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Amigos del Aprendizaje (ADA) – Costa Rica
Nearly 19,500 students submitted short stories, many from single-teacher rural schools.
In its 14th edition, Mi Cuento Fantástico featured four special categories: children’s dreams, health, finance, and safe mobility.
The Mi Cuento Fantástico writing contest, organized by the Asociación Amigos del Aprendizaje (ADA), the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), and the Communication Companies Community of Costa Rica, achieved outstanding results during its 14th edition, held in 2025.
This initiative is made possible through the support of partners and the dedication of teachers, librarians, school principals, regional directors, and Spanish-language advisors who believe in promoting meaningful change in the teaching of reading and writing, in alignment with the MEP Spanish curriculum for first and second cycles.
A distinguished panel of judges selected 12 national winners (first, second, and third place from third to sixth grade) and 27 regional winners, one from each MEP educational region. In addition, one “Fantastic Classroom” was recognized per region, along with winners in the four special categories: “Monetarium: Write Stories and Add Up Fantastic Dreams,” supported by Davivienda; “What I Will Be: The Path to My Dreams,” by TOTTO; “Health Is Your Superpower!” sponsored by Hospital Metropolitano and MediSmart; and “Stories That Inspire Us to Move Safely: Because We Deserve to Arrive Safely at Our Destinations!” by Grupo Purdy.
The “Community Award” was also presented to three stories that received the highest number of public votes through social media. Additionally, Dos Pinos donated desks made from recycled materials to the 10 single-teacher schools with the highest participation rates.
Under this year’s theme, “A Classroom That Plays Wins,” more than 940 school groups were named “Fantastic Classrooms” for achieving full student participation in the contest.
Winning stories are published in both the National Anthology (national and special category winners) and the Regional Anthology (regional and Community Award winners), serving as resources to continue promoting writing among Costa Rican children. These publications are available digitally at www.micuentofantastico.cr/recursos.
“In 2025, the contest celebrated 14 years as a tool to strengthen children’s creative writing and reading comprehension skills — essential for academic success and life. In doing so, we fulfill our purpose of strengthening public education by motivating children to read and write with meaning and inspiring them through the stories of young authors from across the country,” said Renata Villers, Executive Director and Founder of ADA.
Mi Cuento Fantástico is a platform that empowers third- to sixth-grade students through short story writing, encouraging them to become storytellers of their own lives and to envision a positive future. With the guidance of their teachers, students find a space to express their ideas, develop critical thinking, and strengthen their love for reading and writing.
Since its launch in 2012, Mi Cuento Fantástico has engaged 179,000 students from 1,400 schools across the country’s 27 educational regions, guided by 8,400 teachers.