,, The Earth and the Umbrella” -Ioniță Iuliana-                           Kindergarthen Sfinții Arh. Mihail & Gavriil 

   One morning, Earth woke up with a heavy heart. The sky was grey, and strange objects were falling from above — bottles, wrappers, and clouds of smoke. It wasn’t rain, but pollution, falling from careless hands and forgotten promises. With teary eyes and a trembling voice, Earth grabbed an umbrella — not to hide from the weather, but to protect itself from the waste. “Why are they doing this to me?” Earth whispered, dodging another flying can. Still, Earth didn’t give up. Step by step, it walked through cities and forests, crying for help, searching for someone who still cared. In one hand, it held the umbrella tightly. In the other, it clutched hope — small, but alive.

Suddenly, Earth heard a gentle voice coming from behind a tree...

 Now it’s your turn! What did Earth hear? 

Earth stood quietly under its umbrella, sad and tired, when a soft rainbow appeared in the sky. From beneath it came two smiling children — one with a red balloon, the other with a blue one. They weren’t afraid. They came close and said: "You don’t have to be alone. We’re here to help." They placed their colorful handprints — one red, one green — on the ground. Instantly, flowers bloomed, hearts floated, and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds. “Every small hand can make a big change,” said the girl. “And together, we’ll bring back your smile,” added the boy.Earth looked around in wonder… and then heard a whisper in the wind:

"This is only the beginning..."

AYŞE SEYHAN KILIÇ ORTAOKULU

“We will never leave you alone,” said the wind. Then a great storm arose and swept away all the trash. Suddenly, a fire broke out, flames engulfed the area, and the trash on the ground began to burn. The world breathed a sigh of relief. He felt so helpless that he longed for the days when the sky was clear blue. The rainbow it saw now had restored its hopes. Then it noticed the children who had suddenly appeared beside it were wearing masks. The children approached it. “Don't be afraid,” they said to the world. “We are here to eliminate everything that pollutes you. We will reclaim you,” they said, and threw something into the sky. Suddenly, everything was illuminated. The world's eyes were dazzled.

A New Day – The Earth Is Reborn (Halenur KIZILKAYA, Meryem Albayrak Ortaokulu/Isparta/TÜRKİYE)

    As the sky lit up, the Earth took a deep breath. The lights dancing around her, the determination of the children, and the awakening of nature gave her strength. She slowly closed her umbrella. She no longer wanted to be protected — she wanted to share.

    When the children held her hands, the Earth felt their heartbeats — small but determined, gentle but strong.

“You’re not alone,” said the little girl. “Now it’s everyone’s time. Not just ours.”

   And at that moment, children from all around the world appeared. With banners written in different languages, tiny saplings in their hands, and eyes full of hope…

     One child shouted, “Clean air is a right!”

Another said, “Forests are our lungs!”

    Then, they all took action. Some picked up litter, some built shelters for animals, while others hugged old trees to protect them. One group set up compost bins in schoolyards, while others hunted for plastic on the shore.

    The Earth watched in amazement: hands of all colors, voices of different tongues, beating as one heart. Differences had become treasures.

And at that moment, something sparkled in the Earth’s heart: a seed.

     This seed was born from the children’s love and determination. It began to grow slowly. First a small sprout, then it became a tree. Its branches reached toward the sky, its leaves shone with light.

    This was the Tree of Hope.

    The children joined hands and danced around the tree. With every step, new flowers bloomed, and with every laugh, the sky turned a bit bluer.

Just then, one child pulled out a small notebook from their pocket and scribbled:

            “We will save this world. Together.”

    The Earth smiled.

    For the first time, she truly felt safe.

    And the wind whispered once more:

            “Now it’s the grown-ups’ turn…”

  Selma Aslan's Team /Meryem Albayrak Secondry School /Isparta /TURKEY  

The adults could not ignore the children's efforts. They decided to listen to the voices of the children and support them. Because they wanted these beauties of the world to reach their grandchildren.

    Adults first started to examine their own environment. Sorting the rubbish in their homes was their first step. They made paper, glass, plastic and metal sorting boxes for waste. They collected organic wastes for fertiliser for plants. The separation of waste at home would save a lot of energy spent for recycling. The children who received this education at home would raise their own children in this way and soil pollution would decrease incredibly thanks to recycling.

 He looked at the Earth, whose soil was spotlessly clean. He smiled sadly because the water sources on it were still polluted.

I wonder if adults could do something about the polluted water sources? 

Özlem SEVİNÇ Kadir Boylu Middle School Isparta-Turkey

The adults got together again to discuss this issue. This problem could only be solved together. Life without water was unthinkable. The adults first talked about the mistakes they had made, and then a solution emerged. They made a plan together.

They decided to reduce the use of chemical cleaning products in their homes.Instead of pouring waste oil down the sink, they took it to a collection center.They started practicing pesticide-free farming in their gardens.Of course, they didn't forget to collect trash from the seas.

Soon, the waters began to shine again. The world's face smiled a little, but there was still a problem.

The soil was clean, the water was clean, but the air wasn't clean enough. Now it was time to clean the air...