Fifteen Rising Stars

Joseph S.     Donate Now!

The world better look out for Joseph! He sings and dances and plans on making it big someday. Joseph understands his great potential and maximizes every chance he gets to perfect his skills.  In the classroom, Joseph is a star student and his ambition is to become a software engineer and a professional performer. The Educational Director here at Rising Star says, “I have seen him really develop in dance over the past year.”  She also says “Joseph is a sweet and helpful boy, very smart, with excellent English. He is doing well in school. He has a lot of leadership qualities.”

He has natural leadership abilities and takes all of his responsibilities in Life Dance and at school very seriously. His Dance Master Shaun Parry from Promethean Spark International says the following. “Joseph has been a leader since I met him over five years ago. His age betrays his maturity, drive, passion and compassion. He was the first ever VP of the historic Life Dance Troupe; a job which he took very seriously and set a high precedence for all who would follow. He mind is analytical and he breaks everything down as if it were a science or math problem. He is the only student I have to tell to not push so hard. 100% is enough. He is often giving 110%. One of Joseph’s amazing traits is he takes initiative and follows through. Joseph has a bright future ahead.” Joseph has a big heart and is happy to share it openly through his many talents.

The following is a link to an essay he wrote for Student-Athlete Games : http://celinadowntheelephanthole.blogspot.in/2011/04/joseph_08.html

Karpagavalli G.     Donate Now!

         Karpagavalli is one of the sweetest children that you will ever find. She is the peacemaker of Rising Star Outreach. She feels very lucky to have both her mother and father working as cooks at Rising Star. She excels in school and speaks with a wonderful English accent. The Educational Director Celina Charles says, “She is an excellent student and scores high on tests. She has her big state board exams next spring, and will certainly do well.”  She is always the first to get her chores done, and the first to offer help to the other children, treating them like members of her own family. Karpagavalli is an example of joy and light to everyone around.

Krishnamoorthy K.     Donate Now!

This boy completely rules his world. Everyone adores him. He works hard and his charisma makes him a natural leader, yet he has a softness and innocence about him that also makes him someone you want to be around. Krishnamoorthy is completely balanced in every sense. He is funny without being goofy, smart without being nerdy, sweet without being a pushover, and talented without being conceited. How he juggles all of this is truly a mystery! Celina Charles, the Educational Director here at Rising Star, has this to say about Krishnamoorthy, “He has always been a top student, very mature for his age, and helpful to younger students.”

Krishnamoorthy is also in Life Dance with Dance Master and founder of Promethean Spark International, Shaun Parry.  Shaun says, “Dynamite comes in small packages describes Krishnamoorthy to a “T”. His intelligence and ability to focus is admirable. He grasps abstract concepts readily and can apply them with ease. He loves his family and thrilled when we got to stop by to see them (on the side of the road) on each of our LifeDance tours (one to Coimbatore and one to Bangalore). They live about 5 hours away. His penmanship is beautiful; he is extremely organized and neat; his sense of humor is contagious and I have no doubt he will be a known name to many one day.”

Logeshwari G.      Donate Now!

Logeshwari comes from very humble beginnings but has lofty goals and a bright future. She studies very hard and is at the top of her class. While preparing for upcoming exams, Logeshwari is found tirelessly studying while her other classmates have since shut their books for the evening. She is a strong, natural leader at Rising Star and hopes to go to college and eventually become a government official someday. Celina Charles the Educational Director here at Rising Star says, “She will also be taking her exams this spring, and is slated to do well. She works hard and is a conscientious and mature student.”

Mahalakshmi C. (Priya)     Donate Now!

Priya is one of the most responsible girls at Rising Star Outreach. Her happy and enthusiastic attitude makes her a natural leader. Her public speaking skills are superb, and she is one of the best English speakers at school. When she grows up she wants to become a doctor. Her work ethic and nurturing character will make her a great one! Priya’s mother and two brothers, Vignesh and Rajesh, are all at Rising Star. Priya will be transferring to another school for 11^th std. She scored the highest marks of all the Rising Star students on her board exams this last spring. She will be studying Science for 11^th and 12^th, which will give her the most options in college.

Ismail P.     Donate Now!

Ismail is a dashing child who has the kind of looks that would make him a star in Bollywood. When asked about his favorite holiday, he joined with school children around the world, and mentioned his "summer break" (the month-long break in May when all the Rising Star kids return to live with their parents.) His favorite aspect of family life is the delicious meals his mother prepares for him. He adores the song, "I'll Love You Forever," (a Paul McCartney tune). Ismail is in good company as this is also a favorite of Padma (she recently insisted the pair sing of them sing the song at the one year anniversary celebration of the art program in the Chengalpattu colony). Ismail was recently selected for the 2012-2013 school year to be a member of the Life Dance troupe and shows a lot of promise as a leader and a dancer at Rising Star.
              No only is Ismail incredibly artistically talented with his singing and dancing skills, but he is easily one of the brightest children at Rising Star Outreach. His intelligent, innovative mind is always searching for a challenge. He excels in his studies, which come fairly easily to him and he takes pride in all of his work. He is a leader among friends and shows great promise and potential. 

Manodhaya N.     Donate Now!

Manodhaya is one of a kind! She is beautiful, outgoing, optimistic, and at the top of her class. She thrives on helping others, and she is always the first on the scene when someone gets hurt. Her dream is to become an astronaut.  Manodhaya is an energetic girl, who loves to sing and dance and is currently a member of the Life Dance Troupe.  Her Dance Master from Promethean Spark International, Shaun Parry, says, “I have been impressed by Manodhaya for years. She is so bright and picks things up without needing to be told; very observant, always analyzing and processing. No goal is too great and no obstacle too daunting for this young lady. She has a quiet manner about her that masks the intensity beneath. Her heart is tender and emotions run close to the surface. Her empathy touches all within her reach. I have seen her grow consistently over the years and I am extremely proud of her.”  

Manodhaya is a dream student and model child who is always more than willing to help translate or explain something to younger children who may not understand. Rising Star is blessed to have Manodhaya studying with us.

Megala K.     Donate Now!

Megala’s creative mind, stellar English, and sweet nature exudes greatness. With a genuine love of learning, it is apparent that she has the capacity to reach her goal of becoming a doctor. In addition, she is amazingly imaginative and has written more than 45 poems, one recently being published in a popular Indian newspaper (http://celinadowntheelephanthole.blogspot.in/2012/04/our-poet-in-residence.html). If there is one thing Megala knows, it is love and kindness, which she teaches every day through her sweet example and gentle spirit.

Megala is a member of Life Dance and Shaun Parry, the Founder and Dance Master from Promethean Spark International, has this to say about her: “Megala has an intelligent imagination. We are able to have deep conversations about life and the universe. She sees symbolism in nature and life and is learning how to express it through artistic outlets. Her mind goes where others do not. She is original and probing in her quest for knowledge and beauty. She is sensitive and positive in nature. She has grown by leaps and bounds (literally) in the past couple of years in LifeDance. As the Secretary in the Presidency she has come up with new ideas of how to better fulfill her responsibilities and has always been the one to come to me about what needs to be done rather than waiting for me to seek her out. I look forward to reading her published works in the decades to come.”

Ranjith M.     Donate Now!

Aside from the occasional antsy-ness in the classroom, Ranjith could not be more different than his older brother, Vijay. Ranjith is a quiet child who seeks the approval and affection of the volunteers. He showers people with love and affection and when playing with the volunteers, Ranjith will reach out for the hand of whomever he is closest to. Ranjith loves his family more than anything, and is thrilled every Parent’s Day to introduce his mother to volunteers.

Savitha K.     Donate Now!

Savitha is the student that teachers wish the other students would emulate. She is very well behaved in class and always completes her schoolwork. Math is her favorite, but she does well in all of her subjects. Her English teacher raves that she is the best reader in her class and confidently answers questions politely and perfectly. She makes a point after every class to sweetly come up to her teachers and thank them for the class. Savitha leaves a big impression for such a small girl! 

Shaun Parry, the Founder and Dance Master from Promethean Spark International, has this to say about her: “Savitha successfully auditioned for Life Dance II this year and has been a true example even to those in LifeDance I since she got in. Her technique has improved immensely in the few short months since she started attending and she has pertinent comments and questions. She is learning how to trust herself and speak her mind with confidence. She is a leader in training with a variety of wonderful qualities the other students could and should emulate.”

Shankar V.     Donate Now!

Whatever Shankar puts his mind to; he determines not only to accomplish, but also to excel. He studies daily from before sunrise until after sundown and his high marks reflect his dedication. Shankar is the resident athlete at Rising Star. His greatest talent is running, and he hopes to someday perform in the Olympics. He is a great leader, and is now serving as the president of the Hostel Council.

 Dance Master Shaun Parry says, “Shankar has an excitement for life and energy to match that is rare even for those his age. He is short in stature but makes up for it with his powerful personality. Determination and dedication are not foreign to Shankar. We had to work hard to keep him attentive in some classes but when he was able to connect the results to his sports or other physical activities, he came to life. Our one-on-one training for track and field was a revelation to us all. He thrived on running; not just running but running very fast. With the proper encouragement and training from the right coaches, this young man can set records.” Shankar’s sister, Devi, also studies at Rising Star Outreach, and their father is affected with leprosy.

Soniya R.     Donate Now!

Soniya is an incredible presence on the Rising Star campus. Not only is she bright and successful, she is a mother figure among her fellow students who is greatly respected and looked up to. Her radiant smile can be seen from a far distance and her capacity to give love and compassion is something that most cannot even come close to. She speaks beautiful English and is sure to succeed in anything that she puts her mind to. Soniya takes great care of her younger brother, Arun, and they both enjoy being members of the Life Dance Troupe at Rising Star.

President and Dance Master, Shaun Parry, of Promethean Spark International says this about Soniya: “Soniya truly has developed a nurturing nature over the past couple of years. She is taller than most of the student body so they automatically look up to her but she has a caring and positive aura around her. Her process of learning to push herself physically and academically past her limits has been a consistent pattern. Coming from Delhi, she is far from her family. She loves her parents very much and was emotional when we had the chance to perform for her parents for the first time ever two weeks ago. We happened to be in the middle of rehearsal when they drove in from their three day trip to drop their children off at the school. It was a rare treat to have them sit and watch their children perform to such high standards. The whole family was visibly touched. Soniya has been nominated and is currently being considered as the new secretary for LifeDance.”

Sujatha J.     Donate Now!

Sujatha has overcome many challenges and dedicated herself to beauty and goodness. Sujatha’s parents died when she was very young, and she and her three sisters were split up. A family in North India raised her until she came to Rising Star Outreach. Sujatha said, “I want to study hard. I want to go to college to study doctor. Then I will give my whole family happiness.” She is a shining example to all the other students on campus and a treasure to all who know her.

Tamilelakkya K.     Donate Now!

Whether she is jabbering in typical teenage fashion to her group of friends or tenderly encouraging the younger children, Tamilelakkya speaks beautifully in her native language, and remarkably, is also able to speak eloquently in English without much of the Indian accent that would be expected. Tamilelakkya is excited about everything! Her energy, compassion, and poised nature make Tamilelakkya one of the most respected girls on campus.

Theresa M.      Donate Now!

Theresa is a beautiful young woman. She is a gifted dancer and when all done up in a traditional sari and make up, she looks much older than she is. She is quiet and shy and blushes graciously at any compliment. In all she does, Theresa displays a warm, genuine love for others. She is also a diligent, dedicated and attentive student. She truly has amazing potential and is the perfect example of a modest, refined, lovely young woman.

Theresa is a member of Life Dance and her Dance Master and Founder of Promethean Spark International has this to say about her: “Theresa comes from a bit of a difficult family situation and has always dealt with an oppression complex that is common in deep rural communities and leprosy colonies in India. Watching her break out of her shell and realize her own potential has been sheer joy. Her lithe, agile frame now leaps and turns with confidence, as do her interactions with her fellow students. Coming from a shy, socially awkward place to her current position of confidence has been a mini-miracle. Theresa has recently been nominated by her peers by an overwhelming majority to run for the new President of Life Dance. She is a hard worker, obedient and trustworthy and loved by all.”