The top three from high school received cash prizes: B/. 1,000, B/. 500, and B/. 300, courtesy of Dr. Arístides Royo Sánchez. In the end, amidst applause, proud parents, excited teachers, and attending directors, a powerful feeling was left: when a student learns to read well, nothing can stop them. Over 56,000 students participated in the Third National Reading Comprehension Contest, organized by Meduca. All children in the country participated; only the best came, but all the children read. Minister of Education, Lucy Molinar, stated that “it is about teaching in a different way. By reading, communicating what is learned, and if we do it in a fun way, they enjoy it more”. The champions by category were: Kindergarten: Yaikellys Cortez (San Miguelito) – 'The Flying Piglet', by Pablo Jesús Moreno. 1st and 2nd grade: Mariángel Alvarado (Herrera) – 'The Parakeet That Wanted to Be Red', by Alba Camilo. 3rd and 4th grade: Valeria González (Panamá Oeste) – 'With a Taste of the Field', by Darío Domínguez. 5th and 6th grade: Joshua Hidalgo (Veraguas) – 'Fantasy in the Forest', by Hercilia Castillo. High School: Alfonso Miranda (Bocas del Toro) – 'The Red Beret', by Rogelio Sinán. Senior High: Christine Estrada (Panamá Norte) – 'Deserters', by Ramón H. Jurado. Érida Morales, from the National Network of Spanish Teachers, recalled that reading comprehension is key for a student not to get lost in any subject, because those who know how to analyze, infer, and understand, walk firmly in any class. In turn, Arístides Royo Sánchez himself, the creator of the contest, celebrated that the competition now reaches from the littlest ones to high school seniors, opening doors for everyone to enter the world of reading. The winning students and their advisors received prizes and incentives from various educational networks and allies.
