By Cl. Ethan Fortes for BISMumbai

The community of Don Bosco Lonavla hosted the Class 10 students of Don Bosco International School, Matunga, for a two-day Value Education workshop on 9 and 10 July 2022. The whole programme was spaced out throughout the two days featuring sessions, activities and a short picnic.

The participants arrived at Lonavla where they were welcomed by Fr Blany Pinto, the Rector, and the staff of Don Bosco Lonavla. Br Alfred Menezes conducted the introductory session wherein the students prepared resolutions for themselves to keep up to during the workshop. Br Menezes also introduced them into what values are, and the need of being a truly human person in a world that seems to have lost all values. Fr Joyston Machado, along with the brothers, conducted a Value Shark Tank for the students wherein the students tried their best to defend a value against the opposition. Fr Velasli Bandya got the students to practically think of how they use values by way of various case studies.

In the evening, the students along with the staff embarked on a trek to Tungarli dam where they braved off the weather and had to encourage one another to give their best. Fr Pinto took a session on how teamwork and trust help us to move forward in life. The whole day concluded with a movie titled ‘Akeelah and the Bee’

The following day, Br Ethan Fortes conducted a session on media ethics, and how important it is for one to be a value influencer in today’s world. Fr Xavier Devdas concluded the whole program with a session on making a difference and being the change. Taking cue from Ryan Wells, he encouraged the students to make small changes in their life so as to bring about a bigger change later in the future.

The students really enjoyed themselves and wished the program would last a little longer. Tarun, one of the students, remarked that he was amazed with the creativity and the style in which the sessions were conducted.