Panchayat Union Middle School, Tharavaithoppu – 20.02.2026

15 students participated in the painting competition in this school. As the students from this school belong to the fishing community, and most of them dwell by the sea shores, they displayed a better awareness of the fishing culture which was apparent in their detailed drawing of boats and fishermen for their contest submission.

After the competition ended and prizes and participation awards were distributed, students from class 5 who had been observing requested pens for themselves too. In the spirit of encouragement and goodwill, pens were distributed to the entire class.

Panchayat Union Middle School, Dhanushkodi – 18.02.2026

With a total strength of just 42 students, this was one of the smallest schools visited. Students from Classes 4 and 5 requested permission to participate despite the competition being intended for higher grades. Recognizing their enthusiasm, the request was approved to encourage inclusion.

The third place in this school was awarded to a girl who had made a clay art of sea turtle with significant dedication as a gesture to appreciate her efforts.

The school administration and students were happy with the event and enjoyed themselves.

Panchayat Union Middle School, Meiyampuli – 13.02.2026

15 students participated in the competition at this school, which hada relatively low student strength. As the event coincided with World Radio Day, chocolates were distributed to all 142 students of the school.

The students appeared comparatively shy but were attentive and respectful throughout the session. Participants came from diverse backgrounds, including fishing, farming, and trading families. This school also recorded a higher participation ratio of girls.

Despite their quiet demeanor, students listened very intently to the conservation message, resulting in one of the longest and most interactive awareness sessions among all the schools.

Panchayat Union Middle School, Rameswaram – 11.02.2026

It was special to conduct the painting competition in the school where Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam had studied.

A total of 22 students participated in the competition in this school. Judges observed strong artistic expression and technical skill among participants. The students mostly belonged to urban backgrounds and were largely unaware of the fishing culture and marine conservation. They were really interested in the information on the importance of sea turtles to the ocean ecology shared by KadalOsai FM 90.4 CR community radio station. Likely inspired by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, most students here aspired to become scientists.

 The school administration was impressed with the organization and conduction of the painting competition. After the end of the event, the radio team who were leaving, were called back to the school and honored by being wrapped in shawls by the Headmistress which was a heartwarming and motivational moment for KadalOsai FM 90.4 CR.

Panchayat Union Middle School, Gandhinagar – 09.02.2026

The Panchayat Union Middle School, Gandhinagar saw strong participation with 25 students participating in the event.

In a unique effort, the school’s teachers had guided the students with pertaining to the theme of “Save Sea Turtles” by providing them with reference images from the internet. This made some of the drawings look similar but contained each individual student artist’s unique style.

According to Mr. Lenin Raj, Programming Head of KadalOsai FM 90.4 CR and one of the judges, the first prize winner from this school delivered perhaps the finest artwork among all participating schools.

A unique feature of this campus was the joint nurturing of 70 varieties of herbs by students — reflecting environmental consciousness beyond the competition theme.

KadalOsai FM 90.4 CR coordinators carried a sea turtle plushie to all schools to engage with the students while addressing them on the importance of sea turtles, but the students in this school initially assumed that the toy was the first prize award. However, after clarification, the headmaster was amused with the toy and used it to engage with the students, which was delightful to watch. During his speech, the elderly headmaster reflected on earlier times when turtle meat consumption and myths surrounding turtle blood were prevalent. He emphasized how awareness has evolved and reinforced the importance of protecting sea turtles to preserve marine ecosystems.