The current academic year 2022-23 is nearing its end. The final board examinations dates for boys in the 10^th to 12^th Standards are from 6^th March to 10^th April followed by exams for boys in the 6^th to 9^th Standards during April. 

Out of the eight students who left Boys Town last year after completing the 12^th Standard, seven have opted for higher studies and are pursuing Bachelor degrees in different subjects – Botany, Computer Science, Chemistry, Commerce etc. and have been awarded scholarships by the Rotary Club of Madras. One student opted for a vocational course in Motor Mechanics at an Industrial Training Institute. 

Some of the special events that have taken place in the last three months are as follows:

In December, the Tamil Nadu School Education Department held an inter-school music festival competition between a few local villages. Fifteen students participated in this competition from Boys Town and ten of them were selected for the next round to participate in a District level schools’ competition. All the boys did well and received appreciation certificates.

On December 2^nd, an NGO, the Soragugal Foundation, organised a quiz competition for students in the 10^th Std. Two of our ICT sponsored boys won the first prize and each received an electronic tablet.

Also in December, as part of the special counselling programme run by Aarupadai Veedu Medical College, Pondicherry, an Outreach programme about meditation and environmental education was organised due to Rotary links with the college. At Boys Town, all the regular activities, such as yoga, music, physical training and tuition sessions, continue to run for promoting the physical and mental health of the students.

In January, the Pongal harvest festival in Tamil Nadu was celebrated at Boys Town to show gratitude to nature after the harvesting of crops such as rice, sugarcane and turmeric. On this auspicious day, a special sweet rice dish (Shakkar Pongal) was cooked in a clay pot. All the boys said prayers for strength and good health and then ate a delicious breakfast and lunch and enjoyed this seasonal festival.

This year an ecological club (ECO) was formed made up of twenty students who want to encourage a ‘greener’ world and actively participate in gardening activities. The group also includes four members of the ‘Interact’ club at Boys Town, founded by Rotary International and sponsored  by the Rotary Club of Madras.

On January 8^th, Rtn. Prem Abraham from the Rotary Club of Walnut Creek, California, USA visited Boys Town, accompanied by some members of the Rotary Club of Madras. He was appreciative of the efforts that have been made by the Club for conceiving the idea of Boys Town and the way in which it is organised. He spoke to some of the students and donated items for indoor and outdoor games.