Winner: Wake up my baby sister

Wake up, wake up
My baby sister
Sunshine is peeping
Fresh air is blowing
Darkness is hiding.
Wake up, wake up
My little sister
Little birds are singing
All the bees are humming
Every owl is sleeping.
Wake up, wake up
My darling sister
Water lilies are dancing
Roses are blooming
Jasmine flowers are falling.
School van is coming
Its horn is tooting
Wake up, wake up
Now I am running.

G.M. Sanuji Perera,
Grade 3B,
Negombo South International School,
Nittambuwa.

Winner: Value of trees

Trees are an integral part of the environment. Both man and animals cannot live without trees.

A tree serves us in many ways. We get fruit, timber and medicine from trees. They provide us with shelter. We get the most needed rain because of the trees. They beautify the environment. They stop soil erosion too. Trees are useful not only to human beings but also to animals. Birds build their nests on trees.

We know that the main cause of the drought is the cutting down of trees. When we cut down trees, water fountains run dry.

Most people have not realised the value of trees. Illegal felling of trees is very common today. It is true that sometimes we need to cut down trees. But we must plant another tree in that place. It takes only one or two hours to cut down a big tree. But it takes several years to grow a tree.

The forest cover in Sri Lanka has been reduced to 20 percent today. Even the forest reserves that are protected by the government are destroyed by certain money -minded people.

Trees can be regarded as a gift of nature to man and animals. Therefore, we should preserve them forever.

G.B. Apeksha Rathnamali,
Grade 9B,
G/Sri Devananda Vidyalaya,
Ambalangoda.

Winner: The importance of reading

Reading makes a full man. It helps us to increase and enrich our knowledge.

Reading means not only reading newspapers and magazines, but also good books. Biographies will help us to understand the purpose of life and broaden our outlook.

Books are known as lighthouses in the great sea of time. Books are also keys to the treasure houses of knowledge. They teach many things that one cannot learn at a university. A vast knowledge can be acquired by reading books.

Anyone who is fond of reading can educate himself in the cheapest manner. “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested,” said Sir Francis Bacon.

Good books and real friends are very valuable. If you spend your time in the company of books, you will not make silly mistakes. Books will never change or deceive us. Reading helps us to be more civilised than others. Books are our best teachers. They make learning easy and pleasant at all times.

When in doubt we turn to books. When we are confused we consult books. When we are lonely and in distress books keeps us company. Books never fail to provide consolation and peace of mind. Hence a good book is the best you can have. They delight us in times of prosperity and comfort when we are in distress.

Shirleen Dhanushka,
Grade 8C,
St. Anne’s Balika Maha Vidyalaya,
Wattala.

Winner: Protect the earth

We are the past we are the future
We are people in this world
We take care of everything
But not it’s time to take care of the earth
We have to stop the war and make peace
And love each country.
We have to stop floods in this world,
We have to stop the fires in this world,
This world was made for you and me,
I can hear the leaves say, “help us.”
We are the future,
We are the past,
And we are the children of this world,
So let’s help each other
Clear this darkness out of the way,
Let’s have a bright future for ever.

Aishwarya Ravi Shankar,
10 years,
Katubedda.

Winner: An amazing experience

Our school Scouts had to go on a five-day camp to the Congo forest. As I was a member of the Scouts troop, I too had to participate. On the same night we had a camp fire and we sang camp fire songs; we enjoyed a lot. We built our tents in the morning, and at night we were sent inside the tents to sleep. But I was not sleepy. I was thinking of my school friends and my parents. I heard some tree branches cracking. I woke up and went out of the tent to see what it was.

As I went out of the tent, I saw a smoke rising from the middle of the hills. We were the only people who were in this forest. I took my torch and ran towards the place where the smoke was rising. I wanted to know who was there. As I was running, I heard somebody asking for help. I ran to the boy who was asking for help. I saw him fallen in to a large pit. I got him out of the pit and asked his name. He said “Ruwan.” The boy who was fallen in to the pit was one of our scouts. He was also running towards the smoke.

We both ran towards the smoke. As we were close to that smoke, we saw two big bright red eyes. The red eyes were coming towards us. We were scared. We turned back and ran. We were lost inside the forest and we could not find our way back. The eyes were following us. We ran and ran at last we found our troop.

We woke up the other scouts. The red eyes were getting closer to us. One of the scouts touched my hand. His hands were slippery. I clicked the torch and pointed it on to their faces. Their eyes were red in colour. Their nails were long. And teeth were like sharpened knives. Their clothes were torn. I was also a full moon day. We soon took our travelling bags, and ran away.

When we were running, I saw a big hill. We ran faster as we were scared. We did not even think of our tiredness. As we were climbing the mountain two mountain wolves jumped towards us from both sides. We pushed them and ran. After we climbed the hill, we saw a river with a raft, again we continued running. We did not even take a rest. When we were close to the river, I saw two zombies from far coming towards us. The two zombies jumped on to our bodies and raised their sweaty hands to kill us.

Then I shrieked at the top of my voice asking for help. When I opened my eyes it was my mother who was questioning me as to what had happened. Then I realised it was a scary and amazing dream.!

Shevin Tharushka
Emmanuelle Fernando,
Grade 9D,
St. Anthony’s College,
Katugastota.

The unforgettable Mandela

My most unforgettable person is Nelson Mandela who was South Africa's anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician and philanthropist. Mandela was the President of S. Africa from 1994 to 1999 and also a former President of the African National Congress (ANC).

He was born in Mvezo in Umatata in the Transkei on July 8, 1918. His wife was Winnie and he had five children.

During the wars of resistance in defence of his fatherland, Mandela wanted to be a lawyer and led the struggle for freedom. He entered politics in 1942.

Mandela was arrested and detained by the minority white government. He was charged and imprisoned for over 27 years on Robben Island.

He was released on February 11, 1990 and he agreed to a suspension of armed struggle. On 10, 1994, he was installed as the democratically elected President of South Africa.

Mandela died on December 5 in Houghton Estate in S. Africa.

F. Zahra Hazar,
Grade 10E,
Khairiya Muslim Balika MV,
Colombo 9.

My favourite toy

My favourite toy is my talking puppy. When you press a button she whines, when you press another button she wags her tail and when you press another button she barks Wouf!

Her name is Alice. She is white and also has long eyelashes. She is so cute and I give her a bone which she crunches.

It wags its tail. My father and mother presented it to me. She has a pink collar.

One day I took her to school and everyone liked her.

Atara Isaac,
Year 3,
Colombo International School.

My little sister

My little sister is baby Osandi. She is three years old. She is very beautiful.
She likes to drink milk. She can speak a few words.
I love her very much.

Monadi Samarakoon,
Grade 1B,
High School, Mt. Lavinia.