Winner: How can we protect our nature?

Nature is a beautiful gift given to us by God. It’s filled with trees, flowers, animals, forests, mountains, rivers, waterfalls and oceans with human beings.

But, what have we done to our beautiful nature? People cut trees, burn forests to construct buildings, dispose garbage into rivers and waterfalls and pollute the air with smoke.

Do you know why trees are important to us? Because they give us oxygen to breathe and provide us with food and medicine.

Why should we burn our forests to build various buildings? We can build them by protecting the forests. Farming can be done near rivers without polluting the water.

Stop harming our nature but protect it. We can plant trees, place litter into dustbins and make compost. Construct buildings by not harming the forests.

So, from today onwards let’s keep our nature clean and protect it.

Nethmi Amanda Weerasuriya,
Grade 8,
Holy Family Convent,Kalutara.

Winner: My pet

My pet is a dog. Its name is Tommy. He is four years old and black in colour. He wears a red belt round his neck.

Tommy likes to eat chicken and fish. My brother plays with him whenever he is free.

When a stranger comes home he barks at him. I love my pet.

Methuli Chenara Kotudura,
Grade 3D,
Samudradevi Balika Vidyalaya, Nugegoda.

Winner: Our solar system

Our solar system has Sun and eight planets. The sun is in the centre of the system. It is like a fireball.

Mercury is the first planet and the Earth is the third. Venus comes before Earth.

The earth has oxygen and people live on it. Mars has volcanoes. Jupiter is the biggest planet in the solar system.

Saturn has beautiful rings round it. Uranus and Neptune are the other planets.

Senuk H. P. Godakandage,
Grade 3,
JMC College International, Kurunegala.

Winner: Reading

Reading maketh a full man in the society. If we read books, our knowledge will improve. If you do not know the correct meaning of a word, you must always refer a dictionary. Reading improves your spelling, vocabulary and the grammar.

When you read books, you will be able to communicate with the people in other countries. When you grow old reading will keep you occupied.

There are different types of books in the market such as English, Sinhala, Science and General Knowledge. From our young days we should cultivate the habit the reading habit.

Thushan Senanayake,
Grade 6,
Ananda College, Colombo.

Winner: Good manners

Good manners are important. It is easy to cultivate them at home or in school, because we spend most of the time there. We can develop it as a habit. Good manners are essential to lead a good life in the society.

The proper way to talk, eat and sit count a lot. We should always excuse ourselves when we interrupt a conversation. Always try to talk softly and politely.

Good manners are like the fragrance of a rose. Although artificial flowers are beautiful, they will never give any fragrance. When we act in an ill-mannered, selfish way, we will be like these artificial flowers.

Always try to maintain good manners.

Safa Thowfeek,
Grade 11,
Hafsa Ladies Arabic College, Weligama.

Soil erosion

Soil erosion is a common sight these days. The reason for soil erosion is the destruction of trees. Soil erosion leads to natural disasters such as floods, landslides and tsunamis. Destruction of plant growth, excessive sand mining and coral farming cause soil erosion.

Soil erosion could be prevented by planting trees, grass, terrace farming on slopes, less mining and building dams. People are responsible for soil erosion. Let's take action to prevent soil erosion.

Shivangi Sritharan,
Grade 7E,
Yasodara Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha.

My favourite story book

Madol Duwa is my favourite story book. It was written by Martin Wickramasinghe. The protagonists in the novel are Upali and Jinna. It is a very adventurous and an exciting story. They go to the Island of Madol Duwa and make their own house and a vegetable plot. They start earning by selling fruits and vegetables. I like to visit Madol Duwa one day.

K.A. Kivindi Kaveesha,
Grade 8,
MR/Narandeniya National College.

My school

My school is Gurukula College, Kelaniya. It was started on July 1, 1948 with 14 students. It consisted of both laymen and clergy. Prof. Yakkaduwe Sri Pagnarama Thero introduced the English medium to the school curriculum. Following an internal conflict, Dharmaloka College Vidyalankara Pirivena, Peliyagoda was shifted to Waragoda. The school inculcates national values in students.

The main aim of the school is to produce scholars who would not be enslaved to imperialistic attitudes. The College became a government school in 1961. It was shifted to its present location at Paththayam Waththa on Station Road. My school was declared a national school on July 26, 1996.The unauthorised buildings constructed a great obstacle to the school. I like my school a great deal.

Denuka Nawarathna,
Grade 6H,
Gurukula College, Kelaniya.

Mother

Mother is such a lovely word. It is a symbol of love and care. Anyone in this world cannot replace a mother as she is unique. A mother's arms are always open for her child. A mother is the most lovable person in this world.

Sometimes we quarrel with our mother, shout and hurt her but a mother never likes to see tears in her child moisten. A mother is a teacher, guardian and friend.

Safiya Kalaf,
Grade 8,
J.M.C International College, Gampola.