School Sports and Games – National Badminton Selection tournament, held at Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence, Bangalore and won the Under 17 Girls team event. She also participated and won Singles and Doubles events in Under 17 Girls. She has been selected to participate at the School Games Federation of India to be held at Chindawada District in Madhya Pradesh next month.
It’s not just badminton she pursues with passion and hard work but also academics. Neysa has tried to balance both badminton and studies. Her day starts as early as 5 a.m., when she leaves to Kanteerava Stadium for fitness under the watchful eyes of her fitness coach, Mr. V.R.Beedu, a Dronacharya awardee. Mr. Beedu has trained many international athletes such as Anup Sridhar, Aparna Popat, Parupalli Kashyap and Reeth Abraham. She trains for two hours for endurance including strengthening and conditioning. Post fitness she barely has half an hour to get ready for school.
After school, she heads straight for her training session with her coaches, Mr. Irshad Khan and Mr. Prakash Rathod at Koramangala Club, which ends at 5 p.m. She enjoys her training as she does different kinds of training every day which makes it interesting. After the session, she gets an hour or so to complete her homework. The next session starts at 6.15 p.m. and goes on till 7.30 p.m. She returns home with barely any time or energy for any activity except to call it a day!! On Saturdays, she trains with Mr. B.N. Sudhakar at Kanteerava Indoor Stadium. On Sundays, Neysa tries to complete all the studies and pending class work, which she has missed due to her participation at the tournaments. She travels a lot as she has been playing all the State and National Raking Tournaments this year.
Neysa is grateful to her badminton coaches, Mr. B.N. Sudhakar, Mr. Irshad Khan and Mr. Prakash Rathod and fitness instructor, Mr. V.R.Beedu without whom she would not have reached this far. She believes that under their guidance and encouragement, she’ll reach greater heights.
To Neysa Cariappa, Bethany High has been her second home, where she likes to take part in all the school activities and to de-stress and chill out with friends before her gruelling sessions (of course, no complains). She’s able to balance her studies as well as sports because of the support, encouragement and motivation from her Principal, Mr. Robert Khin and Director, Mr. Akash Ryall, HOD, Mallika ma’am and all her teachers. All her teachers have been accommodative whenever she has missed school. She is ever grateful to her friends and all her classmates, (in the past years too) who has shared all the class work and helped her cope with studies.
by Bethany Institutions | Oct 19, 2023 | High School, Sports & Games
“Taran Williams was the only child who cried at his 1st std interview, clinging to his dad throughout. Yet, 10 years later, he has graduated with distinction in academics and sports, earning an admission to the reputed Barca Residency Academy for youth soccer in Casa Grande, USA.
This transformation took place at Bethany High. The school provides many opportunities for a child’s holistic progress, and Taran quickly grew in confidence along with his classmates. He joined the athletic and football teams, and was able to balance these with his academics under his teacher’s watchful care. Being former sportspersons themselves, his parents were so happy with that balance. Often, he and his teammates would rush off from class to a sports event and return later to teachers who welcomed them but also made them do their homework.
The school’s spiritual atmosphere cultivated by Akash sir and Robert sir connected the classroom and sports field to the chapel. Without this critical link, Taran Williams would not be the person he is today. To excel under God is a blessing and it helps students grow into their potential as successful and responsible citizens. Today, if Taran Williams sheds a tear, it won’t be because he’s afraid, but because he misses his Bethany family, with its classes and carnivals, track-field and fist-bumps, chapel and canteen. With your wishes, he wants to “march boldly onward . . . trusting God and doing the right.”
PREM WILLIAMS
by Bethany Institutions | Aug 23, 2022 | Bethany General, High School, Sports & Games
Bethany pioneered the trend for a three-mile Road Run, 34 years ago. This remarkable annual event is much anticipated by present and past students, parents and the staff. A very commendable sporting activity, its popularity sets the tone for the Annual Athletic Meet that follows in the month of August. The robust runners have kept up this unique tradition and have set a benchmark to take on the target with ease.
Our school is determined to promote all co-curricular activities thereby enabling the students to develop and progress by leaps and bounds. Very much alive is the saying, ’ A sound mind in a sound body’. The students are surrounded with opportunities to excel and be the beneficiaries of an absolutely astounding school life.
The very first batch of 150 participants, in 1984, created an imminent impact on the others, all through these years. We are proud of those students for their commitment, zeal, and passion with which they proudly set the sport to begin in style.
Another spectacular Road Run at Bethany took place on 7th July 2018. Preparations began much in advance, duties were allotted, meticulous planning and the wholehearted cooperation rendered by every one effectively popularized the Road run. When the neighborhood lay still and quiet, students, parents, and staff, energetically entered the school campus. They warmed their hearts and pepped up their stamina with a session of Zumba before they began their eagerly awaited run. The exciting start fixed the pace and the action enlivened every group to begin after a gap of five to seven minutes.
The roads were dotted with runners who jogged, rushed, darted, sprinted, trotted, raced, dashed and made a successful finish. Everyone reached the finishing line, only the frequency varied for each group started at different times.
Altogether there were 11 categories from classes 2 to 12, alumni [boys and girls], parents. The presence of 11 differently abled children from the Bethany Special School made the event unique. The winners were awarded medals and cups.
The cause of the run was to commemorate the birth centenary of our Founder, Mrs. Mignon David. It was also to create awareness of fitness and a healthy lifestyle. On the whole, it was a time of celebration for the young and the old. This event that brought the Bethany family in unison for a noble cause.
by Bethany Institutions | Jan 3, 2022 | Bethany General, High School, Music & Drama, Sports & Games
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.
by Bethany Institutions | Nov 23, 2021 | Bethany General, High School, Sports & Games
In this article, we’ll go through the emphasis Bethany puts on co-curricular activities like sports and games. Sports and games are integral to the all-round development of a student. So if you are looking for a school in Bangalore that encourages sports, this article will detail why Bethany is a super example.
Gone are the days when the word sedentary was associated with an adult. The i pad, X box and smartphone-addicted generation of young children are plagued by unimaginable diseases. Obesity, diabetes, depression, and stress to name a few. Most families today live in apartment blocks which may still allow a child to play or swim in the safe confines of the complex, but what about the vast majority of children who simply cannot step out of their homes to play a carefree game of cricket or football in the fear of coming under a vehicle or being bitten by a stray dog. In such circumstances, it is imperative that the school ensures that their children are engaged in some form of physical activity during and after school hours. The busy parent today faces a major challenge in monitoring the child’s diet and overall physical and emotional wellbeing but this entirely possible in partnership with the right school.
As the child grows older the rigors of academic pressure play havoc with their vulnerable state of mind. Peer pressure, body image and the constant onslaught of the social media doesn’t help either. This is where sports can make a difference….a big one!
Physical exercise is good in every way for the mind, body, and spirit. It is an excellent opportunity for children to release their pent-up energy. It may mean a classroom full of sweaty kids but they’ll be a happy bunch for sure. It has been unequivocally proven that engaging in sports activities will improve a child’s focus on study, improve their sitting tolerance and generally make them happy little people…..simply because of the magical endorphins or the happy hormones that the brain releases due to exercise. Needless to say, a child who has fulfilled his innate urge for play will be ready to focus in class. His mind is no longer sluggish and his attention is sharp…..a settled ready class-a teacher’s delight.
As the famous educationist, Maria Montessori said “Play is the work of the child”
In the western countries, the schools have always emphasized on sports and it has been considered as important as academics. University admissions are determined by a youngsters sports credits. Fortunately, the Indian government has woken up to this fact and is making an effort towards making it an integral part of the curriculum. Children can now choose Physical Education as a subject in the ICSE curriculum. The subject demands a certain fitness level from the children….they require to run a certain distance, do pushups and pull-ups within a time frame. Obtaining good marks in this subject is no child’s play but when children perform well on this subject there is a huge leap in confidence level.
The PE department in Bethany has a strong team of dedicated coaches headed by the Mr. Peter Soundraja. He is legendary for his tireless efforts to ensure that every child at Bethany has an opportunity to be a sportsperson. At Bethany, children are introduced to sports right at the Pre Nursery level and it’s aptly called Games and Movement. The children are made to jump little hurdles, crawl through colorful tunnels and sort colorful balls into buckets. The children improve their flexibility and balance. Their enjoyment is evident as they try and swirl the hula hoop or hop on one foot, try balancing on the balance beam and walk on the agility ladder. Needless to say, they look forward to this period the most.
Children today due to various reasons live a sheltered and cocooned existence taking part in sports teaches them how to get along with their peers and also enables them to accept that it may not be always possible to win……sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.
Bethany High school ensures that the children apart from all the other activities have a minimum of at least 2 periods a week of PE. Apart from this the children who show a natural inclination to sports can opt for the after-school sports practices. Bethany High encourages children from other schools to participate too. Through the year the sports teachers keep a close watch on children during each and every inter-house match. Talent is immediately spotted and after an interaction with the parent, the child’s skills are further honed with rigorous practice.
The sport can be either individual or a team event. The selected children then go through a minimum of at least four practice matches before they represent Bethany High at various inter-school tournaments. It’s not surprising than the numerous accolades that the school gathers at these events. The children also compete with sports clubs and registered sports academies (which are a notch higher than clubs). This ensures that the team Bethany is confident and ready before participating in the final match. The Karnataka State Cricket Association tracks talented young cricketers through these inter-school matches and exceptionally talented children then go on to play at the zonal levels.
The immense level of dedication and commitment of the coaches is truly commendable. Organizing the sports day of the different departments over three days and in a smooth and seamless manner is again entirely the onus of the PE department. The coaches are Bethany’s men and women in blue. Rain or shine they are on the sports field and nothing deters them.
Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose….it teaches you about life-Billie Jean King
