Por Redaccion 
The Official Bulletin of the Andalusian Government (BOJA) has published the award winners of the XXIII Andalusian School Literary Contest on volunteerism, ‘Solidarity in Letters: caring for the elderly through volunteering’, organized by the Ministry of Social Inclusion, Youth, Families, and Equality. A total of nine students from Primary Education and Special Education in public, private, and charter schools have been named winners of this edition, with 85 entries submitted.
In category A (students from 5th and 6th grade), a prize for each of the Andalusian provinces was awarded this year. The winners are Cayetana Molero Durán from Colegio Internacional SEK Alborán in El Ejido (Almería), Yago Rubido Pérez from Colegio Sage College in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), Elena Mañero Serrano from Colegio La Presentación FESD in Granada, David Mora Casado from CEIP Maestro Juan Díaz Hachero in Cartaya (Huelva), María Amate Montes from Colegio Cristo Rey in Jaén, Ana Obkhouska from Escuelas Ave María in Málaga, and Elena Casas López from CEIP Tartessos in Seville.
In category B, open to Andalusian Special Education centers, the prize went to Máximo Acosta Salés, a student from Instituto Doctor Sacristán in Seville.
Specifically, Cayetana Molero Durán presented the story ‘Abuela Nina’, emphasizing the importance of listening and sharing life with our elders. On the other hand, Yago Rubido expresses in ‘A Galactic Encounter’ that caring for the elderly is an exchange of love and understanding, a learning experience about life and time. Additionally, Sandro Molina describes in ‘Daniel and His Emotions’ volunteering as a way to make new friends and combat loneliness.
The student from Granada, Elena Mañero, recounts in ‘Volunteer in Villahermosa’ how a girl’s volunteering in a nursing home for the elderly awakens memories of the past, while David Mora explains in ‘The Third Grandmother’ how a daily situation can create lasting friendships. Moreover, María Amate presented the work ‘Solidarity in Letters’, highlighting the importance of shared memories with the elderly. Ana Obkhouska narrates in ‘A Helping Hand’ the importance of volunteering for mutual support, and Seville’s Elena Casas reflects in ‘The Elderly Exist for the Young’ the happiness and satisfaction that comes from collaborating and making others happy.
Lastly, Máximo Acosta combines text and pictograms in ‘Songs that Embrace’ to emphasize the importance of family ties and intergenerational solidarity during confinement.
Through these awards, the aim is to raise awareness among students in Andalusian educational centers about defending values such as solidarity, freedom, equality, and justice, as well as enabling students to become protagonists through their written productions. Specifically in this edition, the Andalusian government aims to raise awareness about caring for the elderly through volunteering.
The works are short stories with a maximum length of 500 words, showcasing not only the writing of the text but also the ability for conciseness and synthesis. Across the nine awarded texts, ideas about the importance of caring for the elderly, the learning it entails, and the enriching experience of volunteering are captured.