Year 7 boys enjoyed the cut and thrust of competition as teams met in a charity quiz, held last term, to raise money for QE’s long-running Sai School Appeal.
The School’s youngest boys have been learning all about the appeal, which began in 2002 and supports the rural Sai School in Kerala, India, funding projects there such as a new computer room, and helping with a move from rented accommodation to a new two-acre campus.
Appeal president Tashane Akarawita, of Year 13, who organised the event jointly with his deputy, Sai Puppala, also of Year 13, said: “Our projects in the past have allowed remarkable developments on the Sai School site to be made possible, and it became my mission to continue this legacy. Unfortunately, the coronavirus has had an enormous impact on lives in India so our fundraising for the Sai School this year is more important than ever.”
The appeal is a year-round QE charity activity run by a team of sixth-formers who are currently supported by Languages teacher Katrin Hood. Tashane explained that COVID had restricted QE’s fund-raising in the 2019–2020 academic year, with a number of events cancelled because of lockdown – another reason to redouble efforts this year, he said.
He showed the younger boys an illustrated PowerPoint presentation to introduce them to the appeal and to the school, whose full title is the Sri Sathya Sai English Medium School. The school educates children from kindergarten through to Year 12.
In previous years, several recent QE leavers have visited the Sai School and undertaken work experience there.
The current fund-raising target is to secure sufficient sponsorship to support 30 pupils – the equivalent of a QE form – throughout their full-time education at the Sai School.
After eight teams competed in two lunchtime rounds in the Main School Hall, the two highest scorers – Stapylton House’s Pixellated Ice Cream (Daniel Zhu, Yang Song, Rahul Wimalendran and Akshaj Vyas) and The Master Minds from Broughton (Shreyas Iyengar, Oscar Kaltenbronn, Tunishq Mitra and Vyom Srivastava) – fought it out in a classroom final. Saransh Gupta and Chinmaya Dave had also been part of the Broughton team for the heats.
The quiz comprised mostly general knowledge questions, although there was also a Spot the hidden word round and a problem-solving round.
It was a lively final, with even the spectators taking part, supplying the answers when the two teams drew a blank and enjoying some ‘just for fun’ Mathematics riddles at the end while the scores were being added up.
In the end, The Master Minds lived up to their name and emerged as the winners. The event raised £139. The boys were charged £2 to take part in the quiz and £1 to spectate at the final.
Tashane added: “I was very proud to be elected as the President of the Sai School Appeal, allowing us to continue the amazing fund-raising QE students have achieved over the last eighteen years.
“The appeal is an immensely worthy cause and we strive to ensure our events are always meticulously planned to be able to support those who are less fortunate than us.”
- Here is a sample of the general knowledge questions asked in the quiz. Answers below.
- Who played James Bond in the film Quantum of Solace?
- How many capital cities does South Africa have?
- What is the boy in the DreamWorks logo holding in his hand?
Answers:
- Daniel Craig
- Four
- A fishing rod.