9 years and below
How I celebrated Avurudu
On Saturday, my family and I went for an Avurudu celebration organized by my father’s office. All my friends, aunties and uncles were dressed in traditional Avurudu clothing.
There were various Avurudu food items such as milkrice, prawn vade`, kevum, kokis, aasmi and a few drinks. I enjoyed eating all of these yummy food items.
There were many games to take part in. Some of them were, pillow fight, tug-of-war, lime and spoon, drawing the eye on the elephant, breaking the pot, eating the bun, bursting the balloon, feeding the yoghurt, and counting the seeds in the papaya. I participated in the games, eating the bun, lime and spoon and putting the eye on the elephant. I won 2nd place for the lime and spoon race. I was very happy.
It was a fun-filled and memorable day that I could never forget. When I went home I thanked my father for taking me there. I loved it very much.
Amira Miftha (8 years)
Methodist College, Colombo 3
10 – 12 years
The importance of learning English
English is one of the most spoken and official languages in the world, having originated in medieval England. In detail, approximately 67 countries communicate in English. Learning English when we are young itself, makes our brain active and healthy, improving creativity and memory. English is an easy language to learn at an early age and it is also easy to pick up compared to other languages.
As we grow older and become adults, we need a job, of course, and learning English is one thing that will make it easier to get a job. But why do we need English to get a job in the future? Can’t we use any other languages? We might think about this doubt, but the solution is that you can communicate with any client, businessman, manager and more in English, as it is a widely spoken language.
Other than helping our careers, another benefit of learning English is that travelling abroad becomes easier. Today, millions of people struggle to go abroad because of language issues. English is what you need here. It also increases your ability to learn another language and more.
So, let’s get ready to learn English.
Aksharran Ketheeswaran (12 years)
Gateway College
13 – 15 years
What I know about Earth Day
“Trees are the poems that the Earth writes upon the sky…”
This famous quote was written by Lebanese-American writer and poet, Kahlil Gibran in his renowned book, ‘Sand and Foam’ in 1926.
Earth Day is, an international event celebrated around the world to pledge support for environmental protection. It is commemorated on April 22 yearly, which is arranged by the EARTH.ORG institute. Like every year, to celebrate the uniqueness of this day, the organization comes up with a specific theme for this function.
Last year’s subject was, ‘Invest in Our Planet’ which called for businesses’ to change towards sustainable practices. This year’s message is, ‘Planet vs. Plastics’ which points attention to the serious issues about plastic pollution and how it harms nature.
The inception of Mother Earth Day dates back to 1970, marking the birth of the modern environmental movement. It was a time when industrial progress took precedence over environmental concerns, leading to air and water pollution. The publication of Rachel Carson’s, ‘Silent Spring’ in 1962 was a turning point, raising public awareness about the habitat and the links between contamination and community medicine.
The idea for Earth Day was first proposed by Senator Gaylord Nelson after the ravages of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. Along with Denis Hayes, they assembled the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 where 20 million Americans demonstrated for a healthy, sustainable territory.
Ecology Day serves as a yearly reminder of our responsibility towards environmental stewardship. It’s a day that commemorates the nature’s natural beauty and to take action against the obstacles threatening our environment. The day has been instrumental in uniting people from all over the world to walks of life participating in various activities that promote environmental conservation and an eco-friendly future.
‘The Unhabitable Earth’ by prestigious writer David Wallace-Wells, ‘The Lorax’ by wonderful Dr. Seuss and ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by amazing Robin Wall Kimmerer are some novels written about this day while ‘Earth Song’ by fantastic Michael Jackson, ‘Wake Up America’ by remarkable Miley Cyrus and ‘Save The Planet Song’ by terrific Miss Linky are some songs especially sung on this day.
Earth Day serves as a poignant reminder of our collective responsibility to protect and preserve our cosmos. It’s a day to reflect on the impact of human actions on the world and to recommit ourselves to sustainable practices.
As we observe this day, let’s strive to foster appreciation for the natural world, advocate for a meaningful change and work together to ensure a healthier and more sustainable future generation. As children we should always keep in mind to fulfill our duties to Mother Earth by, disposing trash responsibly, participating in local clean-ups and using the 3R system. The idea for Earth Day came after a series of environmental catastrophes, Earth Day became global in 1990 and tens of millions of trees have been planted on Earth Day are some facts for this day.
To conclude, here’s a saying by Oliver Jeffers, an Australian-Irish artist and illustrator,
“Every Day is Earth Day…”
Senuli Rathnasekara (15 years)
St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo 7
