CHENNAI: With 3D galaxy planetarium, caves, dinosaurs, robots, and agricultural models — the campus of St John’s Senior Secondary School in Mandaveli was no less than a science museum. The premise was bustling with activities on all sides — students testing their innovations under their mentors’ supervision, about 800 informative models on display and more than 20,000 students from 190 schools flocking the corridors.  

As part of it’s ongoing Golden Jubilee year celebrations, the school held a three-day art and science exhibition titled RAYS 2019, said to be the largest one in the city so far. The exhibition was inaugurated by chief guest J Daniel Chellappa, senior scientist, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Government of India. Among the other dignitaries were correspondents and principals of renowned city-based schools. “This is an opportunity to bring out the bottled-up talents of our students. We’ve been organising this exhibition since 1992 — every once in four years. Earlier it was called ‘project day’ and in 1996 we coined the title RAYS. This year’s goal is to encourage as many government-aided schools to participate. Our school terrace has a science park which was set up in 2018 and around 28 experimental models are there for children to learn from. Forty-seven schools visited us yesterday,” said Nalini Wilson, senior principal, and correspondent of the school. 

Students from Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts participated. Among the highlights were a magnificent dam-like set-up, waterfalls, hill cave, Mars colonisation, and edible castle. Swachh Bharat, plastic-free environment and save city sparrow were some of the standout public campaigns featured during the event. ‘Young student scientist’ awards in six categories like rare species award, best scientist and best innovator award will be presented to students who have exhibited innovative models on the valedictory day. “It took us six months to pull this off. We have 744 3D models and about 750 charts on display. Bigger projects are team efforts of students,” she said. 
(The exhibition will be held today and on February 4 at St John’s, Mandaveli.)