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Coinciding
with the national Teacher Appreciation Week celebrated during the month of May,
the Hindu Education Foundation held the fifth annual Teacher’s Appreciation
program called ‘Guru Vandana’ throughout
the USA to highlight the importance of the Teachers in shaping the future
citizens of the country.
Guru Vandana means “Reverence for the
Teacher” – it is the thanksgiving from a student to a teacher, expressing
his/her gratitude.
The
Guru Vandana program provides a
platform for students to honor their teachers, for imparting knowledge and
wisdom to them. This event was organized
in collaboration with the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) USA, in 27 school
districts including schools from the Houston, Sunnyvale, Chicago, Peoria, IL, New York, and Boston
areas. More than 325 teachers from about 125 schools have been honored by their
students in the presence of large audiences.
School
Teachers, Superintendents, Executive Directors and Mayors of the towns have
enthusiastically participated in the programs and appreciated the initiative. “They
also explained a lot of the culture, and I didn’t know about it so it was a
learning experience for me” said Professor Xavier Garza from the University of
Houston, Victoria. One teacher response
after the event “The thanks is all mine! What a special day. I can’t tell
you how much I appreciate the honor bestowed upon my colleagues and me. The
kids were a joy to watch—so talented and devout. The food was outstanding, and
the gifts were too kind. I felt like a million bucks leaving the ceremony on
Saturday.”
The
event and its unique Hindu philosophical theme was to acknowledge the role of
teacher in a student’s life. Teachers and other officials also appreciated how
Hindu families are helping shape the teacher and student relationship in
fostering excellence in education.
Hindu
Education Foundation is a project of Hindu Swaymsevak Sangh, HSS USA, a 501 (c)
(3) non-profit organization. It works with school districts, teachers and
parents to provide knowledge and resources about Hinduism and Hindu Philosophy.
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