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REVEALED: Telethon storytelling competition winners

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Friday, October 10th 2025 at 14:53 GMT by The West Australian
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Telethon Kids Helping Kids Storytelling Competition 2025 Winners Announced

The West, 26 October 2025 – In a heart‑warming celebration of creativity and community spirit, the Telethon Kids Helping Kids (KHK) competition revealed its 2025 storytelling champions last night. The winners, all under the age of 12, were announced during a live virtual ceremony hosted by the popular children’s program The West’s Young Voices, which streamed across the state’s leading community networks. The event drew more than 2 000 viewers and marked the third consecutive year that KHK has used storytelling as a conduit for raising funds and awareness for the Telethon’s national charity programs.

A Quick History of KHK

Kids Helping Kids is a charitable arm of the Australian Telethon, an annual televised fundraiser that supports children’s hospitals and research projects across the country. Since its launch in 2019, the program has raised over $4.3 million for the Telethon’s Children’s Research Trust. In 2023, the KHK team introduced a national storytelling competition to tap into the boundless imagination of Australian children and to encourage participation from families who might otherwise be disconnected from traditional fundraising methods.

“The idea behind the competition was simple: give kids a platform to share a story that reflects their hopes and challenges,” said Telethon Executive Producer Fiona McLeod. “When they do that, they’re already contributing to a good cause, because every entry is paired with a small donation that the children’s families can match.”

The 2025 iteration saw a record 1 342 entries from 37 states and territories. Participants were asked to craft an original story—any length—based on a theme provided at the competition’s outset: “Imagine a world where kindness is the currency.” Judges, comprising a panel of children's authors, educators, and Telethon volunteers, evaluated each submission on originality, emotional resonance, and how well the narrative embodied the theme.

Meet the Winners

Jasmine Patel’s winning entry, The Rainbow Bridge, tells the tale of a young girl who builds a bridge of colorful stones to connect her town with a distant, snow‑covered village. By weaving acts of kindness into her construction of the bridge, Jasmine demonstrates how empathy can physically and metaphorically bring communities together. The story was described by the judges as “a powerful allegory that balances whimsy with profound insight.”

Owen Thompson’s second‑place story, The Star‑Seed’s Journey, follows a constellation of stars that fall to Earth, each one representing a different kind of kindness—sharing, listening, forgiving. Owen’s narrative is a lyrical journey that showcases his flair for poetry, and it was praised for its imaginative imagery.

Mia Nguyen’s third‑place story, Luna’s Lantern, chronicles a young girl who lights lanterns for those lost in the darkness of their own fears. The story's emotional depth, particularly the way Mia addressed personal insecurities, earned it a top spot from the judges’ panel.

All winners will receive a Telethon KHK Scholarship to attend a summer writing program at the Australian Writers’ Centre, as well as a trophy and a certificate of honour.

The Impact of the Competition

The 2025 competition raised $123,400, thanks to a combination of entry fees, in‑app donations, and a generous sponsorship package from the National Children's Foundation. All proceeds are directed to the Telethon’s Children’s Research Trust, where they support life‑saving research projects and patient care initiatives at children’s hospitals nationwide.

“This is the first time a children's storytelling competition has contributed more than $100,000 to a national charity,” said Telethon CFO Martin Hughes. “What’s remarkable is that the money came not from large corporate donors, but from the small, heartfelt contributions of over 1 000 families.”

Moreover, the competition has spurred a wave of community engagement. Local libraries in New South Wales reported a 25 % increase in children’s writing workshops since the announcement, and schools across Victoria are now incorporating storytelling modules into their curriculum to foster creative thinking and empathy among students.

A Word from the Participants

During the live broadcast, the winners each delivered a brief speech. Jasmine, who had been inspired by her grandfather’s stories of war, told the audience that she hopes her story encourages children to “make kindness as common as breathing.” Owen shared that writing the story helped him “understand that kindness is a choice, not a chore,” and Mia highlighted the importance of speaking up for those who feel invisible.

“I’m proud of my story,” Mia said, tears glistening. “And I’m happy that my friends and family can give back through the Telethon.”

In addition to the award ceremony, the KHK team announced a new initiative: The Storybook Fund, a digital anthology of all entries that will be sold online. A portion of the sales will go toward supporting children’s literacy programs.

Looking Ahead

Telethon’s executive committee has already begun planning the 2026 competition, with a new theme aimed at celebrating “Stories of Resilience.” They also plan to expand the competition to include a digital storytelling component, allowing children to produce short videos or animated tales.

“Telethon Kids Helping Kids is about more than just raising money,” concluded Fiona McLeod. “It’s about building a culture where every child’s voice is heard, where storytelling becomes a tool for healing, and where kindness becomes the shared currency that unites us all.”

The 2025 winners’ stories will soon be published on the Telethon website, and parents are encouraged to submit their children’s stories for the 2026 competition by 30 June 2026. As the nation once again turns its attention to the young storytellers, it reaffirms a timeless truth: that the best stories are the ones that change the world.