Winner:

Trees help man to live a fruitful life

There are various kinds of trees in my country. Trees are valuable resources for humans. Trees have many uses. They give us shade, food, fruit, pure air, nuts and various kinds of flowers. We get herbs and firewood from trees. Trees help us in many ways. People build houses with planks and branches.

Trees purify the air. They absorb carbondioxide and purify the air. They emit oxygen and purify the air all day long. Humans inhale the oxygen and emit carbondioxide. Trees enrich the soil. Farmers work in the paddy field. They get tired and sit under trees and rest. If we destroy trees people are then directly exposed to sunshine. Trees give us various kinds of food. Animals get food from trees. If we cut trees, humans and animals will have no food. Animals look for food everywhere. Birds fly every where looking for food. People will die without food. Trees give us fruit.

Trees are a valuable resource for humans.

A.U. Sandaruwan Wicramasiri,
Grade 9,
Kuli/Moragane Maha Vidyalaya,
Moragane.

Winner:

Pottery making

Pots are made of clay. Pottery is a craft that relates to the life of Sri Lanka. Small votive lamps, graceful water jugs, decorative ornaments and various cooking vessels of clay are popular among people. Even though there are many new ideas in this field, many potters still employ traditional methods.

Most of the pottery is made on a rotating disk that the potter keeps turning. It’s called a potter’s wheel. It is a fast turning wheel. Most pots are fired in a primitive kiln built of bricks or stone. It is covered with a wattle and daub roof.

Pottery is now used mostly for decoration while metal saucepans have replaced clay pots in most homes.

G.R.R. Thathsiluni Gamage,
Grade 7B,
Dharmapala Vidyalaya,
Pannipitiya.








 

Winner:

Smart phones and children

A smart phone is a useful electronic device in the modern world. A smart phone consists of many apps. These apps are useful. We can watch movies, play games and can find paths by google earth. These are some of the advantages of smart phones.

Though smart phones are useful, children watch unnecessary stuff and browse unsuitable social media. Most of them have a bad effect. Because of social media such as Facebook and twitter children get involved in unwanted activities. All these things happen because rich parents allow their children to use smart phones. In smart phones anything can be done.

I as a child like to own a smart phone, but I don’t like social media. I request parents to be intelligent and not to give smart phones to children under 18.

C.Anjana Seneviratne Hettiarachchi,
Grade 9B, Sussex College,
Gampaha.








 

Winner:

Water is essential

For humans to live, they need air, water and food. Out of these, water is the most essential and we cannot live without it.

Water is important for every living being and also for plants. We get water from rivers, lakes and wells. We use it for many purposes such as drinking, bathing and washing.

It is more important than food because we can live for several days without food but we can’t live even a few days without water.

It is not surprising that water is important. Seventy percent of our body is made up of it. Water is also found in the food we eat.

Water is needed by farmers to maintain cultivation. Industries use water for industrial activities, power stations use water for generating electricity.

Water pollution takes place on a large scale when industrial waste is directed into waterways. People sometimes dump garbage in waterways. This causes water pollution. As a result fish and other small animals die and people contact various diseases.

So, let us all try to conserve water without polluting it. Water is a gift of nature. Water is our life blood.

Hilma,
Grade 8A,
Al-Mubarak National School,
Malwana.

Winner:

Teachers, our guides

The backbone of a nation is children. A child today will become an adult tomorrow. This change makes him a more responsible person in society. He needs clear guidance for this. A teacher is the right person to guide the child showing the correct path.

A teacher is known as the second mother of a child. There are many presidents, prime ministers, doctors, engineers, pilots and scientists in the world. All of them are creations of teachers. Teachers are behind the success the world has reached, today.

A teacher’s responsibility is not only to give education, but also to make disciplined and well-mannered children. It will help to create a beautiful and a friendly society.

One teacher, one book, one child and one pen can change the world. We bow our heads to our guides; our loving teachers.

W.A. Pasindu Anjana Weerakkody,
Grade 5A,
Royal International School,
Kurunegala.

Lost in a green paradise

The word ‘environment’ gives a soothing sensation to our mind. Environment pleases the senses and soothes the mind.

A forest looks like a green paradise. A cascade of brown waters amidst the hills fills the mind with a sense of enchantment. The coastline ringed with lush forests adds remarkable beauty to its surroundings. The environment gains its charm with the chirping birds and quietlyflowing waterways. Every single gift of mother nature contributes to maintain its rhythm of beauty.

I find it difficult to gather words when I am lost amidst the delightful creations of mother nature. I am lucky to be born in Sri Lanka because it is a country blessed with a unique and rich bio-diversity.

Tharushi Dinusha
Kulathunge,
Grade 10,
Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya,
Gampaha.

 

Why worry about the future?

It is a high hill covered with mist,
Which decides the rest of my life.
On the top lies triumph,
The place I'm supposed to climb.

But it seems hard trudging,
With turns, slopes and junctions.
Smooth turns and perfect paths,
With no way towards the slopes.

What if I meddle with my future,
And fall to the slope of desperation.
I fear when I think of my future,
For I always dream to climb the top.

It makes no sense what our future is,
Because we live in the present world.
Just think of a way for a perfect present,
And it will guide us to our dreams.

Nethmi Sudeni Ranasinghe,
Grade 10,
Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya,
Gampaha.

Smiling

Smiling makes us happy. I enjoy smiling as it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile.

People need to realise that life is not a happy journey. We have to walk along a bumpy road full of potholes. We must smile and enjoy life. Irrespective of gender or race,people like to see smiling faces.

Let's smile and add a little sunshine to life. It will make the world a better place to live in.

Sayumi Sasanga,
Grade 8,
Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya,
Colombo 7.

The history of Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are famous throughout the world because of their serenity and peacefulness. The history of the Olympics can be traced to more than 1,500 years.

Many centuries ago the Olympic Games were held in Greece in honour of the Greek God Zeus. The sacred month of the games is considered as the time for harmony and friendship. The festival lasts for five days and became an expression of the Greek idea that “A man's body should be just as fit and healthy as his mind.”

The winners receive many prizes of which the most treasured was the wreath of olive leaves. Those days it was a great honour to win it.

The Olympic flag has five entwined rings on a white background. They represent the five main continents.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is responsible for the continuation and development of the Olympic Games.

It is not easy to win a medal at the games. Behind every medal lies a lifetime of discipline, dedication, hard work and talent.

The Olympic games also carries an important message to the world. It is “Not to win but to take part.”

K.L. Chathura Jayasanka,
Grade 10A,
MR/Yatiyana M.V,
Matara.