Ekya School Students Reflect On Their Journey So Far At Bananthimari Betta

Last weekend was exciting and productive for both the Indiahikes team and the students of Ekya School. As part of the school's transitional outbound programme, they embarked on day hikes to Bananthimari Betta. Their objective was for 9th and 11th grade students to reflect on the new phases of their lives. They wanted their students to reflect on building connections with their new classmates, becoming seniors, and what they are looking forward to in the coming years.

What better location to reflect on these thoughts than in nature? With this unique approach to education, the first two groups of 9th graders from Ekya School set out for an experiential learning programme with Indiahikes to Bananthimari Betta. The students had a great experience on the trek, ending the day with smiles all around. They participated in various activities as part of our hands-on learning programme, including team-building exercises, basic survival skills, and connecting with nature activities. The trek allowed them to make new friends, deepen existing relationships, and reflect on themselves.

Here is what their trek leader, Rahul Paul, had to say about the entire experience. “Students shared that, through this experience, they took back learnings on being more responsible, humble, and collaborative by caring for and helping each other. Few students shared how it was refreshing and rejuvenating for them to spend time in nature and explore the trails leading up to the summit.”

After a successful weekend of trekking with the 9th grade students, next weekend 2 groups of 11th graders will be going for the Bananthimari Betta trek. With this, we are excited to officially kick start our school programmes for the season and introduce them to the world of trekking and experiential learning.