A rural school in La Orotava is one of four schools in the Canary Islands to reach the finals of a national competition.

Pupils and staff at Manuel de Falla in the Barroso area are thrilled with their success so far and hope they might be able to go all the way. 

Los Premios a la Acción Magistral 2011 is a Spanish initiative organised by a number of agencies, including the Foundation for Help Against Drug Addiction and the Spanish National Commission for UNESCO. They in turn support the work of teachers in schools and the transmission of values such as solidarity, respect, justice and equality.

The school’s project is called “Together. A youth who does not cultivate friendship with the elderly is a tree without roots”. It was based on older people and their traditions and how these could be passed down through the generations.

Barroso is in a predominantly rural area so this made it easier to take part in agricultural activities like grinding and roasting gofio, basketry and blacksmith skills, farm work and gastronomy using traditional recipes.

This is the competition’s seventh year and 441 projects were received. The winning project from each of a number of categories will be announced in September and the schools will receive cash prizes.

The Orotava school is facing competition from schools in Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.