AI Era Sees Nearly 10,000 Students Handwrite Essays, Exploring Humanistic Care from Convenience Stores to Slow Philosophy

The 22nd Wen Shih-jen Foundation essay competition, under the guidance of Taiwan's Ministry of Education, has announced its winners, highlighting a trend of intergenerational empathy and profound reflection among young participants. This year's contest saw 9,583 students from 958 schools compete in preliminary rounds, with 3,114 advancing to the finals and 346 ultimately receiving awards.

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The most moving aspect each year is the willingness to consider others, evident between the lines of the children's work.

The competition, which requires participants to complete essays within 90 minutes without phones, aims to foster students' thinking on social issues and interpersonal interactions. Themes included "Enjoying Giving" for lower elementary, "Creating a Win-Win" for upper elementary, "Touching" for junior high, and "Reflections on an Aging Society" for high school.

One junior high student's essay, focusing on a convenience store and grandmother in the East Rift Valley, explored intergenerational dynamics in the face of technological change. The work, which earned a special merit award, was praised by judges for demonstrating empathy and offering warm solutions for generational harmony.

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Touching doesn't require words, nor does it necessarily mean being familiar with each other. A glance, an action, is enough to make people feel the value of each other's existence.

Another student, a four-time participant since lower elementary, received an honorable mention for an essay on "Touching." The piece likened touching moments to a "slow philosophy," emphasizing that connection doesn't require words or familiarity, but can be conveyed through a glance or an action.

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This year, many works naturally exuded sincerity, friendliness, and a people-centered spirit. Students showed kindness, warmth, and thoughtfulness through their writing.

Judges noted a prevailing spirit of sincerity, kindness, and human-centeredness in this year's submissions. The "Creating a Win-Win" theme, in particular, encouraged students to move beyond self-interest and consider mutually beneficial perspectives, reflecting a mature sense of humanistic care. The Wen Shih-jen Foundation also introduced digital certificates this year and will feature top essays on its website, showcasing the long-term impact of reading and writing education.

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The 'Creating a Win-Win' theme guided students to move beyond thinking only of their own victory and to be willing to consider things from a mutually beneficial perspective, demonstrating mature humanistic care.