About 250 students and 50 teachers who are laureates of the National Contest “Letter to Mother” were awarded by the General Division of Education Youth and Sport on April 28. Head of the Division’s Information and Community Relations Section Elena Vorotneac has told IPN that the awardees are students from all over the country who were appreciated mainly for their creativity, authenticity and originality.

The most active students were those from Edinet, Hancesti, Cahul, Briceni, Chisinau, Balti and Comrat. The students wrote letters of longing, love or gratitude to mothers and their letters were assessed by a commission that consisted of university professors, writers and journalists - persons from outside the pre-university education system. “There are talented children with great prospects. Experience shows those who are winners at our contests are later appreciated at international level as well,” stated Elena Vorotneac.

The jury’s head Adriana Cazacu, Doctor of Philology and a teacher at the State University of Moldova, said at the previous contests some of the participants were penalized for expression mistakes, but this year the letters were very accurate. The students were awarded for creativity, originality, reflection of the reality, sensitivity and correct writing. Adriana Cazacu called on the children to write letters to mothers at least once a year.

Rodica Gutu, acting head of the Division of Education Youth and Sport, noted that four years ago, being a member of the jury, she realized there are children who can express their thoughts only by writing as only the white sheet can listen to them and can understand them. The Division will continue to support this contest.

The contest involved 2,550 students, 2,000 of whom wrote letters in Romanian, while 550 in Russian. The money awards were 500, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 lei. Winners’ letters could be later read on the contest’s Facebook page.