Category Archives: Education

Top Grads: Grand Haven High School announces top 10 in class of 2015

Education, Nri's / Pio's

Grand Haven High School has announced its top 10 graduates of the class of 2015. (MLive file photo)
Grand Haven High School has announced its top 10 graduates of the class of 2015. (MLive file photo)

Grand Haven, MI

Grand Haven High School has announced its top 10 scholars in the class of 2015.

Varun Biddanda finished at the top of the class and Adam Greer finished second. Here are the top 10 graduates listed according to class rank:

Varun Biddanda
Varun Biddanda

Varun D. Biddanda, son of Dr. Bopi and Kavitha Biddanda. He was an all-conference varsity tennis player, concertmaster for the chamber orchestra, a member of Science Olympiad, winner of the Norbert Muller Concerts Competition and recipient of the Harvard Book Prize Award. He plans to study biology in college.

Adam Greer
Adam Greer

Adam J. Greer, son of Jay and Patti Greer. He was a member of the National Honor Society leadership team and the Youth Advisory Council; an all-district, all conference honorable mention varsity soccer player; president of the Catalina Club; an AP Scholar; October Rotary student; and distinguished academic leader; and participated in chamber orchestra, GOTAK, Science Olympiad, swing dance club, Interact Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He plans to study biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan.

Lauren R. Richardson, daughter of Tom and Jordan Richardson. She participated in color guard, winter guard, National Honor Society, chamber orchestra, dance and the ultimate Frisbee club; was a Rotary student of the month; and earned an AP Scholar Award. She plans to pursue a business-related degree.

Stephanie R. Shantz, daughter of Bob and Cindy Shantz. She was captain of the varsity swimming and varsity water polo teams, an officer in the Catalina Club, a member of the National Honor Society, an academic-all-state athlete and a Rotary Student of the month and won numerous scholar-athlete awards and the Outstanding Junior award from Michigan State University. She plans to attend the University of Michigan, California-Berkley or Stanford University to study industrial and operations engineering.

Elinor J. Scholtz, daughter of John and April Scholtz. She participated in Science Olympiad, geology club and National Honor Society; was co-chair of the Youth Advisory Council for the Grand Haven Community Foundation; was senior drum major for the marching band; and was first chair flute in wind ensemble and pit orchestra. She plans to attend Vanderbilt University to study communication of science and technology.

Justin L. Merriman, son of Brian and Maria Merriman. He participated in National Honor Society, varsity cross country and the Celtic music group GOTAK; was viola section leader of the chamber orchestra; was president of the Buccaneer Original Swing Society; and was Rotary student of the month. He plans to pursue a degree in computer science.

David C. Kooistra, son of Bill and Shelley Kooistra. He participated in National Honor Society and student senate; was first chair bass in chamber orchestra, for which he received superior ratings at the state level; was captain of the Catalina Club; and was captain and goalie of the water polo team, receiving all-conference, all-regional and all-state honorable mention awards. He plans to attend the University of Michigan’s school of kinesiology to study movement science.

Brent M. Petersen, son of Paul and Stacey Petersen. He participated in National Honor Society and track and was captain of the cross country and varsity hockey teams, earning academic all-state honors in both. He plans to attend Cedarville University to study mechanical engineering.

Erin L. Crandle, daughter of Marci and Dave Hammond. She was Rotary student of the month, had multiple pieces of art in the Grand Haven High School art show, received several scholarships and was a finalist in Michigan State University’s ANRDS Scholarship competition. She plans to attend MSU to study food science.

Schaefer E. Thelen, son of Rex and Gwen Thelen. He participated in National Honor Society and track and field, was captain of the varsity football and basketball teams, was sports editor for the Bucs Blade, finished fourth in the state VFW Voice of Democracy contest, was a four-time Michigan Interscholastic Press Association first-place winner, and was a Centralis Honors Scholarship winner. He plans to attend the University of Michigan to study business.

Lynn Moore covers education for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at lmoore8@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

source: http://www.mlive.com / MLive Muskegon Chronicle / by Lynn Moore / Grand Haven, Michigan – June 09th, 2015

CorpBank opens training institute in Kodagu

Business & Economy, Education

The Corporation Bank recently opened its Self Employment Training Institute (COBSETI) in Kudige village of Kodagu district.

The institute provides skill-based training and two-year post-training support to unemployed youth.

Bank Chairman and Managing Director S.R. Bansal inaugurated the institute in the presence of MLAs K.G. Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan.

The institute has come up on 0.85 acres provided by the State government. The bank has invested Rs. 2.22 crore on the building and other infrastructure.

The youth will also be provided free boarding and lodging facilities during the training period.

The trainees are provided with post training “hand-holding” support for a period of two years, so as to provide requisite guidance and facilitation towards enabling them to settle independently. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Bansal remembered that Corporation Bank was the first scheduled bank to commence commercial banking operations in Kodagu district.

The bank would further expand its presence in the district, which is rich in natural resources, he said.

The institute aims not only to help resolve unemployment, but also pull down the migration of youth to urban areas in search of livelihood, Mr. Bansal said.

The institute will offer soft skills training to the youth to take up self-employment or set up their own business unit.

The two legislators urged the local youth to make the best use of the institute and lauded the bank’s service in the district.

The bank has invested Rs. 2.22 cr. in infrastructure

source: htttp://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Cities> Mangaluru / by Special Correspondent / Mangaluru – May 25th, 2015

Biometrics to check proxy attendance

Business & Economy, Education

Mangaluru :

Goodbye, proxy attendance. Mangalore University will soon introduce biometric attendance system with facial recognition for students and teaching and non-teaching staff in four of its campuses.

This follows a directive from the Karnataka government. Postgraduate campuses at Mangalagangothri and Chikkaluvara, and two constituent colleges in Mangaluru and Kodagu will start the new system for teaching and non-teaching staff in the next two months. Students will be included from the next academic year.

Some 32 of 37 Government First-Grade Colleges in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts have already installed the biometric system. Chairing the fourth general meeting of the university’s academic council here on Tuesday, vice-chancellor K Byrappa said the government has taken this step to combat the unhealthy practice of colleges condoning attendance shortage by asking students to pay hefty fees.

From now on, colleges must ensure students have a minimum 75% attendance and have no powers to condone shortage, Byrappa said. BA Patil, joint director of collegiate education, said the new attendance system has been installed in his office too. Efforts were on to supply such systems for the remaining five colleges.

“We’ve ordered the system for the Government First-Grade College at Vittal and one system installed in Virajpet is under repair,” Patil said. The university will install these systems from its funds, Byrappa said, adding the constituent and private colleges will have to do so out of their funds.

Incidentally, private universities already have this system for their staff and students to ensure authentic record of attendance of all stakeholders and to avoid students’ complaints that the records were tampered with.

Following a directive from state government, Mangalore University will soon introduce biometric attendance system with facial recognition for students and teaching and non-teaching staff in four of its campuses

Postgraduate campuses at Mangalagangothri and Chikkaluvara, and two constituent colleges in Mangaluru and Kodagu will start the new system in the next two months. Students will be included from the next academic year .

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangaluru / TNN / March 25th, 2015

Tribute : Mundachadira Gangu Deviah, Founder-Director of Deviah Memorial Preparatory School

Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Mundachadira Gangu Deviah, Founder-Director of Deviah Memorial Preparatory School, Bittangala, Kodagu, passed away at the age of 80 on Feb.4, 2015. Here is a tribute to the great soul who started the boarding school at a time when there were no residential schools in Kodagu. Now read on…

Mrs. M.G. Deviah, the founder of Deviah Memorial Preparatory School in Bittangala, Kodagu, worked tirelessly for 35 years to make the school what it is today.

In 1981, at a time when there were no residential schools in Coorg, she made a bold and unprecedented decision to start a preparatory boarding school in memory of her husband. Children from the age of 4 were nurtured and prepared till the age of 11 to enter any school in India.

She was the pioneer of boarding school education for young children in Coorg, an inspiration to people who went on to start boarding schools. This was her service to Coorg.

Hundreds of children have passed through the portals of her school. She instilled in them values and ideals, courtesy, etiquette and respect. The children from her school have gone on to become chefs, special educators, lawyers, doctors, designers, engineers, professors, horticulturists, home-makers and planters. They all share a special bond with the school. Mrs. Deviah’s efforts were rewarded with the love and success of the children.

The school is committed to upholding her values and providing children with quality care and a good foundation at a highly affordable price.

We at Deviah Memorial Preparatory School deeply mourn her loss.

[Courtesy: Coffeeland News]
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / The Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / March 22nd, 2015

Who’s a Linguistic Minority, Asks HC

Education

Bengaluru :

The High Court on Thursday asked the Karnataka government to spell out how it grants a community linguistic minority status.

Justice B V Nagarathna observed that many schools were clamouring for minority status to escape the stipulations of the Right to Education Act.

Hearing petitions seeking linguistic and religious minority status, the court said although the National Commission for Minority Education Act of 2004 was clear about which groups constitute minorities, no guidelines were in place to define educational institutions claiming concessions.

The judge asked the managements of two schools not to fill the mandatory 25 per cent seats under the RTE free quota until the issue was resolved by the court, and directed the government to not take any ‘precipitative action’ against them.

Coorg Public School, run by the Kodagu Academy for Education and Culture in Kodagu district, had approached the court seeking linguistic minority status. Citizen School in Hosakote had claimed it was a school run by a religious minority.

Advocate General Ravivarma Kumar said a group constituting more than 15 per cent of the total population — but constituting the majority — was treated as a linguistic minority. The government would look at the 2011 census to brief the court, he said. The next hearing is on March 12. G R Mohan, advocate for one of the petitioners, said the schools were in a quandary as applications for religious minority status had not been processed by the Department of Public Instruction.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / March 06th, 2015

Amend Constitution to protect regional languages: Manu Baligar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All

The Supreme Court’s verdict that the State can’t impose medium of instruction has had an impact on regional languages.

The only alternative before the State government is to exert pressure on the Centre and bring in an amendment to the Constitution, said writer and Kannada and Culture department retired commissioner Manu Baligar.

Speaking after inaugurating Somwarpet taluk Kannada literary meet here on Sunday, he said that elected representatives and officials should bring in an amendment to the Constitution to protect regional languages.

“We need to empower Kannada language. The Kannada software needs to be further developed. The State government should implement the recommendations of the committee headed by Chidananda Gowda. Kannadigas are not only those who speak Kannada as their mother tongue but also those who have respect for Kannada land, water and language,” he said.

In his presidential address, Bacharaniyanda P Appanna said the State government should initiate measures to provide 50 per cent reservation in government jobs for all those who have studied in Kannada medium up to 10th standard.

“Today, we have Kannada medium schools in villages with all basic facilities. However, the schools have failed to attract students. People are obsessed with English language. This fascination has reached such limits that Kannada medium schools are closing down. Kannada Sahitya Parishat should conduct various competitions to promote Kannada. Kannada books library should be opened in all gram panchayat offices,” he added.

He remembered the contributions of John Michael, William Reev, Herman Mogling, and Rev Kittel to the development of Kannada language.

Kannada schools were opened in Kodagu in 1837. The rich people in Kodagu were fascinated towards English. However, it was teachers and experts from Mangaluru and Mysuru who contributed to the growth of Kannada in Kodagu, he added.
DH News Service

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Nelyahudikeri (Somwarpet Taluk) / DHNS – March 01st, 2015

Gonimaroor school gets Parisara Mitra award

Education, Records, All

GonimarurKF02feb2015.jp

Gonimarur school has bagged the district level Parisara Mitra award given by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Kodagu district administration, Bharath Scouts and Guides and Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, for the year 2014-15.

One hundred eighty one schools, across the district, had applied for the award. 21 schools have been selected among them.

10 schools will be identified as yellow schools and will be awarded Rs one thousand cash prize, certificate and shield, 10 schools will be known as green schools and will get Rs two thousand cash prize and shield and Gonimaroor school will be recognised as Parisara Mitra school with Rs ten thousand cash prize, certificate and shield. The school which started in 1968, has 68 students from first to seventh standard.

Around 50 variety of flower bearing plants have been grown in the school garden. Each students has been given responsibility of a plant and the plant is named after the student, with a tag on it.

The students look after the plant and water the plant every day. The vegetables required for the mid-day meals are grown by the students themselves. There are more than 101 trees including mango, jack fruit, gooseberry and neem trees, all planted and grown by students. The dry leaves are collected by students to prepare organic manure. Also, there are medicinal plants. The toilets at the school are well maintained.

The natural wind are light are utilised at its best and also, the water management is efficiently done. Last year, the school had won the second place in the district level.

The school has also bagged district level awards twice in science modeling. The school has a library which is managed by students themselves.

The school development and management committee comprises 13 members as is presided by Siddalingappa. The committee has provided sports equipment to the students.

S P Mareena is working as the Headmistress of the school and there are four teachers including H R Sunitha and Nagaveni. School teacher H S Rajappa said that the Parisara Mitra award is the outcome of the contributions and hard work of students, teachers and the school development and management committee.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Somvarpet – DHNS, January 31st, 2015

Integrated development of Kodagu dist assured

Education

Virajpet to get Balamandira, Morarji Desai School

District in-charge and Home Minister K J George said, the government is committed for the integrated development of the district and an effort will be made to solve the burning issues in the district.

Speaking after unfurling the Republic Day celebrations, here, on Monday, he said, the District Administration has initiated measures to mitigate drinking water woes and develop Raja Seat. “Measures have been taken to construct Balamandira, Morarji Desai Residential School in Virajpet and Valmiki Bhavana. For the first time in the history of the country, the State government will conduct a socio-educational, economic survey, in the month of April. The people should furnish complete details for an objective assessment of their socio-economic status,” he said.

Students of Crescent School, St Michael Primary School, St Joseph High School, Little Flower School and Rajarjeshwari School presented cultural programmes on the occasion.
District-level Sarvothama Seva awards were conferred on Chandrakanth Nayak, Mallikarjunaiah, Ravikumar, Praveen Kumar, N M Jagadeesh, and Abdul Rab. The winners of essay writing and painting competitions Niharika, Reshma, Bhumika, Mansur were felicitated. NCC cadets Madikeri FMC College student Prathap Kumar and Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan Kodagu Vidyalaya student Pratheek Bopanna were also felicitated.

MLAs Appachu Ranjan and K G Bopaiah, former MLC M C Nanaiah and others were present.

Sainik School

Sainik School Kodagu, at Kudige, near Kushalnagar, celebrated the 66th Republic Day on Monday.

Principal Captain Ben H Berson was the reviewing officer and he was escorted by a horse cavalcade. In his address, he mentioned about the technological advancement of the country in different walks of life. A music programme was conducted by Franco for the staff and cadets.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS, Madikeri – January 27th, 2015

Madikeri: Girls Top District-level Debate Competition Held at Ponnampet

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All

Madikeri:

A district-level debate competition was conducted by Sri Sai Shankar School, Ponnampet for PU and degree students on the topic ‘Harassment of girls in educational institutions’.

The first prize was won by Pragathi of 2nd PUC, St Joseph’s PU College, Madikeri while the second prize was won by K C Thanvi Thangamma of 1st PUC, Vidyaniketan PU College, Gonikoppa, Kodagu.

Thanvi Thangamma is the daughter of Kallichanda Suresh Chengappa and Kavitha Kaveramma Kallichanda, residents of Balele in south Kodagu.

source: http://www.mangalorean.com / Mangalorean.com / Home / by Special Correspondent with inputs from Mohan Devaiah / August 21st, 2014

Teachers, students differ on move to install CCTVs in classes

Education

AMUCT against proposal, political student organisations in support

Teachers and students differ on Mangalore University’s move to install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in classrooms and laboratories in institutes owned by the university.

Vice-Chancellor K. Byrappa announced on Tuesday that the university will install CCTV cameras in classrooms, laboratories and at the university campus at Mangalagangotri, its post-graduate centre at Chikka Aluvara in Kodagu district and its two constituent colleges – University College in Mangalore and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College in Madikeri.

The Association of Mangalore University College Teachers (AMUCT) might have opposed the decision but the Association of Principals of Government First Grade Colleges under Mangalore University welcomed the move. Politically affiliated student organisations – Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP), Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) have also supported the university’s move.

Norbert Lobo, president, AMUCT told The Hindu that the bond between students and teachers was based on trust and hence there was no need to question it by installing CCTV cameras. He said the cameras could be installed on the campus, corridors and other common places. He said many colleges had installed the cameras on their campuses and police had instructed the colleges to do so as a security measure.

K. Radhakrishna, president, Association of Principals of Government First Grade Colleges under Mangalore University, said CCTV cameras in classrooms were required to monitor students as many government colleges were facing dearth of staff.

He said if some government colleges under the university, such as the ones in Vitla and Tenkanidiyoor, already installed the cameras both in classrooms and campuses some colleges were installing it.

Jayesh P K, city secretary, ABVP, Ashith Pereira, district president, NSUI, Nitin Kuttar, district president, SFI, said that the cameras in class rooms and campuses helped as a security measure in many a way.

Teachers and students said that many colleges have already banned the use of cell phones not only in class rooms and in campuses. Students would have to take permission of principals to bring cell phones.

Mr. Radhakrishna said that the government and the university sent circulars every year reminding colleges not to allow use of cell phones in colleges.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Education Plus> College / by RaviPrasad Kamila / Mangalore – August 28th, 2014