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Ekya / November 29, 2018 Posted by : administrator

The NASA Experience


Travel to Mars is something that we all may dream about, but not really venture into. Senior students of Ekya School had a wonderful opportunity to experience space travel at NASA Astronaut Training Experience (ATX) Centre. Our students were hosted at the NASA Astronaut Training Experience (ATX) Centre, where they participated in a new mission simulation that included launching, landing and walking on Mars.

Trained as the next generation of space explorers, our students were introduced to a wide range of simulation technology and virtual reality, to experience the environment of Mars, and the difficulties faced on the Martian surface. Students got to see and experience a day in the life of an astronaut as they participated in a spacewalk through micro gravity technology, monitored the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and were part of the Orion capsule crew for launch monitoring and other mission-related activities.

En route to NASA, the students visited Hershey’s Chocolate World, Niagara Falls, Universal Studios and few other tourist attractions for some learning through fun.

Here are few stories from our students about the NASA Trip that express their exhilaration about the entire experience;

The Journey to NASA

“The cold never bothered me anyway.  We may be wrapped up in our thick, warm woollens complaining about the weather, but the gleeful looks on our faces say otherwise. We ventured around with our bonhomie guide, Annie, and learnt the depth of Washington’s history. After the knowledgeable tour, we were off to the Niagara Falls for a nail-biting experience. Literally, the legendary falls looked ravishing when illuminated with contrasting lights as they did in the morning. We got on the Maid of the Mist boat tour to get closer to these spectacular falls.”

“Who doesn’t love some chocolates right?

We were surrounded by kisses, Reese’s, kit kits and so many more delicious treats. The chocolate tour gave us an insight into how they manufacture the world-famous Hershey’s chocolates. It was quite the ride that dropped us off at the chocolate store with a large bounty of the sweetest treats.”“We gathered up at UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. It looked like a place where all our dreams and every favourite movie came to life.  The roller coasters turned us around in every possible direction, the VR rides were better than our expectations and words will never be enough to truly describe it to precision”

THE BIG DAY, the astronaut training experience

“Every one of us had a name badge and a shirt waiting as soon as we reached NASA. There was a quick briefing and later we rushed to leave everything in the lockers to prevent anything from holding us back in space. All set to explore the space, we were divided into teams with matching wristbands and shirts.

We looked for rock samples on Mars, worked through sandstorms, while our eyes and ears were on our teammates working their best behind their monitors and we successfully placed the samples inside the rover. It felt like a piece of cake until microgravity hit us. We took a little spacewalk to shake off the anxiety and fixed up the instruments. Each team did their best work and it has to be mentioned it was a lot harder than the moonwalk we attempt on earth.

In between each training slot we got a chance to record video logs. Though it felt embarrassing, was fun too. Just when we thought we got a hang of it, we had to drive a Mars rover, which literally turned everything upside down. It gave us all a jump start for the launch mission. Every single member was required to make sure we had a successful launch. Teamwork indeed does lead to dream work. After all the hard work we got to cool off while learning about the space suit, lunar dust, Martian soil and space food!”

Soaking the Miami heat before heading back to Bangalore


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Ekya / March 26, 2024

The Hot Garlic Soup Inspired by ‘The Last Leaf’ by O. Henry

Sue and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat on the third storey of an old house.
Johnsy fell ill in November. She was diagnosed with pneumonia. She would lie in her bed, gazing out of the window. Sue sent for the doctor. The doctor said to Sue, “Johnsy’s condition is not so serious yet. It seems she is unable to recover because she has lost the will to live.”
Sue became extremely worried for Johnsy’s well-being and mental health. She tried to make Johnsy interested in the things around her, but Johnsy never replied with more than a noncommittal hum.
One day, Sue was painting when she heard Johnsy counting backwards. Sue looked out of the window and saw an old ivy creeper climbing on the brick wall. The ivy was shedding its leaves in the strong gust of the wind.
“They are falling faster now,” whispered Johnsy. “Three days ago there were so many leaves. Only five are left now.”
“It is autumn,” said Sue, “and the leaves will fall.”
“When the last leaf falls, I will die” said Johnsy with finality. “I have felt this for the last three days.”
“Oh, that’s nonsense,” replied Sue. “Why do you believe your fate is tied to those old ivy leaves?”
“Human life is fleeting, just like those ivy leaves,” said Johnsy. “I got sick just as the ivy started shedding its leaves. It must be an omen. The last leaf will fall, and I will slip into slumber forever.”
Sue sat on Johnsy’s bed, kissed her and said, “You are not going to die. Plenty of people fall sick in autumn, and they recover soon enough. Do you want some soup?”
“I don’t want any soup. My time is almost up, I’m sure of it,” murmured Johnsy.
Sue decided to change tactics. She was not going to give up on Johnsy.
“It is true that human life is somewhat fleeting, but that’s exactly what makes life valuable. Do you not want to see what life has to offer before you slip into slumber? Will you not miss the cool breeze waking you up, the warm embrace of sunlight? Do you want to give up the feeling of the paintbrush gliding over the canvas?” Sue quavered.
“Look beyond the ivy to that tree over there,” Sue continued. “Even that tree is shedding its leaves, but it is also growing new leaves. It is going to live for many more years, just like you.”
Johnsy contemplated for a while. Then, she looked out of the window and smiled.
“Perhaps I will have some hot garlic soup. You made me realise that life is worth living after all.”
Written by Aahana,
from grade 9A

Ekya / March 22, 2024

Importance of Literature in a Classroom.

"Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity" - P.T.Barnum

We as humans are social beings. We can't imagine our lives to be solitary. Literature facilitates us to understand and communicate with one another in society. It helps us explore the world around us and is a medium to express our views and experiences. So it is of vital importance that the students are introduced to literature at a young age.

Literature is necessary for students as it helps them to develop imagination, improves vocabulary and language skills and even enhances creativity. Literature helps them understand the world outside their home and school.

It is disheartening to see that literature is often not put on the same pedestal as other technical subjects like Math or Science. where it shouldn't be the case.

Literature includes different types of texts like stories and fables, myths

and legends, poetry and drama or even informational texts that help them explore other subjects. It prepares students to read and understand the real world.

There are one too many benefits of including literature at a young age. It is like an exercise for the brain, keeping an individual mentally active and stimulated.

Exposure to cultures from different countries brings in a sense of respect and tolerance, a feat possible through literature. It motivates one to appreciate different lives and their ways and also to graciously disagree with something that may not be right. The different characters the students are introduced to become a source of inspiration. They start to imagine themselves in varied situations. they learn different solutions to problems they come across.

More importantly, reading is fun and literature develops an inclination toward reading and makes them self-learners.

It can be concluded that literature is a gateway to nurturing a child’s life skills more than any assignment or task

can ever do.

Written By:

Shruthi Prakash

English Educator - Primary

Ekya Schools BTM Layout

Ekya / March 22, 2024

A Day to Remember: Juniors Bid Goodbye to Seniors with a Spectacular Farewell Party.

As the academic year draws to a close, emotions run high at our beloved school. The time has come for the juniors to express their gratitude, love, and affection for their departing seniors.

And what better way to do this than by throwing an unforgettable farewell party?

The air was buzzing with excitement as the juniors meticulously planned every detail to make it a night that their seniors would cherish forever.

The audio-visual room was transformed into a place of nostalgia and celebration, adorned with decorations to welcome the seniors. Each performance was filled with energy, enthusiasm, and dedication. Each video played, spoke volumes about the memories shared and the bonds formed throughout their academic journey, blanketing the atmosphere with a mix of joy, laughter, and a hint of bittersweet anticipation.

Our seniors were all dressed up to the nines for the occasion with the girls in a blue and white saree and the boys in black suits.

But how did all of this come to be? I am a grade 11 student and let me take you through behind the scenes of this event and how we prepared for this event.

  • Many girls formed a group and decided to dance to “Paint It Red” and “All Is Well”. Everyone’s efforts are to be appreciated as they come up with new steps and formations. Well-coordinated teamwork led to an amazing performance that got everyone cheering.

  • Meanwhile, my batchmate, Lara,  and a few teachers were preparing to sing songs dedicated to the seniors. Lara sang a melodious rendition of “When You Believe” and the teachers sang a medley of songs which got the seniors singing along as well!

  • The boys planned on dancing to the song “Galti Se Mistake” and their performance was full of creativity and humour. The choreography was inspired by the original music video of the song and they worked hard together and taught each other the steps. This performance got everyone giggling and cheering so loud!

  • It did not end with the students, even the teachers chose to step into this grand celebration. They danced on a variety of songs and each song made the seniors hoot louder. Even though they had a very busy schedule they would still take time and dedicate it to the dance practice during after-school hours. Huge kudos for their coordination and effort!

  • Mohana and Arshia came up with a very engaging script which had the attention of the audience. A small game was organised for the students where they had to write something good about one of their batchmates. Everybody put their hands together and made 32 crowns of appreciation for their seniors. A video of the seniors was made including photos and videos of their dearest memories. Last but not least, our teachers also prepared a video message for the seniors bidding farewell and wishing them the best for their future endeavours.

The day finally came. The 10th of February came. It was the day - the day for which we had been preparing for days. The graduation.

The place was set, the background screen was ready, the mic was ready and the sound system was ready. Our seniors came one by one and the auditorium was filled with chatter until the anchors came in and the event started.

After a few minutes, the head boy gave a heartfelt speech, followed by the chit game of affirmations then Lara’s beautiful performance.

The girls donned black kurtis and sunglasses and danced to “Paint It Red”, which got a round of applause. The seniors loved the “Galti Se Mistake” dance by the boys for its creativity and comedic execution and what made it better was the shorts with shirt and tie combination. The dance finale was to the song “All Is Well” which got the audience cheering for the dancers with lots of enthusiasm.

Then a video filled with the memories of the seniors was shown which made most of them emotional. The dance which everybody was eagerly anticipating started - it was our beloved teachers who completely rocked the stage with their amazing performance.

Then a few teachers gave a very emotional message followed by songs dedicated to their students. The event came to an end with video messages by the teachers,  a crowning ceremony and high tea.

In conclusion, the event was successful, and enjoyed by all the students - juniors, seniors and teachers. It wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s contribution and teamwork. It was an emotional roller coaster for everyone and a day which will never be forgotten.

Written By:

Stutee Samantray

(Grade 11, Ekya BTM)

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Ekya School visits Bannerghatta National Park

Grade 4 students of Ekya Schools JP Nagar had a thrilling experience of spending a day with wildlife at the Bannerghatta National Park. The students didn’t just learn about the living habits of different animals, but the whole experience was instrumental in developing compassion among children for animals. Here is an account of the experience in the words of Rishikesh Murali Mohan (Grade 4 A) Field trip to Bannerghatta National Park I woke up at 4.30 am in excitement and got ready for school in record time. I raced to school and couldn’t believe that today was finally the day of the field trip. Everyone in our class was ready for an amazing field trip. We started on the school bus, all in high spirits. We finally reached the park after a fun bus ride. The moment we reached we hopped into the animal safari, alert and ready for watching wild animals. The bear safari was the first one in which we saw black bears. I knew this was only the start of the wonderful safari. Next, it was the lion safari which was twice as good as the bear safari. We observed how wild animals walk up and down flattening the grass before sleeping. Finally, we saw the white tiger and royal bengal tigers. After the safari, we saw many animals in their cage like monkeys, jackals, etc. We sat down for lunch and then played in the garden. Then we went to the butterfly park in which we saw cool butterflies, plants and more. After all this, we had come to an end of the trip. While returning in the bus, we played a word building game of what we saw on the trip. It was just awesome! Apart from learning many other things we mainly learnt to preserve the delicate balance of nature. Now I guess I am sure nature trips are not as boring as it sounds!

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Ekya JP Nagar attends Art Camp at CMR University

Exploring Art 


We had the amazing opportunity to attend an art camp at CMR University and interact with artists from different parts of India. Each artist had a unique style of art. We saw acrylic/oil paintings, oil pastel art, and artwork with charcoal. It was incredible how artists used the medium of canvas and paint to create original works of art. We learned about woodcut art, which was used to make more than one copy of a piece before machines were invented. We observed how artists use different tools and materials to produce their desired results. Usually, in art galleries, we see the finished product, but here we saw work in progress and the steps it takes to complete an art piece. Outside the art room, we also saw metal sculptures in the making. The fun part is, we dug our hands in paint and created our own artwork. The entire experience was fun and educative.

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