Ms. Deepa Mary Thomas hails from a renowned family in Central Kerala. Due to her father's transferable job, she did her schooling from Convents at various places in India. She passed her ICSE from St. Francis Convent and her ISC from Christ the King School, Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. She graduated from Mar Ivanios College, Trivandrum with a major in Economics and later did her masters degree in Economics from Bundelkhand college, Jhansi. A deep-rooted latent interest in teaching made her take up a degree in Education from Mar Theophilus Training College, Trivandrum. To carry her school and her home in an equal balance, she did a diploma in Home Science. A diploma in computer applications helped her to surf the Internet and find sites that were helpful for activity-based education.

Her love for teaching innocent children made her give up the opportunity to work in a college. In her ten years of teaching experience she has compered and anchored numerous School Days, fashion shows, quizzes and soirees. As a teacher of English, history, geography, and social studies, she has created powerful impressions in young minds with her eloquence, her infectious enthusiasm and inimitable teaching styles.

"Freedom to Learn " the motto of Santa Maria Public School where "activity based " approach to education is practised using a variety of innovative learning aids. Often made from waste materials these aids have made learning refreshingly different for the students and an enjoyable experience for teachers.

Ms. Deepa was quick to realise the potential of the website www.elt.emacmillan.com to which her school had registered. The very interesting language games, worksheets, crossword puzzles etc posted on this site opened wide the gates of education and technology to the Santa Marians.

However her metamorphosis from an enthusiastic young teacher to a wise and ideal teacher is no accident. 'Years of hard work, commitment and unflinching dedication to her cause have gone into the making of this great teacher', says Philip Abraham, the Manager of Santa Maria Public School.

'My entry into the teaching profession was by choice, my achievements by divine dispensation', says this low profile teacher at Santa Maria.