St. Jude’s HSS Vellarikundu Wins Kerala State-Level Youth Parliament Competition
St. Jude’s Higher Secondary School, Vellarikundu, Kasaragod, has secured first place in the state-level Youth Parliament competition organized by the Forum for Democracy Social Justice (FDSJ) under the Institute of Parliamentary Affairs.
In addition to prizes, the winning team will be granted the unique opportunity to present a full-fledged Youth Parliament session in the Kerala Legislative Assembly and engage in a breakfast discussion with the Chief Minister.
The competition, held at the Darshana Auditorium in Vellarikundu, saw over fifty students from St. Jude’s Higher Secondary School present a comprehensive 90-minute Youth Parliament. Their highly accurate and systematic presentation earned them the top spot. The presentation meticulously covered all aspects of a real parliamentary session, including the President’s address, the oath-taking of new members, obituary references, the question hour, calling attention motions, the vote of thanks for the President’s address, the laying of papers on the table of the House, the presentation of committee reports, and the stages of introducing and passing legislative bills.
This competition aimed to foster democratic values and an understanding of parliamentary functioning among children and youth. Numerous schools from various parts of the state participated, but St. Jude’s team distinguished itself from other competitors through its strong subject presentation, clarity in parliamentary procedures, and confident oratorical skills.
Following their victory, the school management, teachers, and parents extended their congratulations to the students. Rev. Fr. Sony Vadassery, Manager of Thalassery Archdiocese Corporate Educational Agency; Very Rev. Dr. Johnson Anthyamkulam, School Manager; Fr. Dr. Santhosh K. Peter, Principal; Rincy Abraham, School Coordinator; and Sijo J. Arakkal, FDSJ District Coordinator, all expressed immense pride in the students’ remarkable achievement.
Both teachers and organizers emphasized that this victory represents a significant step towards nurturing future citizens with a strong sense of democratic awareness and responsibility.