Gita Champions - Bhagavad Gita contests for Children in Bay Area

Vedic Academy is excited to announce GITA CHAMPIONS – The annual children’s contests based on the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita is universally acknowledged as one of the world’s literary and spiritual masterpieces. It is the core text of the Hindu tradition and has been treasured by American writers from Emerson and Thoreau to T. S. Eliot, who called it the greatest philosophical poem.

The Bhagavad Gita teaches the most important concepts that are relevant and valuable to every human being. In today’s modern world, filled with distractions, peer pressure, stress and violence, we as parents are worried about children learning good values and leading a life of integrity. We at, Vedic Academy, believe that spiritual education culminates in character and integrity and therefore would like to extend an opportunity to all the children in Bay Area to read, understand and apply the teachings of Bhagavad Gita in their lives and become powerful agents of change in this world. The Bhagavad Gita is a perfect road map for human life. It teaches the children how to overcome all the inevitable challenges, impediments, and crises that will come in life and it will help them to grow in the process.

The contests will be held at the ISKCON of Silicon Valley (ISV) @ 1965 Latham Street Mountain View on Saturday, December 6th 2014 from 10 am – 4 pm. We request you to register at the earliest so that it will help us in planning the contests. Participation is by registration only. Register before November 20, 2014. Entry fee $5/Child for each contest. If registered after November 20 or on spot, the entry fee will be $10 per contest.

Register your child using this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oEpC1KaviuVaMrvlmmLvM5y9SoDhqxUog1wK7woQmQI/viewform

Please find the details of the contests below:

10 am – 12 noon : Bhagavad Gita Sloka Recitation for Group 1(3 – under 6 years), Group 2(6-9 yrs), Group 3(9-12 yrs) and Group 4(12 – 15 years)

12.00 – 12.30pm – Lunch Break (We will be providing lunch prasadam for all the parents and kids)

12.30 – 2:00pm:Bhagavad Gita Speech Contest for Group 2(6-9 yrs), Group 3(9-12 yrs) and Group 4(12 – 15 years). Gita Coloring contest will happen simultaneously for Group 1 and Group 2 just after they finish their speech.

1.15 – 2.15 pm : Essay Writing for Group 2, 3 and 4

2.00 – 2.30pm : Break

2.30 – 4.00 pm : Bhagavad Gita Quiz for Group 2, 3 and 4

Certificates and Trophies for all the participants and winners will be distributed on Sunday, December 7th 2014 during the auspicious occasion of Gita Jayanthi.

GITA ESSAY WRITING:

Choose one topic from the appropriate age group
The essay should not be more than a page long
Duration: 40 mins
Participants will be judged on the basis of content, style, language and comprehension
Participants should bring their own pen and writing pad. Writing sheets will be provided
Eligible groups:

Group 2: Age 6 – (under) 9 years

Remembering Krsna at the time of death (Refer BG 8.5 – 8)
Peace Formula (Refer BG 5.29)
Transcendental Knowledge about Krsna (Refer BG 4.1 – 10)
Group 3: Age 9 – (under) 12 years

Arjuna's reasons for not fighting the Kurukshetra war ( Refer BG 1.28 – 42)
Beware of Lust and Anger (Refer BG 3.36 – 43)
The Topmost Yogi ( Refer BG 6.46 – 47)
Group 4: Age 12 – (under) 15 years

Necessity of controlling the turbulent mind (Refer BG 6.33-36)
Buddhi Yoga (Refer 2.39 - 53)
The glories of devotional service to Krsna (Refer BG 9.26 – 34)
GITA COLORING:

An outline sketch based on the theme from Bhagavad Gita will be provided and the
participant has to color it.
Color pencils and crayons should be brought by the participants. No water color to be used.
Duration : 30 mins
Eligible Groups:

Group 1: Age 3 – (under) 6 years
Group 2: Age 6 – (under) 9 years

GITA QUIZ:

Participants in a team of 3 are allowed
Oral Quiz will be based on ‘Bhagava Gita As It Is” book by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Eligible Groups:

Group 2: Age 6 – (under) 9 years
Chapters 4 and 5

Group 3: Age 9 – (under) 12 years
Chapter 7 and 8


Group 4: Age 12 – 15 years
Chapter 3, 4 and 5

EMPOWERING WORDS SPEECH CONTEST:

Select one topic assigned for the appropriate age group
Present your speech for no more than 3 minutes
Participants will be tested for their skills in articulation, delivery, expression, fluency, content and body language
Eligible groups:

Group 1: Age 3 – (under) 6 years

Simple Living and High Thinking
Holy Rivers of India(Can talk about one or more)
Care for Cows
Group 2: Age 6 – (under) 10 years

Attitude of Gratitude
Power of Forgiveness
My contribution for a Green Earth
Group 3: Age 10 – (under) 15 years


Power of prayer
Culture of respect
Relevance of Bhagavad Gita in today’s world
GITA SLOKA RECITATION:

Select the slokas assigned for the appropriate age group
Recite the Sanskrit slokas in sequence
Participants will be tested for their skills in articulation, delivery, expression, fluency, content and body language
Group 1: Age 3 – (under) 6 years

“Bhagavad Gita As It Is”, Chapter 5, Verses 1-6
Group 2: Age 6 – (under) 9 years

“Bhagavad Gita As It Is”, Chapter 5, Verses 1-8
Group 3: Age 9 – (under) 12 years

“Bhagavad Gita As It Is”, Chapter 5, Verses 1-12
Group 4: Age 12 – 15 years

“Bhagavad Gita As It Is”, Chapter 5, Verses 1-12

Please write to us at [email protected] or call Vidya (408 718 1588) / Sripriya(650 248 6297) for any questions.