You’ve heard of CSR but have you heard of BSR? Bethany High School, located in Koramangala, is putting a twist on the term “Corporate Social Responsibility”. Bethany High, which is home to over 2000 students, feels that connecting and catering to each student individually is of the utmost importance. With a dedicated team, Bethany High is determined to motivate and support each and every student, faculty member and support staff member of the school. Bethany Social Responsibility is a concept that was born decades ago and has been implemented in the most efficient manner possible to positively impact the lives of the students at Bethany, as well as the faculty and support staff by catering to whatever needs and matters that require assistance. That’s CSR In Schools in a Nutshell.

“Charity begins at home” is an important phrase when it comes to Bethany High. The school cherishes every single student and has four different projects which have been created to maximize the welfare of each and every member of the Bethany family. BSR began with the conception of the Bethany Special School in 1983. The Special School currently has 68 students who have accomplished a great deal with the guidance of the Bethany crew. There are unique activities conducted for the students which allow them to learn and grow to their maximum potential. These activities go far beyond the classroom teaching which they also receive that include academics, communication skills and social skills which help them in their day-to-day activities. Various projects are undertaken by them, namely, running a bakery, looming, crafts, music, sports and many other fun and simple activities which allow them to exercise the creativeness of their minds and learn new things on a day-to-day basis. Each student is assessed individually and have an Individual Education Plan formulated specially for them at the beginning of every year. Parents are regularly updated and the children bloom in an environment which is loving and nurturing to each and every one of them.

The Bethany Family Fund was another addition to BSR in 2008. An incident involving a student who had to go hungry due to her financial background struck a chord in the hearts of the Bethany management and faculty. After making sure the child was taken care of, the team set about the task of making sure every child in the school was properly taken care of. It was soon discovered that sixteen families needed help and with the aid of the generous Bethany faculty and parents, these sixteen families soon got the assistance they needed. Basic requirements like medical, rent and provisions are made available to them and students in Bethany take great pride in helping out their fellow peers. Over a four year period, a grant of Rs. 4,95,515 was given to those families who were in a real crisis. Rs. 4,47,875 was sanctioned as loans, and Rs. 1,00,675 was paid toward the school fees, books and uniforms of economically weaker students.

The Learning Lab is also an important component of BSR. Here, students who require it, are mentored and provided with extra guidance in order to make learning simpler and more fun. The “Enablers” at the Learning Lab are entrusted with the care of these students and teach them in such a way that they can imbibe lessons easily and with freedom. Each child at the Learning Lab is catered to individually and their performances are also based on their abilities and efforts. The main goal is to ensure children that their mistakes are learning experiences and that these areas are not ones that we should worry a great deal about. The premise is “It’s okay to not know, but it’s not okay to not try” which holds a great deal of significance to each and every child.

The most recent addition to BSR is the Bethany Helper Fund which assists the support staff at Bethany and enables them to maximize their welfare to its full potential. It was started in 2011 and deals with matters in times of need. The support staff may be assisted with their medical bills if needed and when affected by natural calamities, will be provided with support. If they require help with the payments of educational fees or assistance with their children’s marriage, then Bethany will gladly provide their assistance to anyone in need of it.

Bethany Social Responsibility has positively impacted plenty of people and has helped them abundantly in their social and professional lives. The Bethany family, which ranges from the littlest student to the oldest staff member, is assured that they will be duly taken care of in times of crisis. Bethany focuses not only on allowing a student to strive to the greatest potential they can be academically, but also focuses on the all-round development of each and every child. This includes their individual social responsibility as well as looking out for their peers. By incorporating BSR, they allow the students to grow and develop in an atmosphere of warmth and generosity which will surely spread through generations to come.