Gayathri Junior School

Out here in Alappuzha, specifically in the Mannancherry area, you will find Gayathri Junior School. It is tucked away in Ponnad. The surroundings are pretty quiet for the most part, except when the kids are arriving in the morning. It is a small school meant for the younger children who live in this pocket of the district. We keep the place running every day, making sure the classrooms are ready before the first bell rings. You can see the green trees around the area, which makes it a bit cooler even when the sun is out in full force. The building is fairly standard for a school in this part of Kerala. We have the usual stuff like benches and chalkboards and posters on the walls that the kids have made. It is not a place that tries to look like something it isn't. Mostly, it is just about getting through the day and making sure the children learn their basics. If you are driving through Ponnad, you might miss it if you aren't looking, but the locals all know exactly where the gate is. Usually, there is a bit of a crowd at the entrance during pickup time when the parents come on their cycles or walk over from their houses nearby. It is just a local spot for the neighborhood kids to get their early schooling done without having to travel too far away from home.