Mixed-gender sports are gaining popularity at the grassroots level through various initiatives. At Sparkling Mindz, we deeply believe that every individual is a human being first—beyond their gender. That’s why, in all the sports we play, we embrace mixed-gender teams. However, not everyone shares this perspective, which is why we partnered with Enabling Leadership to explore and understand different viewpoints through a unique project.

Our goal was to create a Project Youth Commitee, where young changemakers would research mixed-gender sports within their local communities. To support this, we leveraged Wizets, our online LMS platform, using our Wonder & Connect games to help participants craft meaningful survey questions. These questions were designed to engage with their community members and gather insights on how mixed-gender sports are perceived.

As part of this project, some of our children had the opportunity to visit Dharwad, a district in Karnataka, where Enabling Leadership runs several of its programs. We were particularly interested in their PLAY Programme, which promotes mixed-gender sports. Our objective was to understand the perspectives of various stakeholders—students, teachers, coaches, and parents—and uncover their beliefs, concerns, and experiences with mixed-gender sports.

Through our interactions, we encountered a range of viewpoints. Some parents were excited about the inclusive opportunities mixed-gender sports offer, recognizing the benefits of teamwork, mutual respect, and confidence-building for both boys and girls. Others, however, had reservations—concerns about safety, societal norms, and whether boys and girls could compete on equal terms.

One of the most powerful moments was hearing directly from the children. Many of them expressed how playing in mixed-gender teams made them feel more included, valued, and capable, breaking down gender stereotypes they had grown up with. Some girls shared how they felt empowered to take on leadership roles, while boys spoke about how they learned to appreciate different playing styles and strengths. However, outside of the programme the gender divide remained prevalent

After returning from Dharwad, we compiled our observations and insights into a report on mixed-gender sports, its importance, and recommendations for enhancing the programme. This helped us consolidate our learnings and offer meaningful suggestions for the future of Enabling Leadership.

This experience deepened our understanding of the cultural and systemic challenges surrounding mixed-gender sports. But it also reaffirmed our belief that sports have the potential to unite, empower, and redefine the way we see one another—not as separate genders, but as teammates, collaborators, and equals. Learning about the different initiatives that are taking place around the world to enable children to learn and become great leader through different mediums.

​Documented by Nikhil Varma, YODA 27

Music is an integral part of all of our lives. It helps us to express ourselves and connect with another. It brings the community together, build skills, and help us belong.

But how are leadership and music connected? 

Last week, eight of our SMzians from the SM Band, as part of the regional finals at an event organized by Enabling Leadership, were presented with an opportunity to perform and inspire these young leaders, embodying the message that "Anyone Can Sing!"  Enabling Leadership is a global organization dedicated to empowering children from under-resourced and low-income communities.  

One of their standout programs, EL Create, focuses on cultivating leadership skills through the transformative power of music. This initiative encourages children to share stories of their dreams and communities by writing original songs and performing in public, building confidence, teamwork, and resilience along the way.  

Our children from the SM Band owned their performance processes, journeyed to the event, performed, and came back brimming with inspiration, love, courage, resilience, and gratitude; all qualities of leadership. 

The traditional education system is built on the premise of Me vs. The World. Children are expected to survive immense pressure—be it from parents, teachers, peers, or society itself. A vertical hierarchy of competition is cultivated, one where grades, approvals, and social conformity become the ultimate markers of success.
But while our children wrestle within this system, the world they are stepping into is changing at an unprecedented pace:

• Seven out of nine planetary boundaries have been breached, pushing Earth closer to ecological collapse.
• Artificial Intelligence is set to reshape industries, escalating unemployment and uncertainty.
• Mental health crises are spreading faster than ever, affecting children and adults alike.

In such times, we must ask ourselves: Are the same skills and systems that applied a decade ago enough to help children thrive today? The answer is clear--No.
The @World Economic Forum emphasizes the growing importance of skills like interpersonal communication, leadership, and thinking beyond the self—skills necessary for navigating complex challenges. To empower children to thrive, we need to see them as more than students.
We need to see them as changemakers.
But changemaking isn’t a skill you magically acquire at 18 when the world is on the brink. It needs to be cultivated—step by step, moment by moment—from childhood. This responsibility doesn’t rest on the child alone. Nor is it solely the burden of parents or schools. It’s a collective responsibility, one that involves the entire community working together.
At @Sparkling Mindz Global, we have been reimagining education through a child-centric model that sees, hears, and nurtures every child, to truly inspire confident learners. It’s about enabling children to own their journey with autonomy, while building a partnership between schools, parents, and children.
Here’s how we’re bringing this vision to life:

1. Child in the City Walks: Empowering children to explore, connect with, and belong to their city and its unique context.
2. Missions: Guiding children to see themselves as changemakers who can address sustainability, safety, empowerment, and health challenges in their communities.
3. Purposeful Learning Areas: Transforming academics into tools for problem-solving, enabling children to see their knowledge as their superpower.
4. LIFE: Developing emotional intelligence, empathy, and self-management through safe spaces for reflection and growth.
5. Year of Discovery: A curriculum year dedicated to exploring passions, frustrations, and potential career paths through projects, internships, and discovery-based learning.

The time to rethink education is now. We’re preparing children not just to survive but to lead, innovate, and create a world they can thrive in.
If this resonates with you, let’s build a community that nurtures changemakers--together.

Contributed by Aashna Raghu Sankar (Year of Discovery Adventurer at Sparkling Mindz).

#sparklingmindzglobal
​#21stcenturyeducation
#learningasalifeskill
​#purposefullearning

As we grapple with challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution, it’s easy to feel  overwhelmed . How do we quantify the damage? How do we identify the limits of what our planet can handle?

In this detailed write-up, our student Aashna Raghu Sankar dives into the concept of planetary boundaries, a revolutionary framework developed by Johan Rockström and his team. This framework identifies nine critical Earth system processes and defines the safe operating spaces for each. It provides a global perspective on sustainability and emphasizes how interconnected our actions and the planet's systems truly are....

Contributed by Aashna Raghu Sankar (Year of Discovery Adventurer at Sparkling Mindz)

#planetaryboundaries
#research
#climateaction
​#globalcitizenship

Should teenagers get a space to voice out and embrace the skill of decision making in today's ever-growing society?

The World Teen Parliament (WTP) is a global initiative designed to empower teenagers by providing them with a platform to express their ideas and solutions for local and global challenges. It is the first-ever elected parliament consisting solely of teenagers, initiated in partnership with organizations such as UNESCO. This provides a space exclusively for teenagers and WTP addresses the underrepresentation of youth in decision-making processes. This inclusion is vital as young people often face the most significant impacts from current policies and global challenges and will help shape the leaders of tomorrow.

8 of our SMzians participated in this competition to join the World Teen Parliament where in the first phase they needed to make a 59 second video answering a question “How will I improve the world?” and each person shared their ideas and all of them got into the top 400 and now are moving on to the next phase which is LIVE VOTING, that has already commenced.

Live Voting is taking place between 11th Jan and 14th Jan. We request your votes to the cause that you resonate with! Here are the links to our videos and below are the candidate numbers.

Simran - Mankind & Biodiversity: https://youtu.be/iuCEV99CFBY?list=PLPpPEAfHm_qT2hzfZ9_VpnMDcOghmBGz0

Nikhil - Waste Management: https://youtu.be/kijl5hlMWF4?list=PLPpPEAfHm_qT2hzfZ9_VpnMDcOghmBGz0

Aashna - Overconsumption Crisis: https://youtu.be/ygyl5zw4Kl8?list=PLPpPEAfHm_qT2hzfZ9_VpnMDcOghmBGz0

Mihika - Stories for Change: https://youtu.be/rc0Hpqas7eM?list=PLPpPEAfHm_qT2hzfZ9_VpnMDcOghmBGz0

Abhinav - Foundational Literacy: https://youtu.be/icFhaZ58peI?list=PLPpPEAfHm_qT2hzfZ9_VpnMDcOghmBGz0

Sarvani - Unsafety: https://youtu.be/Drt5X74unZY?list=PLPpPEAfHm_qT2hzfZ9_VpnMDcOghmBGz0

Samriddhi - Fast Fashion: https://youtu.be/G1eOPcimMjo?list=PLPpPEAfHm_qT2hzfZ9_VpnMDcOghmBGz0

Simran Jain talks about Mankind & Biodiversity: Candidate 368

Nikhil Varma talks about Waste Management: Candidate 325

Aashna Raghu Sankar talks about Overconsumption Crisis: Candidate 139

Mihika P Jain talks about Stories for Change: Candidate 415

Abhinav Jandhyala talks about Foundational Literacy: Candidate 314

Sarvani Balavari talks about Unsafety: Candidate 372

Samriddhi Tiwari talks about Fast Fashion: Candidate 397

Archita Anish talks about Food for Change: Candidate 363

Vote here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdegzAe5ony1mHL2dH0RfVKfLHq7UvXE9SdKIQCgAfX-8drQQ/viewform

This is more than just a competition they are participating in. It is a reflection of our larger vision to inspire confident learners and changemakers.

Now they need your support to be able to win this competition and join the World Teen Parliament. Each vote brings them closer to making their voices heard on a global platform and turning their ideas into impactful action.

What if the tales of your city’s past were told by its future?
​
Heritage Walks 2025 is here – an unforgettable adventure led by the students of Sparkling Mindz! 

Kick-starting on January 19th!
​
Our journey begins at the majestic Someshwara Temple, Bengaluru’s second-oldest treasure. Dive into ancient mysteries, awe-inspiring architecture, and untold stories – brought to life with unmatched passion and energy!

🔥 Why You Can’t Miss This:
See Bengaluru through the eyes of its brightest young storytellers.
Discover hidden gems and fascinating tales like never before.
Be part of a movement celebrating history, curiosity, and community.

When: January 19th
Where: Someshwara Temple

Seats are limited – Register NOW! Click here. 

Your city’s secrets are calling. Are you ready to uncover them?

#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#childinthecity
#discoveringbengaluru
#heritagewalks

In this article, we delve into Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions and help combat climate change.

The process captures carbon from the air or from industrial sources, compresses it, and stores it underground. While CCS offers a promising way to mitigate the impacts of global warming, it comes with significant challenges, such as high costs, energy use, and potential environmental risks. As the world works towards Net Zero by 2050, we must consider whether CCS is a long-term solution or merely a temporary fix in our fight against climate change.

Here is an article on the same. 
​

 
Is Carbon capture the future of climate action? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Contributed by Aashna Raghu Sankar, YoDA (Grade 11), student of Sparkling Mindz Global School.

​#sparklingmindzglobalschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#beingchangemakers
#buildingcuriosity
#climatechange

Strategy is an important part of any team game.

Our Sparkling Mindzian Preschoolers are learning to visualize and strategize their roles and positions for their upcoming Touch Rugby game.

Subs - "I want to sit and watch the game and practice, practice, practice."
Runners - "I will get the ball and run and pass it to the Hulk team."
Defending - "We should be outside (spread), and they will not make a try"

As they learn to tune into the team and arrive more strategies in the game, stay tuned for more such Snippets and children gear up for their Sports Event.

#sparklingmindzglobalpreschool
#inspiringconfidentlearners
#sportsmanship
#strategy
#teamgames
#everychildcan

Bengaluru, filled with intricate and complex systems created by the builders of our city is now in our hands. While we are destroying it, intentionally or unintentionally, we have the power and responsibility to rejuvenate, restore, and revive our home to keep it safe for ourselves and future generations.

How “Natural” Is This Natural Disaster?
​By Sarvani Balavari & Reyhan Happy

Flooding is viewed as a natural disaster by most experts, the literal definition being flooding is the inundation of water to a normally dry land. 

For the past few days from the 15th of October, as we all know, Bengaluru has been under Amber Alert and facing floods. What if we told you that it's not always just nature at play?

If you look at Bengaluru’s history we have kind of never had a river or a main waterbody constantly flowing through us. One of our city’s great founders, Kempe Gowda, realised and saw this problem, he addressed it by designing and creating an interconnected system of man-made seasonal lakes!

Many of us don't fully understand the value of land used for water storage. While some admire the beauty, others see wasted space that could be developed to accommodate the city's rapidly growing population (which increased from 7 million in 2007 to 14 million in 2022). 

This has caused the lakes of Bengaluru to go from around 1000 when they were constructed to a mere THIRTY-THREE. The significance of lakes is low after years of climate disaster, bad temperature control, dry weather including a water crisis, and now flooding.

But remember, it isn’t just the absence of lakes, it is also the absence of proper usage of the systems that do exist.

Rajakaluves. These stormwater drains are a part of the ingenious lake system, they are what connect the lakes! This 859.9 km vast network of Rajakaluves ensures that lakes don’t overflow and any water run-off from rain is drained and sent to lakes.
When these Rajakaluves are blocked with huge amounts of waste and are not cleared, it upsets that balance and the excess water has nowhere to go except onto the roads and into our houses.

Looking at the lack of lakes, blocked Rajakaluves, and our tar and concrete pavements that allow ZERO groundwater recharge, we wonder, how natural is this natural disaster?

Where Does Our Water Go?
By Vyomika Akula

Bengaluru faced a water crisis during the summer and now we are going through floods and have excess water. Where does all of this water go? Can it be stored and used? 

Over-extraction of groundwater, limited recharge rates and a combination of multiple other factors caused the water crisis this summer. Climate change has also had its contribution to our drought and insufficient rainfall. Now the excess rainfall has created floods for our in Bengaluru. These urban floods have led to multiple issues in Bengaluru including traffic-filled roads, schools and colleges being shut down and many more. We suffer so much from this excess of water and in other months struggle for a single drop, so, where does this water go?

On a normal piece of land, when it rains, 85% of the water evaporates/transpires, 10% goes to run-off and 5-8% goes to recharge the groundwater, but when we build our buildings, only 5% of the water evaporates and 95% goes to run-off (which is what we experience as floods) and none of it goes to recharge. Because of this lack of recharge during the water crisis (and otherwise), the BWSSB ended up importing water from the Cauvery River.

So next time we face a water crisis, and we know we haven’t recharged our groundwater, be prepared to face expensive water tankers. 

Our City, Our Responsibility

When Namma Uru Floods…
By Simran Jain

Have you noticed how the heavy rains are changing life in Bengaluru?

Bengaluru was known as the City of A Thousand Lakes and is now known as the Silicon Valley of India. Due to the various job opportunities available an influx of people starting to migrate into the city. The city was not ready and the planners were not ready to house so many people. Inorder to meet the needs, the city has buildings and infrastructure popping out from various spaces.Spaces where a few seasonal lakes once thrived, rajakaluves once lived have now become commercial spaces, tech hubs, and even residential spaces. 
Now, when it rains rather than just lakes being filled, low-lying areas like Koramangala and Yelahanka flood badly. Families in these neighbourhoods often have water entering their homes, ruining their things and causing health issues with sewage mixing in. Many are even forced to leave their homes until the water goes down.
According to a recent article in Deccan Herald, over 50 areas and 140 homes in Bengaluru have been flooded. But what about the people not counted in these reports—the ones in slums, or those who work as delivery drivers or day labourers? For them, floods mean losing their belongings, health risks, and even their jobs. Many are daily wage workers or migrants who depend on their jobs for survival, but flooding disrupts work, pushing them further into poverty. 
As a city, we need to come together, plan our city better and account for everyone that lives, works and depends on the city. 

Bengaluru Water and Changing Culture Cycles
By Samriddhi Tiwari

Bengaluru experienced heavy rains at the beginning of October this year. The water started collecting and stayed stagnant in the spaces of the city, causing flooding. Because of this schools were given declared holidays by the Bengaluru Urban District Commissioner. 

Historically how did communities in Bengaluru responded to rains? What was the connotation of rain and is it different today? Today the connotation of rain is related to the spread of illnesses, unsafe, and frustrations over the traffic. But what was Bengaluru like before the rain, holidays and traffic jams?

Bengaluru was known as a city of a thousand lakes, it was built with a system designed to capture and store the water which would be used for drinking and agriculture. Communities worked together to maintain the lakes. Culturally rains were celebrated in Karnataka, Kaveri Sankrama is a festival which celebrates monsoons because monsoons are crucial for the farming communities. 

Over time the connotation of rains has shifted from sustaining life and celebration to frustration.

How Can We Solve This Mess

Ancient Solutions to Modern Issues
By Abhinav Jandhyala

Strategies to survive and overcome a multitude of disasters – natural or man-made – which we search ever so desperately for are right under our noses! Indigenous knowledge provides valuable approaches to tackling floods among other natural disasters. 

For tens and thousands of years, indigenous peoples have dealt with climate change and have built various systems and developed numerous methods that can be applied in our current situation as well.

According to recent studies, the primordial approach to dealing with such disasters works much better than modern technology. A case study shows that indigenous methods are more eco-friendly and effective when compared to modern methods.

For example, Bengaluru, our city (as most of us call it), was once a city of over a thousand lakes! Ever wondered why?

Bengaluru’s geographical location is something that makes water hard to access by the city. This is because it doesn’t have a natural river flowing through it, so the lakes were dug as an important source for water. Communities thrived by using these lakes, and worked together to maintain it.

Most of the lakes of Bengaluru are seasonal, so they are filled up in some seasons and dry-out in the other seasons. When the lakes are not filled, and there is infrastructure built on it, it can cause mayhem, i.e. water-logging.

At Sparkling Mindz, we are trying to analyse this issue to rejuvenate lakes as they are essential to most life in Bengaluru. We are researching various methods to best rejuvenate and ensure these lakes thrive. One specific example where this was done was the Jakkur Lake in northern Bengaluru, the Jakkur-Sampigehalli Lake Citizen Group, Jala Poshan, supported the rejuvenation of the lake.

These native methods, that were put in place, do work. We just need to keep our eyes open, and come together as a community to solve this issue because this is our city, Bengaluru, so let’s take care of it together!
​
A Smoother Road to Bengaluru’s Future 
By Sabareesh Ram Radhakrishnan

Bengaluru is known for its rage-inducing roads…but did you know that roads can help solve these floods that the city is plagued by?

You may be wondering how these roads will help with the problem 

Making these roads permeable by letting go of water through the road surface can help solve the issue of flooding. It can also purify the water going into the ground. These permeable roads can enable us to reduce the surface temperature which makes the city cooler.

However, making these roads can be more expensive and hard to maintain. The roads are also dependent on the soil quality

The money they save compared to a white-topping road can be more as the renovations and repairs for white-topping roads cost way more.

In conclusion, these permeable roads can be expensive initially and are hard to manage but can save money in the long run, help in the clearance of water, and can also purify the water and make the city cooler making permeable roads potentially a road that the government can consider to make the city a better place.  

Conclusion
Our research and findings have shed light on the pressing root issues that our beloved city faces. We have big aspirations, but our towering skyscrapers are being built on fragile foundations. As children of the city, we have a voice, a right and a responsibility towards the future of Bengaluru. Join us in this journey of crafting a better future for our city!

Documented by 9th and 10th graders, and YoDAs of Sparkling Mindz Global School.

#ChildInTheCity
#LearningThatMatters
#BengaluruFloods
#ChildrenAsChangemakers
#UrbanFlooding
#SparklingMindzResearch
#CityOfLakesRevival
#ChildrenForChange
#FutureOfBengaluru
#SustainableBengaluru

Citations - 
1. Verma, A. (2020, November 6). Bengaluru’s traffic nightmare during floods: IISc study shows policy measures can help. Citizen Matters. https://citizenmatters.in/bengaluru-floods-traffic-speed-trip-cancellation-policy-solutions/
​
2. Srikantaiah, V. (2017, October 17). Mitigating rain and floods in Bengaluru needs holistic approach. Citizen Matters. https://citizenmatters.in/flood-rain-water-management-bangalore/

3. B.Pac. (2024, March 22). Bengaluru water crisis: Causes, solutions & hope. B.PAC. https://bpac.in/bengaluru-water-crisis-causes-solutions/

4. User, S. (n.d.). What causes floods? https://nemo.gov.vc/nemo/index.php/hazards/flooding/265-what-causes-flood

5. Mirror, B. (2022, April 22). Bengaluru’s rajakaluves are in dire need of attention. Bangalore Mirror. https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/bengalurus-rajakaluves-are-in-dire-need-of-attention/articleshow/90987623.cms

6. The Lost Lakes of Bangalore. (2020, October 13). Environment & Society Portal. https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/lost-lakes-bangalore

7. Bosky Khanna, & Bosky Khanna. (2024, October 15). Bengaluru Urban DC declares holiday for schools due to heavy rain. The New Indian Express. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2024/Oct/15/bengaluru-urban-dc-declares-holiday-for-schools-due-to-heavy-rain

8. Bangalore, India Metro Area Population 1950-2024. (n.d.). MacroTrends. https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/21176/bangalore/population#:~:text=The%20metro%20area%20population%20of,a%203.55%25%20increase%20from%202020

9. Bengaluru topographic map, elevation, terrain. (n.d.). Topographic Maps. https://en-in.topographic-map.com/map-6b7b3/Bengaluru/?center=12.98798%2C77.70575&zoom=10

10. Citizen Matters. (n.d.). Bengaluru rainfall and climate change: Key findings from KSNMDC study. Citizen Matters. https://citizenmatters.in/bengaluru-rainfall-climate-change-ksndmc-study/