New Exercise Protocol for SMD
Morning assembly at SMD now includes some drills, calisthenics, and a 'march past' in addition to prayers and presentations. The students have been learning the sequence of exercises from the music teacher who has also created a new tune for the band to keep everyone in sync.
Short clip on students exercising
Source: HCF Youtube page
The Artist and Mural Process
The entrance to SMD has been reimagined with a beautiful mural and seating area for visitors. At the request of the principal, four SMD grads who are currently earning Fine Arts Degrees, painted the wall portraying the story of SMD. Children from the seven Himalayan regions of Nepal are shown in their traditional dress and set among the mountains, stupas, and other cultural icons throughout the length of the wall. The final section shows happy kids in SMD uniforms or monastic robes near a depiction of the school.
At the end of the wall is a new seating area for parents and visitors which hosts Nepal's map, pointing out the cultural regions SMD students call home, and a picture of Thrangu Rinpoche, under which his three aims for the school are written in Tibetan~ 1) To provide a quality, modern education for children from the Himalayan region, 2) To preserve the culture and language of the Himalayas while fostering good habits, and 3) to nurture students with a comprehensive understanding of Buddhism, enabling them to lead meaningful lives.
(From left to right) Ashok Tamang, Sangye Lama, Nyima Dorje and Tamdin Tsering are all former SMD students who graduated Grade 10 in past years, have given service, and gone on to complete the plus two grades in the field of Fine Art. Nyima Dorje has recently earned his BFA and the others are in various stages of their BFA studies.
After doing days of research, brainstorming and sketching on paper and iPads, they decided on a cartoon style of drawing to relate to small children and when the design was approved, a blue background was chosen to allow the color of the clothing to stand out. Next, they had to draw the outlines on the wall, measure wall, and then in five days they painted the full mural with Asian Acrylic paint and a weather coat.
Of the experience, they said: "Although it was challenging to work on a large scale and sometimes weather interfered (they had to erect a makeshift tent), it was great to have the collaborative experience." The former students also expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to show their gratitude for SMD and would like to do it again in the future.
SMD Match
Thanks to the Shree Mangal Dvip (SMD) School matching grant, organized by Himalayan Children's Fund (HCF) - Thrangu Rinpoche's non-profit organization in the US - painting of the school has begun and new coats and sweaters for the students have arrived!
Following are some of the comments from students at SMD:
"I feel very blessed at the moment. Fortunately, it was before Christmas and it is like an early Christmas gift for me. The school jackets and the sweater are like a boon to me because this winter is very unbearable cold. I am very grateful." - Tsewang Rigzin, Class 8
"I felt great and lucky when I got the new school sweater and jackets because it is of great quality and it makes me feel warm and happy." - Sandesh Lama, Class 7
New Vehicle at SMD
Shree Mangal Dvip has been in need of a vehicle with enough seating to transport children when needed, good cargo, and small enough to drive through narrow streets on market runs. This brand new Suzuki Eeco van (provided by HCF donors in the US) meets the need and has made the SMD food manager very happy.
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