Shaping Young Minds! Atal Tinkering Lab Launched at Mount Carmel Central School
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious! And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”- One of the Motto of Mount Carmel Central School-Mary Hill, Mangaluru
Mangaluru: With a vision to ‘Cultivate one Million children in India as Neoteric Innovators’, Atal Innovation Mission {AIM} has established Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools across India, and Mount Carmel Central School, Mary Hill-Mangaluru is the lucky one to get this facility. The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc.
ATL is a workspace where young minds can give shape to their ideas through hands-on do-it-yourself mode, and learn innovation skills. Young children will get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand the concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). ATL would contain educational and learning ‘do it yourself’ kits and equipment on – science, electronics, robotics, open source micro-controller boards, sensors and 3D printers and computers. Other desirable facilities include meeting rooms and video conferencing facility.
Scientific advances and technological change are important drivers of recent economic performance. ATL is an initiative by the Government of India to create an environment of scientific temperament, innovation, creativity amongst Indian Students. It is a step towards a new India. Since the last few decades, our education system has seen a paradigm shift. Today, with this approach of inculcating Hands on Methodology in the current education scenario, MCCS resolved the need of the hour. In order to foster inventiveness among students, ATL can conduct different activities ranging from regional and national level competitions, exhibitions, workshops on problem-solving, designing and fabrication of products, lecture series etc. at periodic intervals. It is learnt that regarding Financial Support, AIM will provide grant-in-aid that includes a one-time establishment cost of Rs.10 lakh and operational expenses of Rs.10 lakh for a maximum period of 5 years to each ATL.
The launching of the Atal Tinkering Lab established under the aegis of Niti Ayog, Govt. of India at Mount Carmel Central School {MCCS} was held on Saturday, August 11, 2018, at 9:30 am in the Mother Veronica auditorium. The programme began with a prayer song, followed by a welcome dance. In Her welcome address, Sr Melissa AC-the Principal of MCCS said, “What happens in schools today is likely to determine what will happen in our society in the future. Most of our education is spent on teaching solutions to the problem of yesterday. It is time we change this and encourage our children to think and live with questions, how, why and what.”
“We, at Mount Carmel Central School are proud to be chosen to be a part of this innovative mission. Capt. Ganesh Karnik, the person who motivated us to apply for the ATL grant. Though at first, we did not pay much attention to it, but it was his constant encouragement, guidance and follow up that made our school also to be one among the 3000 schools of the entire country to be selected for the ATL’s, indeed a feather added to our achievements during the decennial year of the school. The ATAL Tinkering Lab in our school will create a pool of talent that is future-ready, by introducing and exposing young innovators of our school to essential world skills; to get them to think out of the box, and break boundaries—and make something unique in the process and for this very purpose we have all gathered here for the inaugural function of Atal Tinkering Lab” added Sr Melissa AC.
A tinkerer is one who enjoys experimenting and repairing machine parts. Tinkering also means trying new things out and to develop a let’s try something new approach- and to brief about the Atal Tinkering Lab, Craig D’souza of Class X gave an elaborate description, followed by the inauguration of the programme in a unique by lighting the Magnesium Spiral Ribbons by the dignitaries of the day namely-Sr. Carmel Rita A C, Provincial Superior of the Apostolic Carmel, Karnataka Province; Dr. Bharath Shetty, MLA, Mangaluru North Constituency, Capt. Ganesh Karnik, Ex-MLC, Karnataka Legislative Council; Dr. Molly Chaudhury, Training Head/Professor at Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management; Fr. Stervin Fernando, SCJ- a spiritual mentor for MCCS senior students; Sr. Maria Jyothi AC, the joint secretary of MCCS; Sr. Carissima AC-the administrator, Sr. Marie Lucy AC- the coordinator; and PTA Vice President Rayan Lobo.
Addressing the audience in her motivational speech Dr Molly Chaudhury said, “How many of you are curious to innovate something new? How many of you want to ask questions often? APG Abdul Kalam had once said, ‘One of the very important characteristics of a student is to question. Let the students ask questions’, therefore asking questions by students will work wonders and also gain knowledge. I remember my education days at St Agnes College, where we tried to experience new things in the lab, and it once so happened, when we heated Nitrogen Oxide in a beaker, and it burst. Thus we came to know that glass breaks when heated-you learn by experience. Many inventions are done by inventors through their creative thinking and innovations. This Atal Tinkering Lab will give you lots of opportunities to unleash your innovative talents and create something unique. Make the best use of it. Let me conclude with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam quote-“Dreams are not those which comes while we are sleeping, but dreams are those when you don’t sleep before fulfilling them.”
Capt Ganesh Karnik addressing the gathering said, ” I am happy that the dreams of MCCS have come true with the launch of this unique Lab. If you want to transform our country, we need to engage young minds/children. Child means Creativity, Curiosity, Innovation, Wonders, and many more. Parents and teachers need to make children ask more questions and clarify their doubts with your answers. Just having a Tinkering Lab is not enough, teachers need to interact within the students and develop/create something unique which could benefit the school/nation/world. Start asking questions and fulfill your curiosity. Only through regular questions and interactions, you can make this Lab more interesting and fun”
Dr Bharath Shetty said, “Happy to note that MCCS under my constituency had the privilege to get this Atal Tinkering Lab, and I will be ready to help them in case they need any help from my side. Schooling comes in the name of learning. Parents should not differentiate their children from other kids. Each child is different from other, in qualities, character, talents, potentiality, ideas etc. Always encourage your child and not criticize for their slight failures, because it may lead to dire consequences. Parents always have communication between your children, even if your busy work schedule prohibits. We politicians sometimes get blamed for corruption, but it’s not us who go for it, it’s the bureaucracy. I am sure that the energetic and smart students of MCCS will benefit a lot from this Lab, and I would like to see a budding scientist/innovator emerge from this school”.
In her presidential address, Sr Carmel Rita AC said, ” I am overwhelmed that out of the thousands of schools who applied to get this Lab, MCCS was the lucky one to receive it. God has really heard our prayers. This new Lab just marked the baby step that MCCS took towards a better future for students with a brimming interest in science and technology. Surely this Lab will be going to spur the spark of creativity and go beyond regular curriculum and textbook learning. At Apostolic Carmel institutions we always cater to the needs of the students, so that they can learn new things, create new things and come out in flying colours in their academics. I wish all those who engage in the creativity in this lab all success and may God bless you all”.
The formal function ended with a mesmerizing dance which enthralled the audience. The Vote of thanks was proposed by Sr Lidwin AC-the Vice Principal of MCCS, and the programme was compered by Miss Roshan Narayan of Class XII. The dignitaries then walked to the nearby building to inaugurate the Atal Tinkering Lab, and it was blessed by Fr Sterwin Fernando, with positivity, so that knowledge and innovation may shine through brightly among the MCCS students- the school choir joined singing “On this school your blessing Lord….”. And when the dignitaries and other guests walked into the lab, the pressure of their feet on the sensors made a light burn brightly, and as they viewed many other models prepared by the students, they all found the joy of creativity on their faces.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Sr Melissa AC-the Principal of Mount Carmel Central School said, “Our School is privileged to be one among the 1,500 schools selected across the country to establish this ATL which will encourage innovative thinking among our young students. The schools were selected from over 25,000 applications from all over the country. ATL would contain educational and learn “do it yourself” kits and equipment on – science, electronics, robotics, open source micro-controller boards, sensors, Internet of things (IoT), 3D printers etc. This is a workspace where young minds can give shape to their ideas through hands-on do-it-yourself mode and learn innovation skills. I am happy that our students will get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand what, how and why aspects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)”.
