The cold season's cool!

Winner:

I prefer the cold season to the hot season and the rainy season. In the rainy season, everything is damp. One does not feel like going outside when it rains. The hot season cannot be enjoyed much either because during this time we sweat a lot and we feel lethargic. We generally become uncomfortable.

The best season therefore, is the cold season. The weather is perfect, because it is neither too hot nor too cold. Even if it is very cold, we can always wear warm clothes accordingly. We become active and energetic during cold weather. We do not easily feel tired in the cold season. We can do a lot of work and also enjoy vigorous exercises. We can go for long walks and enjoy games. Plenty of fresh and nutritious vegetables are available in the cold season.

Our appetites and health too improve in the cold season. We can eat more and also sleep more during cold weather. Our health improves as a result.

How nice it is to snuggle under a warm blanket and enjoy our sleep during cold weather. I lead a very active life and also improve my health in cold weather. The cold season of the year is the best season for me.

Praveenya de Silva,

Grade 8,

Good Shepherd Convent,

Panadura.

Gardening, my favourite hobby

Winner:

My favourite hobby is gardening. I like to grow various kinds of flowers. There are many beautiful flowers in my garden, such as roses, jasmines, orchids, lotus and temple flowers. Every morning butterflies, bees and birds come to my garden. I like to see them. I like to listen to the beautiful songs the birds sing.

There are also many fruit trees in my home garden. Birds and squirrels come to eat them. I also grow many vegetables. Everyday we eat fresh vegetables from the garden. My father helps me with the gardening. I enjoy this hobby. We can save money by using the fruits and vegetables from the garden. I think this is a good hobby for anyone to have, to spend their leisure usefully.

L.H. Isuri Arunoda,

Bandaranaike Central College,Veyangoda.

A peaceful Sri Lanka

Winner:

Blood covered hands,

Blood bathed lands,

Everything's destroyed,

Breaking even spirits,

Shattering humanity,

What did they want,

From this in the future?

But, now everything has changed,

Spirits are revived afresh,

Humanity stands strong,

We can now build a bright future,

In our beloved Motherland.

Praise all the heroes,

Who sacrificed their lives for freedom,

They created a prosperous future,

Pray for them to obtain nibbana.

Hashini Thanuksha Wickremasinghe,

Grade 11,

Central College,

Kekirawa.

My little sister

My little sister's name is Sachinthika Nelie Wickramasekera. She is seven months old. She is very fair and plump. She loves to drink her mother's milk. She cries when mother is not with her. I love her very much.

Satheendriya Melani Wickramasekara,

Grade 3F,

Anula Vidyalaya,

Nugegoda.

A tribute to a teacher

You coloured our blank brains

with the pastels of knowledge...

You watered our wilted hearts

with the waters of ethics....

You showed the righteous path

to our deserted minds....

You are truely indispensable

Let this be a tribute to you

My dear teacher!

K.G. Dinisi Wimansika Nandasena,

Grade 11-C,

Govt. Science College,

Matale.

Tree planting

Winner:

Man is thoroughly dependent on trees to meet many of his needs. Food, timber, medicine, firewood and shade are some of them.

Sri Lanka is rich with an array of tree species which provide for almost every requirement of her people. But as the depletion of trees is on the rise, we would be losing this valuable gift of nature completely, in the near future.

The destruction of our natural vegetation is said to have begun during the reign of the British. They destroyed much forest cover for the cultivation of commercial crops such as tea and coffee.

The destruction of trees in turn destroyed the pleasant climate of our country. Unless we strive to reforest our land, our country will become an arid desert in the end.

Tree planting has been considered a noble activity in Sri Lanka from very ancient times. Let us plant at least one tree in our land. It is the duty of the government, and all mankind to protect and uplift man's most valuable natural resource - trees.

E.P. Malshani Navanjana,

Grade 10E,

Yasodhara D BMV,Gampaha.

The world in year 2050

Winner:

What would be the world like in 2050? Perhaps, there would be no traffic on the roads, but the skies would be crowded and busy. No more red letter boxes to be seen anywhere as mobile phones and fax machines would be in everyone's pocket.

In the morning, children would not gather at school. Staying at home, they would learn everything, communicating with teachers via electronic gadgets.No money would be used. People would use electronic teller machines to do all the money transactions. All the shopping and other work would be done by robots.

When specially made spectacles are worn, anyone would be able to see any part of the world clearly, at any time. Instead of shoes, everybody would use wheels to save time spent on travelling.

A tree could be seen very rarely. Birds, butterflies, flowers and dinosaurs would be in the same category. Due to global warming, the icebergs would have all melted. As a result there would be very little land left on Earth. And, ultimately humans would invent an aircraft to fly to another planet which is better than the Earth.

Kusal Weraniyagoda,

Form IV,

Leeds International School,

Galle.