Unified Day at Apeejay School, Saket: Celebrating inclusion and friendship

Apeejay School, Saket was buzzing with excitement as students from classes 9, 10, and 11 joined hands with special needs students from Balvantray Mehta Vidya Bhawan to celebrate “Unified Day.” Conceptualised by the school’s Principal, Dr. Sujeet Eric Masih, this unique event was all about celebrating inclusion and breaking down barriers through fun, games, and heartfelt connections.

The event was a collaborative effort with Special Olympics Bharat, creating a space where students from both schools could come together as equals, appreciating each other’s strengths and learning along the way.

A Warm Welcome to New Friends

The day kicked off with a warm welcome to the Balvantray Mehta Vidya Bhawan students, who were accompanied by their teacher, Mr. Vijay. Alongside, Khushi and Yashika, Assistant Managers at Special Olympics Bharat, also joined with enthusiastic Youth Council volunteers—Mansha, Ishita, Kashish, Aditi, Shivani, Aarohi, and Pragya. These young leaders helped bring energy to the day and facilitated connections among all participants.

Throughout the event, Mrs. Neena Kaushik, PGT Economics, and Ms. Nalini Malik, PGT Home Science and In-Charge of the Interact Club of Apeejay School, Saket, were present, offering their constant support and guidance while ensuring that everything went smoothly and everyone had a memorable experience.

Breaking the Ice in Style!

Leading an engaging icebreaker where everyone gathered in a semi-circle, Kushi and Yashika introduced themselves and shared their favourite colours, sports, and animals. Laughter and chatter filled the room as students quickly shed away their shyness and found common ground with their new friends. This was followed by a quick introduction to Special Olympics Bharat, where students were reminded that this event was all about unity, inclusion, and simply having a great time together.

Khushi, who has been a member of Special Olympics Bharat since 2021, shared her excitement about the event. “I joined here as a volunteer and now I am a National Youth Leadership Council member. Today’s session was great and I liked the enthusiasm and participation of the students here,” she expressed.

Fun, Games, and Zumba Beats

With everyone warmed up, the fun-filled day included thrilling activities such as:

Fruit Salad Activity: Yashika led a spirited Fruit Salad activity, bringing out everyone’s creativity as they teamed up and mixed up in the game, leading to smiles and laughs all around.

Zumba Dance Party: The energy skyrocketed as students danced to “Are You Ready” by Madcon. Everyone, from teachers to students, jumped into groove while creating an electric atmosphere!

Musical Hoops Madness: Next up was a lively twist on musical chairs! Set to Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” students played with hula hoops laid on the floor. As each round passed, hoops were removed, challenging everyone’s agility and strategy. After a suspenseful finale, the winners were awarded Special Olympics Bharat keychains—tokens of a fun and fierce competition!

Unified Sports: The event’s highlight was the Unified Sports segment, where students were split into two teams: Chai Ki Tapri and Fuljhadi Parantha—teams with equally quirky names and competitive spirits!

As part of the Unified Sports, students participated in “Pass the Ball Relay”. In this two-round relay race, participants passed a ball backward through their legs and then overhead. Each last player ran to the front to keep the momentum going. Cheers echoed as Chai Ki Tapri claimed the win in both rounds!

Another exciting sport activity was the Human Hula Hoop Chain. In this, students held hands and navigated hula hoops down the line without letting go—a game that called for teamwork, balance, and loads of laughter. This time, team Fuljhadi Parantha emerged as champions, mastering the technique and teamwork needed to succeed.

Sharing her thoughts, Shreya, President of the Interact Club and a student at Apeejay School, Saket, mentioned her personal connection to the event and the values of inclusion. “When we, humans, try to include everybody, that brings out something very primal in us, you know, we have a sense of collective belonging, so that is very important and I think that’s what Special Olympics Bharat is trying to do, to include actually everybody, in the true sense, be inclusive of everybody, no matter what abilities or disabilities they have,” she said. She further continued, “As humans, if we are not able to put ourselves in others’ shoes, we are not human. So to be human is to empathise and actually understand at the grassroots level what’s going on, because sympathy and empathy are very different things. Empathy is much more important and useful.”

In the end, everyone also enjoyed refreshments and exchanged stories. Then, three talented students from Balvantray Mehta Vidya Bhawan brought a beautiful close to the event, singing “Tere Vaaste” and “Lehra Do,” moving everyone with their performance.

Unified Day ended with applause, certificates of appreciation, and countless memories. It was a heartwarming reminder that, through simple games and genuine connections, we can build an environment where everyone feels celebrated and included. At Apeejay School, Saket, this event set a joyful example of what it means to welcome each other with open arms and open hearts.

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