In an initiative to promote authentic creative expression among young learners, Navy Children\u2019s School Goa recently released its second student-authored book, \u2018Ocean Blue \u2013 Stories of Every Hue\u2019, at the Goa Arts and Literature Festival by Konkani literary stalwarts, Jnanpith award winner Damodar Mauzo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The anthology has 26 short stories written by students from Classes four to 12, aged between eight and 17 years, with 44 student illustrators contributing artwork. The stories span genres such as fantasy, science fiction, thriller, emotional narratives, parent-child relationships and ghost stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Principal Anupama Mehra shares, \u201cChildren usually write only for exams or school tasks. We wanted to give them a real platform where their voices could be heard beyond the classroom,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project was undertaken in collaboration with Delhi-based publishing house Quill\u2019s Club Writers, with whom Mehra had previously worked during her earlier tenure with a Gurugram school. \u201c.After I joined Navy Children\u2019s School Goa in November 2019, I felt we should bring the same opportunity here. Post-COVID-19, we invited them and that\u2019s how this journey began,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The school\u2019s first anthology, \u2018Brimming with Tails \u2013 Goa in My Veins\u2019, was launched in 2024. It had 21 student authors and around 40 illustrators. \u201cWhen we saw the enthusiasm generated by the first book, we knew we could take this forward with a second one,\u201d says Mehra.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/PHOTO-2026-02-14-12-06-56-225x300.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe selection process for the latest anthology was conducted across the school and was open to all eligible students. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a conventional test. We gave creative prompts to assess imagination, originality and language skills. A link was created on the school website, and students submitted their entries. We shortlisted them in stages until we arrived at the final 26 authors,\u201d she explains, adding that illustrators were selected through a similar process using creative drawing prompts. \u201cA joint panel comprising representatives from Quill\u2019s Club Writers and members of the school\u2019s English Department evaluated the submissions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The publishing journey lasted six to ten months, beginning around July-August. Students went through multiple drafts and rewriting sessions under the guidance of mentors from the publishing house, who conducted workshops in Goa. \u201cIt was a complete publishing experience. The children even developed their own author profiles,\u201d says Mehra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To maintain originality in an age of Artificial Intelligence, the school enforced a strict no-device policy during the writing phase. \u201cStudents wrote their stories from scratch using only pen and paper before any digital work began,\u201d she says, adding that editorial changes were minimal to preserve each child\u2019s voice. \u201cWe did not change much at all. In fact, if we tried correcting them excessively, they would protest and say, \u2018This is not my story\u2019. They were very clear about what they wanted to express.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each story was illustrated by two or three students who worked with the author. Mehra describes the collaboration between writers and illustrators as one of the most rewarding aspects of the project. \u201cThey constantly refined each other\u2019s ideas. The sense of ownership was wonderful to see,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Explaining the title, Mehra says \u2018Ocean\u2019 shows the school\u2019s identity under the Navy Education Society network. \u201cAs a Navy school, you will always find a connection to water in our books. It is part of who we are,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vice principal Sonali Mukherjee says the initiative is in line with the vision of the Central Board of Secondary Education. \u201cWe are a CBSE school and the board has introduced the CBSE Budding Authors programme to encourage writing. After our first book, many students participated and one of our authors was recognised,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She adds that the project also supports the National Education Policy\u2019s focus on communication and writing skills. \u201cThrough such initiatives, we are helping students become confident writers,\u201d says Mukherjee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mehra also highlights the importance of nurturing writing skills in the digital age. \u201cAI-generated content often sounds doctored. There are certain phrases AI frequently uses and an experienced reader can identify it. Children must learn to express themselves independently,\u201d she says, adding that strong grammar, vocabulary and clarity of thought are essential, especially during examinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The school runs a structured reading programme and offers creative writing as a formal subject at primary and secondary levels. \u201cWe start young. Reading is becoming a declining habit and encouraging children to read and write is more important than ever,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Headmistress Naazli Shah says that nurturing writers starts at home with the right environment. \u201cChildren should grow up around books and engage in conversations about stories and current affairs. Creativity cannot develop if learning is limited only to textbooks,\u201d she says. She adds that reading also helps students manage stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking about the students\u2019 response to being published, Shah says they were excited. \u201cThe first time, they were nervous as it was new. This time, they were more confident and better prepared,\u201d she says, adding that two authors from the previous anthology were selected again through a written test and interview conducted by the publishers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Urging other institutions to create similar platforms, Mehra says schools need not wait for ideal infrastructure. \u201cStart wherever you are. Even small steps can make a difference,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe went through a selection process where we were given different scenarios and had to write stories based on them. After that, there was an interview round and then we were selected. A mentor from Quill Club Writers trained us on how to write and structure a story, and the process lasted for 10 days. Overall, it was a wonderful first-time experience for me. I realised that I\u2019m more creative and imaginative than I thought. At first, I wasn\u2019t confident, but the constant encouragement helped me realise that I could do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/L-R-Naazli-Shah-Sonali-Mukherjee-Anupama-Mehra-and-Damodar-Mauzo-300x200.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n- \n
- Asrit Pasricha, Class 8<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is my first short story, and the whole experience has been amazing. I really enjoyed working on it and seeing how everyone on the team brought their own ideas to reality. My story, \u2018Two Sides of the Same Coin\u2019, is about a girl named Maya and her other self, Kay. Maya doesn\u2019t know Kay exists but Kay tries to get her attention through impulsive actions. In the end, the story explores the fascinating depth and power of the human mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Swara Pande, Class 10<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\u201c<\/em>My story \u2018All Over Again\u2019 is based on the fact that we cannot change our mistakes, we can only make our future better. The story is about a boy who hits someone while driving to work and feels very guilty. He meets a man who promises he can fix the past with a time machine but he soon realises that the past cannot be changed. The last line is very important to me because it sums up the story\u2019s main idea. Writing this book also taught me that I can write more than I thought and that I can express my ideas clearly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Auritro De, Class 12<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Students aged eight to 17 at Navy Children\u2019s School Goa, showcase original stories across genres in \u2018Ocean Blue \u2013 Stories of Every Hue\u2019 RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT KURIOCITY In an initiative to promote authentic creative expression among young learners, Navy Children\u2019s School Goa recently released its second student-authored book, \u2018Ocean Blue \u2013 Stories of Every […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4356,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aspire-inspire","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4358"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4359,"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4358\/revisions\/4359"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.navhindtimes.in\/kuriocity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Auritro De, Class 12<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Swara Pande, Class 10<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n