Don Bosco High School & Junior College

Out here in Vikhroli East, things are always moving fast. We are located in Tagore Nagar, Group No. 1, and we are right next to National High School. It’s a big spot with a lot of students coming from all over this part of Mumbai. The school and the junior college share the space, so you have kids of all ages everywhere. In the mornings, the crowd at the gate is something else. You have the school buses and the rickshaws all trying to get through the narrow entry. The building is large and has many wings. I’ve seen the seasons change from the windows here, from the heavy monsoon rains hitting the roof to the dry heat of May. We have a lot of stairs and the kids are always racing up and down them when the teachers aren't looking. The classrooms are basic with wooden benches that have names carved into them from many years ago. We try to keep things organized, but with so many students, there’s always a bit of chaos. The staff room is usually a mess of books and half-corrected papers piled on the tables. You can hear the sounds of the neighborhood, people living their lives right outside our walls. It’s a busy institution but it feels like a community once you’ve been inside for a few hours. We just focus on getting the lessons done and making sure the students show up on time every morning to start their day.