Impressions competition for the projects from the second batch of schools under the ACE program

ACE Impressions V2 at Amazon

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Asha’s ACE (Asha Computer Education) program was inaugurated in October 2023 with 52 government schools in Thiruvallur. The initiative aimed to empower school teachers with foundational computer education, enabling them to deliver Asha’s 1-year computer science curriculum in their respective schools.

As word about the program spread, in 2024, the ACE program expanded to Thoothukudi, Thiruvannamalai, and Villupuram districts. In Thiruvallur, 24 schools expressed interest in joining the second phase of the program. In Thoothukudi, 13 schools were finalized; Villupuram welcomed 11 schools; and Thiruvannamalai brought 5 schools on board.

This new group of teachers were trained in Asha’s enhanced 2-year computer science curriculum, and the group came to be addressed as ACE V2 (ACE Version 2). However the program could start only by mid August due to delay in government permissions etc. We removed a few items from the curriculum and worked with the teachers to crunch the curriculum into the available time.

ACE V2 Impressions – Project Submission

Just like in ACE V1, student enthusiasm for project submissions remained strong in ACE V2. We received an impressive 470 projects from Thiruvallur, Thoothukudi, Villupuram and Thiruvannamalai districts. Given that the project timeline coincided with the close of the academic year, students had limited time to devote to their work amidst exam preparations.

In a touching display of commitment, both students and government teachers volunteered their vacation time to return to school and continue working on their projects. Their dedication and passion were truly inspiring and a testament to the impact of the ACE initiative. They finally submitted their projects by 10^th May, two weeks after the end of their exams!

The first level selections were done by fourteen of our teachers and Lead teachers, where they finalized 60 projects. These projects were then reviewed by Asha Project coordinators and volunteers, Mr. Rajaraman and Mr. Venkat. They chose 17 projects which would have the opportunity to present before external judges and win exciting prizes! The quality of the projects was found to be very good and it was a difficult task to filter just 17 from the lot. Here is the breakup of projects submitted as per geography-

The announcement of the project’s selection lit up the atmosphere at the chosen schools. At PUMS Kadambai, Kilpennathur, the moment turned heartfelt and symbolic as the Headmaster and teachers honored the selected team with saplings—living emblems of growth, gratitude, and a future rooted in promise.

Organizing The Event

Amazon gracious agreed to host the event once again at their office in the prestigious Brigade World Trade Centre in Perungudi, Chennai. Since ACE V1 was hosted at Amazon, the team was familiar with the event requirements and flow. Asha’s team contacted Amazon and the GREF team, who helped arrange the venue, food, technical support, and volunteers. The date for the event was set for 21 June, 2025, Saturday.

The teams from Thoothukudi travelled overnight with the students and teachers, and reached Chennai early in the morning. Since the travel time for the team from Thiruvanamalai was nearly 4 hours, they started very early in the morning the same day. All teams were scheduled to report at Amazon at 8 AM. While teams from Thoothukudi and Thiruvallur reached on time, the vehicle from Thriuvanamalai got caught up in morning traffic and reached only by 10.30 am.

The Amazon team helped everyone get their visitors pass after which the volunteers guided everyone to the 20^th floor where packed breakfast was kept ready for all staff and students. After breakfast everyone assembled in the common area for safety briefing by the GREF team. The students were then escorted to the 18^th floor where the presentation competitions were to be held.

Competition – Presentation

Mr. Rajaram spent some time briefing the judges on the grading parameters. One of the judge, Ms. Joan Mary had also judged the ACE V1 Impressions. Since the teams from Thiruvanamalai had not arrived, teams from Thiruvallur and Thothukudi were sent in to start the competition. The first presentation was by the school Vengathur Kandigai who presented on the topic, Tamilnadu symbols. The teams were seated in rows as per their order and went on to present one by one.

The judges were requested to keep the time limit of each presentation to 15 mins, including time for Q&A. Since the students had been informed about the time restrictions while they created the projects, most of them managed to complete within the time limit.

The presentations by the students kept the judges engaged as the students used variety of ways to make their projects interesting – Games, songs, riddles, role playing and boldly enacting movie dialogues. The judges focused on asking questions not only about the content but also the new techniques used. The students were asked to make changes to the content, or move content or images around, they were asked to recreate some interesting transitions as well, which they did, sometimes with ease, and sometimes a little stumped or a tad confused.

Since the room allotted could not accommodate all students owing to fire safety mandate, as each team finished their presentation, they were escorted out to the 16^th floor where Asha RTC teachers and Amazon volunteers kept them engaged in showcasing project work by RTC students and other electronic gadgets. Even though it was a Saturday (non-working day at Amazon), the volunteers showed up in good numbers and were extremely helpful in managing the children throughout the day.

Before heading out, the teams paused for a quick snack break at the Amazon mini-cafeterias. Friendly staff members guided them in choosing their preferred beverages—Horlicks, Boost, tea, or coffee. They also took a moment to snap a few photos and engaged in relaxed conversations with their teachers and friends.

We broke for lunch around 1 PM after which the competition continued. The students presented on a wide variety of topics like Math quiz game, Payanam (Journey), Circuits, Assam Forest, Seven wonders of the world, Global warming, Chess etc. The competition finished by 3 PM, after which the judges took some time to discuss and arrive at the names of the winners. All children and staff were requested to assemble at the 20^th floor again for the prize distribution ceremony.

Prize Distribution

Prize distribution at Asha events is rarely a solemn affair. Instead, it’s filled with laughter, lively chatter, and an atmosphere of ease and joy. We make a conscious effort to keep the ceremony light-hearted, knowing that students are often weary from early morning travel and the excitement of the day’s activities. As such, the program is kept brief and brisk.

Amazon volunteer Ms. Preeti graciously took on the role of master of ceremonies. Her vibrant energy and warm, humorous exchanges helped the children feel comfortable and engaged. During the event, she invited teachers and students to share their experiences at Amazon and the ACE Impressions, prompting cheerful conversations and heartfelt reflections.

Asha volunteer and project coordinator, Mr. Rajaraman, then addressed the gathering. He extended an invitation to the government teachers participating in the ACE V2 program to share their experiences—both teaching computer science and engaging in the competitions hosted at Amazon. Their reflections added a meaningful layer to the event, highlighting the impact of the program on both educators and students.

The judges were then welcomed on stage to share their experience evaluating the event. They spoke with admiration about the students’ impressive capabilities—especially considering most had only begun their computer science journey just ten months prior.

The judges noted how the students not only grasped the foundational concepts but also ventured far beyond textbook material. Many had independently explored additional tools and features through platforms like YouTube and integrated their findings into their final presentations. From ideation to execution, the projects showcased the students’ creativity, initiative, and resilience.

As a token of our appreciation, the judges were presented with handmade gifts by our teachers and students. In a particularly delightful moment, our teachers insisted that the ‘Fairy Wings’ be gifted to Ms. Mary Joan.

Amidst enthusiastic cheers from the audience, the judges took the stage to announce the winners. While three awards had been planned, one team captured the judges’ hearts with their compelling content, confident delivery, and standout presence.

Moved by their performance, the judges introduced a special recognition— ‘The Judges’ Favourite’—which was proudly awarded to GGHSS Ettaiyapuram (Thoothukudi) for their project Famous in Our District.

The third place was won by PUMS Ganalapadi (Thiruvannamalai) for their project Circuits. They bagged INR 1,00,000 for their school and took home gifts, medals and certificates.

The second place was awarded to PUMS Singarajapuram (Thiruvallur) for their project Payanam wining prize money of INR 1,30,000.

The first place was awarded to GHSS Melsevalampadi (Villupuram) who wowed everyone with their “Assam Forest” project — taking home smartwatches, medals, certificates, and a prize money of ₹1,60,000 for their school!

GHSS Melsevalampadi was then given the stage to present their project before all the students, teachers, volunteers and staff present.

After the vote of thanks was delivered, the students received their goodie boxes from the Amazon team and boarded their vans to head back home. The entire event was seamlessly organized, and the Amazon volunteers were incredibly kind and attentive to the children. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Amazon for being a steadfast partner in our journey towards expanding computer education.