An interschool Nukkad natak was held on 6 October 2017 (Friday) in the school auditorium. Nukkad natak is basically a street play which attracts the attention of the masses towards the social issues; these plays are meant for the society. Usually Nukkad nataks (street plays) are performed by the common folk, socialist and well wishers of the society. Hillwoods school also took an effective initiative to organize such a Nukkad natak in order to spread social message amongst the students and make them aware about the current social issues. All the four houses came up with the new and sensitive topics like organ donation, child labor, women empowerment, and the adequate use of electronics, they showed the best of their efforts and indeed succeeded in spreading the message as Sanchi house displayed their topic very well and secured the first position which was followed by Ujjain house

On Friday, 27^th June 2017, Hillwoods School organised an inter-house Ted Talk competition for the classes Xth to XIIth. The word TED stands for technology, entertainment and design. The competition took place in the school auditorium. A great team effort was shown by Sanchi house in making this event successful. Children had to speak on any one of the two topics given, the first was �How a handful of tech companies control billions of minds every day� and the second one was,� What happens in your brain when you pay attention��. The time limit for each participant was from 5 to 8 minutes. The event was efficiently anchored by Vishruth Vijay and Vidushi Agarwal of Class X. All the participants spoke confidently. Nalanda house participant Muktha Nair and Takshashila house participant Vaibhav Vijay claimed the first position followed by Yugam Bharadwaj and Bhashit Bhatt of Sanchi house at second and third position respectively. Special appreciation was given to all the participants. The wonderful morning ended with the beautiful and encouraging words of our Vice Principal who declared the results, applauded the participants and at the same time urged the other students in the auditorium to participate in such events in future for the development of their personality.

Hillwoods School conducted the Activity of Collage work for grade II and Paper quilling on pots for grade III, IV and V students on Oct 26, 2017. Children of grade II made excellent collages by assembling different materials in one foundation. They used glue and different textured coloured papers for the activity. Similarly grade III, IV and V students did the activity of paper quilling on pots . They investigated patterns and learnt about the art of rolling papers. They loved rolling the small strips of paper into their imagined patterns and shapes. Students were enthralled doing the activities. They came out with wonderful collage work and quilled work on pots.

Fancy Dress Competition for classes I, II and III was held on 29^th, 30 ^th and 31 ^st August 2017 respectively. The themes for class I & II were "Health & Hygience" and "Superlatives of India". Children were dressed up as Doctor, Dettol, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, etc. They participated in large numbers with full enthusiasm. The themes for class III students were "Invention & Inventors" and "Save Earth". Children represented themselves as Mother Earth, Trees , Bulb, Jagadish Chandra Bose and others. The participants showcased their talent on the stage. They were confident and well-prepared for the competition. Audience encouraged the participants and gained knowledge from theor presentation. The zeal of the participants was worth watching. The message was clear that they are the leaders , orators in making and they are the future of India.

On June 28, 2017, some of the most deserving and scholastic students of Hillwoods School were awarded with medals of honour and excellence. RISHAB SHAH of class 4, SHIVAM PATEL of class 9 and STUTI LILANI of class 10 were awarded with certificates of excellence in NCO. SHIVAM PATEL was also awarded with a gift voucher of Rs 2,500/-. For NSO, RISHAB SHAH of class 4 and SHUBH MEHTA of class 9 were given excellence certificates. SHIVAM PATEL was awarded with the Zonal Silver medal along with his certificate and a cheque of Rs 2,500/-. SIDDHARTH MAURYA of class 8, SHIVAM PATEL and SHUBH MEHTA of class 9 were also awarded with certificates of excellence in IMO. ATHARVA KATRE of class 2 and MOKSHYA PATI of class 10 were awarded with Merit certificates for IEO. MOKSHYA PATI was also awarded with a gift voucher of Rs 1,000/-. VRAJ SHAH, of class 10 was given the Merit certificate on performing outstandingly well in ISKO and was also awarded with a gift voucher of Rs 1,000/-. SHIVAM PATEL of class 9 was awarded a trophy, a certificate of excellence, a cheque of Rs. 5000 in Academic Excellence Scholarship category making the school proud.

A workshop was organized on the Model United Nations- MUN at Hillwoods School, Gandhinagar. The workshop was conducted by the students and teachers of the Hillwoods Academy, Delhi. The Headmistress introduced the accompanying teacher representatives of Mrs. Dang and Ms. Leena Kesar ,the Vice Captain of the Hillwoods School Gandhinagar introduced the student representatives Chirag and Priyanka. Ms.Stuti Dixit graced the occasion with her charming presence. The student representatives from the Hillwoods Academy Delhi did a commendable job in conducting the entire workshop. The representatives helped the students familiarize themselves with rules, regulations and procedures of an MUN session. It was an extensive two- day programme and was planned to prepare the students for the HMUN. Day one that is that is 9th October,a power point presentation showing the glimpses of the past MUNs was shown followed with a power point presentation covering all the rules, the explanation of conduct of a MUN session. The 10th of October began with a follow up of the previous day. In order to give the students a distinct idea about the workings of the MUN, a mock HMUN session was organized. It provided a delightful opportunity for the students to express their views on different issues as delegates from various nations. The Committee: United Nations general Assembly-(SOCHUM) The agenda for discussion was Combating Discrimination Based on Gender and belief. Some of the highlights for discussion was: "Sex" refers to our biological and physiological traits; "gender" refers to the roles society assigns people based on their sex. Gender discrimination is when there is a bias based on a person's sex that leads to defining the roles he/she should play in society. In countries where women are imprisoned, tortured, or even put to death for asserting their rights, they are victims of their governments, societies, and cultures. In these countries, change is difficult to accomplish and often dangerous. In countries where extreme patriarchy exists, women are stripped of their rights and dignity. Although these male-driven societies revolve around gender stereotypes, many of these attitudes stem from religious beliefs, and thousand-year-old cultures, traditions, and rituals that even women have been slow to challenge -- understandably, out of fear for their own lives, but also out of respect for long-standing values. Not only were the students sensitive to issues faced by women, but they also recognized the problems faced by the LGBT communities in the time allotted to them for the moderated caucus. Sexual orientation and gender are integral aspects of our selves and should never lead to discrimination and abuse. To finally commit to resolutions, a fool- proof Working Paper was formulated. The Draft Resolution was passed. Ms.Oishiki Ghosh was named the Best Delegate of the session. There were four specislmeantions as well- Ms.AmishaNegi, Mr.Yugam Bhardwaj, Ms.Laksha and Mr.Yugal Bhardwaj. The workshop culminated with a vote of thanks offered by Ms.Oishiki Ghosh. We thank the staff and children of Hillwoods Academy for sharing their knowledge with us.

With a view to encourage , popularize and inculcate scientific temper amongst the children, Hillwoods School organizes Science and Maths Exhibition every year where children showcase their talents in Science and Maths and their applications in different areas related with out everyday life. On August 12, Science and Maths Exhibition was held for primary and secondary classes of Hillwoods School. It provided a forum for children to pursue their thirst or creativity to make children feel that science is all around us and we gain knowledge to apply mathematics and information technology to visualise and solve problems pertaining to everyday life, etc. More than 120 students particiapted and presented exhibit on various themes such as health , industry, communication, environment and mathematical solutions in everyday life. The exhibits were evaluated by a planet of distinguished judges from the field of science and maths. A number of exhibits were declared the winners of the exhibition competition.A certificate of merit was also awarded to each student of the winning team.

The Independence Day Celebration of Hillwoods School, Gandhinagar was held on August 15, 2017. Honourable Chief Guest, Mr. R. K. Mishra graced the flag hoisting ceremony which was attended by students , their parents and the hillwoods staff members. Thereafter the celebration started in auditorium with a vibrant and colorful cultural programme. It began with a 'Welcome Dance' which was followed by a heart-touching Patriotic Song - "Jahan dal dal pe sone ki chidiya" by the Choir group. Then the most awaited part of the day, "The Interhouse Dance Competition" was presented by the four houses with the theme of Independence and Freedom Fighters. Nalanda House student presented dance on a Telugu Song 'Mann - Desham', followed by Ujjain house dancing to the tunes of 'Ekla Chalo Re' - a Bangle song, followed by Takshashila House presenting 'Lavani - folk dance' of Maharashtra and then Sanchi House presented the dance from the beautiful valley of Kashmir. Mr. R.K. Mishra then gave speech to motivate the children - our future and the teachers who are the architects of Modern India. With this the celebration ended very well and was successfull event indeed.

Following activities were conducted for the Nursery children in the month of June and July:

• Wet Chalk Activity: Chalk is a versatile drawing medium that can be used on paper and other surfaces.Wet chalk drawing activity was conducted on 21-04-2017. The children were given wet chalk of different colours and a picture of flower. The teacher told the children about different flowers and their colours. The children then filled colours in the picture. Using chalk as the colouring medium was a new experience for them. All the children filled the picture beautifully using different colours of wet chalk.
• Fruit Painting: The basic idea of fruit printing is to dip fruit into paint and stamp them on paper in random or ordered patterns. Children were asked to bring different fruits. The teacher showed the fruits one by one and asked them about the colour of the fruit, size and seeds of the fruits. The fruits were cut into desired shapes. The children dipped the fruit into different colours and took the imprint on paper. They made a beautiful butterfly using apple and orange. Children enthusiastically performed this activity. The teacher also explained the benefits of eating fruits.
• Yellow Day:Shades of yellow stimulate our little ones with happiness and energy. Yellow day was celebrated. Our tiny tots came dressed up in different hues and tints of yellow. Children were not only beautifully dressed in their favourite yellow clothes, but also brought yellow toys to make it a complete yellow day. The children were given a drawing with pictures of sun, banana, sunflower, lemon etc. The children filled yellow colours in this worksheet. The teacher explained them about all the things that are yellow in colour. Children were so happy to celebrate yellow colour.
• Thumb Painting:Primarily aiming at improvement of fine motor development strengthening finger and hand muscle Thumb printing activity was conducted on 7.7.17 (Friday). The students made Chicks with the help of thumb impression which they enjoyed thoroughly.Concept of colors,shapesand spatial relationship were further cemented through this activity.
• Vegetable Printing:Vegetable Printing Activitywas conducted on 14.07.17 (Friday).Children were given instruction to create flower using vegetable (ladies finger). They were provided different colors.They were excited as well as happy to do this activity. Children were also given information on the color of flowers by the teacher.

Interhouse JAM Competition was conducted for the classes III to V on July 06, 2017. It was a great learning experience for the hillwoodians. It provided a platform to the students to become confident and fluent speakers. Four students from each house participated in this competition. It had four rounds. Each round was full of excitement. The students were judged on the basis of activeness, confidence and time duration (1 min). Sanchi house got the first prize. Second prize was bagged by Nalanda house and Ujjain house got the third prize. Overall, the event was very exciting and entertaining for participants as well as audience.

It is truly said, �Words have incredible power. They can make people�s heart soar or they can make people�s heart sore. � These lines were proved true by the participants of the Interhouse Symposium. On Friday, 30th June 2017, Hillwoods School had its first ever inter-house symposium competition for the classes IX to XII. The theme of the symposium was �Environment�. The symposium took place in the school auditorium where the house on duty was Sanchi House.A great team effort was shown by Sanchi house in making this event successful. This competition was honoured by the presence of the Vice-Principal. The judges for the event were Ms. Ekta Ahmed, Ms. Sushma Jha and Ms. Usha Saini. The participants were divided in three categories: Category A for class IX, Category B for class X and Category C for Class XI or XII. Each category had been given a different topic, Category A had to speak on �Impact of Carcinogens�, Category B had to speak on�E-waste and its management� and the topic for Category C was �Nuclear Weapons�. All the participants spoke confidently. Nalanda house participants were declared as winners and participants of Ujjain house got the second position. Special appreciation was given to all the participants. The wonderful afternoon ended with the beautiful quote by Winston Churchill, �Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. In the end it is courage that counts."

Following activities were conducted for the Nursery children in the month of April-May:

• Wet Chalk Activity: Chalk is a versatile drawing medium that can be used on paper and other surfaces.Wet chalk drawing activity was conducted on 21-04-2017. The children were given wet chalk of different colours and a picture of flower. The teacher told the children about different flowers and their colours. The children then filled colours in the picture. Using chalk as the colouring medium was a new experience for them. All the children filled the picture beautifully using different colours of wet chalk.
• Fruit Painting: The basic idea of fruit printing is to dip fruit into paint and stamp them on paper in random or ordered patterns. Children were asked to bring different fruits. The teacher showed the fruits one by one and asked them about the colour of the fruit, size and seeds of the fruits. The fruits were cut into desired shapes. The children dipped the fruit into different colours and took the imprint on paper. They made a beautiful butterfly using apple and orange. Children enthusiastically performed this activity. The teacher also explained the benefits of eating fruits.
• Yellow Day:Shades of yellow stimulate our little ones with happiness and energy. Yellow day was celebrated. Our tiny tots came dressed up in different hues and tints of yellow. Children were not only beautifully dressed in their favourite yellow clothes, but also brought yellow toys to make it a complete yellow day. The children were given a drawing with pictures of sun, banana, sunflower, lemon etc. The children filled yellow colours in this worksheet. The teacher explained them about al the things that are yellow in colour. Children were so happy to celebrate yellow colour.

Following activities were conducted for the KG children in the month of April-May:

• Combo of Shapes and Colours: The first activity of the new session for KG kids was �Colouring the Shapes�. Teachers had given the clown made with different shapes and asked them to fill the colours as instructed. Children enjoyed this activity very much. They got a fair idea of different colours and could identify shapes.
• Sand Painting: Sand painting activity was conducted on 28.04.17 (Friday). It is a great activity for little ones who are just learning how to use glue. Sand art activity is perfect for honing for fine motor skills & boosting hand eye coordination in kids. Children were excited and they enthusiastically embossed their names in the sand.

An Interhouse Heritage Quiz Competition was held on May 04, 2017 in the school auditorium. Four students from each house were selected for the same. Vice Principal Madam and Head Mistress Madam graced the event by their presence. There were 3 rounds in this event. Round-I and II had 8 questions. Round-III was a visual round consisting of 12 Questions. Overall the event was successfull and Sanchi House bagged the First Prize, followed up by Nalanda and Ujjain house.

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