Talented teen on the fashion runway

Inspired by the magnificent peacock, Junior Observer Member sixteen-year-old Mahoshadee de Silva made the most of her inherent talent at drawing by venturing into fashion designing. She entered the Fashion Designer of the Year 2009 contest organised by the Sunday Observer and stood out as the youngest designer in the competition among much older contestants and professionals.

Her designs in trendy sport and office wear, elegant evening wear and saree, done in shades of peacock blue and green were striking and impressive, and she succeeded in being selected into the final 20 contestants, "I was quite surprised when I got selected," says Mahoshadee who is delighted by the experience she gained by entering this competition.Mahoshadee who excels in her studies is also a chorister and an interact club member.Her ambition is to be a successful business woman as well as a fashion designer.

She excels in her studies as well as extra curricular activities in school and never misses prizes at the awards ceremonies every year with the encouragement from both her parents. "My parents help me in everything I do and their support helps to push my way forward no matter what pulls me back".She scored an A for ICT and an A for Business and Communication in her IGCSE O/L Exam last year and will be doing the remaining subjects this year. (B.S.T, English, English Literature, Art, History, Accounts, maths, economics and Science).

Speaking about her talent in art, she says "I love drawing, I draw whenever I am free - at home, during free periods at school and when I feel all stressed out. 'Sunday Observer Fashion Designer of the Year" contest was a very new experience, it was the first time I took part in a real fashion designing contest and it was new experience meeting professional designers who helped me a lot and especially Mrs. Chula Nanayakkara who gave me a lot of new ideas and advice. She was very kind to me, actually she was like a mother and I'd like to thank her very much".

Learn a new subject:

Philosophy for beginners

Most children believe that philosophy is a serious subject meant only for adults. No doubt, it is an extremely abstract subject full of jargon and complexities.

However, the students who are offering logic as a subject for the GCE (Advanced Level) Examination know that it is a part of philosophy.Philosophy is all about life.

Philosophers have been discussing the purpose of life for ages. Then there are other areas they are interested in. Some of them are:

Is religion necessary for man?

What is right and wrong?

Is it morally justifiable to kill an animal to prevent it from suffering?

What is truth?

These are difficult questions to answer. However, many philosophers down the ages have tried to answer them. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the pioneers of Western Philosophy have given their candid opinions. Other philosophers have added their views making philosophy a vast subject only adults can handle.

Beginners should read the life stories of great philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle who lived in Greece in the 5th century BC. Other philosophers you should be familiar with are: Bertrand Russell (England), Jean Paul Sartre (France), Immanuel Kant (Germany), J. Krishnamurti (India), Confucius (China), and of course Gauthama Buddha, the greatest philosopher, the world has produced.

However, Sri Lanka has still not produced any philosopher of this calibre.

Read the biographies of these philosophers and you are sure to fall in love with philosophy which is a fascinating subject that can be learnt when you step into adulthood.

-R.S. Karunaratne