Scouts and Guides of New Al Wurood International School, Jeddah, and Al Khozama International School, Dammam, brought laurels to the schools and the Scouts and Guides Movement in Saudi Arabia by winning the coveted Presidential Award (Rashtrapathi Puraskar) of Bharat Scouts and Guides. This is the first time in the history of Bharat Scouts and Guides that schools outside India have won this prestigious award. Indian President will give away the awards in a special ceremony at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi, on Nov. 17. They are Amras Aleen, Hisham Ashraf, P. Jeevanadam, Achint Kannoth, Abdullah Syed Ismail, Akshay Uthaman, Mazin Rahiman, Rohith Pillai, Adil Noushad, Areej Fatima, Shiya Binth Shiyaz, Abeer Ashraf, Steffi J Menon and Reema Binth Shanavas from New Al Wurood and Abhijith Jayakumar, Cyril. C. Punnoor, Ancy Vijayan, Haifa Ashraf and Lakshmi Sarma from Al Khozama. [caption id="attachment_124904" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Al Khozama International School, Dammam students.[/caption] Intense training and testing segments for years altogether culminated in the winning of the Presidential Award. The awardees spent action-packed training sessions and camps within the school campus, inside and outside the Kingdom. The students have undergone systematic training programs in the school since the movement was initiated in the year 2010. The Scouts and Guides Movement in New Al Wurood and Al Khozama schools is very well supported by its in-house resources. The schools ensure extensive training sessions for the Scoutmasters and Guide captains in all the major training camps conducted by Bharat Scouts and Guides, Kerala and KSA. Saifudheen CK, Ms. Lekha, Ms. Aswathy, Shinto John, Ms. Priya Dinesh are mentors who deserve a special mention. The winners of the Award attended the National Scout Jamboree in Mysuru, Karnataka in December 2016 in which 25,000 Scouts and Guides from around the nation and another 2,500 from the neighboring countries attended. Besides participating in physically and intellectually stimulating activities, the Jamboree provided the opportunity for the Scouts and Guides to expand their reach and brotherhood. Amazing activities at the National Jamboree included adventure sports wherein participants went through physical challenges such as obstacles crossing, rope climbing, tunnel crossing and artificial wall climbing. Contingents showcased the significance of various states and countries besides being exposed to global culture. The platform was used to drive the interest of Scouts and Guides to express their views on the change they want to bring about. Abdul Gafoor Irumban, headmaster, New Al Wurood, and Bino Mathew, secretary, Bharat Scouts and Guides Association, KSA coordinated the programs inside and outside the Kingdom. Vibrant activities in the camps focused on skill development and advancement activities like outdoor skills and wilderness survival. The camps encouraged students to try new things, feel good about themselves and experience adventurous activities that they would not normally be offered. Most importantly, they got to be decision-makers with leadership opportunities in every program. They had a variety of instructional courses available to earn merit badges, other awards and certifications. In January, the students attended a residential Rashtrapathi Puraskar test camp in Kerala Agricultural University Campus, conducted by Bharat Scouts and Guides, New Delhi. They qualified for the award by performing exceptionally in the aptitude and written tests. "This is simply an outstanding record as this achievement is unparalleled in the whole kingdom. The awards are the fruits of their hard work, dedication, discipline and recognition of their excellent work in the field of Social Service and Community Work," said A. M. Ashraff, general manager of the schools. "The Scouts and Guides of NAWIS and AKIS have a clear understanding and a deeper sense of commitment to the ideals of scouting through an emphasize on physical fitness and conservation of natural resources in today's world," said S. M. Noushad, group manager of the schools. "The training sessions and the camps provided the opportunity for Scouts and Guides to expand their reach and brotherhood besides participating in activities that will be physically and intellectually stimulating," said Mrs. Sreedevi Menon, principal and asst. director, programs. Members of the managing committee congratulated the students and lauded the efforts of the teachers and parents for guiding the students to reach the milestone.
