Students attend the personal safety and social awareness session at St Lawrence International School, Yamunanagar.
Students sensitised to personal safety, good values, responsible social media use and the importance of staying away from substance abuse
PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK YAMUNANAGAR
St Lawrence International School, Shahpur Road, Vyasapur, organised a special awareness lecture to sensitise students about personal safety, good values, a drug-free lifestyle and the responsible use of technology and social media. The programme was aimed at equipping students with practical knowledge to deal with difficult situations while encouraging them to develop positive habits, healthy relationships and responsible behaviour.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Neelam of the Women Police Station, Yamunanagar, was the keynote speaker at the programme. She interacted with the students and discussed several issues directly connected with their safety, personal development and everyday use of digital platforms.
In his message on the occasion, school Managing Director Dr M.K. Sehgal urged students to adopt good values and positive habits in their lives. He encouraged them to respect their parents, choose good company and move forward with a constructive outlook.
Dr Sehgal expressed gratitude to ASI Neelam for addressing the students and providing them with information on issues that have a direct bearing on their safety and future. He said that awareness about personal security and responsible behaviour at an early stage can help students make informed decisions and develop into responsible members of society.
He emphasised that education should not be limited to academic achievement. Students also need to understand how to protect themselves, identify potentially unsafe situations and seek appropriate help when required. Awareness programmes conducted in schools can provide students with practical guidance while strengthening their confidence to speak about issues that make them uncomfortable.
Addressing the students, ASI Neelam explained the importance of understanding appropriate and inappropriate touch and maintaining personal boundaries. She told students that if they experience any behaviour or situation that makes them uncomfortable, they should not remain silent or attempt to deal with it alone.
She advised students to immediately communicate with their parents, teachers or another trusted person whenever they encounter an uncomfortable or suspicious situation. According to her, speaking openly with a trusted adult can help students receive timely support and prevent potentially serious situations from escalating.
The police official also spoke about the importance of maintaining good company and staying away from drugs and other harmful substances. She encouraged students to make positive choices and understand that substance abuse can have serious consequences for an individual’s education, health, family relationships and future.
She urged students to remain focused on their education and personal development instead of allowing negative influences to affect their goals. Building healthy friendships and choosing positive activities, she said, can help young people stay away from harmful habits and make better decisions.
A significant part of the awareness session focused on the use of mobile phones and social media. ASI Neelam advised students to use digital platforms in a limited, responsible and safe manner. She specifically cautioned them about interacting with unknown individuals through platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.
Students were advised not to share private or sensitive personal information with strangers online. The police official stressed that information shared on digital platforms can potentially be misused and therefore students should exercise caution before accepting requests, responding to unknown users or sharing photographs and other personal details.
She also encouraged students to understand the difference between virtual and real life. Social media, she explained, often presents a carefully selected version of people’s lives and should not become a source of unnecessary comparison, pressure or distraction.
The students were encouraged to give greater importance to education, family, personal goals and real-world achievements rather than seeking validation through online activity. Delivering a motivational message, ASI Neelam urged the students to believe not merely in displaying a status online, but in building a meaningful status in real life through hard work, discipline and achievement.
Her interaction with the students covered issues that are increasingly relevant to young people as digital communication becomes an integral part of everyday life. The session highlighted the need for students to remain alert without becoming fearful and to seek help whenever they feel unsafe or face inappropriate behaviour.
Chairperson Dr Rajni Sehgal thanked ASI Neelam for conducting the awareness session and sharing practical guidance with the students. She said that programmes focusing on personal safety, responsible behaviour and social awareness are important components of a student’s overall development.
Dr Sehgal urged students to maintain distance from the unrealistic pressures of the virtual world and concentrate on building their identity through hard work, discipline, education and positive actions in real life. She said that young people should use technology as a tool for learning and communication rather than allowing excessive social media use to distract them from their goals.
The programme also reinforced the importance of parental guidance and communication. Students were encouraged to maintain open and healthy communication with their parents and teachers so that they could seek support whenever they faced confusion, pressure or an uncomfortable situation.
The awareness session concluded with students reflecting on key messages related to personal safety, good company, respect for parents, staying away from drugs and responsible use of social media. The programme provided an opportunity for students to ask themselves how everyday choices and behaviour can influence their safety, relationships and future.
The school management said that the objective of such programmes is to help students become alert, responsible, disciplined and confident citizens. It also emphasised that awareness and education are important tools for preventing young people from falling victim to harmful influences, unsafe online interactions and substance abuse.
The management expressed its commitment to organising similar awareness initiatives in the future as part of its efforts towards the holistic development and safety of students. Such programmes, it said, complement classroom education by preparing students to respond responsibly to challenges in their personal and social lives.
The session at St Lawrence International School thus combined personal safety education, value-based guidance, drug prevention and digital awareness. By bringing a police official directly into interaction with students, the programme provided practical information while encouraging young people to speak up, seek help when necessary and make responsible choices.
The central message of the programme was that students should build their future through education, discipline, positive relationships and meaningful achievements. The school encouraged students to remain cautious in the digital environment, avoid harmful influences and develop the confidence to seek support whenever their safety or well-being is at risk.
The programme also reinforced the importance of parental guidance and communication. Students were encouraged to maintain open and healthy communication with their parents and teachers so that they could seek support whenever they faced confusion, pressure or an uncomfortable situation.
