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CONTESTS

Окружной творческий конкурс по английскому языку для обучающихся 8 - 11 классов
Take Care of Yamalia, and She Will Take Care of You
01 - 30 декабря 2017 года

Уважаемые участники конкурса “Take Care of Yamalia and She Will Take Care of you”!
Оргкомитет конкурса приносит извинения за значительную задержку в подведении итогов конкурса, которая произошла по нескольким причинам, одна из которых – большое количество хороших работ, выполненных на довольно высоком уровне.
Места распределились следующим образом:
8-9 классы:
I место – Донцова Марина Александровна, 8А класс, МАОУ СОШ № 1 гор. Салехард
II место – Жданов Кирилл, 9 класс, МОУ ДО “Центр детского творчества”, г. Надым.
III место - Маландий Даниил Сергеевич, 9 класс, МБОУ СОШ № 12, г. Ноябрьск
и Сытник Татьяна Владимировна, 9Б класс МОУ КСОШ "Радуга", с. Красноселькуп.

10-11 классы:
I место – Сабирова Алина Ленаровна, 11А класс, МБОУ Гимназия, г. Новый Уренгой
II место – Человьян Вероника Денисовна, 11М класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко.
III место - Ганноха Полина Максимовна, 10 класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко и Даутова Евгения Салаватовна,10И класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко
Поздравляем победителей конкурса!!!

Призы и дипломы победителей будут высланы по почте.
Все участники конкурса получат сертификаты участников в электронном виде, которые можно скачать по ссылке: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/122zfRHZwMXiCiLMuaYOX3ugnxXFlb1kd?usp=sharing

РАБОТЫ ПОБЕДИТЕЛЕЙ

I место – Донцова Марина Александровна, 8А класс, МАОУ СОШ № 1 гор. Салехард

We live on a beautiful land, which is called ‘Yamalia’ or ‘The End of the Land’. Maybe it is far from the civilization of big cities, but this land is full of wonders. Our land is rich in natural resources such as oil and gas, the biggest in our country. The wildlife is amazing for its variety and the ways of surviving in long cold winters. Looking at the beauty and the richness of our region, we shouldn’t forget how fragile it is. I am absolutely sure that we must create safe environment for next generations.
Right now, we have many rather serious problems. The main of them are water pollution, air pollution and land pollution.
Our region has lots of water in lakes and rivers. Unfortunately, many of them are not clean because they are polluted by toxic wastes from industrial plants, oil and gas production. They dump chemicals in water and make it unhealthy for people and wildlife.
Another problem is air pollution. It comes from burning oil-well gas, which is not used and makes the air dirty. Besides, air is polluted by industrial wastes and exhausted fumes, which come from vehicles.
Our region doesn’t have a very fertile soil but it has a rich plant and animal life. Tragically, there are some problems with the use of soil resources. As a result of heavy machinery, plants can’t grow on so many parts for a hundred years. Also, with the reduction of herding areas reindeer can hardly find reindeer moss and it effects the life of aboriginal people.
Many progressive people are worried about keeping Yamalia clean. Scientists from Russia and other countries study the damage and the ways to recover. Some universities work on special safe and environmentally friendly technologies for oil and gas industries.
Besides, there are volunteers who work on the Island Bely to clean it from pollution.
This is not enough. We must have special laws protecting our land. Companies destroying our home must be responsible for the damage they create and pay for it.
Surviving of Yamalia is in our hands. We all have to do something to protect our land. As for me, I can do it too. Firstly, I can plant some trees and take care of them. Secondly, I can turn off water and electricity if I don’t use them. I never throw litter other than into garbage bins. Together with my friends and classmates I can inform population about the ways how they should take care of our land.
In conclusion, I would like to say that today the ecological situation in our region is quite difficult. Fortunately, it’s not too late to take actions and save our fragile home land. If we do it, it will thank us by its beauty and lots of gifts: fresh rivers and lakes, full of fish, tundra with huge herds of reindeer, nothing to say about clean air for us to breathe, natural resources, mushrooms and berries. Future generations will be happy to live in this wonderful part of Russia called Yamalia.

II место – Жданов Кирилл, 9 класс, МОУ ДО “Центр детского творчества”, г. Надым.

“Nature provides us a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites”. William Ruckelshaus

The theme of ecology is one of the important problems not only for Yamalia, but for the entire globe. Man in the course of his activity mercilessly pollutes nature. Nowadays, most of humanity simply consumes the gifts of nature, destroying it. The development of world technical progress, the irrational use of natural resources of the earth led to global problems in the field of ecology.
  In our region, hydrocarbons are mostly extracted. Oil and gas production doesn’t pass without a trace: reindeer herders suffer, unauthorized landfills grow, waterbodies are polluted. Ecology is discussed a lot nowadays, but do enterprises and ordinary people realize their charge for environmental conditions?
  Water is the source of all living things, neither humans nor animals can do without it. As for me, I’m very much concerned about the lake in our town called Yantarnoye which is heavily polluted and needs protection. Our lake is the only one in Yamalia which is located within the town. The issue of organizing its cleaning is not solved for many years. Cleaning the reservoir is very expensive, the city authorities haven’t found money to solve this problem so far. However, this is a problem of great importance in our area. I believe, the townspeople would be happy to admire a picturesque well-kept pond in the town, we could go fishing there, so we must start putting it in order.

  Besides, in my town after a long winter a lot of garbage accumulates, so I and my classmates usually participate in the action called " Subbotnik". This event deals with cleaning of the town from garbage. More than that, I take part in planting trees – the other action, when schoolchildren together with their parents, plant trees inside the town to reduce the impact of polluted air. This is a small contribution but it is significant. People living in ecologically clean areas have better health.
Another problem of our region is forest pollution.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen into the atmosphere and protect us from transport noise. Each plant species carries not only its potential genetic value, but, perhaps, vitally important medicines for us. The researchers found that during the stay in the forest immunity increases, including cancer, and stress is removed.   Therefore, it is important to preserve a useful thread with nature.
But when we go to the forest to have a picnic, unfortunately, we can see dumps in places of people’s rest. Before having a picnic we clean up the area. It’s awful, because it damages and ruins ecosystem of wildlife. As a result, we can get natural disasters and incurable diseases in return.
Personally,
I think it would be rational to include in schools and even in kindergartens environmental education: different activities, events, lessons about love for nature, its protection. People must be taught about responsibility for their behavior since childhood. Moreover, fabricators must be obligated to build factories for waste disposal.
Analyzing the above, it can be concluded that there are serious ecological problems in Yamalia, but if every person does a little for protecting his region, cares about the house in which he lives, then nature will give us fresh air, clean water, delicious and healthy food. “Take care of Yamalia and She will take care of you” means that careful attitude towards ecosystems provides us with healthy environment and other vital benefits. We’ll enjoy beautiful countryside, our life in this region will be longer and happier. We must love our planet, our region, not only by words. Thus, the whole world will become nicer.


III место - Маландий Даниил Сергеевич, 9 класс, МБОУ СОШ № 12, г. Ноябрьск

Nowadays, there are a lot of problems in the Russian Federation which require an urgent decision. Among them are environmental ones. 2017 was declared by our President as the Year of Ecology. It is a timely step in attracting public attention to ecological security of Russia. Ecological problems have no borders. Yamalia is a part of our Motherland. It is a place of incredible beauty and enormous opportunities. It is my home where I feel safe and comfortable. Today environmental situation threatens to become dangerous and to ruin my nice home.
How can we make our home a better place? What can a person do to change the situation? It can seem like there is no way one person, especially a young person, can make a difference. But you CAN! Have you ever heard of the Bely Island? For Yamalia native peoples it is more than “an island”. It is a sacred place. For many years the Bely Island was an example of our careless attitude to the environment. There were tons of metal wastes from the Soviet past. The Island was called “The Island of dead cars”. Just imagine, the unique flora and fauna of this northern land was almost dead. Fortunately, the situation has changed. Over the last years groups of volunteers not only from
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug but all over Russia have taken part in clean-up expeditions to save the fragile nature of the Far North. They could save the Bely Island. The number of Polar bears is growing there.

To sum up, I believe it is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or cure the disease later. We are responsible for our interaction with the environment. To my mind, now is the time for action. You can save energy and water, produce less rubbish, use recyclable products and plant a tree. It is quite simple but effective. A person should think globally, act locally.

III место - Сытник Татьяна Владимировна, 9Б класс МОУ КСОШ "Радуга", с. Красноселькуп.

Nowadays the pollution of the environment is one of the most vital problems of the mankind. Lots of countries and areas suffer from it.
Yamal has not become an exception: because of the poor transportation a lot of faraway villages and settlements don’t have an opportunity to recycle the rubbish they produce. It is being buried in the landfills and dumps. Sometimes unauthorized dumps are being organized. Absolutely everything is being thrown away: household devices, garbage, waste clothes, paper and etc. Recently, the Tarko-Sale’s complex for sorting out the wastes has been closed. It recycled a lot of rubbish: metal, plastic, bottles and etc. And it helped to lower the number of dumps. Today there are 40 dumps, 2 complexes for sorting out the wastes and 2 complexes for recycling paper and cardboard in Yamal Area.
Besides, oil and gas production is also polluting the environment. People have a lot of needs, and satisfying them they often forget how fragile is the northern nature. The man could be compared with the Beast from Yuriy Afanasiev’s tale “ Nalim, the Flying Beast”. That Beast had ravenous appetite: when he felt thirsty, he drank out seven lakes and when he felt hungry, he ate seven deer herds. And if the Man hadn’t turned the Beast into the Fish, everything would have died.

To solve the ecological problems: we should start small. First of all, follow the 3R’s rule: reuse, recycle, reduce. Don’t throw away plastic containers - reuse them; turn off the light and electrical devices when you don’t use them – reduce consuming electricity… Put the waste batteries and lamps in special bins (now we have them in many areas). Secondly, don’t drop the litter but clear up parks and squares, school yards and the territories in front of you houses. And, finally, make your own little “Yamal planet” clean and beautiful!
I место - Сабирова Алина Ленаровна, 11А класс, МБОУ Гимназия, г. Новый Уренгой

Mother planet is showing us the red warning light – ‘be careful’ – she is saying. To take care of the planet is to take care of our own house.
(The Dalai Lama)

We are part and parcel of the environment and our well-being depends on the well-being and healthiness of the world around us. Yamalia’s unique nature is indescribably beautiful and rich and it deserves being treated with due care and caution. Some people tend to believe that each individual can do a great deal to preserve it and we are powerful enough to make a positive change in this world, whereas others argue that little can be done by the average person and all the efforts need to take place on corporate and governmental scales.
When it comes to my opinion, I am convinced that each of us can actually take up some good habits which can prove useful in dealing with environmental issues of our district. Of course, some of these problems are not an easy task for individuals to deal with, nevertheless, there are numerous ways for the average person to make his or her daily routine more environmentally friendly. First and foremost, there are a lot of volunteers in our district who regularly organize some green actions which we can join, thus, contributing to the welfare of our homeland. For instance, in my native town of Novy Urengoy such actions are not a rare sight, annually my classmates and I, together with other activists, clean up the tundra and the banks of our three rivers- the Tamchara-Yaha, the Evo-Yaha and the Sede-Yaha. I am convinced that the activist is not the one who says the river is dirty, it is the one who cleans it up. In addition, it is common knowledge that Yamalians are great lovers of mushrooms and berries, gathering them is our favourite pastime. I do believe that it is of utter importance for us to learn and follow some general berry-picking and mushroom-picking rules so that we can save our natural riches. For example, you need to use a knife to cut a mushroom, so that its mycelium is not damaged. Last but not least, Yamalian towns are not very big, we do not need to cover long distances, therefore, we can drive less and walk more. The benefits are obvious: each time we keep away from using a car, we contribute to reducing air pollution, we consume less oil, preserving one of the most vital natural resources, we save money, not to mention that walking is a good form of exercise. These are very simple things and very simple habits that can make a huge difference in the long run.
However, some people are of the opinion that the burden of responsibility lies in the hands of those in power, claiming that only the Yamal government has the power and resources needed to properly defend the environment of our homeland. To start with, they are sure that only our local authorities and big corporations like Gazprom can set up laws that ban emissions of wastes from factories directly into the air or water. Moreover, the opponents are sure that ordinary citizens are completely unaware of the problems Yamalia faces and steps that can be undertaken by them in order to save our nature.
Personally, I would not agree with the above-mentioned view however convincing it may sound. First of all, it is the government’s primary task to raise public awareness, to inform us about the burning issues of our region that need to be solved together, to educate and encourage ordinary people to do the right things. In case it is done convincingly, Yamalians will not stay indifferent. I am absolutely sure that together we are able to find the right solution to practically any problem. Furthermore, we do not need any laws and regulations to try and become more environmentally conscious. I mean all of us can plant trees, collect litter, use public transport or try carpooling, etc. Numerous eco-activities that are implemented in our district prove that Yamalians are eco-friendly and concerned citizens.

The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that our Yamalia would surely be a better place to live if all of us choose to have an eco-conscious lifestyle. Although environmental problems can be tackled a lot quicker and more effectively with the cooperation of individuals and the government, nevertheless, it would be a great error if we, ordinary Yamalians, do nothing. I have no doubt that each of us has the opportunity to make a difference. The harder we try, the healthier our region will be. I do hope that my native land with its amazing people and abundant resources will continue to prosper and flourish in the years to come.

II место - Человьян Вероника Денисовна, 11М класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко.

The town where I live is surrounded by very picturesque scenery. Our region is distinguished by restrained northern beauty of its nature, different from all other places. Each of us is an essential part of it. It may sound strange, but at the same time, we can pose a threat to it. And the saddest thing is that lots of people think that ordinary individuals cannot prevent from serious environmental problems.
I do not consider this belief to be true. If each of us makes an effort to protect the environment then we can change the situation for the better. I will try to explain what I mean taking our town as an example. Autumn and spring subbotniks have become traditional. As soon as snow melts, all volunteers go to the nearest parks and forests and clean up accumulated litter. Together they make the environment of our town cleaner. It should be mentioned that environmental questions are being discussed on all levels of the government. The governor of our region D.N. Kobylkin said that protection of nature in Yamal is a vital priority. A lot is done in this field: state nature reserves are created, water resources are restored, rare species of animals and plants are protected. I would like to note that in our school the events dedicated to the study of the ecosystem and protection of environment of our region are popularized too. In this year of Ecology a new tradition has appeared in our school, each class, after passing final exams, plant trees on the school yard, leaving the memory and helping to restore vulnerable beauty of our scenery.
But this idea is not shared by everyone, many think that they are helpless to face the problems and to fight pollution in enormous scale. People seem to get used to leave huge amount of garbage after weekends spent in the forest. They think that some plastic tableware or other household rubbish will not do much harm because there are so much garbage around left by others. It is even more difficult to solve problems of industrial waste. There is no secret that oil refineries can throw waste into nearby rivers and lakes. And people consider it impossible to cope with such pollution with their own efforts.
I fully disagree with this position. In the first case, it is true that one person cannot cope with large-scale pollution, but when everyone beings to follow environmental culture everywhere, we will avoid mass littering. As for water pollution, people cannot easily get rid of consequences of chemical pollution in water bodies. But the authorities of our district is ready to help. To build the most advanced clearifying facilities and to implement recycling system is quite possible.

To sum up, I would repeat my opinion that it is a mistake to believe that one cannot interfere with the process of worsening of ecological situation in Yamal. Such a passive position will lead to the inevitable destruction of the environment. For this not to happen, it is necessary to realize that we must co-exist in unity with nature. After all, even one person can save the fragile ecosystem of our region. Where there is a will, there is a way…

III место - Ганноха Полина Максимовна, 10 класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко

People have been thinking about environmental problems for quite a long time. The problem of ecology is getting more and more vital. Yamal is amazing in its uniqueness, but like any other territory, it is endangered by industries as well as individuals. Some people think that a typical person is not able to protect the nature of Yamalia, while others think differently.
In my opinion, if everybody starts caring about the place he lives in, the nature of Yamalia can be saved. First of all, people do not protect natural resources as well as they could. For example, there are pre-tundra forests which weaken the strength of the wind and protect the soil, but there is no proper level of protection from our side, because these forests are cut down.
I think the solution might be to design special programmes to protect them from logging. Secondly, some Yamal industrial enterprises pollute water. There is evidence that companies such as housing and communal services dump sewage into rivers which is detrimental to nature. Finally, in large areas of Yamal the soil is polluted and destroyed. For example, people overload reindeer pastures that affect soil quality.
On the other hand, some people claim that no one can change this state of affairs. They say that people can not help to defend nature, because they do not have an ability to influence the situation. Besides, they did not try to do it dozens of years earlier being lazy and motiveless.
I am afraid I cannot agree with these people here as I think that all environmental problems come from us and it is us who can
solve them. I think we could write a legal document stating that some companies pollute nature, for example. Or if we talk about the air pollution, the part of this problem lies in our automobiles and it is our decision to replace them with electric ones or not.

To sum it all up, as you see the issue has two sides and is a complicated one. As for me, I still feel that people can really help to save our amazing Yamal nature if they start right now.

III место - Даутова Евгения Салаватовна,10И класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко

It is no longer a secret for us that nature needs environmental protection from Man. After all, Man cannot exist separately from nature and nature from Man. Environmental pollution in its many forms, ozone holes, acid rains lead to irreversible consequences. Our home – Yamalia suffers from Man’s activity too. And if we do not start doing something to stop this process, the consequences can become terrible. Though there are those who do not believe in Man’s powers and say that ordinary people are not able to help the nature of Yamalia.
I do not agree with this statement because every person living on the peninsula can do something in favour of environment. Firstly, one should start leaving the place clean after oneself. It is such a trifle but it works. Just imagine how many places would be clean if Man stopped littering in our forests. Another simple but effective way is to organize and participate in various official events like subbotniks, cleaning actions
when a great number of people are able to clean a large area in the town or in tundra. A good example of it is an annual auction “Green Ribbon” held in our school. On that day all senior school students go to the nearest forest and clean it from litter. One more possible way to help our environment is to use natural materials at home instead of polyethylene and synthetics. Doing that we can stop polluting soil and atmosphere. By the way, natural materials favorably affect a person.
But pessimists consider this idea a failure and extra expense of money, because products made of polyethylene and synthetics are practical, cheap and easy to make our life more convenient. Besides, people are busy at work much of their time, therefore, they do not have enough time for participating in different actions.
In my opinion, these arguments are not convincing. If one is ready to change something in existing reality, he/she will always find time and ways to do it. Man can easily find substitutes to replace materials for more environmentally friendly ones, which would do no harm to the environment. And as for environmental events, I do not think it is so difficult to highlight one day a month and spend it clearing the nearby countryside or town areas from garbage and litter. Moreover, you will gain much from it, spending that day in the company of your friends and making new acquaintances, enjoying fresh air and physical activity instead of stuffy rooms and computer monitors. But what is more important is that you will get moral satisfaction that cannot be compared with other feelings.

Thus, we have come to the conclusion that protection of nature is a very vital question of the day. But who, if not we, ordinary inhabitants of megapolises, towns, villages will do it? We all hope that someone else will solve the problem, for example, the local authorities or cleaning companies, but I strongly believe that we must first start with ourselves and make environmental behavior a norm of life for everybody regardless the age. Only then people will have a real chance to keep the beauty of Yamalia for generations.

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The Great War: How It Changed My Family, My Country and the World

RESULTS

Уважаемые участники конкурса сочинеий, посвященных 70-летию Великой Победы!
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We would like to announce the results of the essay contest dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of the Great Victory over the Fascist Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945. We have received 70 (!) essays for the contest, a significant number for the Anniversary. Twelve jury experts from different towns of the okrug have chosen 6 best works.

10-11 Forms Students
1st Prize - Anastasia Kurysheva, Noyabrsk
2nd Prize - Yulia Sidorova, Muravlenko
3rd Prize - Filipp Lobanov, Novy Urengoy

8-9 Forms Students
1st Prize - Anita Uzunalova, Novy Urengoy
2nd Prize - Tamara Golubeva, Salekhard
3rd Prize - Valeria Khokhlyutina, Muravlenko


We congratulate all the winners and would like to heartily thank all the participants of the contest once again.
All the participants will get certificates of participation (you will be able download the e-certificates as soon as they are ready and uploaded to a file share service, you will be notified of that). The prize-winners will get their diplomas and prizes via postal services.
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The Polar Owl Contest

Региональный конкурс тестовых материалов по регионоведению

RESULTS

The Jury of the Polar Owl Contest is glad to present the results of the professional competition in test items writing on the basis of the regional teaching component and name the winners:
1st Prize - Irina Rusina, Noyabrsk
2nd Prize - Alevtina Andreyeva, Salyemal
3rd Prize - Larisa Makhmutova, Yar-Salye

We congratulate all the winners and would like to heartily thank all the participants of the contest once again.
All the participants will get certificates of participation (you will be able download the e-certificates as soon as they are ready and uploaded to a file share service, you will be notified of that). The prize-winners will get their diplomas and prizes via postal services.

EAST OR WEST - YAMALIA IS BEST

Dear Colleagues!

At last we are ready to announce the final results of the essay contest for students which was entitled as 'East or West – Yamalia is Best'. First of all we present our apologies for having made you wait for the results for such a long time. There was a bunch of reasons why we could not meet the set deadline (as a joke says the deadline in Russia is not a line that you cross but a line that you go along). That is a joke of course.
Thirty-eight students from 7 Yamalia towns have taken part in the contest and it was really difficult for the jury to decide on the best compositions. In spite of the fact that it was so hard to make our final statement, we are happy to announce the winners’ names

FORMS 8 – 9

1st prize – Anastasia Cherkasova, Novy Urengoy
2
nd prize – Yelizaveta Kuznetsova, Gubkinsky
3
rd prize – Anita Uzunalova, Novy Urengoy
 

FORMS 10 – 11

1st prize – Maria Kitsova, Novy Urengoy
2
nd prize – Yulia Sidorova, Muravlenko
3
rd prize – Daria Krotenko, Novy Urengoy
 
We have also decided to award a special prize to a five-former from Novy Urengoy, Xenia Zakharchenko, who was willing to take part in the competition so much. And really, her essay was one of the best in the category ‘8 – 9 Forms’. But as the conditions and the rules of the contest do not presuppose such young students’ participation, the Association Board has made a decision to present Xenia with a special prize.
The winners’ prizes will be sent out to the winners’ addresses they have provided in their information cards alongside with their diplomas and certificates for their teachers.
All the participants will get their certificates in an electronic form to the email addresses that have been provided in their application forms.
We would like to thank all the participants of the contest and would like to get the students’ and their teachers’ feedback on the contest via email or the Association Facebook official page.
Thank you very much again!
YamELTA Board

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WINNERS' WORKS

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Maria Kitsova, Novy Urengoy (Forms 10 - 11, 1st Prize)

Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.)
You are walking through the autumn tundra. It explodes with colour, as if Mother Nature herself has painted everything around you into all shades of red, yellow, orange and brown. What is that strange sound? You stop for a while, listen carefully, and smile, relieved, because you realize that it’s the Bewick’s swan! Indeed, its loud calls sound like a girl’s laughter! You wish you had a camera with you to get these great nature shots. You continue your wonderful walk. Dwarf birches look like golden bonfires flapping in the wind. Then you catch sight of a small aspen and decide to come closer. Hardly have you touched its trunk when tiny golden leaves start falling down from it. Amazed, you slowly raise your head to the sky. It’s so blue and clear that you gasp in admiration. You might think that you are just having an amazing dream. Maybe, in some way… But this dream is bound to come true if you ever come to my native land. It is indescribably beautiful, rich and immense. It is called Yamalia, but I am lucky to call it my homeland.
A long time ago my grandparents moved to the north. My parents grew up here, met each other, fell in love and here I am, a girl from Novy Urengoy, writing these lines, filled with pride and admiration. It’s here, in Yamalia that I have become a person that I am now and realized what I am living for, what I want to achieve in my life. My homeland is my reflection. It is an inseparable part of me.
In my opinion, it is the outstanding men of past and present who we should be grateful to. If you walk through the streets of my town, you will come across many of their names, which can be seen on the monuments, memorial plaques, names of bus stops and streets.
I am extremely proud of the traditions of my homeland and we do our best to carefully keep them up. For instance, in Yamalia we have our local holiday called the National Festival of the Native Northern Peoples.
One more important fact should be pointed out: nowadays it is possible for every schoolchild in my hometown to choose a career connected with gas production industries due to the new educational project ”Gazprom-classes”. It is a joint initiative of several Gazprom enterprises and Novy Urengoy’s Department of Education. The project is mainly aimed at training the future candidate pool for Gazprom’s subsidiary companies. This means that the young generation is willing to follow in their parents’ footsteps and work for the sake of our homeland. Our parents and grandparents can be sure that the future of Yamalia is our reliable hands.
Despite the fact that we live on the edge of the earth, our region supplies the whole world with gas and oil. Our abundant resources are beyond other countries’ wildest dreams.
One must admit that the climate in Yamalia is far from being moderate. Our short cool summers and long severe winters are the reason why many dwellers prefer spending their holidays abroad and I am not an exception. I’ve been to many places: experienced all the hustle and bustle of New York, hit the shops of Oxford Street and plunged into the romantic mood of Paris. Yes, things do get into full swing around there, but I strongly believe that it's not the size of the place where you live that matters, but the way you feel about it. Whatever country I visit, wherever fate lands me, I always remember where I am from, and what it means to me. I look forward to the day of return, the day my feet take me back to where my heart has been that whole time. It has been, it is and it will always stay in my Yamalia!
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Yulia Sidorova, Muravlenko (Forms 10 - 11, 2nd Prize)

Cold, blizzards and frost... Endless northern spaces lying in the ends of the Earth. Igor Kornilov in his song "Yamalia" encourages people to come to the north, to the land of harsh snowy beauty. What does Yamalia Peninsula attract with? Why do people coming here for six months stay forever? Why do you start calling this harsh land your home with time? And what is attractive in those eternal blizzards and snowstorms? Yamalia is the land of untouched nature where flora and fauna are closely intertwisted with the traditions of the indigenous peoples. This is one of the few places where people can feel the unity with nature. Strict outlines of buildings are occasionally lightened with northern lights, as if to remind people where they are. Mystical, unpredictable and incredibly beautiful phenomenon. Despite the fact that it can be seen and admired in many countries, it is namely Yamalia that is considered to be the most convenient place for that. People living in the north have that opportunity to witness the aurora at its best. Religion and mysticism are other reasons to visit Yamalia. From time immemorial northern people have believed in gods living in heaven and controlling all the existence. Today the faith has weakened, but we are still read stories about creatures from another world, called Num and Nga. The faith of Yamalia indigenous peoples is truly amazing. But Yamalia is not just mystical, cold land...Summer comes here too. May is the time of birth of fawns. Tundra tries on its annual green grab. The birds are back home, and their cackling fill the countryside. In summer tundra is no less beautiful. Deer bask in the green grass and forests are covered with berries, as if someone has scattered milliards of emeralds and rubies. Yamalia scenary is beautiful in all seasons. Fairy-tale inhabits these places. Yamalia will always attract people. Everybody will find something of his own. Once found oneself in this place, it is impossible to stay indifferent... We came for a short while, but stayed forever. It is as if Yamalia took us by the hand and didn't let us go. And we will always be pursued by the thought "East or West, Yamalia is Best"
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Daria Krotenko, Novy Urengoy (Forms 10 - 11, 3rd Prize)

It is the land - the land of dreams and romance - beckons the ships of our souls[1]... These are the words of the song, known to every inhabitant of Yamalia - one of the most northern parts of Russia, where winter is practically all the year round (about 9 months), and the sky is so low that if you stretch your hand you seem to be able to touch it. This is the land of contrasts with polar nights, which gradually get off to the land at 3 pm, in the winter and midnight sun in the summer.
Yes, all this is my Yamalia, my little homeland, the land where I was born and have been living for 17 years. This is the place where I made the first steps, made my first discoveries, made the very first friends, went to school ... First victories and first disappointments are connected with this land ... Yamalia is a huge part of my life. Would I ever be able to forget it? No, never!
But Yamalia is able to settle in the hearts of people, who were born far beyond its borders and who came here only by chance. I know many people who came here once and decided to stay… Forever.
What can attract people in such a harsh land? Why will not everyone, who has been here, be able to leave?
Everyone has his own answer...
The beautiful nature can be one of the possible reasons. It is said that nothing can be compared with the Yamalia tundra. Maybe that's why many people choose to escape to nature or to the forest in summer or autumn (which is the right time) to have a rest from a hectic pace of city life, to gather mushrooms and berries, which these places are rich in. Just to breathe in the freshness of the autumn forest, to enjoy the view of green fir and spruce trees in the background of falling leaves from dwarf birches. All shades of yellow and red – this is the palette of the autumn forest ... With brown pileus, red cranberries and blueberries as a pleasant surprise.
In good weather, you can enjoy the clouds running across the sky. It seems that such entertainment is available to any citizen of the Earth, but I must assure you that such clouds are nowhere but in Yamalia.
Or maybe it's a natural phenomenon. Where else can you see the dark night sky illuminated by the emerald glow of the aurora borealis? And what about two or even three rainbows?
The weather surprises are also frequent. There can be snow in July or pussy-willow in the middle of February ... Personally for me, nature has twice presented the most valuable birthday gift - the first snow. Just imagine yesterday there was slush, mud and other related elements of autumn in Yamalia everywhere, and the next morning you go out on the porch and immerse in a real fairy tale, breathe in the fresh cold air and make the first steps in the fresh snow. This feeling cannot be compared with anything else... And is it really worth comparing?
But most importantly: Yamalia is a real school of life. I am sure that people who had lived here for at least a few years are different from those who did not have such experience.
Firstly, Yamalia means a harsh environment. These are winters, where the average temperature is below -30 ° C. Any person to whom I say that at -38 ° C we go to school and -25 ° C and -30 ° C is suitable weather for walking, says that either I'm crazy or joking. Yes, it's hard to believe for a person who has not lived here.
What do you think about the temperature drops? And not by 5-7 degrees but by 15-20 degrees? You can say it is impossible. I will answer it is the harsh reality of Yamalia.
But getting used to this paradox is simple. And it is impossible for many people to lose this skill of "normal functioning" in extreme conditions, and, moreover, it would be extremely useful if you move to a warmer place where people can enjoy the winter with "the frost of -20 ° C".
What can we say about the summer? Any summer, as northern weather often deprives us of such a pleasure ... Well, "northern" people are less fussy about weather conditions, and thus are more positive. In fact, no natural incidents will be able to surprise them or especially upset. And is it bad?
What else distinguishes the man of the north? I think it's a goodwill, willingness to help an unknown person or even a stranger. This is not surprising. Here people are thousands of miles from their home, and it makes them getting to know the people around - meet and make friends with their neighbors, talk to a stranger on a bus or taxi, to congratulate others on a holiday... Yamalia often gives the impression that its residents are the members of one big family. At least it used to until recently.
In recent years, the northern cities have begun to grow, and the friendly atmosphere that has existed for more than 20-30 years, is beginning to crumble. Yes, Yamalia is no longer the same... But everything is not lost yet, and we are able to rectify the situation.
Why am I telling you all this? Probably, in order to show that Yamalia is an original, unique and inimitable edge. Yamalia is my homeland. And no matter what happens, to what distance my fate will take me from it, this land, where "girls have snowflakes on their eyelashes and good shining faces"[2], will always have a place in my heart. And I'm sure that not only for me, because "we are forever wedded with this region"[1] and this "love is as eternal as frost..."[1]
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Anastasia Cherkasova, Novy Urengoy (Forms 8 - 9, 1st Prize)

Today I have a golden opportunity to take you to a journey, the journey to my homeland, Yamalia, the land of hardworking people and endless ices, the northern lights and the white nights. I will take you to Fairy Land. You are going to see our four fairies- Fairy Winter, Fairy Spring, Fairy Summer and Fairy Autumn. Let us get acquainted with the first sister – Fairy Winter. She is the eldest, so she rules the longest period of time. It is Fairy Winter who is in charge of icy winds and heavy snowfalls, fluffy snowflakes and silver frost. She is the queen of skating- rinks and snow slides. Here, in Yamalia, Fairy Winter’s time lasts from November to March, she takes her time, she is never in a hurry. Finally, she does get tired and gives way to the second sister. Fairy Spring is very shy. Even if she looks forward to reigning over Yamalia, she waits patiently for her turn. She is a little bit afraid of her elder sister, that is why she never hastens Fairy Winter to leave. Everyone is eager to welcome this young lady, eager to have a second breath after long winter days. It seems that Nature awakens. Days are becoming longer and longer, the sun is doing its best to give us as many warm rays as possible. Yamalians have missed the sun greatly, they simply enjoy themselves! Some exciting local holidays take place in this amazing season, Festival of the Northern Peoples is one of them. What is that grey buzzing cloud over there? Ouch! Somebody has bitten me on my neck and arms! Oh, I have completely forgotten to warn you about these intrusive creatures- small northern mosquitoes. They are a sign that Fairy Summer has reached my Yamalia- the queen of incredible white nights and enjoyable picnics! I wish she could stay with us longer, but, unfortunately, Fairy Summer is given such a short time to rule by her strict elder sister. Moreover, their youngest sister is waiting for her turn. Good bye, Fairy Summer! Sometimes Fairy Autumn is so impatient that she cannot even wait for the end of August and comes unexpectedly some two or three weeks earlier. But we will forgive this pretty woman for her early invasion, won’t we? She is stunning! The queen of golden leaves, soft reindeer moss, delicious mushrooms and indescribably beautiful juicy berries. But it is not only Yamalian nature that I am proud of. First and foremost, I am proud of people, living on the edge of the earth and doing their best to glorify their homeland. But this is the theme of our next journey.
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Yelizaveta Kuznetsova, Gubkinsky (Forms 8 - 9, 2nd Prize)


Hey Tommy, what are you doing? Why are you digging? - A four year old boy approached the hole and peered inside.
Hi Mike, do you want to help me? I've watched a TV programme... Have you ever thought what is there? - The boy pointed at the hole and continued speaking, on the opposite side of the earth?
- I know for sure that there are also people. But I still do not understand why you need this hole? Mike was standing on the edge of it, looking at the bottom – Are you looking for a treasure?
-N-o-o-o . I'm going to reach the other side of the earth. I want to go to Russia and see a real winter. I dig the tunnel and it 'll get there. Tom, was obviously satisfied with his idea and looked at Mike. - I'm sure there are so many interesting things there...

20 years later

Hi Michael,
I haven’t written for a long time. Lots of work to do. For the previous year I have traveled a lot, but I have never been to Russia yet. And now I am here. I did not stop in Moscow and drove on. I am in Yamal. Now I know that “Yamal” can be translated as “the end of the earth”? The weather here is very frosty. But what a beautiful winter! I can’t find words to describe it, I m like in a fairytale. Everything around is absolutely white and shimmers in the sun, that makes you squint. I will send you some photos. Yesterday, when I was doing a photo report, luckily I met a local man. I thought that he was lost. Fortunately he also spoke English, a researcher or a scientist, I don’t remember exactly. His name is Kuchum. The man told me a lot about the local peoples. Hunts, they live in such a strange dwellings, which are similar to Indian homes. Only they are more insulated by reindeer leather. Speaking of deer, then say: " Deer carries, provides food and clothes." And the truth is that they make outwear clothes from deer and women decorate them fully. They eat reindeer meat, a lot of fish and forest herbs. I’d like to say some words the people’s appearance. They are short, about 160cm tall, they have straight soft brown hair. They do woodcarvings. Kuchum showed me his collection of artifacts. He gave me one, so he gave me a real shaman's drum! The more I listened to him, the more I wanted to stay there. I have not had time to learn everything! And perhaps I will stay here for a week.
And now I have to go, I will go to see the local Holiday of reindeer herder. I already have some idea to whom it is dedicated. I’ll tell you about this holiday next time.
My best wishes,
Tom.
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Anita Uzulanova, Novy Urengoy (Forms 8 - 9, 3rd Prize)

Yamalia is a special place, isn’t it? People, who don’t live here, have a dim idea about it. For them it is an eternally cold desert with snowy mountains, glaciers and icebergs, raw-hide tents, where people live in fur from top to toe with domestic animals. As a local inhabitant I will tell you the truth to ruin this horrible picture. First of all, Yamalia has a changeable climate. Of course, winter is freezing cold with low temperatures far below zero, falling to fifty, strong winds, blowing you away, and harsh frosts, but summer can be so hot that all the townspeople lie on the beach, sunbathe and swim in the river (it becomes more visited than the Black Sea!). Secondly, locals aren’t cavemen; they are up-to-date in all spheres. Children go to school, do a lot of work, have a good education, they aren’t foolish at all! Due to the fact that their parents have well-paid jobs because of having the biggest gas company in the world, most of children have an opportunity to travel. In addition, my school was visited by Japanese and German delegations, so Yamalia is of interest to other countries and has got an International recognition. If you ask someone abroad about Russia, everybody will tell you about the largest gas and oil companies, which are in Yamalia, so my motherland is rather famous. In conclusion, I would like to say that people here are proud of Yamalia, in spite of witless conversations about it; they live and develop their motherland. Yamalia is a country of opportunities and possibilities; it gives a wide scope for self-realization and life without any worries.
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Ksenia Zakharchenko, Form 5, Novy Urengoy

Great Britain,
London, 48 Regent St,
For Harry Black

Dear Harry,
My name is Ksenia Zakharchenko. I am eleven years old. I am from Yamal, Novy Urengoy. My town is very valuable as it is the gaz capital of Russia. My parents work in a famous gaz extracting organization «Gazprom Dobycha Urengoy».
Our nature is different from yours. We live in the Extreme North, near the Polar circle. Winters here are very severe and really frosty. We often skip school because of the severe north weather. If you go far in tundra on a frosty winter night you can see a very beautiful and rare nature phenomenon which we call polar lights. It is a great show. Green-blue-purple light fall on an endless snowy area. But unfortunately, we have extremely short summers. All parents try and send their children to warmer parts of our country to protect them from mosquitoes and midges that are really big here. Tundra in Yamalia is especially beautiful in the fall! Its fiery-red colours can make you feel blind. It is hard to imagine how may kinds of berries we have here in tundra: blueberry and bilberry, cowberry and cranberries, raspberry and cloudberry. And one-day time for picking mushrooms comes. It’s difficult to imagine how many mushrooms grow here ceps and aspen, boletus, maslyata and milk mushrooms.
As for holidays, my favorite holiday is the Holiday of the Peoples of the North. Many native peoples from all Yamalia come to this holiday. Nameless lake transforms for two days. Everywhere there are chums covered with deerskins inside which we can see the way of living of native peoples and feel their every day life. During this holiday the greatest fun for our children is riding in reindeer sledges. Northern reindeer run so fast that sometimes it seems such rides can take your breath away. Not a single person of our town is left without a picture with a deer or with a small child in kisi and malicha. Here you can buy national handmade souvenirs. As for adults, they think it is their duty to buy all the thing possible and they will never leave trade fairs without attention. No wonder, here you can find the abundance of fresh fish, muksun and nellma, ryapushka and pyzhyan. Here you can also find Yamal delicacies: ryapushka caviar and reindeer heart, for example. This day, a traditional dish on the table in my family is small pieces of raw fish which we call stroganina from muksun. Of course, to the opinion of the civilized man eating raw frozen fish is just horrible! When I first tried it, I experienced the same feelings. But I love smoked muksun and canned meat of reindeer.
As far as you understood, animal world of my homeland is very different from yours and really unique. And although bears and wolves do not roam the streets, they can be found deep in the woods. When we ski in the park very often we meet squirrels and feed them with nuts. There are lots of arctic foxes and hares here. From time to time white partridge fly into my yard. Do you know that the arctic owl is the emblem of my hometown.
Of course, I would love to visit London and see Big Ben, Kings Cross, London eye, Tower and Buckingham Palace one day. But I want you to visit my Yamalia in return and see everything with your own eyes.
P.S. And though my name Ksenia is translated from Latin as «a stranger» and I love to travel, but most of all I love my Yamal, my hometown Novy Urengoy.
Yours sincerely,
Ksenia
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