Hello dear readers,
We’re down to our final blog of January, 2024 which is honestly mind blowing to me because it still feels like yesterday that I was writing the Christmas blog! 😀This week features Vidushi who’ll bring to you some of the interesting updates on the Academic front!
Hello Avinya family! Another week has swiftly passed, filled with excitement, emotions, and memorable moments. Let’s dive into the highlights of this week at Avinya Academy.
Let’s Vlog It: A Journey Down Memory Lane
As we approach the end of this academic batch, we embarked on the final project titled “Let’s Vlog It.” This project encourages our students to create a video capturing their unique Avinya journey. It’s a reflective and emotional endeavor, as students work closely with their homeroom teachers to compile memories and experiences into a heartwarming vlog. The mixed emotions of joy and sorrow are obvious as they navigate through their personal memory lane, realizing that the time has come to bid ‘Goodbye’ to their newfound friends and the Avinya Family.
Special Guests: Jeff, Martha and Judy Weiss
This week, we were honored to host special guests, Jeff and Martha Weiss and Judy Weiss, friends of our esteemed educator Isuru, all the way from America. Their visit brought not only warmth but also generosity, as they donated a suitcase full of stationery, games, utensils and tools for gardening for our students. Additionally, these wonderful guests engaged with the students interested in home gardening. They also led an insightful session on composting and home gardening. Continuing the spirit of gardening, students who are passionate about home gardening joined forces with Ms. Roshani, and our guests for an enriching session. The exchange of knowledge on composting and sustainable gardening practices would create a green haven within our academy one day. We’re committed to fostering an environment where our students not only learn academically but also develop practical life skills.
Inter House Competitions: Balloon Popping Extravaganza
Laughter echoed through the academy premises as students actively participated in the “Popping the Balloons” inter-house competition. The event was a hilarious spectacle, with students showcasing their skills in running and bursting balloons, some proving to be experts while others met with delightful struggles. Such spirited competitions add a touch of fun to our academic journey, creating lasting memories for everyone involved.
As we wrap up this week, we can’t help but marvel at the vibrant community we’ve built at Avinya Academy. The blend of academics, extracurricular activities, and heartwarming moments has made this week truly special. Let’s carry these memories into the upcoming weeks and cherish the bonds we’ve formed. Until next time, stay inspired and continue to shine, Avinya family!
– Vidushi
Thank you Vidushi for that wonderfully broken down update of the week! In other news, we also started off the week with an adventure to the Dialog Data Center in Malabe and though I’m not much of a tech head, it was nothing short of fascinating. I tagged along with our Educator Geeth and our IT students who just wrapped up their Telecommunication Technician course with Dialog. This trip was the practical component of their learning journey, giving them a firsthand experience of what they’ve studied so far.
The day kicked off with a PowerPoint presentation that laid out what the Dialog Data Center is all about. After making sure we knew what’s what, we jumped into the real deal – exploring the place. We wandered through the bustling server rooms, which felt like stepping into the future and even climbed up to check out the massive satellite dishes (Yes, I had to make a concentrated effort not to slip). The coolest part for me was witnessing how ads are slipped into TV programs in just three-second gaps. It’s so much more of an intricate process than we think. It’s eye-opening to realize the amount of work that goes into us being able to stream a Tiktok video or watch TV from the comfort of our couch.
A huge thanks to Yasani and Maheeka for being phenomenal tour guides and to Kasun for breaking down the complex stuff into fun facts. The whole Dialog team was super welcoming and made sure our visit was not just educational but also fun. The IT students were totally into it – you could tell by the questions they snuck in when we weren’t looking 😀
Speaking of our IT students, they’re gearing up for their big closing ceremony with tangible excitement in the air. They’re also putting the final touches on their projects. I got to check out their Interview and Enrollment system today and given how we’ve been operating on our self made spreadsheets for a while, I really geeked out over the sleek interface that greeted me today. There’s still a little more work that needs to go into the backend development of the program but it was a very proud moment to see how much they’ve learned and grown in this very short time!
Student Recruitment is still on its way though we are considering some changes for our new batch as it descends upon us. However, some more conversations are in order before we make any steadfast decisions but we’ll bring news about this to you soon, so keep an eye out!
To wrap it up, this week has been a mix of hands-on learning, celebrating student achievements and brainstorming for the future. Here’s to hoping for an equally exciting, upcoming week! Until then!
– Sinalie
