CREATIVITY MODE: Children designing greeting cards at a training camp in Vijayawada on Friday. — PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

VIJAYAWADA : "I will design one more greeting card for President Abdul Kalam," said eight-year-old Meghana, a class IV student of primary school run by Vijayawada Municipal Corporation in Christurajapuram. After painting a flower on a piece of drawing paper and inscribing the word `greetings' on it, the girl decided to send it to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Meghana was one of the participants in a three-day workshop at Sarva Siksha Abhiyan's (SSA) office that concluded on Friday, in which students of fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh classes learned the art of making greeting cards.

Arrangements made

Meghana's friend Pratyusha, who painted Mickey Mouse, said she would present the card to her class teacher. "I am not going to buy greeting cards for New Year.

I have already made nine greeting cards for my friends," she said while preparing herself to make another card. "I will send greetings to the Governor and Collector," she told her friends.

Their greeting cards may reach the VIPs, as the officials of SSA were making arrangements to dispatch 300 cards to all those who matter -- from the President to city Mayor. Students of 114 primary and upper primary schools in Vijayawada, Gudivada and Nuzvid mandals were trained in greeting cards making during the three-day programme that held simultaneously in the three places.

Besides guidance by drawing teachers, the students were given drawing sheets and material to make the cards.

Creative work

"Their thoughts are creative and innovative," said E. Lakshmi, one of the coordinators of the training programme.

"Some children are mischievous. They try to spoil the works done by their friends by sprinkling colours. It is a tedious task to control them," said A.L.M. Prakash Kumari, girl child development officer, who monitored the programme.

Officials of the SSA had big plans including conducting an exhibition-cum-sale with the works done by children.

Great job

"They have done an excellent job and it was proved once again that small encouragement would make children do wonders," said P. Madhavi Latha, additional project coordinator of the SSA.

"We will continue this programme in the coming years and conduct exhibitions for the benefit of children," she explained.

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