Media Release
Mangaluru, May 25: St Agnes School CBSE, Mangaluru, organized a capacity building programme on mental health and wellness among students for its facilitators on May 24. The session aimed to equip educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to support the holistic development of students and foster a supportive learning environment that prioritizes mental well-being.
The programme commenced with a symbolic and traditional invocation of divine blessings, followed by the ceremonial presentation of the lamp to the resource persons. Josephine extended a warm welcome to the gathering and introduced the distinguished resource persons for the session. Dr Shashikumar K C principal, Vidyadayinee English Medium CBSE School, Surathkal, Mangaluru.
A scholar with a PhD in biosciences from Mangalore University, Dr Shashikumar has over 28 years of teaching experience and has authored 10 academic publications. He is a certified CBSE resource person and has led numerous training sessions and capacity-building programmes for educators.
Dr Gururaj Itagi is a counsellor and motivational speaker from Sharada Vaidyanathana Public School, Talapady, Mangaluru.
With over 14 years of experience as a counsellor and Taekwondo coach, Dr Itagi has impacted more than 25,000 students and trained various stakeholders including parents, teachers, and police personnel. His expertise spans across life skills, soft skills, personality development, leadership training, and adolescent behaviour. He has received several accolades including: Recognition by California State University, USA (2023), International Emerging Scientist Award by VDGOOD (2021), Medals in International Taekwondo Championships (China 2017, Thailand 2019)
A floral welcome was extended to the esteemed guests by Sr Maria Sarika AC, the principal, and Sr Meena Fernandes AC, the vice principal of the school.
The interactive sessions covered crucial topics related to:
• Mental health awareness
• Role of teachers and other stakeholders
• Understanding adolescent behaviour
• Teaching methodologies to support student wellness and various techniques to identify the behavioural changes in students.
Each session was enriched with ice-breaker activities, group discussions, and presentations, encouraging active participation from the teachers. These engaging formats fostered a sense of collaboration and reflection, highlighting the shared responsibility in promoting student well-being.
The enthusiastic involvement of all facilitators was a testament to their commitment to implementing positive changes in the upcoming academic year.
The programme concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks by Raina Coelho, who expressed deep gratitude to the speakers for their insightful contributions. She also acknowledged the tireless efforts of principal Sr Maria Sarika AC in organizing the event and appreciated the vibrant participation of the teaching fraternity.