a speech!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 12:40AM 
On December 25th we celebrated the 2nd anniversary of Kopila Valley School with a big school function!
The children all decorated the entire building and stage with balloons and crepe paper and every single kind of decoration you can possibly imagine. The girls all helped me, Lexi, Julia, dress up in Nepali saris!
The program began with a butterfly song from the nursery and kindergartners and the cutest little bird dance by the 1st graders. Everyone in the audience was smiling.
Then Deepa Nepali gave a gorgeous speech that knocked all of our socks off. It was the only part of the program I cried. It's been a really hard year for Deepa. After falling extremely ill over the summer she was diagnosed with advanced lupus. In just a few short months she went from being the far most energetic and talented student at Kopila Valley to barely having the strength to get out of bed. She has come back fighting hard, is receiving treatment and comes to school every day.
Here is what she had to say...
Dear teachers, students, parents and distinguished guests. Today on December 25th, 2011, I would like to tell you a little bit about the place we are sitting in today.
Kopila Valley School is very unique. It is totally different from other schools. At Kopila Valley, students receive healthy food, medical care, books and supplies, school bags, and school clothes. By providing us with these things, it relieves our parents, relatives, and those struggling to make ends meet.
There is no discrimination between rich and poor, high caste or low caste. We are all equal and teachers love us like sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. Here at Kopila Valley, the teachers do not hit us with a stick or beat us ever. Instead, they give us suggestions and counseling.
We learn lots of things. All the major subjects like English, Science, Math and Nepali. We learn art and music and play sports too. We have an amazing library to read all kinds of stories. But most importantly we learn values... Mainly to love and respect our planet, our country, our parents, our teachers, and each other.
I would personally like to thank Maggie Miss, Tope Sir, our Principal Jeff, and all our teachers as well as all of the members and donors of Kopila Valley Sewa Samaj for helping people who are in trouble, like orphans, poor families, and children who wouldn’t normally have the chance to go to school. Kopila Valley is important for all of us. You have given us a home and an education, you have fulfilled our needs, and supported us. You have changed our lives forever.
To my fellow students--- We have to work hard. We have to study. We have to support each other. We can make our village, our country, and our world a much better place. But first we need an education and that’s why we are here... To make our futures better and to change our lives from dark to bright.
We Kopila children feel lucky that we get this amazing opportunity to study in this school. We love our school and we are soooo proud of it.
We are the Kopila Children and we are blooming like flowers!!!
Reader Comments (8)
Beautiful! A true testament to how wonderful Kopila is, and why you do what you do. Congratulations, keep uo the good work!
Amazingly eloquent, self-aware and pragmatic speech from such a young woman. You are and should be extremely proud. Look forward to one day visiting and hopefully helping out where I can. All the best Maggie and keep up the good work.
Congrats on your second year. Here's to many more !! Keep up the good work and more Deepa's will bloom.
BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! Thank you Deepa and thank you, Maggie! LOVE!
Such a beautiful statement and you were not the only one to have some tears from this great narrative.
I watch it on your dad's blog http://youtu.be/cHRCIwBg2i4 (for those who have not seen it).
You should be SOOO proud of her and of what you have achieved and this is possibly one of the best compliment you can get from your own hard work. A true love back from your children.
May 2012 bless you all with Good Health, more freedom and more children being educated the way you do it.
Bravo!
Warmest regards from London!.
I watch Deepa on Grandfather blog too and was deeply impressed (and with tears).
There are people that make us better becouse of their courage, patience, thinkings as students, patients, sons.
This situation happens and we grow up toghether, better toghether.
You Deepa are in this way.
You and Big Nisha have a beautiful picture itoo into Grandfather blog, I'm so happy of your friendship. Never fogot to be happy that you make us too.
Beautiful Speech. Not to mention you guys rocked the saree pretty well :)
Wow, look at what has been accomplished in only two years. It is truly inspiring.
Alexa