December 3, 2009

Creative Writing Event - F.G. Boys Public School

The second part of the sixth programme of the Publican Alumni Trust (PAT) Educational Initiatives Programme was a Creative Writing event held for the students of F.G. Boys Public School. A similar event was held for the F.G. Minwala Girls Public School on November 19, 2009.

A report on the proceedings by Javed Jabbar is posted below.

Report by Javed Jabbar

Dear fellow Publicans,

Salaams.

1. On Wednesday, 3rd December 2009 from 11.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the FG Boys' Public School, Karachi Cantonment, the Publican Alumni Trust organized an impromptu creative writing event.

2. 24 students, 3 each from the 4 sections each of Clases IX and X participated. Trustee Mrs. Sabiha Pervez, Member, Advisory Council, Ms. Nudrat Alvi and the under-signed represented PAT.

3. Mrs. Rashida Jalil, Principal and teacher Ms. Shahida extended their kind co-operation in confining these 24 innocent students to our care in the Chemistry lab.

4. Students were given the choice to write in Urdu or in English short essays on either one of two topics (reproduced below in English). One was meant to encourage their power to recall and for vivid description of a past experience, the other topic was aimed to stimulate their imagination and sense of fancy about the future.

5. After about 30 minutes of reflection and planning their writing, students took about 60 minutes to complete their essays.

6. An evaluation of the essays will be jointly conducted by Trustees Sahiba Pervez and the under-signed and by our respected former teacher Mrs. Durre Shamim Rafi. It may be possible to announce the results on 12th December 2009 and to present prizes either on that day, or at the next PAT event for students.

7. Taken together with the impromptu creative writing event in the FG Minwalla Girls' Public School held in November 2009, the outcome from these budding writers of today and tomorrow deserves to be compiled into book form which will possibly become a PAT publication with the support of the Trustees and a benign sponsor.

8. And in case any former student wishes to recall or to visualize, let your pen engage us.

9. Thank you for your attention.

With best wishes,

Javed Jabbar

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Publican Alumni Trust

Topics for the impromptu creative writing event at the FG Minwalla Boys' Public School, Karachi Cantonment on 3rd December 2009.

Topic - A :

Describe the following in about 800 words : (about 100 words for each)

a. One of your own birthday parties : the date, the place, the weather on that day.

b. Some basic details about the place in which the birthday party was held i.e. the size of the room, or the hall, or the lawn.

c. The number of people who attended.

d. Their relationships with you and a few words about each of their physical features : approx. height, approx. weight, face, eyes, general personality : your mother, your father, your brothers, your sisters, your relations, friends; even people you may have met for the first time that day.

e. The gifts you received.

f. Your feelings during and after the birthday party.

g. The snacks, the food and the drinks that were served at the party.

h. Any special smells, fragrances, colours, sounds you recall from that day.

Topic - B :

The year is 2047 : 100 years after the birth of Pakistan, and 38 years from today. Describe the following in about 800 words : (about 100 words for each)

a. Your own age in 2047. You can imagine that you were born later than your actual date of birth. So that, for example, in 2047, you may choose to be 12 years old or 20 years old or 30 years old or 50 years old. You decide what your age is.

b. Where will you be living in 2047 ?

c. The size of the village or the town or the city where you are living in 2047 : the means of transportation and communication i.e. are there any changes from what you see in 2009 ?

d. Your occupation i.e. whether you are a student and, if so, describe the place where you are studying, the subject you are studying.

e. Or if you are a working person, what is your job ?

f. The places you prefer to go for playing games or sports. What sports ? Any new sports ?

g. The entertainment options that you have : any new media, any new media content ?

h. In your view, will Pakistan be less, or more peaceful and progressive, than it is today in 2009 ?