Time is money Winner:

Time is very precious. It is a very valuable thing in the world. If it is lost, it is lost forever. Our success or failure in life depends on the correct use of time. A student who makes use of his time properly and plans his work methodically will pass examinations well.

The one who has wasted time and not studied, will not be able to pass, in spite of being clever.

In an office, a worker who makes full use of his time to do hard work, will be highly appreciated. He will receive promotions too. The employees who idle and waste time will not be given salary increments or promotions. They cannot come up in life too. So, our success or failure depends on the right use of this precious time. People who have learned well have become famous and rich because they have made good use of their time.

Researchers and scientists manage their time to carry out their research work within a pre-planned period of time. Merchants and professionals who work hard, make a lot of money. They know how to make good use of their time. Every minute that we waste will affect our lives. The person who makes the maximum use of time will prosper in life. Knowing how precious time is, we should never waste time, but make the best use of it.

 

Praveena de Silva, Grade 9, Good Shepherd Convent, Panadura.

Drought in our village Winner:

The greenish colour which was everywhere has suddenly disappeared. A pale yellowish colour has taken its place and its dry all around. The wells in our village too have all gone dry. The twitter of birds can be heard no more. Parched land, thirsty people and animals, and withered plants only remain in the village.

A severe drought has come upon the village punishing all of us. Though Mother Nature love us she dosen't forget to punish us for our wrong doings.

The ponds, wells, rivers and all other water resources have dried up. The poor villagers have no water to cultivate their paddy fields. Trees which were swaying to and fro in the breeze earlier have now all withered. Animals such as goats, cows and buffaloes, reared by the villagers have no food or water to drink. They are suffering. Even though we prayed, Mother Nature has turned a deaf ear to our prayers. I guess she thinks the fault is ours and it has been brought about by us. But we hope she will send at least a few drops of rain water to quench the thirst of the wailing earth.

N. Hasini Nimesha Nagoda, St. Joseph's Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Kegalle.

Your Poems

Earth is for all!

Winner:

Why do people always think
To conquer, capture, destroy and stop,
Another's land, Another's birthright
Why can't they think of the Earth?

Why don't we save the fish,
Who always come to our dish.
Why don't we save the trees
Which S always bring us breeze.
Why don't we save the earth
The room of life, death and birth.

Why do we hate and envy others
And separate kids from mothers,
Why do some people love war
And stab or shoot, either friend or foe
Why, is it a new mechanism
That takes away our humaneness?

The earth is for all, both you and me
The bees, the fleas and every tree
Less the hate, more the glee
Much more handsome the earth would be

Think of this, every boy and girl
Pink or black or thin or burly
Blink with love and dare to care
Link the world with love and share

W. Naveen Devinda 10-E, Siridhamma College, Labuduwa, Galle.

MJ-King of Pop

Kind, beloved and talented.
Dancing, singing, entertaining.
Relative of people in the whole world

Who loved children
Who wanted to "heal the world"
Who wanted to help to poor
Who disliked war
Who entertained music lovers

But above all was tender and kind
Resided in people's hearts and minds
He was the most wonderful person
The King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

 Fathima Shazra Fazulficar, Grade 9-A, Lakdas, Maha Vidyalaya, Kurunegala.

Water - waste not, want not

Winner:

Water is one of the main substances we need in our day-to-day life. We can live without food, but we cannot live without water. Can you imagine how life would be without water? So, let us not pollute or waste water.

There are many ways by which water is polluted and wasted. Throwing garbage into the waterways and releasing waste material and chemicals into water from factories and ships are just a few ways by which water is polluted.

Water is wasted in various ways by over-watering plants, washing vehicles using too much water, washing a few clothes or items using a large amount of water, not attending to leaks in taps and pipelines and leaving taps running while brushing the teeth and rinsing clothes etc.

Humans have taken water for granted. Be careful of this precious liquid because it is only when there is no pure water to drink that all living beings will realise its value and know what thirst is. Just for a moment think of a world without water. No man, animal or plant will survive. Water is a precious liquid which is very essential for our life. It should not be wasted. It should not be polluted.

M. H. M. Mifraz Hairaz,

Hejaaz International School,

Mt. Lavinia.

The wonder machine

Winner:

The human body is a wonderful, sophisticated machine. It performs several functions without rest from our birth. The main organs of the body are the heart, lungs, liver, brain and kidneys. These organs work together, controlled by the brain.

The digestive system, excretory system, circulatory system, nervous system and the muscular system are some of the main systems of the body. The brain which is instrumental for our level of intelligence controls all parts of the body.

The body has thousands of living cells. Some of these cells which are similar are grouped together to form a tissue. The tissues are in turn grouped together to form organs. And a group of organs come together to form a system.

The entire human body is covered by skin. It is a water-proof covering which protects the organs and the skeleton of the body. It keeps water and harmful germs out. The skin is the biggest organ in our body.

The framework of the body is called the skeleton. It is made up of 206 bones. They are connected at areas known as the joints. These joints help us to move and gives us flexibility.

Nerves inside our body are like telephone wires. They carry signals from the brain to sense organs and vice versa. The sense organs are the eyes, ears, nose tongue and skin.

The human body is the most valuable gift given by God to us. So, it is important to take care of it. For this, we should exercise regularly, eat healthy food and drink plenty of water.

Amodha Shachiko,

Grade 6,Negombo South International School.

Introducing myself

I am Zimer Ziyas. I am seven years old. I live in Samanthurai. I study in Grade Two 'Olu' at Muslim Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Samanthurai. I learn English, Mathematics, and Tamil along with other subjects. I like English very much.

My mother's name is Shihama. She is an English teacher. My father's name is Ziyaz and he is an accountant.

My brother Zimark is studying. I also have a sister. I love them very much and they also love me.

My favourite food is noodles, favourite fruit is apples and favourite drink is Milo.

I like to play hide and seek. My hobbies are running and colouring pictures. My ambition is to be a doctor.

Zimer Ziyaz,

Grade Two (English Medium),

Muslim Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Samanthurai.

My sister's twin babies

My sister's children are twins. They are a girl and boy. The girl is Zikra and the boy is Luqman. They are very much alike in appearance even though they are not of the same gender.

I am a twin too and it's nice that my sister's babies are also twins. My sister is twelve years older than I. My twin sister and I are also twelve years older than Zikra and Luqman.

They are only six months old. On July 8, this year they will be one-year old. My twin sister and I are collecting money to buy a special birthday present for our nephew and niece.Zikra and Luqman have learnt to smile now. When they turn over, they make special sounds.

They do a lot of things which make us happy. They can identify our family members. When they see us they smile but when they see strangers they cry. My sister's babies are very cute. I love them very much. We are eagerly waiting for them to grow up.

Imarah Shiraz,

Grade 7B,

Hejaaz International School,

Dehiwala.

Why trees are important

Trees are useful to us in many ways. Trees give us shelter and fresh air to breathe. They also give us food. We get fruits and flowers from trees. They give us wood that can be used to make boats, furniture and build houses. It can also be used as firewood.

Some trees give us medicines. The roots of trees hold the soil together and prevent soil erosion. If there are more trees our country will get more rain because trees play a key role in the water cycle. So we shouldn't cut down trees. We should try to grow more trees in our country. Trees are very important to us.

Sheena Refai,

Grade 5-B,

Al - Manar International School.