In his winning essay, P.J. Brock describes his grandmother Sue as "caring, kind, hardworking, selfless and loving."
Sue Beeler, 74, a retired teacher's aide, said she encourages all grandparents to nurture strong relationships with their grandchildren.
"You get closer to 'em," she said, "and the kids appreciate you more, and do stuff more for you when they grow up."
According to the group Kentucky Youth Advocates, 55,000 kids in the Commonwealth, or an estimated 6%, live with a relative that isn't their biological parent, and is often a grandparent. That's among the highest rates in the nation.
P.J. presented his essay to an audience of 300 retired educators at a ceremony in Louisville and won a $500 award.
May is Older Americans Month, and P.J.'s mom, Ashley Beeler, said she's grateful Sue has been recognized for her dedication to her family. She noted that her mother stepped in to help raise P.J. during times of crisis, which helped strengthen the bond between grandson and grandmother.
"It was just a hard time," she said, "but, I mean, we've got past it now. We're doing good, the kids and I, and mom."
Nationwide, grandparent caregivers often face financial burdens, housing instability, food insecurity and mental-health struggles. One report by Generations United found about 31% of children growing up in grand-families live in poverty, compared with 18% of children living with parents. And nearly half of all grandparents raising grandchildren are no longer in the labor force.
