Winner:

Annual school trip

The annual school educational trip this year was to sacred Maligawila, Budhuruwagala, Yudhaganawa and Dematamal Vihara in the Moneragala district.

I could not have a good night’s sleep before that eventful day. In spite of the early morning darkness, I rushed to school as we were asked to report before the scheduled time for the departure of the buses. After invoking the blessings of the Buddha at the school shrine, we took our seats in the buses. Like a happy band of pilgrims, from the very beginning of the journey we started to clap and sing. When the sun began to shine we could see the surroundings. We could see more green flora and chena cultivation everywhere.

At once a beautiful white pagoda appeared on a rock with a splendid monastery. It was the sacred Sankapala Rajamaha Vihara.

Our class teacher Rasika Handapangoda requested us to be quiet and emphasised the need for disciplined behaviour in a sacred area.

After viewing the historic temple we travelled along the road to the great dam of the endless Udawalave irrigation reservoir. At the end of the long dam, we found a landscape covered with tropical cloud forests and grasslands.

We saw wild elephants roaming at the Udawalave National Park. We reached Wellawaya and the buses stopped at a parking place.

We walked calmly and patiently in a queue towards a rock surrounded by the forests. We saw several carved and sculptured statues or images on the rock.

According to the archaeological evidence they are believed to be the Buddha or Bodhisathwa statues of Budhuruwagala. Thereafter we visited the famous Maligawila Buddha statue at Buttala. The huge creation has been sculptured on a single stone. There were other archaeological ruins as well. I was surprised about the aesthetic arts and crafts.

The monuments symbolised the past history in our country. The skills and talents of our ancestors through the structures and images are marvellous. I paid my gratitude to them and I am proud of my nation. I hope all these should be preserved for our future generation. Then we visited the historic Dematamal Vihara that consists of an ancient dagaba which is situated in a picturesque area.

We had lunch there and visited the historic Yudhagana Seya. Unfortunately, some of the antiquities had been destroyed by vandals and treasure hunters.

On our way back to school with great joy and having gathered a lot of knowledge about our rich heritage, we had a chance of witnessing the eye-catching Diyaluma waterfalls which is 220 metres high. The silvery water plunges from a wide rock into the deep basin through a cool mist.

This wonderful beauty of the scenic view which combined the soothing sound of the waterfall refreshed our exhausted minds. It was so spectacular that we did not feel like leaving the place.

Yasasi Liyanage, Grade 11C, Vidyakara Balika Vidyalaya, Maharagama.

Winner:

My darling Snoofy

I have a little cat
And it is very fat
I named her as Snoofy
Her tail is very fluffy
It hunts around my house
And daily catches a mouse
It likes to eat meat
And likes to drink milk.

Headhi Sadhewnii Epasinghe, Grade 4, St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo 7.


 

Winner:

Advantages and disadvantages of the computer

There are many advantages and disadvantages of the computer. It is a very useful machine. It was invented by Charles Babage.

There are many advantages of the computer. It gives us a vast knowledge and pleasure. We have many uses of it. Children have acquired a very good knowledge of the computer. Sometimes our technology has been developed by the computer.

It is essential for children today.There are many disadvantages of the computer. Some children are addicted to it.

They misuse it and watch bad films. We should use the computer wisely. Then only we can get much pleasure out of it. Many children go on the wrong path today.

We should spend our time to learn only good habits. Then we can advance in society.

Advantages bring us a lot of benefits and we will be respected in society. I like to use the computer everyday for it improves my knowledge. It entertains me a lot.

Shyamalee Lakshani Anurasinghe, Grade 9A, A/Galenbindunuwewa C.C. Galenbindunuwewa.

Winner:

My lost umbrella

I had a nice umbrella. It had a beautiful design. The handle was curved. Inside the handle there was a water bubble. I used to take it to school. One day I lost my umbrella.

I searched for it everywhere for several days but could not find it.One day I saw some girls piucking some lovi fruits with an umbrella like mine. I went up to them and said, “That umbrella looks like my one. Show it to me.” They did so.

I said in a loud voice, “This is my umbrella, give it to me.” They asked me, “Are you sure this is yours?” “Of course, see my name is written on the handle.”

“It reads Malinka M.S.” Being good Visakhians they said, “Sorry sister”, and gave the umbrella to me.

Malinka Samarasinha, Grade 4A, Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo 5.

Winner:

Volcanoes, a gift from nature

We often hear about the eruption of volcanoes. When they erupt, inhabitants living close-by have to be evacuated from their habitats. Do they really know what happens in a volcano? Only a brave volcanologist who flies over an active volcano by a helicopter wearing a very special suit, knows well about the process of the eruption of a volcano.

A volcano does not erupt always. It may sleep for a long time, sometimes hundreds of years. During this neutral time one may notice only an occasional faint cloud of smoke over the summit. Sometimes, this cloud of smoke tells a mysterious story that the volcano is ready to erupt. One may hear rumbling and booming underground.

The approaching disaster is first felt by animals and birds. They sense it and flee from the area.

The moment of eruption is quite frightening! Columns of black smoke and ashes pour out of the cone. Then, stones and a stream of lava or ‘the molten rock’ is ejected. The whole area is covered with a thick coat of lava and rock.

Deep down the earth, it is so hot that the solid rock turns into a liquid. The molten liquid full of gases is named ‘magma.’ It pushes ahead as a result, in the cone of the mountain, cracks open and lets ‘magma’ go. This is the way of volcano activation.

Sometimes, volcanoes are ‘disguised’ for the people around. It is a very wonderful experience. Many tourists visit these places to get that experience. In Italy, Iceland and Russia people have learnt to make use of volcanoes. They are very familiar with volcanoes. The lava which comes from an eruption is rich in substances which help plants to grow well. They grow their crops on the slopes of extinct volcanoes.

The lava water is used for heating greenhouses. In most cold countries, when the lava flows into the sea, the sea water becomes hot. People enjoy and bathe and swim in the water.

We must know that volcanoes are very dangerous, but it is a very valuable gift from nature.

Mahima Dasun Pathinayake, Grade 11D, Badulla Central College, Badulla.

My ambition

My ambition is to be a teacher. It is the noblest profession in the world.

The teacher does a great service to society. Teachers produce well-disciplined and useful citizens.

People who choose teaching as their profession are fortunate because they can serve the country and also earn a living at the same time.

The future of the young generation depends largely on the education they receive. The teacher guides them in the correct path. Teaching is not a monotonous job. Unlike working in a hospital, the teacher is always with the young children with smiling faces.

The teacher is respected by everyone. The teacher is expected to lead an exemplary life. Therefore, I like to be a teacher.

H.H. Maneesha Harshani, Grade 10D, MR/Puhulwella MMV, Puhulwella.

Friendship

A friend is like a flower, a rose to be exact,
Or may be like a brand new gate,
that never comes unlatched.
A friend is like an owl,
both beautiful and wise.
Or perhaps a friend is like a ghost,
whose spirit never dies.
A friend is like a heart
that goes strong until the end.
Where would we be in this world
if we didn’t have a friend.

Mohamed Sajith Sahib, Grade 8A, Hameed Al Husseinie College, Colombo 12.