Children

September 16 International Day for Preservation of the Ozone Layer

Dear Children,

Adverse Climate change is effecting all of us specially as the world experiences floods, earthquakes, landslides etc. Man has disrupted the natural cycle of nature by cutting down trees in the name of modernization.

Since September 16 is dedicated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, let us learn little bit of Ozone year.

The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3).

This layer absorbs 93-99 percent of the sun's high frequency ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to life on earth. Over 91 percent of the ozone in Earth's atmosphere is present here. It is mainly located in the lower portion of the stratosphere from approximately 10 km to 50 km above Earth, though the thickness varies seasonally and geographically. The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson.

Global warming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures.

Natural events and human activities are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global temperatures.

This is caused primarily by increases in 'greenhouse' gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

Dear children it is the duty of each and every one of us help preserve the environment. You too, can contribute in a small manner and help protect the environment by planting a tree and keeping your home surroundings clean.

Trees produce Oxygen which helps sustain life. This in turn protects the Ozone Layer which is vital for our survival.

By the way tomorrow September 11, marks the eighth anniversary of the bombing by two planes of the World Trade Centre (Twin Towers) buildings in New York.

This event was headline news and captured the attention of the world.

Some of you children may not remember this day, 8 years ago. But this is a day in history that we can never forget.

Bye for now.

Aunt Anji

Ghana

The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. The word Ghana means 'Warrior King' and was the source of the name 'Guinea' which has been used to refer to the West African coast.

Ghana was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a number of ancient kingdoms. Trade with European states flourished after contact with the Portuguese in the 15th Century, and the British established a crown colony, Gold Coast, in 1874.

Geographically, the Ghana Empire was approximately 500 miles (800 km) North and West of modern Ghana, and it ruled territories in the area of the Senegal River and east towards the Niger Rivers, in modern Senegal, Mauritania and Mali. Ghana was adopted as the legal name for the Gold Coast upon independence on March 6, 1957. It was not until July 1, 1960 that Ghana asserted its complete autonomy from Britain and became known as the Republic of Ghana.

Ghana is a member of many international organizations including the Commonwealth of Nations, the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the United Nations. Courtesy: Wikipedia

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Ghana was adopted as the legal name for the Gold Coast upon independence on March 6, 1957

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Turning into a goblin - Part 53

Uncle Sachi and Aunt Ruwi

The story so far... Pramodaka, Nalaka, Champika and Chinthaka go on a trip to the woods with their parents for their school holidays. In the middle of the night the children are awakened by a strange noise. On following their dog, Scooby, Chinthaka is snared by the age old spell of the 'luring stones'. Pramodaka departs with Ruwi, a pixie, to recall a book of spell to cast off the spell while Nalaka, Champika and the dog remain behind with Sachi, a gnome who updates them on the life of mythical creatures. Shamilka, a friend of the mythical creatures joins in and they begin hunting for Pramodaka and Ruwi as there is no sign of their return. Just as they were coming to terms with the fact that they were lost, six rabbits scamper along the way. The rabbits take pity upon the children and agree to guide them part of the way. Meanwhile Sulo, the goblin who is always trying to make trouble for the mythical creatures, grabs a basket of goodies from a gnome named Russell and makes off. Scooby scents her and attacks. Ruwi senses that Russell is in danger but she also gets the strange feeling that there is a mysterious link between Pramodaka. Suddenly a storm breaks out and Pramodaka, Nalaka and Champika are blown away with the wind. As they make their way back to their friends Sulo notices them and comes up with a nasty plan. She rushes off gang up the rest of her pack. There she reveals a secret that could hold the key to all the goblin's troubles. There is sudden break of trouble in the pixie camp as one of the pixies, Dina, develops weird symptoms. Emida, a middle-aged gnome goes in search of peace and stumbles upon an unexpected discovery...

"What am I going to do?", Dina whispered, shivering all over as she looked at the greenish patches which, to her, seemed to be spreading rapidly all over her body. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves she tried to recall what Ruwi had once informed her about Sulo.

Originally Sulo was not from goblin parents. Her father had been a brownie and her mother had been a goblin.

Though the goblins had always had a sly and unpleasant streak from birth, they were not considered to be evil creatures - till Zelda came along! The wicked witch had stimulated the goblin's greed for power and material goods to lure them onto her side. The seniors of the goblin clan, Pradesh and Disen, had fallen into her trap. Even though centuries had passed since Zelda's demise, the evil spirits she had awakened in the goblins had not been eliminated.

A twinge of alarm shot up Dina's spine as Ruwi's words came back to her.

"Sulo seemed ok at first. Why... she even accompanied Sachi and me in some of our errands. However it was a bit too late for her when we noted that she had more than one personality. We did wonder how all the intimate things we discussed leaked out to the other creatures, how some of our ideas were stolen by other groups even before we put them to practise and how some unexplainable nasty things kept happening to Sachi and me.

We never suspected Sulo - until we overheard her talking to Pradesh one day. Sachi and I had been collecting berries for Russell's aunt. Sulo was supposed to deliver some messages to Naks but it was sneaking behind Russell's and Chief Jay's back and handing the papers of the Chronology over to the goblins..." Ruwi had said.

"Huh, and it had an unpleasant aura when it referred to its so-called duty. Why it was Naks, Russell and Chief that were doing all the hard work. It was just a go-between! I had a bad feeling about it from that moment on," Sachi had interrupted, screwing his face with distaste.

"How did it turn into a goblin? Did it look like a goblin from the start?", a curious Dina had questioned.

"Oh, no. It looked like the other Brownies except that it had inherited the small slit eyes, toothy grin and straight hair from its goblin mother.

It had begun developing goblin patches once it had started sneaking behind our backs but being the cunning creature it is, it had disguised the blobs with some form of remedy. When the elves got to know the news it was already too late.

They said that there is too much evil within it for them to use their powers to get it back to normal..."

Ruwi's words floated back to her from the past and Dina moaned. She looked up wildly at Naks and Lakshi.

"Please help me. I do not want to turn into a goblin...", she sobbed.

(To be continued)

Flags and flag

Flags are every where
Flags are in every country
Flags to show the victory
Flags for every event
But ......

Flag with white triangle with logo
Followed by two bands of Dark Blue and Light Blue
Flag to be hoisted in happy moments
Flag of my school is the;
Flag I most love ...

MOVINDU ALWIS, Grade 4 E,
Vidura College, Nawala

All Island English winner

The Sri Lanka Festivals of Music, Dance and Speech Contest 2009 was held at the Mahaveli Centre, Colombo recently.

The first place for English Speech was won by Pasindu Kavista Gunasekera of Mahinda College, Galle. He is in Grade 3.

He won prizes for the first place at district and provincial levels too. Kavista has been trained by Niranjala Wickramasinghe. The competition was judged by Paul Bench.

Here Pasindu with the Gold Medal and the certificate he won.

Paul Bench is also in the picture.

Picture by Richmond Wijesekera - Bentota Group Correspondent

Design N. Lasika, Grade 7C Sri/Kathiresan T.M.V Deraniyagala	Paddy Field Ahamed Rinshad Grade 3A, Sailan International School Negombo
My Birthday Party Thesanya Michelle Ketagoda Grade 3 St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo 7	Rose Flower Sheron, Grade 2 Kingston College International Mutwal