Students here walk with both their hands held behind their back as part of discipline on campus. But when talking to a teacher or a visitor, the two arms quickly fold across their chest in a gesture of respect.

Ethics and discipline are the cornerstone of the Chukkapalli High School tucked in Adavinekkalam village in Agiripalli mandal of Krishna district.

A three-acre sprawl of safe, supporting and disciplined school environment awaits young learners with rare warmth.

Run by the Chukkapalli Charitable Trust floated by Chairman of the Kusalava Group of Companies Chukkapalli Kusalava, the school runs in a part of a 16-acre land covered with mango orchards. Even the main school building has mango trees which bear fruits but the children don’t touch them unless they are asked to.

Majority of the students come from the 25-odd gudems (tribal hamlets) in the area dotted with villages where families eke out a living either as agriculture coolies or by vending milk. A few children are from the Lambada thanda deprived of the basic amenities of life. Six school buses ply from Nunna to Eedara to transport children to the school that gives them a rare pleasure of wide open space.

A gazebo right in front of the main gate gives the place an inviting look. With just one government school in this region with inadequate facilities, residents of the local gudems pleaded with Mr. Kusalava in 2002 for a school that could take care of their children’s education.

The latter obliged and up came the school building in three acres. “We don’t allow more than 30-35 in one class. Our motive is not profit. We know that the villages lack opportunities, information and guidance; this is our effort to show them the way,” says Sudha Chukkapalli, Secretary and Correspondent of the school.

Mandal toppers

Despite resource crunch at homes, students have been showing academic excellence, passing out with flying colours. This is the fourth consecutive year that the school students bagged Pratibha Awards recently presented by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for emerging toppers in the mandal.

“Two of our girls have secured seats in IIIT Nuzvid and one in IIT, Dharwad,” informs Ms. Chukkapalli as we enter the activity room which has all things yellow.

Students, all dressed in yellow, keenly observe their teachers make lemonade. There are fruits, vegetables and a few other eatables in yellow colour placed on the teacher’s table.

“Education when imparted in fun way has greater impact,” says Prabhakar Sarma, Principal of the school. “Many students come from broken families where one of their parents have committed suicide. We want this place to inculcate in them a sense of strength that can help them overcome physical, mental and emotional hardships,” says Ms. Chukkapalli.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / S. Sujatha Varma / Vijayawada – Novembere 11th, 2017