The work “The Zero Collectors”, by Madrid-born Eva Escudero Fraile, has won the second edition of the Hortensia Roig Prize, the literary contest that aims to encourage vocations for STEM careers among girls. “The Mansion of the Ten Doors”, by Lucía Álvarez Álvarez from Oviedo, was the finalist novel.
The jury of the literary contest announced the names of the authors at an event held this afternoon at EDEM. The promoter of this initiative, Hortensia Roig, President of EDEM and Director of Mercadona, has presented the awards accompanied by the members of the jury: the oncologist and professor Ana Lluch; nanotechnologist and researcher Laura Lechuga; the CEO of 50
The jury has unanimously awarded the first prize to the work of the new writer Eva Escudero Fraile “The collectors of zeros”, highlighting this addictive and credible story “that upholds positive values such as friendship, empowerment, teamwork and the motivating stimulus of teaching”. As a finalist, “The Mansion of the Ten Doors” by Lucía Álvarez Álvarez has been chosen. The jury considered that it is an entertaining work that emphasizes the achievements of women scientists, many of them little known.
In this second edition, 179 originals written in Spanish have been presented. The contest is endowed with 10,000 euros in prizes, contributed by Hortensia Roig from her personal assets, and the publication of the winning novel. Among the four texts nominated for the award were also “Sofía's Glasses” by Lucía Carballeira Vieites (Santiago de Compostela) and “Through Dreams” by Jose Mª Vázquez Ana (Alicante).
The president of EDEM, Hortensia Roig, stated: “This initiative that I have personally promoted, inspired by my passion for books, seeks to be an agent of change, awakening curiosity about science and technology, and lighting a necessary flame, especially in girls, and among any young reader around 9 and 11 years old. A magical age in which we can help shape their future or at least show them the way so that they can choose without restrictions.”
Both works bring out female references in these areas so that readers have mirrors in which to look at themselves. From this perspective, the secretary of the jury Jordi Nadal and editor of the novel has highlighted: “A world without female references is incomplete. “There is nothing more beautiful to create the future than promoting STEM vocations.”
Precisely, “The zero collectors”, which will be published in October, manages to attract the attention of readers with a story in which the closest references, such as a teacher or a scientist friend, are the lighthouses that illuminate the path of protagonist, allowing his innate talent in mathematics to flourish and shine in all its splendor.
The number of candidatures, 179 from all over the country, consolidates the interest of this literary initiative, which in its second edition stands out for the quality of the manuscripts received. In this sense, Hortensia Roig has announced the continuity of the award for next year, whose next call will open in January 2024.
“The Zero Collectors” tells the story of Ana, who experiences a beautiful metamorphosis from the day a substitute teacher arrives at the Marie Curie school. Through the adventures of Ana and her friends, the author seeks to promote talent, enthusiasm and determination among those girls who have a weak or distorted self-concept. She also aims to bring science closer to even those who collect zeros in mathematics and, furthermore, to show us that any person is primarily responsible for building the best version of themselves.
This is the first novel by Eva Escudero Fraile (Madrid, 1978), primary school teacher and social anthropologist. The work is worth 8,000 euros, and the award includes the publication and distribution of 3,000 copies nationwide by Plataforma Editorial. The book will be available in the country's main bookstores in October.
The winner Eva Escudero highlighted in her speech the purpose that inspired her text: “Children's literature should entertain, yes; But also at an early age, from classrooms and books, we can promote equal opportunities and show girls models of current scientists or talented women in whom they can look up to. With initiatives like this, girls can perceive themselves as active agents in building a future in which female talent can be included.”
For its part, the finalist novel will receive a prize of 2,000 euros. “The Mansion of the Ten Doors”, by Lucía Álvarez (Oviedo), narrates the adventures of Lara, a dreamy and happy girl who, when she discovers that her cat has left this world, begins an exciting search accompanied by distinguished scientific women and a very special ghost. .
