A memorable day

Winner:

Recently I went on a train ride to Kandy with my family. I woke up at 5.00 a.m. because I had to be on time for the train. When we arrived at the Colombo Fort Railway station, it was almost time for the train to leave the station.

We promptly got into the train and it started pulling out of the station, almost immediately.

I was initially a bit scared then I felt allright after awhile. My sister and I watched the scenery and enjoyed the wind blowing across our faces. I slept for a short period later.

When we reached the Kandy station, I wanted to ease myself and my mother took me to the toilet at the station but it was not clean and had a bad odour too. I rushed out of it. Public places should be kept in better conditions.

We first went to the Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. We worshipped at the shrine and walked around the temple. Next we went to Devon Hotel for lunch. I enjoyed the fried rice. It was really tasty.

We rested there for awhile and went back to the station. We had to climb a flight of steps to get to the train for our journey back home.

My mother told me many interesting things about the station on the way. We reached home safely at 10.00 p.m. I did a quick wash and got on to bed as I was tired. However, it was a very happy event which I enjoyed a lot.

Sasvi Liyanage,
Grade 4A,
Royal Institute International School,
Nugegoda.
 

Let’s end pollution

Winner:

There is an invisible relationship between land, water and air. If someone destroys this relationship it is known as pollution. There are five kinds of pollution. They are land pollution, water pollution, air pollution, sound pollution and visual pollution. Land pollution is mainly caused by dumping garbage all over the place. People throw garbage everywhere without disposing of it properly and as a result, mosquitoes and houseflies that make us ill, start to breed.

Water sources get polluted when we throw garbage and waste material into them. The farmer releases agro-chemicals into waterways and aquatic life too is endangered when waterways get polluted, especially by toxic chemicals.Factories and motor-vehicles emit gases and fumes. They damage the ozone layer sometimes resulting in acid rain. It causes skin cancer and various other ailments, especially those related to the respiratory system.

The other two forms of pollution are sound and visual pollution. Mega phones in the city limit and musical shows with loud music held in peaceful environs cause noise pollution. Our ear-drums are at bursting point due to some loud music used.

Similarly cut-outs and luminous signs and posters are a sight for sore eyes. Some cut-outs and posters spoil the entire environment.

Let’s all join hands to protect our beautiful environment.

R. Yasuri Nawoda,
Grade 7,
G/Sumangala Central College,
Hikkaduwa.

I am a bee

I am a small yellow and black insect. I have a pair of wings. They are tiny and soft. I also have two eyes, six legs and two feelers. My home is a honeycomb. It is on a tree in a faraway forest. I live with hundreds of brothers and sisters. My mother is the queen bee. Our honeycomb is big and we fill it with honey. I like flowers and their nectar. I suck nectar from flowers and make honeycombs. Bears are fond of our honeycombs. They steal the honey.

Little children like butterflies but, not me. They are afraid of me but I help them sometimes. My honey is used as a medicine. If someone disturbs me only I quickly sting.

Actually, I have no time to talk with you, because I am very busy. I have a lot to do, even now.

Little children must be like me, ‘Busy as a bee’. Now, I like to sing to you my lovely song “Buzz”.

Do you know who I am?

I am a little bee...

M.H.N. Vihangi Gunawardana,
Grade 2B,
Negombo South International School,
Nittambuwa.

How I learned to swim

Winner:

When I was in the Kindergarten I wanted to swim, but every time I tried, I never made it. I tried to swim even when I was in grade1 still I couldn’t do so. Soon it was summer school.

This time there was something different because we were to be taught how to swim. One of the teachers asked me if I could float. I said, “Yes.” After trying to swim in the kindergarten and grade1, I could now stay on the water for about three seconds. The teacher allowed me to float from one side of the pool to the other. After a while I could do the back float and soon I could swim.

After summer school I played many swimming games. That’s how I learned to swim. I’m glad I didn’t give up.

Roseisa Weeraratne,
Elizabeth Moir School.

 

Let’s eradicate dengue

Winner:

Dengue is prevailing throughout the country and it is a menace. We must get together to stop the crisis situation that has evolved. Unlike most other diseases, dengue cannot be prevented by a vaccine or treatment.

Dengue is caused by a mosquito called the Aedes Aegypti which begins its life in clean water. This is a very dangerous disease and could be fatal.

The mosquito stings between 6-7 a.m. and 5-6 p.m. We cannot stay under mosquito nets during these times as we need to do our daily chores. So, prevention is the best thing we could do. How do we prevent the mosquito from spreading the disease? We must first keep our environment clean.

At least once a week we should bury all the tins, coconut shells and other items where water gets collected.

Otherwise the mosquito will lay its eggs in the receptacles and more mosquitoes will breed.

We should change the water in vases and any other items that contain water even inside our houses, on a regular basis to prevent the mosquito from laying eggs.

In this way we can stop the dengue mosquito from breeding and spreading the deadly virus and eradicate dengue from our country.

Let us all get together to eradicate dengue. It is our duty to do so because many lives have been lost.

K. A. Sithmi Nimeshika Lakshani,
Grade 11A,
President’s College,
Pilapitiya, Kelaniya.

The earthworm is eco-friendly

Winner:

The earthworm is a harmless creature that lives in the soil. Its home is actually a burrow in the soil. When it rains its home gets flooded.

As a result it creeps on to the surface. Unfortunately, it sometimes becomes the prey of some birds. The earthworm swallows the soil, and the dead vegetable matter in the soil is broken and digested by it. The soil which is passed as excreta by the earthworm is very fertile. Therefore, the earthworm is eco-friendly. The earthworm also aerates (expose to air) the soil. This makes the soil rich in air so that roots can absorb air for the existence of plants. Despite the fact that there is plenty of food available some people eat worms. How disgusting it is!

J. D. Dilisha Dharani,
Grade 8,
G/Christ Church
Girls’ College,
Baddegama.
 

My home garden

There are many trees in my garden. Some bear flowers and fruits. Some don’t.I love all the trees. Coconut, mango, margosa and banana are some of the trees in my garden.

There are also very beautiful flowering plants. All these trees and plants make my garden beautiful.

H. M. Senuth Rakindu Herath,
Grade 3E,
Nalanda College, Colombo 10

My new class

My new class is 3-H. It is small but neat and tidy. There are thirty two students.

Two wall papers are there to put up our essays.There is also a black board and a white board in my class.

My class teacher Mrs. Achala Liyanage is very kind. I like my new class.

Januli Jayathilaka,
Grade 3-H,
Musaeus College,
Colombo.