Co-curricular

On the 16th and 17th of this month, the students of CMR National PU College had the privilege of taking part in the inter-school fest Volksfiesta organized and
hosted by Deens academy, Gunjur.

The students took part in a session called ‘Quality Circle’. It was a team effort which required the students to take up an issue in our locality, come up with solutions to the issue and ways to implement them. The students worked on a topic called ‘Plastic as a crutch for affordable business’. They started by finding possible substitutes to plastic that were practical and not overly expensive for the common shop owners.

The students were  successful in contacting the senior health inspector Mr. Devaraj and ward health inspector Mr. Raghu of the Mahadevapura ward, with assistance from a local resident Ms. Rekha, who gave them their thoughts and ideas. The students went around asking local shop owners their take on plastic in today’s world and introducing to them alternatives to plastic-like paper straws, steel straws, paper bags and more. Most of them seemed willing to do the small part they could. In the presentation day, the paper was adjudged the second place in the competition. Kudos to the students for working on this paper which gave insights on eco-friendly initiatives.

Anjali Manoj of 2PUC ‘B’, and Mehul Patel of 1PUC ‘C’, attended the literary festival, META Schools hosted by St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous) on 6/7/2018 and participated in the Senior level General Quiz.

‘Dash to the Press’ requires participants are required to cover all the various events taking place at VIVUM 2018. The most invigorating experiences from all the contests along with ONE snap that elucidates the event are to be submitted, and as soon as it’s done, they dash to set forth their views to present the most stimulating and visually engaging articles.

Anagha and Navyaa’s entry for the Dash to the Press event at Vivum that won the duo second place. Click here to read their account from the event.

Students from CMRPU ITPL participated and won accolades in various competitions at ‘Artemis’, the cultural fest held at Jyoti Nivas College. Students got an excellent opportunity to showcase their talents.
Here are the winners:
1st Place – Facts & Figures – Mehul Patel and Aditya Nandi
2nd Place – Only one Earth – Anika Tiwari and Prachee h Shah
2nd Place – French duet – Keenisha Kannan and Pradeepthi Kurapati

Our students have shone in every sphere of activity. In the first year, the children brought home the overall Best college trophy from Josephs for the Eco fest. Throughout they have consistently excelled in music – winning in Disha, Invictus, Sargam, Vivum to name a few. Our dancers have also won awards of the likes – breakthrough performer in Disha. We have also been winning awards for the Best Delegate and Best Foreign Policy paper in MUN. Other events like Shipwreck in an interschool event saw us win both first and third place. We held our Tedxyouth@brookefield which helped students understand detailing, curating and organising an event of a magnitude that is seen by millions.

Our Work Exposure Program (WEP) 2019 is in progress, and the students of  CMR National PU College, CMR National Public School, and Ekya Schools are having some professional time at their summer internships. Our students are placed in reputed organizations such as; Advance Education & Computer Services, XLR8, Olive Planet, Play Arena, The Green Pocket, Goobes Book Republic, Vita Beans Neural Solutions, Arius Holidays, Photomojo, Reap Benefit, Bengaluru FC, Lodestar, Crazy Holidays. Many NGOs such as; U&I, Sandesh, Avasar Foundation, Key Education Foundation, Diya Foundation, Indus Action, Udhyam Learning Foundation, CRY-Child Rights and You and Reap Benefit have accepted our students for summer internships.

In this blog, we have shared the students’ account on their experience and learning at WEP 2019.

Diya & Ashmika  
Interning at Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled

We would like to share our experience and the knowledge gained while working at Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled.

Here are the following things we learned during the work exposure:

• Ensure you come early on your first day so that you don’t get gloomy thoughts about yourself and the first day.
• Writing formal emails when you require leave or any sort of permission to be taken.
• To be ready to work as per the task assigned at any given point of time.
• Working with new partners and cooperating together
• Always communicate to the point, so that you don’t end up causing any misunderstandings between your team and Manager.

KEENISHA 
Interning at Green Pocket (Organising summer camp for children)

The GreenPocket is a beautiful and creative place for the kids to just enjoy and spend some happy time. Surrounded by trees and nature it is a tiny little place for the kids to re-energize. We do many different activities every day ranging from dance, craft, swimming, storytelling, wall painting, field trips to spending time with the pets around. I am enjoying my time here along with the kids and have started to feel like a kid again. I thank WEP and The GreenPocket for this lovely opportunity for me to explore my childhood again and learn lessons on teamwork and unity.

AYUSH ARYAN 
Interning at Bengaluru Football Club

I have been working for almost a month now in The Bengaluru Football Club (BFC). The work assigned was tiring as well as challenging, but it also got the best out of me. Be it inventory management, inventory stock, data entry, and being a part of the media team indeed felt great and working India’s richest football club has enriched my experience as to how remarkably excellent the club has performed in previous tournaments. I also got an understanding of the management functions in a firm and this experience would surely benefit my career in the future. I am thankful to the CMR Group of Institutions for providing me with such an amazing experience and opportunity.

NIDHI SAMUEL 
Interning at Photomojo

The Internship programme is going on pretty well. Every day, we learn new things and most of all we get a lot of practice. It’s been a wonderful experience and I’m glad to be a part of this amazing company.

GAYATHRI 
Interning at AECS

I am learning Web Design in the internship at AECS Academy (ARENA). I also learned how to use Word press to make different websites, and the mentors here are kind and approachable.

RAYAN
Interning at Olive Planet (Store for Military Gear)

I am having a great time at my internship. The place where I intern at, Olive Planet is a lovely place and I’ve learned a lot since joining. The people here are super helpful, encouraging and teach me new things.

PRANAY REDDY
Interning at XLR8 (Indoor Sports Arena)

The working environment at XLR8 is really good and I am thankful for the work exposure program for such an initiative. It is all going good!

MUSKAN RASTOGI
Interning at Vita Beans

My internship is going on very well at Vita Beans. I have been working on a common project called “Parentship Activities” which is based on different subjects such as; Maths, Science, Social Science, and English. We work in groups of two people with a unique topic based on the above subjects. We were asked to think of an activity based on the topic and fill all the relevant sections in Google Docs. I am now working on some special projects, and create content for social media. My experience of Interning at Vita Beans in an office environment along with professionals is wonderful. I learned how to be social and how to interact with people. This internship also helped me to advance my thinking ability and interaction skills.

ANIRRUTH V 
Interning at XLR8

It’s been four weeks since I started my internship and I’ve learned a lot during this period. It’s been a nice experience where we get to learn about some new sports like paddle tennis and handball. We were given the task to handle the summer camp for kids where we monitored and guided the participants. It’s a nice working environment and I thank the work exposure program for introducing such an initiative.

AMINA MISBAH
Interning at Lodestar Career Guidance

The people here are really good and kind to us. My experience at Lodestar career guidance is really amazing. We learned how to do excel sheet works in a better way. I have learned how to research in a better way. We have learned how to coordinate with people. I am really thankful that our college gave this opportunity to us.

KRITI SENGUPTA 
Interning at Diya Foundation

I am working at the Diya Foundation assisting the intellectually disabled people on their fine motor skills and art. This internship has really exposed me to a large section of society that I was not acquainted with. I have never met or worked with intellectually disabled people and it did take me some time to settle down in that surrounding. At times I would get so anxious as to what to say and what to do, but after a few days, I had started looking forward to going to Diya every morning. I have met so many amazing people over the course of the 2 weeks. One of the main things I have learned is to be more patient and empathetic towards others. So far, I have had a great time at Diya!

Internship at The Green Pocket
-Shwetha S
I have always wanted to have a life changing experience and I got to have one when I decided to intern at The Green Pocket, a wonderful pre-school right in the middle of Rustam Bagh, HAL. I chose to intern there as I have always been very fond of kids and when I read that I would be getting an opportunity to help facilitate a summer camp for small kids, I was elated.
As I walked into the campus where they were conducting their annual summer camp ‘Fun Under the Sun’ for kids aged 2 and above, I expected to see a normal building with classrooms, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a sprawling campus with a variety of trees, a rabbit’s cage, a tree house along with a sand pit; and as the kids came in with their giggles, enthusiasm and undying happiness– it was nothing short of a paradise.

The five weeks I spent there were truly enriching. Headed by three teachers- Mrs.Anahita, Mrs. Lakshmi and Mrs.Koel, the summer camp was filled with activities ranging from painting, dancing, and colouring to field trips, splash pool, and DIY activities. The entire team of teachers and facilitators made my time there worthwhile. They patiently guided me through all their activities and helped me in each and every step of the way. It was more than just an internship, it was an unforgettable experience that I will forever cherish.

Apart from having fun and making memories, I was able to learn a lot too— not only from the teachers but from the kids and the facilitators too. The teachers always walked in with a smile on their face and never once lost it throughout the four hours they were around. They had an infinite amount of patience and were the epitome of love and kindness. The facilitators and other staff too were extremely welcoming and never failed to make my already good day better. The respect and admiration with which they treated us interns really helped boost our confidence. They helped me improve my social skills and also taught me the importance of teamwork and cooperation.

However, the most important thing I learned from the kids was gratitude. As time passes, crayons turn into pens, colouring sheets turn into assignments and we forget what it’s like being a kid. We often wish for better things whilst ignoring what we already have. May it be a bus ride or a colouring sheet of ice cream- those kids really knew how to find happiness in anything and everything. Their curiosity and excitement was the highlight of my days spent there. As we grow up, our gratitude slowly turns to attitude but the twenty-five days I spent there taught me how to be thankful, humble and thoughtful; few qualities we lose as we grow older. It also helped me be more appreciative and empathetic, whilst having fun.
I am glad I decided to apply for an internship over there as it really changed me for the better. The impact they left on me is unexplainable. Out of all the pre-schools in Bangalore, Green Pocket is truly one of a kind, with its unforgettable staff, aesthetic campus, and delightful kids.

The Green Pocket will always be extremely special because over there everyone is cherished and anything is possible!

-2nd PU, CMR NPUC, ITPL

When I heard about this internship, I was excited and wanted to know more about it because it was something new for me and it sounded to be a great opportunity. I searched how does an internship work and found out that it would provide me experience and ability to be disciplined. I asked about the internship offer from my school meanwhile preparing my CV for it. I was provided with multiple options and I had to select the top three desired companies. I got my offer letter from XLR8 which is an indoor sports arena. I searched for that place. It seemed to be a good working place and after whole research, I have decided to work there. The main reasons for joining this place were that it was near to my house, easy transportation was available and most importantly I would love to work in a place related to sports.

I joined XLR8. It was a big arena having five courts. Every court has its own sports specialty. I got introduced to fellow students who had also come for the internship. When our manager arrived, he greeted us and asked for a short intro. At that time, a summer camp for children was going on, so our manager told us that our work would be in those courts to assist the coach. Mainly our work was divided into two parts; first half: we used to set up the courts for the activities, assist the coach and manage children during summer camp. The age group of the children was between 6-16 years. There were 4 sessions in a day segregated according to the age groups. Second half: desk work including calls and data entry. I was also instructed that once we complete the assigned tasks for the day we were allowed to play in those empty courts.

These sessions developed a skillset in us in which I learned to manage the games, sessions, and children. I also used to set up the time table of sessions that helped me learn time management. Generally, in the second half of the day, we used to make calls for the upcoming tournaments and coaching available for football, cricket, etc. Big database of numbers was provided to which we had to call and deliver the information about the events. Another activity for the second half used to be updating the master database of XLR8 with information regarding the ongoing events, students’ profile, etc. While working there, we organized events like Inter-academy football and open cricket tournament in which we faced a few challenges which were overcome by the guidance provided to us by our mentors. Receiving people, cross-checking the credentials of participants, announcing the fixtures and commentary were amongst the few duties during the events.
It was a great experience for me and new learning. The seniors and mentors were very cheerful and kind to us. They helped us a lot to overcome every hurdle we faced. It was a great experience to work with them, and I would love to work with them again.

LEARNINGS
• Time management
• Event management
• Punctuality
• Sales calling
• Management of the group of kids

– Alan Sabu Mathew

1st PU, CMR PU HRBR 

I was very excited when I got the mail from The Work Exposure Program saying that I got selected for an internship at XLR8 Indoor Sports Arena. As a kid, I always enjoyed doing sports and being part of an organisation like XLR8 was an honour. This organisation has been trying to bring up Indoor Sports in India for over a decade now and has been successfully running since the year 2008. XLR8 hosts tournaments, corporate events, coaching classes for multi-sports including swimming and skating. My internship at XLR8 commenced on the first week of April right after the orientation on 30th of March where we were given a basic idea about our job description. It was a really good experience as the management was very welcoming and the work environment was very good. The place had a good vibe. The working environment was absolutely excellent. It was my first internship and it felt amazing to be a part of something big.
XLR8 conducts Summer Camp every year for children of the age group 6-16. I was assigned to help the children with the warm-up sessions and guide them. I got to learn a lot about almost all sports. I was a part of hosting a corporate event and two tournaments where I was taught on how to officiate a match and how to organise the tournaments. I was also assigned to make a master database to store all the details of the teams that participated in the tournaments in a single file. My fellow interns and I had to go through over 11 years of data to create the database. I was also assigned to call the teams for the tournaments and sending them the details on how to make the online payment. I improved a lot when it came to communication skills as I got to interact with a lot of people of different age groups. Even though the task was overwhelmingly stressful at times, I got to learn how to handle pressure and how important it is to complete a task when you’re given a deadline. All these were our work at the operation department.

Apart from the operations, we were taught about the marketing/sales part of the organisation as well where many seminars were conducted by the CEO and the managers. We were taught on how to make strategies and what all that needs to be taken care of before hosting tournaments. We had a session with Mr. Henry (CEO of XLR8 indoor sports arena), Mr. Ezekiel & Mr. Shakthivelu (The managers) and Ms. Ankita (the head of the sales department), Mr. Tahir who has worked with the Indian, Australian and Pakistan cricket team, Coaches Mr. Jerin, Mr.Kunal, Mr. Sai and Ms.Kalyani. I got to learn so many things and it was a great experience, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I would like to thank the whole team behind the work exposure program for giving us such an opportunity. Thank you for putting so much effort for us and updating us from time to time. It wouldn’t have been possible without you guys. Keep up the good work as it has made an impact on our lives and making a difference for teenagers and helping them figure out their ideal job. The internship taught me many life lessons like humility, kindness, humbleness and above all money is not everything and always follow your dreams and passion. Do what you love and in the end, all that matters is your happiness.

– V. Anirruth

1st PU, CMR PU HRBR 

I was very happy when I received my offer letter as I always loved sports and got an opportunity to intern at XLR8 indoor sports arena. XLR8 is an indoor sports club which was set up in 2008. The club mainly focused on security and exclusivity of families. There were around 13 different sports which could be played at XLR8. The club consisted of an exclusive temperature controlled swimming pool, indoor badminton courts, and two lawn tennis courts.
The reason I chose to intern at XLR8 was that I loved sports and this was an opportunity to learn more about managing and officiating at tournaments.
We had an orientation on 30th March, and we were instructed and assigned tasks. My internship at XLR8 commenced on 1st April and I was in charge of assisting the football coach Mr. Kunal. XLR8 had been conducting summer camps from the last ten years for kids of ages 6 – 16 years. The kids were divided into separate age categories and were assigned different courts. My task was to assist the football coach in training the kids and guiding them. I also taught them the tactics and techniques of the game. On some days I was in charge of conducting the warm-up sessions was kids. This opportunity to assist the coach and guide the kids helped my communication skills and improve my confidence. Apart from assisting the coaches we also had other tasks like making promotional calls for tournaments that’s were held at XLR8. I was also present at two corporate events that were held in XLR8 and was helping the staff and management to carry out the tournament smoothly.
We also had some important sessions with the senior members of the club. Mr. Ezeikel (the manager) gave a description of the things that need be taken into consideration before organizing a tournament and about budget management. Mr. Shakthi(manager ) gave a session about the safety and security of the summer camp. Mr. Rizwan(sales department) gave us a session about sales and marketing. Overall it was a very good working atmosphere and the staff always kept us motivated and guided us. Their constant support helped us in this internship. Mr. Tahir (cricketer and technical head) also guided us during the internship and gave us some important life lessons.
The most memorable experience was playing a match along with the other against the staff. We also were introduced to a new sport called paddle tennis which was a combination of squash and lawn tennis.

I would like to thank the WEP program for giving me this opportunity. This has given me experience and also helped me in other aspects. I may never know when this experience will help me but one day surely it will make a difference in life. I would also like to thank the coaches Mr. Kunal, Mr. Jerin, Mr sai, and Ms. Kalyani without whom this internship would not have been a success.

– Maaz Ahmad

Reflecting upon the opportunity I was given to work with the JSW Bengaluru FC team, firstly, I am truly grateful. I had an exciting time and the experience was undoubtedly splendid. I met some fantastic people who showed me the ropes into the way they work at the BFC. My fellow interns were just as cordial and supportive and without their help, it would have been a challenge to complete tasks given to me.

The tasks that were entrusted to me covered management of their internal software system, data entry and reconciliation operations. With their growing popularity, they have developed and produced merchandise that fans can procure and helps enhance the image and reputation of the organization.

I am ever so grateful to the CMR management for this otherwise impossible opportunity to experience real-life work, and to the BFC giving me the chance to do so.

By – Vibha Thomas

II PU, CMR PU ITPL