2026-09-24

St. Mary’s HSS Kidangoor hosted the inaugural ceremony and student orientation session for the "Wings of Awareness" (Bird Watching) project, an impactful environmental education initiative driven by the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) with backing from the Buimerc India Foundation. The event commenced with a peaceful prayer, followed by a warm welcome extended by Teacher Coordinator Ms. Mariya James. Headmaster Mr. Biju Simon delivered the presidential address, highlighting the value of experiential ecological learning, before Principal Ms. Shelly Joseph formally inaugurated the programme. Dr. Abraham Samuel, President of TIES, outlined the vision of the project, explaining how bird observation cultivates patience, focus, and a deeper respect for wildlife. An interactive session on avian species identification and ethical bird-watching guidelines was conducted by Mr. Sarath Babu, Nature Education Officer and Project Coordinator at TIES, while Ms. Arathi Sasidharan, Project Officer at TIES, introduced the CROW App to train participants on logging species observations digitally. The orientation concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by student representative Melbia Theresa Shibu. As part of a broader district-wide initiative reaching 20 schools, 1,000 students, and 60 teachers across Kottayam, the programme successfully empowered the students of St. Mary’s HSS Kidangoor to observe local biodiversity with a newfound sense of environmental stewardship.