Be positive

Winner:

Are you always worrying about your future and how weak you are in your studies? Then stop doing so right now. For, you have got a way to show the world who you are, by being positive.

Being positive means believing that there is a better way for everything and that you can do anything. After all you have got a brain which is similar to that of the great scientist, Albert Einstein and all the other great people. It is how you develop it that matters. So, always be positive and think you can!

If you always think in terms of “I can” and “I will”, your mind will get used to it. Then your body will automatically react to what your mind dictates. And finally you’ll become great!

Try to make the maximum use of the brain you have been given. Anybody can learn in this world. Always be active and take every thing in life as a challenge!

Never waste time, for time is precious. Change yourself totally. First visualise as to who you are and what you should be like, and then change yourself for the better. Set a timetable for yourself and try to work according to it. Show the world what you can do. Hurry up and don’t waste time!

M.R.T. Rijuwana Rafeek,
Grade 9B,
Ku/ Paragahadeniya National School.

My school prize-giving

My school prize-giving was on July 24, 2011. It was held at the Bishop’s College Auditorium. The chief guest Shibly Azeez arrived at 9.30 a.m. We began the day’s proceedings with the recitation of Quirath and translation.

The welcome address was given by the head prefect of the boy’s section, Sharik Moulana. The principal of our school, Mrs. Zareena Hizbullah gave the school report and addressed the gathering. The chief guest also addressed the gathering.

It was a very exciting day, especially when it came to the distribution of awards. We were all sitting on the edge of our seats until the announcer called our names.

There was a General Proficiency award for the best student in each class. I was awarded the General Proficiency award in Grade 3A.

After the distribution of awards. the vote of thanks was given by the games prefect of the girls’ section, Gulnaz Ashroff.

We ended the day with the recitation of salawath followed by the National Anthem. It was a memorable and an enjoyable day.

Umar Kamil,
Grade 5,
Hejaaz International School, Mt. Lavinia.

Man’s best friend

Winner:

The dog has been man’s best friend since time immemorial. The man-dog relationship dates back to prehistoric times. We find evidences about this friendship in our history lessons too.

Dogs are pets of many animal lovers. It is not incorrect to say that the dog is the most popular pet of all.

People have many benefits in keeping dogs and they vary from person to person. Some people keep dogs to protect their property. Dogs protect both the property and theirmasters.

Dogs protect man from his human enemies and animal enemies too. It is not easy to enter a garden protected by a dog. The dog will bite you without warning. In this manner, the dog will fulfil its responsibility towards its master.

Some people keep dogs purely as pets. They love the company provided by the dog. They enjoy its behaviour and get pleasure from the faithful qualities of the dog.

Some others keep dogs to get away from loneliness. The dog is a reliable companion. It never leaves its master.

The dog has been faithful to man and is now almost entirely dependent on man for its survival. For man, the dog has been the best loved and highly appreciated animal from ancient time.

A.U.S. Kaweesha Athukorala,
Grade - 9,
Nalanda College, Colombo 10.

Giant of all giants

Winner:

The largest whale and the largest living creature on Earth is the blue whale, weighing up to 150 tons and more than 24 metres in length. It is presently under threat of extinction.

It is called the blue whale because its skin has a light-grey-white mottled pattern, which appears as light blue when the whale is just below the surface of the water on a sunny day.

Females give birth to a single young, once every two or three years.

The whales produce a low sound to communicate with each other. This sound travels over thousands of kilometres under water, across a vast expanse of ocean.

Blue whales feed by plunging open mouthed into dense groups of small fishes. They eat around thousand kilograms of small fish, daily.

Tharangani Kaushalya Liyanage,
Grade 7-F, R/Sumana Balika Vidyalaya,
Ratnapura.

World of flowers

Winner:

Plants which consist of flowers are known as flowering plants and those without flowers are known as non-flowering plants.

Today many people grow flowering plants as an important source of income. We can categorise the flowers according to their colour, shape, number of petals and so on.

When we divide flowers according to the scientific manner, there are two main types, namely dycoteledons and monocatyledons.

The male parts of a flowers is known as the stamen. It consists of two parts. They are the anther and filament. Gynaecium is the female part which consists of the stigma, style and ovary.

Flowers add beauty to the environment as well as to every occasion in our lives. Flowers play a special role at weddings and funerals. We offer flowers to religious leaders such as Jesus and the Buddha.

Many flowers are now endangered. There are numerous reasons for the disappearance of valuable flowers such as the rose, araliya, orchid, and anthurium.Some of them are climatic changes, fungi, pest attacks, and diseases.

We should spray necessary chemicals and medicines to control pest attacks.

The plants also need to be watered and manured regularly. We should take correct steps to protect the flowering plants from snails, caterpillars and other harmful insects.

Mishel Arundathi Koushalya Fernando,
Grade 9D,
Girls’ College
Dankotuwa.

Blue Mountains National Park

Blue Mountains National park is one of the most famous landmark not only in Australia but all over the world.

It has a variety of fauna and flora and has a wide range of different things and activities to do too.

The most beautiful attraction in the whole of Blue Mountains is the three sisters.

A long time ago the ‘aboriginals’ thought that these rocks were three human sisters. According to legend a terrible war broke out and in this war there were three brothers.

The three sisters thought that the brothers were going to kill them so they went to a witch doctor and asked the doctor if he could turn them into rocks. A few days later the witch doctor got killed and the three sisters remained as rocks.

Another beautiful attraction is the Katoomba Falls. It stands near the three sisters as it starts from there as a waterfall. Many people have got killed by trying to climb this. However, it is still a beautiful attraction.

Minulee Kodituwakku,
Class 4P,
Matthew Pearce Public School,
Baulkham Hills,
SW Australia.

Myself

My name is Jayodya Sandaruni. I am six years old. I live in Nugegoda. My school is Mahamaya Balika Vidyalaya. I am in Grade One. I like reading books.

I have two friends in school. I like playing cricket. I like to eat apples. I like to be a doctor, when I grow up.

Subasingha Arachchige Jayodya Sandaruni,
Grade 1 ‘Manel’, Mahamaya Balika Vidyalaya,
Nugegoda.

The place I want to live, forever

Winner:

Hustle and bustle early in the morning!
Saying the morning prayers,
And singing the school song with enthusiasm,
Asking about the new updates of cricket!

In the morning, everyone’s interested to study,
Cracking jokes while the teacher is explaining,
Losing interest after a few hours,
Waiting for the bell to ring for the interval,
Passing lunch boxes around the class during the break.

Laughing and chatting until the teacher comes,
Getting scolded for making a noise,
No one blames the other for the noise,
And so we end up getting punished together!
Everyone stands united, even in trouble.

“My classroom” the place I love to live forever,
I’ll miss this beautiful place soon,
Sweet teachers I am going to miss you too!
Oh! how I am going to miss my dear school,
But I will keep in touch with everyone,
I’ll always respect and love my school and class,
Every human should surely respect,
The place that gave a great education!

Fathima Naziya Fahim,
Grade 12,
Ilma International Girls’ School.