The following essay was written by Owais, a little boy in Class 7 of Pearl Valley Public High School and College
My Experience in Pearl Valley Public School
Pearl Valley Public School, a school of everyone’s dream, a project of Kashmir Education Foundation, was founded on 14th August, 1996. This school, which is a combined effort of KEF and Khan family, is a boon from heavens for the people of Pearl Valley. I was admitted in this school in the month of April 2000. I considered myself to be on the luckiest boys of the valley, as this is one of the schools in which every child would have a desire to be selected in.
I still remember the time, when I first stepped in the boundaries of the school. My feelings were a mixture of anxiety, nervousness and fear. I was also little angry on my parents for sending me to school as I had no intentions to go to school. I thought this school would also be like other schools, where teachers would be strict and would be running around, here and there after students with sticks. Today when I think about that time over the years, I think I was very stupid, because now I know that the school is more or less like heaven.
My first few days at school were full of nervousness, but the loving and caring behavior of the teachers made me comfortable and I never wished to go home. I learned and I am still learning so much about the outside world, that I couldn’t have possibly learned in any other school. It was just as if someone was feeding me with knowledge. From the very first year at school, I got to know that life is not a bed or roses, there are difficulties we have to face at every corner, but teachers were very encouraging and were a beacon of hope for me. As Helen Keller once said:
“Never bend your head always hold it high and look the world straight into the eyes.”
This famous saying of Helen Keller means that, never give up on the difficulties and problems of life instead be brave and face them with courage. My teachers did the same. Their encouragement made me bold and gave me the confidence to face the world alone and without any support.
This school gave me the glimpse of the future and what I really can be. It also brought out my hidden talent. This school changed my life; it gave me the confidence and boost of winning and success. It gave me a message that hard work is the key to success. One of the most pleasant memories treasured in my mind is when I received my very first award from Pakistan’s top scientist, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. I really felt like as if I was on the top of the world, when I heard the words “Well Done”. These words changed my life and I started to work even harder.
Today, as I look at the huge school building, the old single building comes to my mind. And those moments of construction which makes the present building. This school is a mine of facilities for the children of the valley. Like other schools my school is also facilitated with laboratories and modern computers but the most uncommon things include T.V. Room, Mathematics Resource Room, Listening Lab and a library with more than ten thousand books. Above all my school is surrounded by a pleasant environment, far away from the main city. So the students have no difficulty in studies because they can concentrate nicely. My school went through a number of reforms starting from daily activities to extra-curricular activities. That includes inter-house and inter-school competitions of debates, quiz and sports.
On 8th October whole of Azad Kashmir was affected by an earthquake. Our academics were also affected as we had a gap of two to three weeks. We recovered quickly from the disaster and came back towards our routines.
In all these years I have changed a lot. I have made friends out of my teachers. Even today when I step in school the memories of my past float in front of my eyes and my first nervous step comes in my mind.
Ovais
Class 7