It was a special day for gps when 9 students, accompanied by two teachers from St. Hilda’s Collegiate School, New Zealand visited gps on Wednesday, 9th December, 2015 as part of the World Challenge Program which creates a platform for students to develop life skills through real life experiences.

gps has always encouraged an enriching curriculum beyond classrooms and partnered with St. Hilda’s Collegiate School in student exchange programs in the previous years.

As hosts this time, the students of gps accorded a warm “Kerala style” welcome to the young guests and treated them to a visual extravaganza of various art forms at the school assembly. The youngsters from New Zealand were clearly mesmerized by the captivating “Thiruvathira Kalli”, entrancing “Kerala Nadanam” and boisterous “Pulli Kalli”, dance forms synonymous with Kerala. Ms. Indu Panicker, Principal extended a warm welcome to the students and the accompanying teachers, Ms. Judith Turner and Ms. Bee Bradfield as well as Mr. Rutherford from World Challenge. Ms. Judith Turner, who spoke on the occasion was undoubtedly touched by the hearty and enthusiastic welcome accorded to the team.

Energized by the rousing reception and entertaining school assembly, the students of St. Hilda’s spent the rest of the day at gps attending social studies, history and economics classes alongside our students, thereby making geographically borderless classrooms.

The young ladies from New Zealand also tried their hand cooking Kerala delicacies such as “Pulli Injji” and also had a wonderful time painting in the Art Room! Shaking their legs to Indian music along with the dance teacher at gps was definitely another memorable moment for the young visitors.

But as they say, “All good things must come to an end”, and so ended the visit of the team from St. Hilda’s who took back with them fond memories and admirable revelations about gps and the beautiful state of Kerala.

gps has always believed and encouraged travelling as an opportunity for students to develop resilience and become educated global citizens.