Importance of being in a ‘group’

Winner:

Do you know that being with a group of friends is important? It helps us to be friendly, caring, sharing and kind to each other. It also teaches us to work as a team and respect each other.

One evening I asked my grandfather to relate a story.

Then he told me a story from the Pansiya Panas Jataka book, which is also about staying in a group. I listened to the story very happily.

The story goes like this. One day there lived a flock of birds. Among the birds the leader was the Bodhisatwa. One morning the birds were eating crops in a paddy field.

Suddenly a veddha or an adhivasi man saw the birds eating his crops. He threw a net on the birds and they were trapped.

Then they tried to get out from the net, but it was very heavy. The bird leader had an idea. He told the other birds to fly away with the net. After they settled in a tree, they dropped the net and flew away happily.From this story we can learn a good lesson; the importance of staying in a group and working as a team.

Samidi Karunarathne,
Grade 6 E,
Mahamaya Girls’ College,
Kandy.

A healthy mind in a healthy body

Winner:

"He who has health has hope, and he who has hope, has everything ...”

A healthy body and a sound mind is a precious gift of nature to mankind.

It is equal to all the wealth in the world. Even if we have all the riches in the world what is the use of it if we do not have a healthy body and sound mind to enjoy the wealth?A healthy soul always resides in a healthy mind and a healthy mind can only dwell in a healthy body. The brain cells of a healthy person activates with more energy than that of an ill person. Such a person is mentally sharp and sensible.

He can lead a successful and happy life.How can this be achieved? It does not cost any extra expenditure. By simply following a certain set of good habits regularly one can achieve this. First we must make it a habit to rise early in the morning.

A brisk morning walk is a good start to a fresh day. Plenty of pure water should be drunk at regular intervals. Large quantities of spicy food is bad for one’s health. Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables should be added to the simple nourishing meals we have taken. Do not think about having a heavy, full protein diet all the time. Avoid too much sugar and savoury food.

Get used to a simple meal. So, let’s become early risers to enjoy the beauty of sunrise and the freshness of nature. Let’s have a healthy mind that blooms with the dawn, like a sunflower.

Aysha Amrath Hafy,
Grade 10, Jennath International School,
Galle.

Reach your zenith in the New Year

Winner:

2011 carried all our old hopes,
2012 has come, refreshing our lives,
Let us work with great effort,
And reach the zenith in the New Year.

The good memories of last year,
Will help to succeed this year,
Let us erase our bad deeds,
And rush towards the good deeds!

Getting away, from bad friends,
Accepting the pure-hearted friends,
Let us begin 2012,
With high spirited and joyful thoughts.

Working hard for the best,
Breaking the old records,
Accessing the new world,
Let us step forward as perfect citizens.

Second by second days will pass,
Day by day months will pass,
If you work hard you will pass,
May you be spirited to reach for the stars.

A.P. Umanda Hansamali
Grade 10 E
Pushpadana Girls’ College,
Kandy

The wonderful world we live in

Winner:

The world is the place that we all live in. There are continents in the world comprising a number of countries. There are seven continents; Asia, Africa, Europe,America (North America, South America),Antactica and Australia. There are also five oceans in the world.

They are the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean and the Antarctic Ocean. There are many seas too in the world and some of them are the Red Sea, Caspian Sea, Yellow Sea and the Dead Sea.There are nearly 200 countries in the world with different types of people living in them. Sri Lankans are from Sri Lanka. There are Indians (India), Americans (USA), Chinese (China), Japanese (Japan)and Russians (Russia).The people of different countries have their own cultures , languages and national dresses.The kind of food they eat also differs.

The currency, temperature and geography, also differ from country to country. Countries near the equator do not have any seasons,but countries above or below the equator have.

The world is also full of beautiful fauna and flora.There are all kinds of animals living in the air, the sea and on land. There are many species of wild animals as well as domestic animals. Some wild animals are elephants, tigers, leopards, gorillas and giraffes.Domestic animals include cats, dogs, cows, goats, rabbits and pigs.

There are many sweet smelling flowers and fruits. The insects pollinate these flowers and fruits and help to reproduce plants.

Plants are one of the most important things in the environment. They give everything we need. Oxygen, rain, food and also timber and shelter. Natural disasters were not so frequent in the recent past. But from January 2010, natural disasters increased. It started with an earthquake in Haiiti which affected the whole country; including the President’s house. Another disaster, a severe earthquake occurred in Japan in the middle of the year resulting in a massive tsunami. The earthquake damaged pipes in the Fukushima nuclear plant and people were evacuated. It was not until very recently that it was proved that the water is safe to drink.

Let us take good care of our wonderful world! We have been destroying the environment so much that it has led to global warming.Our responsibility is to protect our Earth from pollution, stop destroying trees and killing animals.

J. Randhula Gajadheera,
Willesden College International,
Battaramulla.

Obey and respect teachers!

Winner:

Teachers play a great role in educating us, students. It is they who give us the basic foundation apart from our parents and family. Due to this, we are able to face a lot of challenges in life. Teaching is a noble profession as even kings, queens and other famous inventors, artists and scientists have all once been taught by them.

Without teachers, we would be like a boat without proper direction to sail. We would not know how to read or write. We are able to become great doctors, engineers, accountants and famous people in various other fields because of what we gain from teachers.

So, we must respect and obey our teachers, but sadly, in the modern world, many students do not obey or respect them. Many students ignore teachers and do not give them due respect. They do not realise the value of education and the role teachers play in educating us. Many students think that teachers are there to torture them and deprive them of enjoying their school days.

They must realise that they are there for their own benefit; to educate them and show them the right path. They do not take the maximum use of what teachers have to offer them.

We should respect, obey and follow their advice always to succeed in life. We should also be ready to help teachers when they are in need of any assistance. Remember, respecting teachers is a noble deed.

Fathima Shahani,
Grade 9 L,
Ilma International Girls' School, Rajagiriya.

A plea of a fish

Please don’t catch me,
Please don’t cook me,
Please don’t fry me,
Please don’t eat me,
Oh! please let me live in the water!

A. Shafeeha Dilshan
Grade 7 C
St. Andrew’s Balika, Nawalapitiya