The Library Council of Trinity College Kandy successfully winded up the annual Library Day on Thursday, the 20th of October 2022. In continuing its initial mission and bridging it with the future, the library council plays its role in moulding young Trinitians through activities such as Library Day.
Following the customary proceedings, the 1st keynote address in the repertory was done by the principal Rev. Fr. Araliya Jayasundara OSB. He elaborated on the skills the 21st-century learner should be acquainted with to build an ideal character.
“Learning has been an essential part of life since the past. We learn every moment, and it is not limited by time. Today’s learning encompasses different fields and has become more complex than before. As a solution, the students should acquire the 4C’s, Namely, Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration and Communication.”
He explained the different and exciting ways to inculcate these qualities in one’s life, incentivizing Trinitians to be well acquainted with vital skills and an all-round personality to face the complex and competitive future world.
The Library Day featured award ceremonies for Middle-school and upper-school students who showed their colours in the Library Day competitions. Competitions such as the Readathon, where winners were selected based on the number of books read within a certain period, were a popular competition among students with the main focus of building the skills of fast, compelling reading and explaining what you have read.
Participation in competitions such as Book review writing, short story writing, book talk, digital storytelling, home library challenge, longest book worm and the speech and essay competitions created a vast platform for students to showcase and mushroom their reading, writing and speaking skills.
Out of the competitions for upper school students, the Research project competition received many commendations and was taken part by students with great interest. Four groups of students carried out and presented their respective research on topics.
Group 1 – Validation of radioimmunoassay Methodology (RIA) for phytoestrogens.
Group 2 – The Kandy Night Economy
Group 3 – The Contribution of semi-natural habitat. (Research was carried out on the Trinity College property at Pallekele).
Group 4 – Radio Frequency Identification Devices.
Group 4 emerged as the Best Research concept of the Group research competition. The Research competition was the first step to developing a research symposium in the future to create a much more comprehensive platform for Trinitians to put into effect their solutions for a better tomorrow.
The 2nd Keynote address was made by the guest speaker, Mr Sanka Hettiarachchi, a software Engineer, the CEO and founder of PROVIDEV and an Old Trinitian. His address commenced with a little bit of drama, where he showed signs of stage fright and anxiety and left the stage, infusing everyone in confusion. He returned after a second invitation drawing a smile on everyone’s faces.
He reflected on how he was an anxious, introverted person with severe stage fright and how he overcame that fear through the encouragement of his teachers and friends. He stressed the importance of having “Grit“, through which he overcame his fear and encouraged all students to cultivate Grit as a skill. He urged everyone to gather their own stories of “Grit” so that they could share them in their interviews and inspire others.
“Many would require interviews as part of the selection process. Doing well in these interviews would require stories that show our grit, traits, and competencies.”
“I urge you all to gather as many life stories during your time at Trinity”.
The library day also featured an enthusiastic Q&A session where the audience comprised of students and teachers were asked questions related to general knowledge, literature and the library, which received active participation from both parties. In the end, the winners were awarded prizes donated by the guest speaker, Mr Sanka Hettiarachchi.
The Library Day for 2022 marked a successful conclusion inspiring and encouraging young Trinitians to use the 21st-century library that Trinity College is gifted with. The Library Day undoubtedly enabled young Trinitians to face the future enriched with valuable skills and an all-around personality built on grit to explore the vistas of excellence.
Review by Master Samiru Herath
Event Photographed by the Trinity College Media Unit. (Photographer: Nethmika Athukorala and Shaluka Herath)
