German Youth Camp
Date: Monday, 15th September 2025 – Thursday 18th September 2025
No. of Days – 4 days & 3 Nights
Topic: Youth Camp @ Thiruvannamalai
Facilitator: Mythili. German Educator (organizer – Goethe Institute Chennai)
Participants: Grade 8 – 10 (3Students from each grade)
Day 1 – 15/09/2025
Have an opportunity to accompany with our Students (Keerthivanth – G8, Dhilshan -G9 & Piyush –G10) to Thiruvannamalai for attending Youth Camp till 18/9/25.Departure from Goethe Institute, Chennai at 6:30 a.m. and arrival at Thiruvannamalai at 12:30 p.m. Lunch followed by room check-in process at 2:30 p.m. Inaugural session commenced at 5:00 p.m.
Welcome address by Mr. Prabhakar Narayan, Deputy Director, Language Department.
Briefing on the three-day camp schedule. Two eminent scientists Dr Christopher and Dr Philip from the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development delivered preparatory insights for the next day’s program. Students were grouped and teachers assigned as mentors for each group.
Tasks related to nature-based activities were assigned to students. Students, guided by their mentors, successfully completed preparatory work for the upcoming session. The day concluded with an engaging ice-breaker session.
Day 2 – 16/09/2025
The program commenced at 8.00 a.m. with a visit to Vaan Cirappu Centre, where participants had the opportunity to meet local farmers. An interactive session of more than an hour was conducted, enabling the students to gain valuable insights into farming practices and sustainable living.
Following this, a nature walk was organized. During the walk, students were tasked to move silently, collect natural materials such as leaves and flowers, and then design creative models. Each group later presented their creations and explained their ideas to the other teams, promoting teamwork and innovation.
The next session was held at Thanal, a centre dedicated to eco-friendly construction practices. Here, the students were introduced to the preparation of construction blocks using natural materials as an alternative to cement. Under guidance, they actively participated in preparing the mixture and successfully created blocks themselves. The day concluded with an open-mic cultural program, where students showcased their talents, bringing the day to a joyful and engaging.
Day 3 – 17/09/2025
The Third day of the program was both enriching and experiential. The day began with a visit to the Ornithology Park, where participants learned about various plants, trees, their habitats, and the scientific names associated with them. The group also explored the Man made forest, experiencing diverse bird calls and later visited the museum to gain deeper insights into the region’s biodiversity. Following this, the team visited the Vaan Sirappu Centre. A German research resource person delivered an engaging session on the importance of human–nature resonance and the interconnectedness of ecosystems.
Students were then divided into groups and tasked with preparing short scripts and masks for a roleplay activity. After 45 minutes of preparation, each group performed their roleplays, creatively representing elements such as rivers, trees, flowers, birds, and animals.
The day concluded with a collective reflection and a key takeaway message:
“Conserve the nature.”
Day 4 – 18/09/2025
The workshop concluded successfully with a reflection session, where students shared their learning and understanding about nature and their relationship with it. They also presented the key observations gathered from their interaction with farmers the day before yesterday.
The program ended on a joyful note with a happy song, marking a fitting conclusion to the workshop.
