Versha Accepted to LKG
I have some more excellent news that I have not yet disclosed. Sister Prasanna, head of the LKG (lower kindergarten) and UKG (upper kindergarten) programs at the Carmel Convent School, has given us the opportunity to add up to three three-year-old students to her new class starting this April.
I’d like to thank Susan Barnes of Halifax, Nova Scotia and mother of volunteer Heather Barnes for sponsoring Versha, one of our brightest three-year-old girls. Versha is the sister of Kashak, one of our students who will be entering our special first-standard class at the Carmel Convent School. In the photos below, you will recognize Kashak from yesterday’s shopping trip.
This morning, we escorted Versha, Kashak, and their mother to the Carmel Convent School to finalize Versha’s admission into LKG and pay her tuition and fees for the entire year. Like I have said before, approximately 600 children apply for only 150 seats here in Kindergarten! Although Versha and Kashak’s mother is illiterate, she understands that this is an extraordinary gift.
We debated for a second whether or not we should take Versha since we already took Kashak. However, Verhsa shows such enormous potential that she has little competition in her age group. We are extremely confident that Versha will excel at the Carmel Convent School. The fact that both sisters will be studying at the same school will also improve their performance and chances of graduating.
I recently learned that plans are in place to construct new buildings at the convent school to house programs for 11th and 12th standards. Assuming these buildings will be finished within the next few years, our students will have the opportunity to study all the way through 12th standard at the Carmel Convent School! Our students will have the ability to go straight from here to college!! What a starting point. If she stays in school, Versha will study and develop here for the next 14 years!
We filled out the necessary documents and provided a down payment for her tuition and fees. We will deposit the rest in the bank via an electronic fund transfer to eliminate transaction fees. Within minutes, Versha had applied, was admitted, and will soon be on her 14-year journey toward greatness.
Versha was captivated by the aquarium. They were probably the first live fish she has ever seen. It was the first of many things she will learn about the world here.
Versha’s bill came out to Rs 6,235 ($125) today, which pays for her admission fees and an entire year of tuition at the Carmel Convent School! The rest of Susan’s donation will be used to buy two uniforms ($20), books ($20), a backpack ($5), shoes ($5), tutoring (TBD), and other costs such as transportation, field trips, etc. I’ll break down these costs as we encounter them.
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day…
…Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Thank you Susan for providing teaching to Versha! Your generous donation will feed her for a lifetime.
