Winner: Sinhala and Hindu New Year

The Sinhala and Hindu New Year is the most important national festival in Sri Lanka.

The festival held in April every year is of cultural, social and national importance. All the activities connected with the festival are performed at auspicious times according to traditional customs.

The hearth is lit at the auspicious time and milk rice is cooked, and people partake in their first meal. They wear new clothes and exchange gifts and the children offer betel and worship their elders. People from all walks of life celebrate the New Year.

K.M. Thanuja Sewmini, Grade 8, HO/Bandaragama National School, Bandaragama.

Winner: Spring

Spring is very colourful and beautiful in April. During this period, plants sprout and trees bear fruits.

The Sinhala and Hindu New Year is celebrated and many customs and traditions are followed. Schoolchildren spend their vacation and free time happily. Spring is the most attractive season in the year.

Sithara Thathsarani, Grade 11, Nakkawatttha Central College, Nakkawaththa.

Winner: Animals are our friends

We must treat animals and pets kindly because they are our friends. We must treat them gently.

If we have pets, we must feed and play with them. If we love our pets, they will love us and keep us company. Else they will abandon us thinking that we do not care for them.

We must always love animals and pets dearly.

Methul Laksara Amarasinghe, Grade 5, Royal Institute, Gampaha.

Winner: Organs

We are connected by organs. It can be divided as sense organs and internal organs. The sense organs are the nose, tongue, ears, eyes and skin. The functions of the sense organs are eyes to see, nose to smell, tongue to taste, ears to hear and skin to feel.

The internal organs are heart, brain, lungs and stomach. Functions of the internal organs are the heart which pumps blood, stomach to digest food, lungs to breathe and the brain to think. We should take care of our organs.

Khadija Azaam, KG II, Harrow International College, Beruwala.

Winner: My brother

I have a younger brother. His name is Rasitha Induwara.

He is playful and cute. He is very clever. He cries for toys.

I love him so dearly.

Sakuni Pehesara Dareeju, Grade 3, WP/HR/Taxila Kanishta Vidyalaya, Horana.

Water

Water is a natural resource. We cannot live without water. We use water for drinking, cooking, washing clothes and vehicles. Water in liquid form are fresh water and marine water. Solid form can be seen in glaziers and snow. Gas form is called vapourised water.

We see water in ponds, lakes and the ocean. But the ocean water cannot be used for drinking because it is salty. People pollute water but, it is our duty to save water for future generations.

S.A.M. Himaya Dewmini, Bandarawela Central College, Bandarawela.

Coconut tree

The coconut tree is tall with a single trunk. Its leaves are called cadjans. The coconut is the fruit and we drink the water in it and eat the sap.

When it is ripe, we use it to make curries. The kernel gives us milk and the dried kernel, the coconut oil.

The tree trunk is used for rafters to make roofs and for furniture. Coconut flowers and fronds are used in offerings.

Cadjans are woven and used to thatch roofs. The sticks are used to make ekel brooms. The leaves are woven into mats and trays, and the left over pieces as firewood. The coconut tree is essential for Sri Lankans.

E.M. Thiwanka Thathsarani, Grade 9, Humbuluwa Central College, Alawwa.

My country

Sri Lanka has a rich history. It is a beautiful island. It has the shape of a pearl and thus called the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’.

In the past, it had many other names such as Thambapani, Serendib and Ceylon. There are three main crops in Sri Lanka, tea, rubber and coconut. The longest river is the Mahaweli and the highest mountain is Piduruthalagala. The tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka is Bambarakanda.

I love my country very much and I am proud to be a Sri Lankan.

Minal Mubarak, Grade 3, Lyceum International School, Gampaha.

The sun

Human beings, plants and animals benefit from sunlight. But nowadays the sun is very hot and the government has advised people to avoid going out unnecessarily in the afternoons.

The sun can cause heat stroke as well as skin cancer. We must protect ourselves from sunlight and pray for rain.

Fathusa Fazal, Grade 5, Harrow International College.

New Year celebrations

The New Year celebrations were held in our school recently, at the school grounds. We lit the hearth with our teachers at the auspicious time and the kiri ithiraweema ceremony was performed.

We also did money transactions and later played new year games such as Kanamutti Gaseema, pillow fights and the tug-o'-war. We also selected the Avurudu Kumaraya and Avurudu Kumari. We enjoyed the New Year celebrations.

Jayam Chandu Dissanayake, Grade 5, KU/Royal International School, Kurunegala.