The Hidden Medals:..............

 Life sometimes brings us moments we can never forget. For me, the year 2022 was one such period. While I was in grade 12, batting various personal struggles, I decided to enter the Sinhala Literature Competitions, specifically the short story category. For me, writing was more than a competition; it was an escape from the pressure I was feeling at the time. 

                                                                               I waited for the results, but the school said nothing. Days turned into weeks, and wees into months. One day, I feel ill at school, and my mother came to pick me up. While she was at the Principal's office to handle the paperwork, she noticed something that I had never expected to see: A medal engraved with my name for winning 2nd place at the all-island level.  

                          '' Sir, isn't this my daughter's name?''

It was only when my mother asked that question that I realized I had won. Later, when I looked into it further, I discovered that this wasn't the only time. My victories in previous competitions, poetry recitation and reading, had also been kept from me. My own school had hidden my achievements.

                                                                                                                                            A school is supposed to be the foundation that helps a child showcase their talents to the world. why my own school chose to suppress my success is a question that still haunts me. I earned those titles through my own hard work and dedication. To have that recognition hidden from me feels like a deep betrayal.

                                                                                                                                                      Even though I eventually held that medal in my hands, the moment of pride I should have felt at the time was stolen from me. More than the physical medal, what mattered was the confidence and validation I deserved as a student.

                                  I am writing this today to release the weight I've been carrying in my heart. I know that my talent isn't defined by a hidden certificate or a dusty medal in an office. But it leaves me wondering....why do such injustices happen to students who give their best?