“Grandparents are the footsteps to the future generations”
-Author unknown
Grandparents are our greatest storytellers, the keepers of traditions. They are our best friends, our guides, and our confidants. Grandparents’ Day was celebrated on 31st August & 01st September, 2023, by the Pre-Primary section at Vidya Vikas Academy.
Around one hundred and twenty grandparents attended the celebration which was a two-day event. They were greeted and welcomed by our teachers with smiles and loud applause while they marched in on the beats of the song ‘Oh when the Saints go marching in’. The celebration began with a prayer service to invoke the presence of God and to thank him for the gift of grandparents in our lives.
The students welcomed them with a song and conveyed their emotions through the lyrics. Their performance was highly appreciated. The song was followed by the welcome speech through which the students expressed their love & gratitude for their grandparents. Our tiny tots then went and offered a rose and a card which they hand-painted with a lot of effort. The phenomenal dance performance on the famous Goan song ‘Maria Pitache’ revived the energy and spirit of everyone in the room. We spotted a few of our esteemed guests tapping their feet and moving to the beat. The students quoted the inevitable quotes from great personalities. There was an exchange of flying kisses across the room and most importantly everyone witnessed the grandchild-grandparent bond.
The highlight of the day was when we saw a grandma all teary-eyed when her 3-year-old granddaughter ran to her screaming, ‘I love you Grandma!’ and hugged her real tight. This sight filled us with awe. A grandmom voluntarily expressed the joy of being a grandmother and what a beautiful feeling it is to be loved by the little ones. She congratulated the school and its management for hosting such events and appealed to all to live up to the spirit and treat the elderly as the most excellent resource of our lives.
To balance the tones set by the events thus far, we invited the grandparents on stage and encouraged them to sing their favorite song or share a memory with their grandkids. Grandparents participated with great zeal. Enthusiastic grandparent-grandchild combinations made this event even more special when we asked our students to ensure their grandparents participated in the open dance session on the tunes of the Birdie dance.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by the respective class teacher and serving of delicious refreshments. Our cameras captured the brightest smiles and profound emotions that cannot be explained in words. Our respected Principal and Vice Principals were seen personally greeting and addressing each grandparent present.
It was indeed a successful celebration and the memory of it will be carved on the hearts of our grandchildren & grandparents for a lifetime; and like always, we at Vidya Vikas Academy will work to make a difference and touch lives.
Coordinator – Tr. Vanessa Gonsalves and Tr. Fernanda Rodrigues.
