St. Xavier's School, Kolhapur

St. Xavier's High School, Kolhapur, India, is a Jesuit-run, English-medium school in the town of Kolhapur in southern Maharashtra. It became coeducational in 2008. It admits students from kindergarten till the Secondary School Certificate or 10th standard. Established in 1957, the school celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2007.It is located in a peaceful locality on the Kasba-Bavda road, opposite New Palace grounds. It has three large playgrounds, a library, a computer room, and a fully equipped laboratory. It is one of the best schools in Kolhapur.TraditionsThe school is run by the members of the Society of Jesus in the Catholic church and follows Christian school traditions like morning prayers, annual feasts (December 3 for St. Francis Xavier), and values the Jesuit tradition in education. The school has an inner courtyard which on occasion features synchronized marching by the students. The Jesuits interview all prospective students, and those entering after 5th Standard must also take an entrance exam.Xavier's has a shield as its emblem, displayed on the chest pocket of the school uniform. It is also on the flag hoisted to the playing of the school anthem on a brass bugle every day.The students are divided into four houses – Gold, Blue, Green, and Red – that compete at an annual sports competition, with strong rivalry. The most popular events are a tug-of-war and a 2000-metre (500 X 4) relay race between the houses.