SXS News
2024
Drawing competition
High school students doing general science weekly test
Three year olds
Teachers day
Students receiving worm medicine
Elementary school students
Recess!
Donation Alert! The school desperately needs two major additions in 2024. Please donate!
Retaining wall: Because the buildings are set on a hillside, the land below is prone to shifting, causing cracks in the floors. A retaining wall is necessary to prevent further damage.
Playground: The open land below the school buildings is used for recreation, but it needs to be graded and set up with playground equipment.
2023
New Roof Added to Prevent Classroom Building Damage
Due to heavy rains during the monsoon season, the roof of the classroom building began leaking, damaging the rooms below. When the rains stopped, construction began on a new roof.
Students Practice Tae Kwan Do for Independence Day Event
Students practice art and drawing in Kolkata
Students win traditional dance competition in Geyzing West District
Students win arm wrestling championship in Geyzing West District
2022
Miss Chandra Yonzon and several students represented Sikkim State at the Shri Bhumi Sporting Club Christmas and New Year Festival, in Kolkata, attended by several Members of Parliament. Students performed traditional dances and Miss Chandra, introduced as Sikkim’s best social worker, spoke about Sikkim’s Only Organic campaign. They were in Kolkata for four days!
The Noble Award is given by the International Human Rights Council, in the name of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, father of the Indian constitution. Miss Chandra was nominated by the Noble Award organization in Mumbai as “the best social worker from Sikkim state board.”
The heavy rain during the 2022 monsoon season caused landslides behind the school, damaging the school land and buildings. Parts of the school wall were broken, and some parts of the building floors were cracked.
Miss Chandra reported, “l was not able to sleep the whole night. All the children and staff were with me. Because of landslides, we did not get any help from anyone because everyone was trying to save their own lives. So, from the next day, we gathered in the same room and did not sleep the whole night. Only small children were sleeping in our laps. We were deeply praying to God to save everyone’s life as well as to protect damage of our school building and surroundings. Also, because there was not enough food items in the market, we were not able to keep food stocks due to low finances.”
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2021
During the pandemic in Sikkim, the school faced many difficulties. Food items at the shops were scarce and everything was more expensive. Most shops, offices and schools were closed during the lockdown. During the summer rainy season and mid-summer, the roads were blocked. Students stayed inside their rooms. Again, the Rotary Club of New Orleans sent a donation to ease the crisis.
In September, due to heavy rainfall, some parts of the school wall broke and started to crack some classroom walls. Miss Chandra reported, “We didn’t sleep the whole night for more than 15 days. I was worrying about to protect the wall and save the children’s lives. Finally God listened to my prayers and I got emergency help to protect the walls.”
Also they faced the problem of cooking fuel and did not have enough money to pay refill the cylinders. They had to use firewood in the kitchen, but then finally all the cooking wood also finished. “We cooked a single vegetable soup to save firewood, and sometime we cooked just porridge.” Again, a transfer of money helped pay the outstanding bills.
The positive aspect of the pandemic is that the children spent time improving their handwriting, painting, storytelling and meditation. They spend 90 minutes in the morning and evening praying for the peace of world and to remove all bad obstacles.
Many thanks to Dr. Donna Goldstein and her friends in Florida, USA, who bought hand-made silk scarves made in India. The sale of the scarves went to the school for improvements that began this year.
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2020
Because of Sikkim’s mountain location with only one road access, the availability and price of food has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rotary Club of New Orleans once again responded to the school’s need and sent an emergency donation of money. Miss Chandra was able to buy necessary food and pay back local merchants who extended credit during this time.
Thank You Rotary!!!
Dr. Ron Klein with Ms. Chandra
At his annual visit to the school, Miss Chandra presented Director Ron Klein with a Plaque of Appreciation for his 20 years of support. The plaque reads, “For your unwavering support and unrelenting guidance that helped in leading our path to success. You are being honoured with much appreciation and gratitude. God bless you always.”
One of the ongoing financial needs through the years has been the purchase of the land that the school buildings are on. For all these years, we have been able to rent the land, slowly buying it parcel by parcel. In all, there are eight separate pieces of adjacent land that the school uses. Finally, the last payment was paid to the owner of the last piece of land. We can now complete the brick wall to enclose the campus and put up an entrance gate.
2019
Three members of the Rotary Club #12 of New Orleans visited the school in November. They brought some computer hardware and left money behind for purchase of necessary items. The money was used to buy medicine, 20 winter jackets, 50 blankets and bedsheets, 64 pairs of black school shoes, 45 pairs of white dress shoes, 63 wool hats, 6 space heaters and a new iPhone for Miss Chandra. Thanks again, Rotary!!
Earth Day signs
Every year, teachers made a special point to teach the importance of taking care of our planet. Students made posters and marched in an Earth Day celebration.
2018
Thanks to contributions from friends around the world (Australia, Philippines, Israel, Singapore, Japan, America), new desks and benches were bought for classrooms. Since moving to their new location in Tikjuk, students have been using old, broken wooden benches and desks. The new ones will last much longer.
Old wooden desks and benches
New desks and benches
Dr. Donna Goldstein of Hollywood, FL, has sold hand-embroidered, hand-painted and batik silk shawls and donated the money to SXS. SXS friend, Moumita Datta in Kolkata, requests a women’s cooperative to make the scarves to order. With different styles of stitching and bright colors, these scarves raised several hundred dollars for the school.
Dr. Donna Goldstein and shawls
Moumita Datta and patch shawl
Hand-painted shawl
In 2018, funds raised in Japan were used to buy solar panels for the washrooms. Now the children can have hot water for bathing. The staff can also use the hot water for washing clothes. A separate solar water heater was set up above the kitchen to provide hot water for washing dishes. Special thanks to Sumiko Kanetsuna for her monthly contributions that bought the heaters.
Miss Chandra wrote, “The solar water heater worked and helped in best way for the children to take bath. It was a wonderful help to all children during their bathing time. Still, it is in more useful because of winter season. it’s really a great help to our school. All the children are always thankful and grateful to you.”
Installing solar heaters for water tanks
Washing with hot water
Students from SXS won a cash prize at a statewide dance contest, held on the Geyzing festival grounds. Students come from the four ethnic groups in Sikkim and learn dances from all the regions. Dedicated teachers teach the students, who practiced almost daily leading up to the competition. 45 students participated in the dance about the history and tradition of the Tamang culture. Congratulations to the students and teachers!
Dance team
Dancers at statewide competition
2017
When volunteer David Krail visited the school, he saw the need for a dynamic video to show the children to the world. He asked a friend in Switzerland to make a video which is now posted on YouTube under Saint Xavier’s English School.
Besides singing and playing with the children and helping in the classrooms, volunteers have painted the walls of the Classroom Building with colorful pictures and inspirational quotations. This is a lasting contribution these young people have left behind for the children.
“Today a reader; tomorrow a leader”
“Learning is Life”
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”
In July, the first wave of volunteers came to SXS led by David and Alice from Switzerland. They stayed for several weeks and made a video about the school. They also set up a donation site and raised $2500 in seven days from 27 people! The money was used to build a fence for the school grounds and stairs and to buy notebooks and clothes.
Ryan and Mischa came in November and raised $1650 from 47 people. Then they went to Siliguri to buy plastic chairs, library floor carpets, winter jackets, shoes, socks, and school supplies.
George came in December and also raised money from his friends. He plans to send money to the school which will be used to build a fence around the vegetable garden.
Knud Bertelson (rear) and students
Two years ago, thanks to the efforts of District Governor Randy Feldman, the Rotary Club #12 of New Orleans donated money to set up the Computer Room. Randy came to visit the school in 2015 to see how the computers were being used.
This year, his colleague, Knud Berthelsen, visited the school to follow up on the Rotary Club’s interest. He brought a notepad, camera and tablet. He hopes that Rotary will support the school’s expansion.
2016
New brick wall
After a series of thefts and unwanted intruders on the school grounds, Miss Chandra asked that we build a brick wall to protect the children and buildings. The new wall is two meters high and should keep the children safe.
2015
Thanks to past-district governor, Randy Feldman, the Rotary Club #12 of New Orleans bought the school four computers, a printer and projector. A computer room was set up and a teacher was hired to teach computer skills. A list of computer literate students hangs on the wall.
Students using computers in Computer Room
Rotary Club #12 of New Orleans
List of students who have passed computer literacy course