TIRUPATI/VISAKHAPATNAM: Two govt schoolteachers sponsored air trips recently for seven high-scorers in Andhra Pradesh's Class 10 board exams, fulfilling a pre-test pledge to encourage academic excellence. Most students were from poor families. The heart-warming initiative saw five girls from Beluguppa mandal in Anantapur district take their first flight for securing over 550 marks out of 600 in the SSC exams, whose results were declared late last month.
Mandal education officer (MEO) Malla Reddy - a senior teacher himself before he was assigned a supervisory role - sponsored the trip. Collector V Vinod Kumar assisted in the initiative.
"Most of us are from BPL families. None had even boarded a car before in our lives," said T Madhushree, one of the five who took the Bengaluru-Hyderabad flight last week. Her batchmate Y Eswari echoed the heady feeling. "Malla Reddy Sir had told us that all students who secure 550 plus would get to travel in a flight. I have never taken a plane and that challenge inspired me to score better in my SSC exams," said Eswari.
Reddy explained his novel idea. "All five students are from extremely poor families but displayed excellence in SSC exams. If teachers and headmasters of govt schools come up with innovative measures, these students will outperform others," Reddy said.
In Vizianagaram, teacher Maradana Satya Rao played Santa Claus to Sangireddy Vivek and T Revanth -- accompanied by their parents. Vivek scored 593, topping the district and Revanth stood third with 591 marks. Both are from different schools in Merakamudidam mandal but took the Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam flight on May 5.
"The (air) trip was a realisation of boundless opportunities and an affirmation that academic and career excellence can take us to great heights," Vivek said.
His mother said she had never imagined she would ever fly and credited her son and Rao for the experience.
Revanth confessed that he initially thought teacher Rao's pre-exam declaration to sponsor air trips was merely intended to "encourage students to work hard".
"We did not expect it to become a reality." the youngster said.
Mandal education officer (MEO) Malla Reddy - a senior teacher himself before he was assigned a supervisory role - sponsored the trip. Collector V Vinod Kumar assisted in the initiative.
"Most of us are from BPL families. None had even boarded a car before in our lives," said T Madhushree, one of the five who took the Bengaluru-Hyderabad flight last week. Her batchmate Y Eswari echoed the heady feeling. "Malla Reddy Sir had told us that all students who secure 550 plus would get to travel in a flight. I have never taken a plane and that challenge inspired me to score better in my SSC exams," said Eswari.
Reddy explained his novel idea. "All five students are from extremely poor families but displayed excellence in SSC exams. If teachers and headmasters of govt schools come up with innovative measures, these students will outperform others," Reddy said.
In Vizianagaram, teacher Maradana Satya Rao played Santa Claus to Sangireddy Vivek and T Revanth -- accompanied by their parents. Vivek scored 593, topping the district and Revanth stood third with 591 marks. Both are from different schools in Merakamudidam mandal but took the Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam flight on May 5.
"The (air) trip was a realisation of boundless opportunities and an affirmation that academic and career excellence can take us to great heights," Vivek said.
His mother said she had never imagined she would ever fly and credited her son and Rao for the experience.
Revanth confessed that he initially thought teacher Rao's pre-exam declaration to sponsor air trips was merely intended to "encourage students to work hard".
"We did not expect it to become a reality." the youngster said.
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