Out of over 1,300 CS projects submitted, 34 teams were selected to compete for prizes in Asha Impressions event hosted by Amazon. 179 government schools supported by Asha participated. Here is a detailed report on the event.

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In Chennai, March 2026 proved to be a dynamic period for both Asha and the state of Tamil Nadu. Amidst the election frenzy, Asha prepared to host two major events—Asha Impressions and ACE Impressions. Both were scheduled to take place before the state election date of 23 April 2026.

To secure venues and finalize dates, we reached out to Amazon and IIT Madras. Confirmation soon followed:

• Asha Impressions to be held at Amazon Chennai office on 18 April 2026.

• ACE Impressions to take place at IIT Madras on 20 April 2026.

About Asha Impressions

Under Asha’s SPRINT program for primary and middle schools, we support about 200 schools across Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. Trained computer teachers are placed in these schools to teach computer science and integrate other subjects using innovative digital content.

At 100 schools in Tamil Nadu, the Amazon Future Engineer program, provides this support. Our eight year curriculum emphasizes both digital literacy (basic computer use) and computational thinking (programming and problem-solving).

A hallmark of our pedagogy is hands-on application. Each year, students create and submit projects that showcase their learning:

• fourth and fifth graders prepare presentations using OpenOffice.
• Seventh graders  design programs in Scratch and Physical Computing

These projects are team-based, with Asha teachers mentoring students throughout. Outstanding work is presented at Asha Impressions, a platform where children proudly showcase their creativity and skills to external judges. This year the students competed under three categories-

1. Digital Literacy

2. Scratch Programming

3. Physical Computing

The table presents a summary of the number of projects submitted from each Asha geography-

This year, students submitted 1,352 projects from 179 schools!!

Out of this, 38 projects were selected by Lead teachers and Volunteers to be showcased at the Asha Impressions competition.

Organizing the event

With both competitions scheduled so close together, the backend teams had to work swiftly to arrange banners, medals, certificates, gifts for students, and handmade gifts for the judges etc. For Asha Impressions, we initiated discussions with Amazon’s management and their GREF team, providing essential details such as the number of students, accompanying adults, volunteers, Asha staff, competition information, and the day’s agenda. This enabled Amazon to plan effectively- booking rooms, organizing meals and snacks, arranging judges, and

preparing gifts for the participants. Over the course of two weeks, both teams collaborated seamlessly to ensure every aspect of the event was well organized.

Day of the Event

Since most of the students were not from Chennai, they had to make a considerably long trip. Students from Thoothukudi and Thiruvarur started by bus overnight, reaching Chennai early in the morning. Students from Thiruvallur and Thiruvanamalai started from their respective locations as early as 3:00 am! Asha had organized buses for the transportation. The students were accompanied by Asha teachers, HMs and Asha coordinators from each project.

Amazon volunteers and the GREF staff greeted the children and helped them complete the formalities at the reception. Each student and accompanying adult was provided with an Amazon ID. The volunteers escorted the students in lifts to the 18th floor where breakfast was kept ready. Breakfast consisted of podi idly, dosa, vada, pongal with chutneys.

After breakfast, the students were escorted to the briefing area, where the team provided guidance on fire safety and explained the steps to follow in case of an emergency. After the briefing, students were escorted by the Amazon volunteers to their respective floors.

The Competition

Since there were three competitions – Digital Literacy, Scratch Programming and Physical Computing – three different rooms were allocated. Once all the judges arrived, Mr. Rajaraman, Asha volunteer and Cordinator, briefed them on the grading parameters.

The Digital Literacy presentations would carry 30-30-40 weightage. Project and presentation would be graded at 30% whereas the Q&A would carry 40% weightage. The judges were encouraged to engage the students with technical questions about how they developed their projects, and to request demonstrations or modifications to better understand how the features worked.

Since there was not much of presenting work under Scratch Programming and Physical computing, the weightage for project, presentation and Q&A was assigned at 40-20-40. In all the competitions, the Q&A sessions held particular importance, as they enabled the judges to assess both the students’ level of involvement in their projects and the depth of their technical knowledge.

For the Digital Literacy competition, since there were 17 teams, each team was allocated 15 mins which involved 10 mins for the project presentation and the remaining time for Q&A. Since the prize distribution ceremony had to be held at 3.30 pm, the judges were requested to adhere to the timelines to avoid delays later. Scratch Programing had 15 competing teams and Physical computing had 6 teams.

The judges were provided with the scorecard after which the competitions began in each of the rooms. Two Asha teachers were assigned in each room to assist the students and judges to manage the flow of teams for presentation. With all arranged, the competitions began by 9.30 am.

The students in Digital Literacy presented on interesting topics such as Cyber safety, Dinosaur Ulagam, Internal Organs, Seasons, Seyarkaikolgal, Social Media etc. They used action, drama, music, songs, quizzes and several props to put forth their ideas and made the presentations interesting. When the judges asked them to modify or show how certain features were used, they were able to confidently demonstrate their learning. Not only were the students sure about the technical aspects, they also had good knowledge about the topics they had selected.

In Scratch Programming, students presented on topics like Artificial Intelligence, Child Abuse, Global Warming, Cyber safety, Physics behind games, Science Experiments, Solar system etc. They also created interesting games like Treasure hunt, Quiz Race, Pen Ball game. The students invited the judges to try their hand at these games and also explained the logic and coding used behind their projects. The students were well prepared and took turns within their teams to present their projects to the judges.

Since physical computing had been introduced only in 11 schools, we received lesser number of project submissions compared to Digital Literacy and Scratch Programming which are being taught in over 170 schools. Out of 31 projects, 6 projects were selected for the competition. The students created projects on interesting topics like Digital Farmer, How the crow turned black story, Smart plant friend, Pet monitoring app etc.

Lunch was served by 12.30 pm at the cafeteria on the 18^th floor. It was a packed lunch with roti, panner curry, gobi fry, vegetable biryani, raita, gulab jamun and ice cream. The children were escorted from various rooms by Amazon volunteers to the cafeteria. Since the Digital Literacy competitions needed to conclude by 3 p.m., the judges graciously chose not to break for lunch. They remained until the competitions were completed and then had their meal afterward.

By 3 pm, all the competitions had concluded. The students were escorted from their rooms to the prize distribution area. The judges convened to decide upon the final winners of each competition. The names of winners were then handed over to the Asha teachers to prepare the certificates.

Special Thanks to Amazon Volunteers

We would like to make a special mention about the care and kindness with which the Amazon staff and volunteers have treated the children throughout the day. From escorting them through the office and elevators, to guiding them into rooms, making sure the seating was available, to helping them with water, coffee machines, the volunteers were deeply attentive and involved with the students.

When one of the students fell ill, the team ensured constant communication and support. The child was accompanied at all times by volunteers, Asha staff, and teachers, who provided food, water, and continuous monitoring. By noon, the child had recovered sufficiently to rejoin his teammates and successfully present the project.

After completing their project presentations, the students were invited to explore a selection of innovative Amazon products. Each product was introduced and explained, with the children encouraged to experiment and try them out firsthand. This hands-on interaction proved to be a fresh and exciting experience, sparking curiosity and delight among the students.

After the competitions were done, the students had some time in hand which they spent exploring the vending and coffee machines on the floor. Amazon ground staff and volunteers guided the children to help themselves with tea, coffee, boost or Horlicks, whichever they preferred. The array of beverages available fascinated the children. The automatic taps, the had-dryer, the lifts, lights that come on when a person walks into an area, the amazing view of the sea from the 20^th floor cafeteria kept the children enthralled! The children took time to chat with the volunteers and judges and were keen to take pictures with them before leaving. The interactions were heartwarming to watch and we are grateful to the wonderful team of staff and volunteers at Amazon for making the event such a positive experience.

Prize Distribution

The much-anticipated prize distribution ceremony commenced at 3:30 p.m. The Chief Guest, Mr. Shyam Sridhar, Director of Operations and Program Management at Amazon, arrived in time to view several Digital Literacy projects. He engaged with the children, judges, and Mr. Rajaraman, taking the opportunity to learn more about the scope and impact of Asha’s work.

The prize distribution was hosted by Ms. Preeti who has been a part of three other Impressions event in the past. The children were engaged in banter and kept in good cheer.

Amazon team was also invited to show a demo on their new AI products. They explained how the products were envisioned and their potential to make life easier in future.

The judges were invited on stage to announce the winners.

Digital Literacy Judges

Scratch Programming Judges

Physical Computing Judges

Following the prize distribution, students, staff, and volunteers were given snack and goodie boxes. Adults received Amazon keychains, while the children were gifted keychains along with a one‑liter steel water bottle featuring a marble design. Handmade gifts were presented to all Amazon volunteers, after which the children were escorted in batches. The volunteers remained with them until all formalities were completed. Finally, the students boarded their buses and set off to visit the Chennai beaches and finally head back to their homes.

Testimonials

Mr. Dilip, Asha Impressions Judge at Amazon – It was a privilege to be a judge for this wonderful event organized by ASHA in collaboration with Amazon. Watching the children confidently present their projects using Office software was truly inspiring. Their energy, clarity of understanding, and fearless public speaking skills were remarkable. Every participant demonstrated strong creativity and effort, making it a tough and highly competitive event. Overall, it was an enriching experience and a great reminder of the impact such initiatives create in shaping young minds.

Ms. Rekha V, Asha Impressions Judge at Amazon – It was truly a pleasure to be part of the Asha Impressions event. I really enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm and talent of all the school kids, their creativity and confidence were wonderful to witness. The projects were very impressive. The students explained their ideas clearly and showed good understanding. Their PPT presentations were very well done, and they used props effectively. I was especially impressed by their confidence. None of them got stuck during the presentations, which is uncommon at this age. It was clear that the students were guided very well. Their clarity and presentation skills reflected the support they received. I also liked the originality in their ideas and how confidently they answered questions. The event was well-organized, and it was a great experience overall. Looking forward to being part of more such initiatives in the future!