HISTORY
The rehabilitation of ‘Differently Abled’ children was identified as a totally neglected area by The Management of Kodagu Vidyalaya. So the Opportunity School – Sahas, was set up within the Kodagu Vidyalaya campus. They started the first center of its kind in the District with eight children in the year 1996.
SERVICE
Today there are 60 students with varied disabilities, receiving special assistane according to their individual needs. These include Speech Therapy, Physiotherapy, Behaviour Modification, Self Help Skills and Formal or Functional Education.
ACTIVITIES
Various sports, music and dance,arts and crafts are also part of the programme. More recently vocational training has been introduced to make them self reliant and enable them to enter the main fabric of society with a certain degree of self confidence and dignity.
The Story Of Kalpanath
In 1996 a 14 year old boy called Kalpanath was brought to the center with his parents. We were told he was mentally challenged. At that point he had no self confidence – could barely talk above a whisper or lift his head to look at you. For years he had been berated for not being able to cope with school work. Gradually he began to gain in confidence as his ablilities and potential were identified and strenghtened. While he was not able to cope with academics even through the open school system, he did pick up litracy and maths and began to excel in sports and certain vocational activities. Today, after having won a medal representing India at the Special Olympics in Alaska, he is working as a instructor in vocational training at a center for people with special needs. Confident and responsible its now difficult to recognize him as the same boy.
The Secret of Success
Seven hearing impaired children from our instituiton have passed the tenth standard examination. Shabari, Rini, Bindya, Srividya, Avinash, Murali and Sachin came to us when they were six to eight years old They all had speech and hearing problems and some of them were also emotionally disturbed due to family problems. All these children were taught the regular SSLC curricullum and they passed their 10th standared board examination. They were all given continuous speech therapy and spoken english classes which helped them to articulate better and this gave them the confidence to enter the mainstream. All these children are presently continuing their further studies in JSS Polytechnic college, Mysore in the fields of Computers, Electronics and Jewelery designing .
Two othe students from our institution namely Bhanumathi who was physically handicapped and Rajesh a slow learner passed the open school 10th standard exams. Today Bhanumathi is happily married and blessed with a three year old son. Rajesh is employed.
The Participation In Special Olympics
Self confidence is an important area for development of our students. They are encouraged to participate in Special Olympics – at the national and international level. Group picture with medals followed by details. In the Vidyalaya opportunity Section six students won medals in the Special Olympics held recently at the state and national level. They are left to right
Nandakumar: Won Bronze medals and a Silver medal for shotput, 100 mts. running race and relay race at State level Athletics meet.
Michael: Won Bronze medal in National Basket Ball match at Jabalpur.
Rajesh H.R. : Won Silver medal in National Volley Ball match at Bareilly, U.P.
Srinath:Won Silver medal in Shotput, 100 mts. Runnning Race in State Level Athletic meet.
Ponnana:Won Gold medal in National Level Foot Ball, Master’s Championship.
Pearly:Won Silver medal in National Level Badminton match at Chathisgarh.
Ruksana: Won Silver Medal in National Basket Ball match at Barelly, U.P.