2017
Awards
Magazine
“By taking part in this project I have managed to express my passion and feelings about my future activities and how I can change the world.�
Annaleece, S1 Broughton High School
w w w.inspir ingpur pose.org.uk
The aim of the Inspiring Purpose programme is to give young people the opportunity to think about their values and character strengths whilst also reflecting on who or what inspires them and their aspirations and goals for the future. Our mission: help young people set goals, demonstrate future-mindedness and develop a sense of purpose.
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“This project helped me to reflect on what I’m good at. It also helped me to think about how I could become more determined.” Rhona Futter, Dunard Primary School
30,000 young people from 196 schools have participated in the programme this academic year. Teacher and pupil testimony reveals a transformational effect on those who take part. This magazine is a showcase of the Character, Inspirations and Goals of our young people.
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SUPPORTERS Inspiring Purpose is an independent education programme of the educational charity Character Scotland which was established in 2009 to promote the development of character in young people and intentional character education in schools. We acknowledge the generous support, encouragement and partnership from the following organisations without which the programme would not be possible.
The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discovery in areas engaging life’s biggest questions. These questions range from explorations into the laws of nature and the universe to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness, and creativity. Our vision is derived from Sir John Templeton’s commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation’s motto “How little we know, how eager to learn” exemplifies our support for open-minded enquiry and our hope for advancing human progress through ground breaking discoveries. www.templeton.org D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd is a private company based in Dundee. The company has significant interests in UK newspaper and magazine publishing. Amongst other publications it owns The Courier and Advertiser, The Aberdeen Press and Journal and The Sunday Post. It owns The Beano, The Dandy and Woman’s magazines My Weekly and The People’s Friend, Puzzler Media Ltd (one of the world’s largest publishers of Puzzle Magazines, Crosswords and Sudoku) and Parragon Publishing Ltd which publishes and sells some 90 million books each year worldwide. The company has interests in commercial television, online businesses, and is a major shareholder in Mothercare www.dcthomson.co.uk The Garfield Weston Foundation was established in 1958 by Willard Garfield Weston, a Canadian businessman who arrived in the UK with his family in 1932. He was the creator of Associated British Foods and the Foundation was endowed with the donation of family-owned company shares. As a result, the Foundation is today the ultimate controller of the company. The trustees today are all lineal descendants of the founder and they remain committed to continuing the ethos that has made the Foundation one of the largest and most respected charitable institutions in the country. It gives them as much pleasure to help a small local community as a major national organisation and they are prepared to consider applications covering a wide range of charitable activity. www.garfieldweston.org
The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues is a unique and leading Centre for the examination of how character and virtues impact on individuals and society. It offers world class research on the importance of developing good character and virtues and the benefits they bring to individuals and society. A key conviction underlying the existence of the Centre is that the virtues that make up good character can be learnt and taught. The Jubilee Centre believe these have largely been neglected in schools and in the professions. It is also a key conviction that the more people exhibit good character and virtues, the healthier our society. As such, the Centre undertakes development projects seeking to promote the practical applications of its research evidence. www.jubileecentre.ac.uk 4
CONTENTS 2 6 6 7 8 34 57 58 61 62 66 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 15 16 16 17 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 22 22 23
Dunard Primary School Foreword Judges’ Comments Introduction
23 Graeme High School 45 Shawlands Primary School 24 Gracemount High School 46 Simpson Primary Schol 24 Grangemouth High School 46 St Aidan’s High School 24 Grove Academy 46 St Andrew’s RC High School 25 Gryffe High School 47 St Clare’s Primary School 25 Harlaw Academy 47 St Columbkille’s Primary School Pupil Showcase: 26 Harris Academy 48 St Filland Primary School Scottish Global Citizens 26 Hawick High School 48 St George’s School for Girls Awards List 26 Hazlehead Academy 49 St John’s RC High School Gaelic Global Citizens 27 Hazlehead Primary School 49 St Kentigern’s Academy 27 Hillhead High School 49 St Margarets Academy International Global Citizens 29 Holy Family RC Primary School 50 St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School Northern Ireland Global Citizens 29 Hyndland Secondary School 50 St Mary’s RC Primary School Inspiring Purpose: WW1 30 Islay High School 51 St Maurice’s High School Teacher Feedback 30 Kemnay Academy 51 St Mungos Academy 31 Kemnay Primary School 51 Strathallan Primary School 31 Kilsyth Academy 51 Strathallan School Abbey Primary School 32 Kilwinning Academy 52 Tarbert Academy Acharacle Primary School 32 Kinross High School 52 Turriff Academy Albyn School 32 Kirkcudbright Academy 53 Vale Of Leven Academy Alness Academy 33 Knightswood Secondary School 53 The Gordon Schools Alva Academy 36 Langholm Academy 53 The Nicholson Institute Arkleston Primary School 36 Larbert High School 54 The Waid Academy Auchmuty High School 36 Leith Academy 55 Webster’s High School Avoch Primary School 37 Liberton High School 55 Westpark Primary School Baldragon Academy 37 Lockerbie Academy 56 Wester Hailes Education Centre Balmalloch Primary School 37 Lockerbie Primary School 56 Whitehill Secondary School Ballumbie Primary School 37 Lornshill Academy 56 Woodmill High School Balwearie High School 38 MearnsAcademy 57 The Nicholson Institute Banff Academy 38 Mill of Mains Primary School 58 Lusaka International Community School Bannerman High School 38 Mount Vernon Primary 58 Care Foundation Bishopbriggs Academy 39 Murthly Primary School 58 Ikusasalethu High School Blairgowrie High School 40 Musselburgh Grammar School 59 Akshar School Braehead Primary School 40 Newport Primary School 60 Rainbow International School Braes High School 40 Peebles High School 61 St. Colms High School Brechin High School 41 Perth Grammar School 61 St. Dominic’s Grammar School Broughton High School 41 Perth High School 62 Balfron High School Bucksburn Academy 42 Plockton High School 63 Bannerman High School Caol Primary School 42 Portlethen Academy 63 The Glasgow Academy Cargenbridge Primary School 43 Portree High School 63 Gracemount High School Castlehead High School 44 Queen Anne High School 64 Lockerbie Academy Clydeview Academy 44 Rosneath Primary School 65 Perth High School Craigie High School 44 Ross High School 65 Sciennes PS Deans Community High School 45 Ruthvenfield Primary School 65 Turnbull High School Doon Academy Douglas Ewart High School Dunbeg Primary School Dunoon Grammar School Published by CAREER STUDIO Dysart Primary School Printed in the UK by THE MAGAZINE COMPANY Elgin High School The Inspiring Purpose Values Poster Awards is a programme of Character Education Scotland Fair Isle Primary School Ltd registered charity number SCO40962. The views expressed in this magazine are those of Fintry Primary School the contributors and not necessarily the views of Character Education Scotland or its trustees. Fortrose Academy Character Education Scotland, Career Studio, Granary Business Centre, Coal Road, Cupar Fife KY15 5YQ Gairloch High School Email: admin@character-scotland.org.uk Tel: 01334 844900 George Heriot’s School © 2017 Character Education Scotland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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FOREWORD “I think it is hugely important that young people do this type of work because they can learn a lot about themselves. It is massively important that you know your own strengths but also the areas that you need to work on because that will challenge you to improve yourself, and bring out the best in you moving forward in your life. It is really important that young people have a target or a goal to work towards because you have a huge sense of achievement when you finally get there through all of the effort that you put in.” Glasgow Warriors, Scotland & British & Irish Lions rugby star Stuart Hogg
Judges’ Comments 2017 It’s great to get an insight into the minds of our young people. They are truly inspirational in themselves with great attributes and vision. Karen Meechan, Head of Operations, ScotlandIS
It was an uplifting experience; there was a great deal of variety on choice of inspiring figure. The Quality of the writing was often excellent; personality really came through. It made me feel very positive about the future. Elizabeth Drummond Young, Philosophy Tutor, University of Edinburgh
Several good things appeared again and again in the contributions. I was impressed on the last page with the almost universal appearance of the idea that the project had helped young people know themselves. Lance Butler, Emeritus Professor of English Literature, University of Pau
Very impressive to see how self-reflective and insightful these young people are when writing about themselves – this can be difficult, even for adults!
starting with getting a law degree. For many, especially the young students, this is the start of a reflective journey where the questions will live with them for the rest of their lives and their answers will develop and mature along the journey. Oonagh Harpur, Senior Management Consultant, Former Partner, Linklaters and Payne, London
I think the project has value both a) for working on oneself as a person and b) for exploring what sort of things worth doing, what activities are valuable. Christopher Stewart-Smith, CBE
The most impressive aspect of this programme is the revelation provided; all the energy, passion, commitment and ambition of the participants. There is a powerful message of hope for the future contained in so many of the submissions, but also a great sense of humility and compassion. Programmes like this provide these young students with a unique opportunity to reflect on their own character and seek role models. Sir Deian Hopkin, Chair, Welsh WW1 Commemoration Panel
Emma Lamont, Schools Outreach Co-ordinator, Scottish Book Trust
Fantastic experience! Wonderful stories shared by extremely inspiring young people. Young people should not be viewed as ‘the voice of the future’ only as they have so much to say NOW! I think projects like this can really help to build young people’s confidence. Great work and I loved being part of it. Patrycja Kupiec, 2018 YoYP Volunteer Officer, Young Scot
The project is successful not just for winners but perhaps even more for the teachers who are motivated by it. They will have inspired so many students most of whom will have met the challenge and improved their reflection and aspirations as a result of it. Professor John Drew, Chancellor Emeritus, Regent’s University
I was inspired most by a young man who had got himself out of child labour and wanted to help others to do the same, 6
I was impressed by the standard of work presented, by the care taken by the children in presentation, and by the subjects they chose to illustrate the posters. Clearly this is a worthwhile exercise for the children – and great initiative. Lieutenant-General Sir Nick Parker, Chairman, Step up to Serve
The entries were all very thought-provoking and considered. It is wonderful to see young people engaging with the centenary in this way. Lady Lucy French, Founder, Never Such Innocence
It is very difficult for children to engage with life experiences so different from their own. It is therefore impressive to see the efforts that have been made to imagine what war meant to those caught up in it, the sacrifices accepted, and how what they have discovered might influence their view of the future. Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, Kings College, London
Welcome from Julie Addington – Programme Manager Welcome to our 2017 Inspiring Purpose Magazine
In these pages we hope that the young people will inspire you with their vision and commitment. The content is extracted from pupil’s posters and consists of quotations and reflections on inspirational figures and aspirations for the future.
Background
The programme first started 11 years ago as an adaptation of the late Sir John Templeton’s ‘Laws of Life’ essay contest. Since then and with the support of Sir John’s Foundation, 400,000 young people have taken part.
The Activity
Pupils use our unique poster template and supporting resources to lead them through a process of self-discovery and inspiration. The final questions ask about their vision for a better world and what they will personally do to bring this vision to life and encourage participants to commit to immediate action starting with the hashtag #iwill – for example: #iWill be kind and treat everyone the way I want to be treated, no matter who they are or what they look like Lisa Myachykova, Hillhead High School Participating schools / organisations send in their most inspirational posters, an external panel of judges select those who inspire them the most and we help schools celebrate the achievement of every young person who has completed the programme through individual school events.
What next?
We work closely with organisations who can support the next steps for pupils and teachers: WE Schools www.we.org/gb/we-at-school is a unique, four- step active citizenship programme that inspires young people to identify the local and global issues that spark their passion, and then empowers them with the skills and tools to take action. If teachers would like to book in a free assembly and workshop for their school: email ukyouth@we.org #will is a national campaign that aims to make social action part of life for as many 10 to 20 yearolds as possible by the year 2020: www.iwill.org.uk Project Trust is a Gap Year charity who have been pioneering Gap Year placements in Africa, Asia and the Americas for young people aged 17-19 since 1967. Returned Volunteers share the benefit of their experiences overseas by working with a number of Primary and Secondary schools. Schools can find out more and book a session here: www.projecttrust.org.uk/schools-teachers Young Scot is the national youth information and citizenship charity. They provide young people, aged 11 - 26, with a mixture of information, ideas and incentives to help them become confident, informed and active citizens at young.scot
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ABBIE DONALDSON
AB B EY P RIMARY S CHOOL My vision for a better world is to reduce world hunger. I want this to end because almost every minute a child or adult dies because of this. Just thinking about it makes me very sad and sorry. I take back every bit of food I have moaned about. I want to educate people abroad on how to grow food. Want to go round telling people to help other people who are hungry by giving food to food banks. #iWill Help to reduce world hunger and try to be the kindest person I can be.
KAYLEY MCLEOD
AB B EY P RIMARY S CHOOL Roman Bernard Atwood. Born 28th May 1983 (age 33 years), Millersport, Ohio, United Sates. I find Roman inspiring because he tells me to smile more. When I am having a bad day he tells me to just push it away and be happy. I would like to encourage most people to smile more and just be happy. Roman has
success because he is a kind helpful and inspiring man. My future ambition is to one day be a famous YouTuber and hopefully make people feel happy and smile. Life is too short to be anything but happy.
ARCHIE PEILL
A CH A R CLE PR IMA RY S CH OOL “Life is tough but you are tougher” I need to work on being self-disciplined because I do not eat my five a day! I need to work on being empathetic because I do not know how my older brother is feeling, and committed because I never finish a book. But I am helpful because I empty the dishwasher, kind because if my brother is scared I give him a hug. I am responsible because I was allowed to cycle up to the pub which is a mile and creative because I like making up stories and creative stuff.
IONA DURBIN
A CH A R A CLE PR IMA RY S CH OOL
FEEDBACK
Malala Yousafzai inspires me because she stands up for what she believe is right no matter what obstacles are thrown her way. She is strong, confident and smart. Even after being shot in the head, she lives on helping children around the world to get an education.
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“I felt very emotional and proud reading what Abbie has written. She can doubt herself, her abilities and her qualities so for her to explore these in detail I’m sure will aid her to realise what a kind, hard-working and thoughtful girl she already is and her Dad and I could not be prouder.” (Parent’s comment) Abbie Donaldson, Abbie Primary School
ABIGAIL BATES ALB YN SCH OOL
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it” Helen Keller Helen Keller was born in 1880 and at the age of one came down with a mystery illness that left her deaf and blind. This wasn’t easy to handle, and she would smash everything she could get her hands on. Eventually, Anne Sullivan was able to teach her, first by getting her to experience water, then spelling the word out. She subsequently achieved a huge amount, for instance campaigning tirelessly on behalf of the blind. Her characteristics I want to live up to are having so much determination to reach her goals. A moment I am proud of is when I was in Nepal two years ago and we helped give out food to people who could not afford it. People would come from all over, and we cooked in huge pots and at the end of the day you feel good because you have done something to help others, not just yourself.
KELLY GRANT ALB YN SCH OOL
“You don’t have to be talented, you just have to be dedicated.” The person I find inspiring is Nicola Wilson. She won a gold medal at the Rio Olympics in the eventing section. Like me, when she was in pony club, she had an average pony but just worked as hard as she could. To me, this shows that even if you are not the most talented, if you work hard you can achieve almost anything. Recently I went to hear a talk by her, and she was really kind. The way she got started was putting up ads in tack shops, so she began by riding other people’s horses. She gradually built up to her current level. A lot of competitive people push their horse as far as possible, but Nicola went with
what the horse was comfortable with and built up a bond. This turned into a friendship, then a partnership, then the Olympics. This encourages me, as I’m not the most talented rider, but she was in the same position as me is and achieved her dreams by being very determined and hard-working. I am most proud of the moment when the commentator announced that the Albyn School show jumping team of which I was a part had come second in the British Show Jumping Championships. It was my first clear round since I had broken my wrist in a fall earlier in the year. The championships were in the south of England, and it took us four days to get down there with our horseboxes and another two days for the competition.
EILIDH HOWELLS A LN ES S A CA D EMY
I am inspired by Demi Lovato because of what she has been through – alcohol and drug abuse, bipolar and depression. She was very brave in going to rehab. She inspires me because she manages to live her life even with a mental illness. She uses her huge platform to address different issues like politics and mental health, and she raises awareness about poorer and less fortunate countries. She also makes good music with a message behind it. I’m proud that I managed to write, play and record a whole song by myself and send it off to a trust fund that raises money for young Scottish talent.
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TATIANA KACMARSKA ALVA ACAD EMY
“You learn something every day if you pay attention” Ray LeBlond Hedy Lamarr was an actress born in Austria in 1914, who married six times. Although she starred in 30 films, she was also an inventor. During World War II, she and George Antheil developed a radar guidance system for Allied torpedoes. The programme used spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology in order to stop them jamming. The U.S. Navy didn’t use it until the 1960s, but the technology is now incorporated in COMA, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. She wanted to join the American National Inventors Council, but was told that she could better contribute to the war effort by using her celebrity to sell war bonds. I think Hedy Lamarr is inspirational because she shows that even if you’re known for one thing, you can still make a name using your other skills. And just because she was beautiful and an actress did not mean that she cannot make the system preventing torpedoes from jamming. One of the things I’m proudest of is doing a 180° turn in snowboarding in the middle of a slope. At first, it just wouldn’t work without my falling, so when I did it I felt euphoric. From this achievement I learned that in order to do something you have to keep trying and strive to achieve something else once you’ve done that.
MAYSAN SAID
ARK L EST O N PRIM ARY S CHOOL My big sister Manna is my inspiration. She is a joyful, happy person. She always makes me smile. She tells me to send love to the world even if the world does not send love to you. She also reminds me to stand
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up and don’t care what others think. The kind of person I want to be is a person who stands up. Who is not afraid of people. To always look forward and never look back. A person who helps people to see their true colours. A person who sticks up for others.
ABBY JONES
A U CH MU T Y H IG H S CH OOL “I don’t have perfect teeth, I’m not stick thin - I want to be the person who feels great in her body and can say she loves it and doesn’t want to change anything” Emma Watson My favourite fictional character is Hermione Granger. She is a great role model as she shows that it doesn’t matter what your background is or where you come from, you can be who you want to be. She is bullied because of her intelligence, but she does not let that get her down. My inspirational figure is Emma Watson, not only because she played Hermione Granger, but also because she stands up for women’s rights, something I am very passionate about. She is also very passionate about children’s rights, something that not many actors stand up for. She leaves books on feminism in wellknown places like King’s Cross station – this is to inspire and encourage people. She has recently joined JK Rowling’s charity, and has taken part in Children in Need. She thinks her character Hermione Granger is a good role model for young children, as she is strong and fearless as well and being smart and intelligent.
My vision for a better world is ending world hunger and stopping creating so much pollution leading to global warming. I would like all wars to end and endangered species to be protected – poachers should be given a life sentence. Nobody should live in fear. People seem to be scared of differences when they should embrace them. All this may seem more like a dream than reality, but I am an optimist and believe in the better side of people.
ELIN DARGIE
AV O CH P RIMARY S CHOOL “To be born Welsh is to be born privileged, not with a silver spoon in your mouth but with music in your blood and poetry in your soul” Elin Fflur is one of the people in the world who inspire me because she is a very good Welsh singer and I learn lots of Welsh from her songs. She is confident when she performs on the stage and she must have a creative mind for all of the songs she has written. I want to have a career in music and I want to be a person who does the right thing.
IMOGEN ROBERTSON B AL DRAG O N ACADE M Y
Olly Murs is my inspirational figure because he is such an amazing singer. He stood up to bullying, and was very supportive of other contestants in the X Factor. He has sold more than 13 million records, including four number one singles. He has over 130 million views on YouTube. The reason he is such an inspiration to me is that he shows that if you work hard to achieve your dreams, they can come true. He also shows that the saying ‘practice makes perfect’ is true.
SAMANTHA GRAHAM
B A LMA LLOCH PR IMA RY S CH OOL Vicki Williamson is my dance teacher at Dejavu dance crew, Kilsyth. She inspires me because of her perseverance to make our teams the best they can be. She is very busy. She is a primary school teacher and a dance teacher. Knowing this makes me realise that anything is possible and makes me be more active. Now at the age of 27 she has created teams with Scottish , English, British, European and World titles. In 2014 she made an appearance on STV and competed in Britain’s Got Talent in 2016 and the team got 4 yes’s. She is very inspiring because she encourages and trains us to be winning dancers. Without her we would not have the right mind-set to go on stage and perform my best.
“Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.”
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FEEDBACK
“This project has made me think very deeply about myself for the first time and I have learned that I am someone who is ambitious, creative and positive about what I do.” Samantha Graham, Balmalloch Primary School
BLAIKE KYLES
B AL L U MB IE PRIM ARY S CHOOL Jamie Vardy inspires me because just a few years ago he was a normally human in a normal house. He had a little job in a town and now plays for Leicester. He has become very famous. He has inspired me to stick in and never give up. He is self-confident and determined. I want to be a good sportsman and I would love to be a positive person and not negative. I would like to be able to get good grades but also look after my family.
HANNAH FINLAYSON B ALWEARIE HI GH S C HOOL
“A life full of meaning is more satisfying than a life full of success” Katie Piper Katie Piper suffered a horrendous acid attack in 2008 when sulphuric acid was thrown in her face. She was blinded in one eye, and her attacker had been instructed by her ex-boyfriend. Surgeons removed all the skin from her face before rebuilding it with a skin substitute. Katie suffered multiple mental and physical traumas and operations. I find Katie inspiring because she is now helping others through her Katie Piper Foundation, which is aimed at raising awareness of the plight of victims or burns and other disfiguring injuries. I admire her honesty and hard-working ethic - she has never pretended that it is easy. I think she has achieved success through determination, and never hid away - she is always willing to speak openly about her experiences. Here is another quote I like: “Even when you think things can never move forward and you feel so low, there is always a way out.”
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JESSICA RIACH B A N F F A CA D EMY
“Success isn’t about how much money you make, but about the difference you make in people’s lives.” Michelle Obama is my inspirational figure. She is not afraid of speaking her mind. She is a very strong, independent woman, and many people long to be like her. She really opens your heart when she speaks, and has an amazing sense of style. She doesn’t care about fame or money, she just wants what’s best for the community. She has inspired me to become who I want to be. It doesn’t matter what people say, so long as you are happy.
JAMES MCNEIL
B A N N ER MA N H IG H S CH OOL “The best way to predict the future is to create it” Abraham Lincoln My inspirational figure is Roman Bernard Atwood, an American YouTube personality, comedian and vlogger. Atwood has been filming and producing videos since high school. He always said he hated school and wanted to leave. He was getting suspended and getting into trouble all the time and teachers told him that he would not achieve anything in his life and he would not get a job so he dropped out of school early and started working at his parents rope factory. He produced a series of DVD’s called “The Nerd Herd”
which he sold at the Warped Tour in 2006. Atwood also worked on various film projects and commercials in Columbus, Ohio until 2010, when he decided to focus on his passion of comedy and created the YouTube channel “Sketch Empire”. This shows that despite being told he would not achieve anything he kept going for his dream. This is why he is so inspirational. My vision for a better world is a peaceful equal world where everyone has money, a home, friends, family, food and clean water to drink.
NAOMI BARRIE
B ISH O P B RIGGS AC ADEM Y “Never interrupt someone who is doing something you said could never be done.” Amelia Earhart has always inspired me, because in 1928 she became the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. People always thought that men were the best pilots, but Amelia was determined to show that she could fly as well as or even better than men. Before her flight she said, “Women must try to do things just as men have tried. When they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others.” Amelia worked hard to be the best pilot she could be, and was only the sixth woman to be given a pilot’s licence. Amelia inspires me because she never gave up. Sadly, in 1937, she disappeared during a flight - her failure is now a challenge to others. Right now, people are lovers of money, boastful, ungrateful, disloyal, aggressive, pig-headed betrayers and much more. I feel the world would be a much better place if everyone followed the rule of treating others like you would like to be treated.
CAITLIN DOWNEY
B LA IR G OWR IE H IG H S CH OOL “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” Dr Seuss James Owen is an author and busker based in London. He is also a recovering drug addict and was helped to recover by a cat. He found the cat on his doorstep, and invited it in after several days. He treated an injury and tried to find the owner, but he couldn’t, so he kept the cat. This was made into a book and a film called A Street Cat Called Bob. It touches your heart and makes your insides melt. The cat helped James realise that he had to stop taking drugs, and he did.
SOPHIE HILDITCH
B LA IR G OWR IE H IG H S CH OOL “The only tired I was tired of was giving in” Rosa Parks. I love this quote because it shows that doing the right thing is most important. Rosa Parks has been called the First Lady of civil rights and the mother of the freedom movement. She refused to give up her seat in the white section of a bus and was arrested. She is my inspiration because she knew what to do to unite these people, and she didn’t care that she would get herself into trouble. I want to do what’s right and stand up for what I believe in.
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FEEDBACK
“I got to learn more about myself and discover what I definitely want to be when I grow up.” Anasthasia Saleh, Braehead Primary School
ANASTHASIA SALEH
B RAEH EAD PRI M ARY S CHOOL I want to be like Emma Watson because she is my inspiration. She is a strong and powerful woman, but also is caring, kind and loving. Emma loves her privacy as much as anyone would and also donates a lot of her money to charities. I would like to become an actress like Emma Watson. I am considering studying law when I go to uni, but I will wait for the future and when it comes I will make my own decision.
MADDOX PALMER
B RAEH EAD PRI M ARY S CHOOL “All you can do in life is follow your dreams. Otherwise you’re just wasting your time” David Walliams is the person that inspires me. I find him inspiring because he is charitable and determined and I would like to be like that. He is committed and writes in a way kids love. David Walliams has written a lot of books and he is very popular. Not just kids love his books, so do adults. I think he has achieved success because he is very popular and he has lots of books.
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ROKSANA STEPNIEWSKA B R A ES H IG H S CH OOL
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you” Princess Diana Princess Diana is inspirational to me because she was a part of the Royal Family yet proved that the Royal Family aren’t perfect. She is a great role model because she managed to overcome her own personal struggles of low self-esteem and confidence as well as Bulimia (an eating disorder), this shows her strength and determination to push through her own struggles. Yet she still helped the less fortunate and this was because she was a very empathetic person that loved to help others and used the power of her role to make people more aware of important issues in the world. Diana was selfless and as time passed she became more confident. Diana achieved success by not letting her past define her and grew as a person to help those in need. She used her publicity to her advantage and is therefore known as The People’s Princess.
HOLLIE CRAIG
B R ECH IN H IG H S CH OOL “Chin up, Princess, your crown is falling off.” Zoe Sugg aka Zoella Is my inspiration because she has shown that bad things happen but you can get through them with determination. She has struggled with anxiety
like me, and felt she couldn’t do anything, so she got depressed. After this she was fed up and just decided to say YES! This helped her with her anxiety, and she started to win awards and achieve a lot more, such as writing her own books. Starting a beauty range with her own products, she won Most Inspirational Woman of the Year in 2015. She has pushed herself through life.
ANNALEECE SIMRICK
B R OU G H T ON H IG H S CH OOL “Some people dream of success while others wake up and work for it.”
TENI OKPAJE
B RO U GH T O N HIGH S C HOOL “Don’t wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it.” It is said that Rosa Parks sat so MLK could walk, MLK walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so we could all fly. The 1900s were very difficult for the black community, with segregation in bathrooms, shops, cinemas, just about everything. Just imagine that everywhere you go you can’t choose because of your colour, and are being bossed around because of your skin. Rosa was thought to be respectful, but had had enough. So she refused to give up her seat in the white section of a bus. Have bravery gives us a reason to rejoice. People marched for her freedom, and acts of defiance became important symbols of civil rights. A brave soul like her will go down in history. Rosa’s act allows us to walk freely. She spoke up for those who could not, which is why she inspires me. Dobbie from Harry Potter is my favourite fictional character. I admire how he respects other characters and love that he is a house goblin who is treated badly, but treats others well. Dobbie teaches us that you should be charitable and caring, even if people don’t respect you. He is empathetic towards Harry, Ron and Hermione, and shows curiosity in his work. He is also very persistent – all this is what I love about him.
Misty Copeland is a famous American ballerina and was the first African-American woman to become a prima ballerina. She was brought up in a motel room with a single mum and five siblings and was only able to start dancing aged 13. She inspires me because I have always had a passion for dance. Despite coming from a difficult background, she persevered to get where she is today. She has taught me and many black dancers around the world to be resilient. My favourite fictional character is Princess Tiana from Disney’s Princess and the Frog. I admire her strong work ethic. She always sees the positive side of things even when they are really tough. This is what led her to success. She has taught me to be just like her. I’m proud of winning a gold medal at the Scottish Acrobatic National Gymnastics competition in 2016. The reason I’m proud is that all my hard work paid off. All the hundreds of hours of training got me to the position I had dreamed of for a long time.
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ENARA ABAD
B U CK SB U RN ACADE M Y “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” Dr Seuss My inspiration is Edd Gould, a British animator and writer. He loved what he did because he did what he loved. And that is what I admire about Edd the most. His cartoon was never dry or emotionless because it was an escape, a labour of love. Edd was always so kind and welcoming to his audience because he was humble, he never ranked himself above others and for that he was more than just a creator, he was a friend. He didn’t care about money or numbers, because what he cared about really was making animations or his fans. On the 25th March 2012 Edd died of leukaemia but in the time he had it, it was nothing more than an inconvenience. ‘Eddsworld’ means so much to me; Edd has never made anyone anything other than happy.
I chose Beyonce Knowles not just because she is one of my favourite musical artists, but because, like everyone else in the public eye, you receive both love and hate - sometimes that hate can affect people very seriously. It takes a lot of strength, courage and confidence to allow your life story to become a comic for the public. She said that in her hardest moments when she wonders if she is strong enough, she just says to herself ‘jump’, because she knows she is going to land in the water and be able to swim back to the boat. She has to trust herself. Like everyone else, I want peace. The problem is that everyone fights for peace and people retaliate against themselves. We are all equal, no matter who we are and what we look like, we all matter. “Names are not important, it’s what’s inside you that matters” – Aelin Gaiathynius.
EMILIE STEWART
CA OL PR IMA RY S CH OOL
ALIVIA SALSABILA B U CK SB U RN ACADE M Y
“Power means happiness, power means hard work and sacrifice” Beyonce
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My inspiration to be an author came from Agatha Christie because I used to watch Poirot (her best books) when I visited my granny’s house and then began to read her books. Now I’m her ultimate fan. I have watched nearly every episode of Poirot and I love it. She inspires me because of her passion for writing and her twists and turns in her stories. You never know what is going to happen next. I would like to become an author and tech the world equality through words not heavily armed police officers with guns.
MADELAINE ARCHIBALD
CARGEN B RIDGE PRI M ARY S CHOOL “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do” I want to be someone who makes everyone happy because I hate sadness and depression. I want to be someone who will change the world but even if none of that happens I will work on my town and community.
AIDAN JAMES MASON
and addresses these themes in some of his songs. Now he is happy in his band. My vision for a better world is one of peace, love and respect. This includes respecting nature as well as people.
CARGEN B RIDGE PRI M ARY S CHOOL Thomas Edison inspires me that no matter what happened in the past you can have a great future ahead. I would like to be like Thomas because I like to do experiments. In the future I would like to be an inventor. I found it interesting how Thomas invested the light bulb and the power grid. I think he is a brilliant man. He had success by having a positive mind and heart. That is why he inspires me the most.
KERRY SMILEY
CASTLEH EAD HI GH S C HOOL “The greatest gift you can ever give another is your own happiness” Esther Hicks (Abraham) Min Yoon Gi is a solo artist who is also part of the band BTS. He is inspirational because he has been through a lot of problems, but has never given up. These included the raw reality of depression, OCD and social phobia. There is a lot of stigma in Korea around mental illness, and suicide is prevalent. He was also worried about selling out and the dangers of success,
JESSICA CAMPBELL CLY D EV IEW A CA D EMY
One of the most inspirational moments of my life was in August 2014, when my younger cousin was diagnosed with Leukaemia. When I found out I was distraught, I couldn’t believe that my family would be affected with such a horrible disease. However, when I first visited Nathan in hospital, it absolutely amazed me to see how unaffected he was by all of the constant needles being put in his arm and the monthlong hospital stay. He was just acting like a normal little boy playing with toys and watching movies, it made me realise how ridiculous I act about stupid things such as getting a jab in School. The whole experience made me appreciate things more and stopped me being so selfish.
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“I have learned a lot from this project because it has really made me think of what type of person I want to be and what type of person I really am.” Madelaine Archibald, Cargenbridge Primary School
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“After exploring this project and everything it entails I feel I’ve reflected on my individuality and through that became a stronger person. I feel I’ve learned a lot more about myself by taking part in the self-reflection section and I feel very inspired to work hard towards achieving my goals.” Katy May Bonnar, Clydeview Academy
KATY MAY BONNAR CLYDEVIEW AC ADEM Y
“For everyone who is defeating the odds, defying stereotypes and rising to the challenge every day, I solute you. Let’s change the world” Kevin Olusola Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games is my favourite fictional character by miles due to her inspiring attitude, strong will and determination. She fights for what she believes in and taught me to have my own opinions and be my own person. She is a very inspiring character and she should be looked on as a role model to younger women like myself. In the future, I want to stay true to myself and my beliefs but also grow and learn new values and skills that will in conclusion make me a better me. I want to be determined to reach my goals and to thrive in life. I want to be happy all the time and always find positives I also want to be kind, helpful and selfless but still have time for myself. I want to achieve my goals one step at a time and enjoy my life. 18
REGAN EVE CAIE
CR A IG IE H IG H S CH OOL “Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” Dr Suess Princess Leia is my inspiring fictional character because she was a strong rebel leader who stood for what she believed in. She was the complete opposite of the stereotypical princess and did not sit and wait around to be saved; she got up and saved herself. She inspires me mainly because she always speaks her mind and remains confident through tough situations. I want to be someone who people look up to. I want people to trust me to help them and make them smile. I aspire to be able to stand up for what I believe in and make a positive difference in the world. I’d like to have a life full of purpose.
SAMANTHA HAY D EA N S COMMU N IT Y H IG H S CH OOL
“I can’t let time move on without fighting tooth and nail and hopefully be a part of a revolution that is positive” Ian Somerhalder The ISF (Ian Somerhalder Foundation) was set up by Ian Somerhalder as a non-profit foundation,
the soul mission is to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures. The ISF also offers and encourages volunteering opportunities across the globe. Ian is the United States ambassador for World Environment Day. He uses his fame and media to promote and encourage positivity and kindness, also to get positive messages across what the public can do for the planet and its animals. Ian personally inspires me to make a change, even if it’s a little and to volunteer any chance I get. Also, to be kinder to people, be more generous, take care of our planet and all its creatures.
Billie Joe Armstrong is the main songwriter, guitarist and vocalist of the band Green Day. He lost his father at the age of 10, ran home and asked to be woken at the end of September. Over the years he has been a bit of bother due to his anxiety and insomnia. The reason he is my inspiration is that he has made me change into a better person. He makes me happy when I am sad, and he has saved me from myself. He makes me feel confident, and through his songs he makes me feel how lovely life is and that you have to live it fully every day. He is more than another celebrity – he has brought a political eye to music.
MARIA MCTAGGART D O O N ACADE M Y
Naruto Uzumaki is a fictional character whose father was a village leader. On the day of his birth, the village was attacked by a 9-tailed beast, Kurama, which the father seals inside Naruto, and which eventually kills him. Naruto grows up being neglected by the village, but he wants to prove that he is not a monster. After graduating from the Ninja Academy, Naruto is assigned to a mission with three others to escort and protect a bridge builder. This C-ranked mission turns out to to be an A rank. Naruto is my inspiration because when people brought him down, he always got up again and looked on the positive side. Eventually, he gains universal respect.
MOLLY DALRYMPLE
D O U G LAS EWART HIGH S C HOOL “To do something that you feel in your heart is great you have to make a lot of mistakes. Anything that is successful is a series of mistakes.”
ABBIE RIBBENS
D OU G LA S EWA RT H IG H S CH OOL Nick Skelton is a world-renowned show jumper, whose career has spanned 38 years and is still going! He has won hundreds of events and £6.5 million in prize money. He was devastated by a serious injury in 2000 when he fell vertically off his horse onto his head and broke his neck and severed the ligament that connects the spinal-cord with the brain. He was told that he would never ride again, but he made a remarkable recovery and decided to compete once more. He is now back at the very top of this prestigious sport, winning a gold medal in Rio.
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He did not allow a serious injury to stop him pursuing his dream. He is the oldest British Olympic gold medallist since 1908! I love horse riding, and would love to be like him when I am older. My proudest moment was when I caught my first salmon with my dad. I was over the moon with my catch, especially as it coincided with the annual fishing competition and I won the first junior prize, which was an amazing fly fishing rod with all the accessories to go with it. This really spurred me on and gave me more confidence to keep going.
They broke her leg and drove her away to be executed. But a rucksack of money was paid for her to be released. She had to use crutches for most of her life after that. I hope to have values like Irena when I am older because she was hardworking, persistent, determined, committed, helpful and a lot more. Later in life she was interviewed and she said that she was no hero so she was clearly a very humble woman. Irena’s success was amazing; she has saved so many people and their families. Although not many people knew about Irena I think she should always be remembered.
BEN BRACK
D U N B EG PR IMA RY S CH OOL “There is no such thing as an ending, just a new beginning”
ROSIE DAIRON
D U N B EG P RI M ARY S CHOOL “Success is the best revenge for anything” My inspirational person is Irena Sendler. Irene is my inspiration because in World War II Irena organised a small group of social workers to smuggle children from concentration camps to safety. She saved around 2,500 babies and children by taking them in ambulances or through sewer pipes and underground tunnels. Sometimes she wheeled them on trolleys or in suitcases or in boxes. But on the 20th October 1943 Irena was arrested. She was placed in a prison where she was questioned and tortured.
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I want to be an artist because when I do art it detaches me from what’s going on in the world and because once you’re done it stays with you forever. I also what to be caring, not just to my family and friends, but to random people in the streets and really anyone I meet. I would like to have a caring family who cares about other people. I would like a house that is on the countryside where the sea is also near and for my kids to go to a great school. I don’t want too much money just a reasonable amount.
EIMEAR BAXTER D U N OON A CA D EMY
“Don’t count the days, make the days count” Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali is well known for many things and loved boxing just like I love dancing. He had goals and achieved them, just like I am trying to do. He inspires me not give up on my goals, and to stand up for what I believe in, living life to the full and making the best of it.
NIAMH PUDNEY
D YSART P RIMARY S CHOOL “Just because my path is different does not mean that I am lost” My inspiration is my reception teacher Mrs Tanswell. She was more than a teacher she became a friend. Starting school was really scary but Mrs Tanswell gave both me and my Mum a big hug and said everything will be OK. Mrs Tanswell was an amazing teacher; she was able to see the positive in every child that entered her room. She motivated and inspired every child treated them with respect and in turn and in turn we all respected her. The impact that she had on me was indescribable. She treated every child as an individual and as equal, there were no favourites in her class, she loved us all the same. Sadly Mrs Tanswell passed away from cancer in March this year. I was devastated as were all who knew her.
KIRSTEN HENDERSON E LGIN H IGH S C HOOL
“You want fame? Well fame costs. And right here is where you start paying, with sweats.” Debbie Allen I love this quote because it inspires me to keep working hard towards my dreams. My inspirational figure is my dance teacher Sheryl - she is a great role model, and inspires me every day. She works hard on her techniques, fitness and flexibility. She always pushes me to become a better dancer, but is also good to have a laugh with. She has been running her own dance school for two years, and I’m also in her competitive team, the Dance Fusion Diamonds. She puts in a lot of work and does her best to raise money for competitions. She is also raising awareness for her friend Lucy, who has motor neuron disease.
Tiana, who is passionate, hard-working, intelligent and talented. She taught me not to work all the time, and to leave time for family and friends. She encourages me to be independent with a strong work ethic and not rely on others to make my dreams come true - I can dream big and believe that they can come true.
REBEKKA FORSTER ELG IN H IG H S CH OOL
The person who inspires me is Isabella Swan (Bella from Twilight) because she has been through a hard life and keeps going. She fell in love with Edward Cullen, but the romance was not so simple as he was a vampire and thirsted for her blood. They went through a lot of difficulties, which inspires me because it shows that no one has a perfect relationship – we have to keep fighting for what we want. Edward’s quote about the lion falling in love with the lamb shows me that anything is possible – one should never give up. One of the memories I’m proud of is when I got my hundred hours of volunteering award at the Elgin Youth Café. I was also proud when I learned how to do backwards crossovers in skating. The memory I’m proudest of is when I called 999 at the age of five. My dad had an accident and some very hot water from the radiator leaked onto his chest, and he could not move. When the ambulance was coming, I went and got mum’s friend Holly from across the street.
My favourite fictional character is Princess O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 21
MYA BROWN
FAIR I S LE PRIM ARY S CHOOL I am most proud of making it this far in life and trying hard and working hard. I want to be a hard-working person and travel places. I want to be someone where I can let my voice shine. I want to let the world know who I am. I want the world to have a better outcome and not make places war zones. I want to remind people that they are important and deserve a chance. I want to let everyone have a chance in what they want to do.
CONNOR CAULEY
FI NTRY PRIM ARY S CHOOL
FEEDBACK
Jacob Sartorius inspires me because he sings and I love his music. Jacob inspires me because he is caring, kind, determined, generous, committed and creative and because he has over 2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. I want to have a two storey house in Los Angeles with a three car garage and a pool at the back. I want to save up lots of money for a purple Lamborghini and have an Origin PC and I want to make my own games. My vision for a better world is to have less smokers, less homeless, less litter and less people swearing.
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AMY HARRISON
F ORT R OS E A CA D EMY “Don’t worry about failures. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try” Jack Canfield Laura Kenny is the second most successful female track cyclist in Olympic history. Her best races in the velodrome are team pursuit, omnium and the scratch race, and she has won all three at the Olympics. She always has a ritual are doing the team’s hair before the team pursuit. Her husband Jason Kenny is also a cyclist, and is the best in the world. She inspires me because I love cycling and she is an amazing cyclist in her achievements. I admire her courage, determination and her desire to keep going. She inspires me to pursue my dream of being a track cyclist.
JENNY PHINN
F ORT R OS E A CA D EMY “Life isn’t always about reasons to smile but your smile itself is a reason for others to smile too.” The person that inspires me the most is Alicia Burton. She rehabilitates damaged and distressed horses many with crushed spirits. Her method is positive kindness as she believes if you speak positive thoughts you will achieve what some call the impossible. I have chosen Alicia because not only has she inspired me but after watching her videos and reading about her I now know that life is what you make it. No matter where you are or what you’ve done only you can change your future. Alicia Burton’s story is a fine example of this and she is my inspiration.
“Writing about what I am good at and what I need to practice really made me realise what I want to achieve in life.” Mya Brown, Fair Isle Primary School
MAISIE BAPTIST
G AIRL O CH HIGH S C HOOL “Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do things that no one can imagine” Alan Turing FRS Alan Turing was an enigma decoder in World War II. He was in English computer scientist, cryptanalyst, mathematician, theoretical biologist and logician. As a British decoder, he had 24 hours to figure out a code before the Germans changed it again. He started to think about a better way of decoding and created a machine called the Bomb to manipulate symbols on a strip of tape according to a table of rules. During 1944, an amazing 178 messages were decoded by two of Turing’s machines. It emerged that Turing was homosexual, so he was given the choice of two years in jail or taking some pills which had such a bad effect on his physiology that he committed suicide. Alan Turing is my inspiration because he saved so many lives and was a pioneer of the computer. It is tragic that he was led to kill himself because of other people’s opinions.
LIAM FORBES
G AIRL O CH HIGH S C HOOL “If in doubt go flat out.” Guy Martin is a normal guy who is a truck mechanic and maintenance manager in his own company. He appears on TV – Speed with Guy Martin - and has broken loads of world records with his trucks. Guy Martin’s values are friendship, respect for others, excellence,
determination, courage and inspiration. He is always friendly when he meets other people on his travels, and he is excellent in setting high standards for himself, determination in doing his best, courage in relation to speed, and inspiration in inspiring people like me.
ISLA CAMERON
G EOR G E H ER IOT ’ S S CH OOL Rebecca Adlington inspires me because she works so hard to stay in Team GB. She is committed to what she does, she doesn’t give up, she just keeps on going. She has been racing since she was nine, and is a double Olympic champion. I think she achieved what she did because she never gave up, and I want to be like that.
MURRAY BROWN
G R A EME H IG H S CH OOL “Give it everything you’ve got. Leave nothing out there” Andy Murray One person who inspires me is Andy Murray, as the world number one tennis player. He has had to work incredibly hard and make many sacrifices to get to this position. He is determined and never gives up. He is a good role model because he has achieved this while coming from a normal background. On TV comes across as down-to-earth with strong family values, putting his wife and child first. He had to overcome a lot of pressure and public expectation to become the first Briton to win Wimbledon in 73 years.
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AISHA OLEIDE
G RACEMO U NT HIGH S C HOOL “No girls should feel afraid to make friends with other females” Rowan Blanchard Rowan Blanchard inspires me because she is only a couple of years older than me and shows how young people can be politically aware, have mental illness and be a feminist. She is also a supporter of LGBT. On a TV show, she demonstrates that it is okay to be unique, and not live up to everybody’s expectations. She expresses her opinions and doesn’t get scared when people challenge her. A recent article in the New York Times showed her as a young woman, not just a teen, which is how I want to be considered. She uses social media not to post cute pics but to spread awareness of issues in the world.
CIARA MULHALL
G RANG EMO UTH HI GH S C HOOL “We realise the importance of our voices only when we are silenced” Malala Malala is a student, humanitarian, blogger and BBC activist. She is fluent in English, Pashto and Urdu. After the assassination attempt in 2012, there was an international 24
outpouring of support and her continued work earned her a Nobel Prize. My favourite fictional character is Katy from Jacqueline Wilson’s book of the same name. she hates her step-mum, and after she is told that she can’t go to the park, she makes a rope swing, which unfortunately fails and she hits the ground hard. When in hospital, she receives the devastating news that she will never walk again, but she does not give up. After that, she forms a special bond with her step-mum and I admire her for teaching me never to give up.
ROSINA HALL G R OV E A CA D EMY
“At eight years old I was confused at being called bossy because I wanted to direct the plays we put on for parents, but the boys were not…. At 15 I decided I was a feminist” Emma Watson The person I find inspiring is Emma Watson. I first saw her in the Harry Potter film series where she played Hermione Granger. Hermione was also an inspiring character because she was brave, intelligent, loyal, trustworthy and reliable. Emma Watson has used her fame to promote gender equality. She was appointed the United Nations (UN) Goodwill Ambassador in July 2014. As part of this role she has promoted Education for girls in Bangladesh and Zambia. In 2015 Malala told Emma Watson that she inspired her to continue her own work supporting girls to go to school. This shows that she is empathetic because Emma went to a really good school and knows the importance of a good education for girls.
MHAIRI ROBERTSON G RO VE ACADEM Y
“We are in this together, because these girls are our girls, they are us. They each have spark of something extraordinary, just like our daughters and sons, and their fate is very much our responsibility” Michelle Obama I chose Michelle Obama for her stand on women’s rights and equality. I find her inspiring as she started out as a lawyer and worked up to being a very powerful woman. I would like to live up to her because she is honest, strong, powerful and hardworking. I picked Matilda as my favourite is fictional character because she had a lot of determination to go to school and learn. Even though her parents underestimated her, she still found a way to learn and taught me that you should never give up.
ALIYA MOSHA
G RYFFE H IGH S CHOOL “No matter who you are and where you come from, if you work hard at something, you can achieve it” Sir Mo Farah Sir Mo Farah moved to England at the age of eight, when he could not speak a word of English. 20 years later, he is one of the greatest ever long distance runners. He had to deal with all his difficulties without his brother. This moves me so much, as however much I fight with my little sister, I think it would crush me to have to leave her behind and live the next 12 years of my life not knowing where she is.
What I’m most proud of is coping with my move from Botswana. Before it happened, I thought I would really struggle with it, but I surprised myself and my family by handling it much better than I could have imagined.
ZUGWAI ADAMS H A R LAW A CA D EMY
“It’s only human to have low times, but that makes higher times more exciting.” Jessica Cox was born without any arms and had to live with her feet. Although there are many questions about whether she could lead a normal life, both Jessica and her dad had confidence. She danced for 14 years and was very good, and at the same time got her black belt for karate. But what inspired me was that she was the first person to get a pilot’s licence with no hands, only driving with her feet. Now she is an inspirational speaker. She is hard-working, confident and self-disciplined. She didn’t let her lack of hands prevent her from becoming what she wanted to be.
GARY LIVINGSTONE H A R LAW A CA D EMY
“I believe you should give 100% on the court, so I chase every ball” Andy Murray Sir Andy Murray inspires me because of his determination and pure hard work he puts in to be the best in his sport. All the odds were against him beating Novak Djokovic and becoming world number one but he overcame all this disbelief and negativity and achieved something no other Scottish player had achieved. Even though I don’t play tennis myself, I want to have the same determination when I’m older, so maybe I could represent my country at my chosen sport, which is football. O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 25
MARLANA STORRIER H ARRIS ACADEM Y
“You have to love it and let go of fear” Gracie Gold The person who inspires me is Gracie Gold, an American skater. She is a world junior silver medallist and Olympian. She inspires me because even when she has a bad skate, she still keeps going and comes back better. One day I would love to meet her. I’m proud of having qualified for the British Championships and the Great Britain Skating Development Squad as all my hard work finally paid off.
ANDREEA PETRISOR H AWICK H IGH S CHOOL
“You only get one chance in life, and you have to grab it boldly” Bear Grylls
DEMILEIGH SCOTT
H AWICK H IG H S CH OOL “I’m scared of failure all the time but I’m not scared enough to stop trying” Rowdy-Ronda Rousey At age 17 Ronda Rousey qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens becoming the youngest Judo competitor in the entire games. Rousey has gone on to achieve many awards in her life. Rousey was poor for a good amount of her time in her early career, but she kept pushing and is an amazing inspiration to not only me but a lot of other girls. Rousey became who she is today by persevering, by never giving up, by telling people the truth and showing people who she really is. I want to be a kind caring person who puts others before myself. I want to help and inspire people.
ALEXANDRA BOYD
H A ZELH EA D A CA D EMY
Bear Grylls is widely known for his television series Man vs Wild, and in 2009 became the youngest ever Chief Scout, who is also an adventurer, author motivational speaker. After leaving school, he briefly thought about joining the Indian army, and hiked in the Himalayas, also reaching the summit of Mount Everest. He inspires me as an adventurer who isn’t scared of anything. He takes risks and never gives up, which leads him to success.
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“Don’t get bogged down by the notion of limits – there aren’t any” Suni Williams Suni Williams is an American astronaut who holds the record for spacewalks – over 50 hours! She has spent a total of 377 days in space. She is my inspiration because she has taught me never to give up, to get out there and do new things. She wasn’t a triple-A student and failed two college courses, but she learned from failure. What inspires me most is her determination and passion to do what she thinks is best for her and everyone else around her. Her faith in the world will surely make it a better place.
CARA HARVEY
H AZLEH EAD PRI M ARY S CHOOL “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass it’s about learning to dance in the rain” I admire Darcy Bussell because I think she is a really good dancer. Darcy started dancing at a young age and she worked as hard as she could and for that she achieved lots. Sometimes I don’t always try my best because I get distracted or can’t concentrate. I am very committed to dancing because I have seven dance classes a week and I also do lots of shows. In a few years I want to dance at the Royal Academy. I want to do this by training hard and being 100% committed.
Roberto Clemente was the son of a sugarcane worker in Puerto Rico. His potential as a baseball player was spotted during high school, and he was approached by many clubs, but stuck to the first one in order to keep his promise. He finished up playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates was regarded as the best all-round player. Roberto was admired for his humanitarian work, and when he heard about earthquake in Nicaragua, he had to help. Sadly, though, the plane on which he was travelling crashed and he was killed.
ADAM HALLIDAY
H AZLEH EAD PRI M ARY S CHOOL “If you think you’re perfect already, then you never will be” Cristiano Ronaldo is a very easy person to like and is one of the most inspiring men in the world to me. He is very much respected and I hope it stays that way for many years in the future. He inspires me because he’s not just one of the best footballers in the world but he’s an all-round very kind and helpful person. He also inspires me because he has great integrity and he is a positive role model for kids. When I am older I want to be an amazing professional footballer for a great club. I will do this by being very determined and hardworking.
REBECCA HORNE
H ILLH EAD H IGH S C HOOL “Any time you have the opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, you are wasting your time on the earth” Roberto Clemente
ABIGAIL NYARKO
H ILLH EA D H IG H S CH OOL “Don’t accept the roses and ignore the thorns” My Grandma From a very young age to this present day my Grandma always repeated these words. I only wished to understand. I do now, she’s telling me to notice the good in people but don’t lose yourself in their kind words and actions be aware of the danger that might creep beneath. These are words I live by. My favourite story is Beauty and the Beast, a 1991 American animated musical romantic fantasy film. This is such a heartfelt movie, very touching but beneath all the layers it can be summed up very simply: love one another
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FEEDBACK
“I realised a lot more about myself and my qualities when completing the self-reflection section of the poster. I also realised how important and special my fictional story is when my Mum helped me think of it.” Lisa Myachykova, Hillhead High School
and refrain from judging others who “seem” to appear different. #iWll continue to physically, verbally and emotionally help my friends, family and others around me
#iWill continue to look and analyse everything with a clear mind and accept everyone’s differences
LISA MYACHYKOVA H ILLH EA D H IG H S CH OOL
MICHELLE LUO
H ILLH EAD H IGH S C HOOL “If you aren’t going all of the way, why go at all?” Joe Namath This quote means that if you start something but don’t continue it, why start at all? If you are not going to keep to your promises, don’t make them. This quote helps me think before I agree to anything and ensures I never give up. Learning Chinese: An achievement that inspires me most in life that I’m most proud of is when I remained determined and didn’t give up on Chinese. At the start, I despised it and didn’t give up on my thoughts and ideas about Chinese when people tried to reason with me. I found it really difficult. Over time as I embraced my Chinese heritage, I began to accept the Chinese language and now even though I grew up in Scotland, I can now speak, write, read and understand Chinese. I even won awards for my Chinese, which never ceases to surprise me that I have improved so much. 28
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation or reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you” Princess Diana One person who inspires me is Diana, Princess of Wales. Not only did she have many responsibilities and royal duties being a Princess, she was also highly celebrated for her charity work. This is one of the main reasons I am inspired by her and see her as a role model. I think the way she was involved with so many charities and always helping those who no one else wanted to help, shows how compassionate she was and her genuine interest in others difficulties shows how humble she was. It was said she had the ability to make anyone feel special and spent countless hours listening to the stories and problems of everyone she tried to help, which is what I aspire to be.
LUKAS ZLABICKAS
STEA PHILIP
I want to be a kind and loyal person with lots of courage. I want to make improvements to the mistakes I make. I want to be a scientist with a hard-working and ambitious ability and treat others the way I want to be treated. I have to get good grades and have lost of ambition to be a scientist and I need to be focussed and committed. I need to give charity to the poor and tell people to stop being mean to others to stop the unfairness. My vision for a better world is to stop world poverty. I want to find a cure for cancer and stop global warming. Stop people wasting food. We also need to end racism, homophobia etc. We need poor people to have better and happy lives.
“None are so deaf as those who will not listen”
H O LY FAMILY RC PRIM ARY SCH O O L
NEAH THEKKEKKARA
H O LY FAMILY RC PRIM ARY S CHOOL Mother Teresa shows love and mercy to everyone. She doesn’t judge anyone. Her acts of love inspire me and she will inspire many people to come. I want to be a caring person who doesn’t judge anyone. I want to be like Mother Teresa who cares for everybody without judging anyone by their skin colour, disabilities etc. I hope I can do this by being kind to everyone, even people I don’t like. Maybe I’ll be a surgeon, doctor or nurse. I need to work hard, studying and making effort in everything I do. My vision for a better world is to end world poverty. I hate seeing people on the news and on my social media who have been suffering poverty. I need to stop poverty.
H OLY FA MILY R C PR IMA RY S CH OO L
Evelyn Glennie is a deaf percussionist. She is deaf so she can’t hear everything that she is playing but she can feel the vibrations through her legs. I admire that she was not embarrassed about being deaf. Evelyn goes barefoot to perform because she can feel the music better. I want to be like her by believing in myself and not thinking about what others think of me. I would do what I love as long as I enjoy it.
NATALIA BACZYNSKI
H Y N D LA N D S CH OOL
“I never think of myself as an icon. What is in other people’s minds is not in mine. I just do my thing” Audrey Hepburn I chose Audrey Hepburn for what she is to me, not for who she was. To me she was a face that popped up whenever I felt anxious or troubled. In most of her films she is a mess at the start but gets herself together by the end. That always inspires me to get through the day. She was one of the first people to show me confidence and that it’s okay to cry and scream. She had such a natural and effortless beauty that it made me realise that you don’t need to change yourself to look beautiful, and that it was more how you felt rather than how you looked. She went on many missions for UNICEF. Even when I felt bad, Audrey’s films were always there for me, which inspires me to be there for people, even at their worst.
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My favourite book would have to be Catcher in the Rye. The main character Holden is quite complicated. He wants to be grown-up but he does not want to suffer the loss of innocence and authenticity in the adult world. Holden represents the lost teenager that every teen has inside them. The need to grow up not only physically but mentally is stressful and put a lot of pressure on every teen.
KATHRYN MACPHERSON I SLAY H IG H S CHOOL
I admire the Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty for his determination, which I also needed to catch up on my swimming when I was ill in 2015. I now swim for the Islay and Jura Dolphins and have won a few medals. I am most proud of my personal bests, as I took 30 seconds of my breast stroke time in the space of a week. I will put in extra effort to reach my goal.
AMY WANT
I SLAY H IG H S CHOOL “I tell the story, not because it is unique, but because it is the story as many girls” Malala Malala is brave, determined and inspiring. Although she was shot by the Taliban, she did not give up. She completed her education in England, and continued campaigning. This makes her a truly inspirational person to me and many others.
LAUREN YOUNG I SLAY H IG H S CHOOL
“When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life you have a thousand reasons to smile.”
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I like this quote because it tells you that are always 10 times more reasons to be happy. I am inspired by Scarlett Moffatt – by her outlook on life and her qualities. She knows what she wants to do in life, and has achieved a great deal already. She went into the jungle and never had a bad word to say about anybody. She speaks her mind and always has positive attitude - she is a selfless and confident individual. She always has a smile on her face, and teaches me to take as many opportunities as I can. Even if I make mistakes, there is always reason to be happy. Winning a gold award in the Scottish Mathematical Challenge showed me that if you are hard working and determined you can achieve whatever you put your mind to.
TAYLOR MUNRO K EMN AY A CA D EMY
Emmeline Pankhurst inspires me to stand up for what I believe in. I’m inspired by the way she never backed down and how what she achieved shaped the lives of everyone in Britain then and now. Emmeline wasn’t afraid to speak the truth. It was a scary truth but she wasn’t scared. She had a goal for equality gaining a lot of hate but she took it all in her stride and achieved the (what was back then) unachievable. Votes for women. For most of my life I’ve been afraid of heights. But this past October I went zip-lining. It might have been a small achievement for others, but not me - it proved that it is possible to face fears, and kick them far away. I don’t want to be fearless, because I won’t be challenged. Anyway, being fearless is impossible, but facing fears isn’t.
SOPHIE WILSON K EMN AY P RIMARY SCH O O L
I want to be a person who acts right in the right situations and knows their flaws. I want to happy and I want to make sure that I see the positive. I want to achieve making a positive impact. I’d also like to get a god job and have enough money to start my own family. My vision for a better world is a place where there is peace. For people that are drag queens, cross dressers, gays, and transgender I would make life easier for them. I would make it so no one was abused and everyone had a fair chance at having a good life.
SARAH BATEMAN K ILSYTH ACADE M Y
“Why do you put your self-esteem in the hands of complete strangers?” Helena Bonham Carter is a brilliant actress who starred in Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and of course Harry Potter, but this is not the reason why I am inspired by her. It is rather her courage. Helena is different, weird, but does not care what people think. She proves that no matter who you are or what people think of you, you can live the life you want.
My proudest moment is beginning to write my novel because it’s the moment I found out that I’m no longer a dreamer, but a doer. I don’t dream of becoming an author, I go out and do it. My favourite fictional character is the main character from my own book, The Spark that Lit the Flame. Her name is Lavender, but people call her Nightshade, because she comes from a race which is half animal she is part wolf. She is confident, fun and full of adventure. I want to become a charity author, the next Suzanne Collins, famous both for my books and charity work.
JOSH CHAMBERS K ILS Y T H A CA D EMY
“You will have the option to adopt and embrace change, or reject it. Either way, change is going to happen” Harry Moseley I love the great message of this quote – you just have to accept change, deal with it and move on. Harry Moseley was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of six. Harry didn’t know what to do, but saw a friend also with a brain tumour become very ill. Harry wanted to help others, and in the space of two years attended 100 events to raise awareness about brain cancer. He made a lot of money through selling beaded bracelets online and donated £500,000 to three charities, Help Cope that supports families with children with brain cancer, Help Care that funds professional support, and Help Cure, that funds research to cure brain cancer. Unfortunately, Harry’s brain tumour could not be operated on, so he
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FEEDBACK
“I learned more about myself from taking part in this. I really thought about my life goals and that I want to make a difference.” Sophie Wilson, Kemnay Primary School
passed away in 2011 aged only 11. He is a real inspiration to me as he used his pain to help others. He also showed me that heroes come in different shapes, sizes and ages.
ELLIE STEWART
K ILW INNIN G ACADE M Y “We may encounter defeats, but we must not be defeated” Maya Angelou After her work as a civil rights activist with Dr Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou became a writer and poet who wrote seven books highlighting topics such as racism, identity, family and travel. My own vision for a better world is equal rights for black people, people with disabilities, refugees and those in the LGBT group.
AILSA BENNET
K INRO SS H IGH S C HOOL “Here I stand, one girl among many. I speak not from myself, but so that those without a voice can be heard” Malala Yousafzai Malala is an activist best known for her work on children’s rights and education. She started writing her blog at the age of nine in 2011 and a documentary was made about her in 2012. She inspires me because she is always
fighting for good of her family, village, gender and the world. She shows me that no matter what evil throws at you, you should always fight for what you believe in. Her lone voice in a sea of fear shows what anyone can do if they put their mind to it. It makes me proud to be a girl. I’m glad she spoke out against the Taliban, as it shows that kindness is always better. The most inspiring moment in my life would be when I was running in a hill race in hail and snow. I fell at the first bog, but refused to stop and continued on drenched, finishing the first girl. I guess this would be true to the saying, “never give up at the first hurdle.” I feel that my vision for a better world is almost impossible for human nature to achieve. I want peace, kindness, equality, acceptance, diversity and hope. The only thing I can rely on is the hope of a better world. I wish the world could be like my vision, but not everything is possible and not everyone is in the right frame of mind. I myself will try to do at least one act of kindness a day to spread hope in the world.
RONA JOHNSTON
K IR K CU D B R IG H T A CA D EMY “All men are created equal. No matter how hard they try, they can never erase those words. That is what America is about.” Harvey Milk A person who inspires me is Harvey Milk. He was the first openly gay man to be elected into office in California. I think he is a brilliant man to look up to because of how far he went and how much he achieved in his life, especially considering how homophobic society was in the late
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70’s. I love that he never lost hope or gave up on himself, despite all the hate he received. He is someone I aspire to be like because he was strong and determined; he didn’t let other people put him down. I think these qualities that he possessed were the reason he went so far in politics. #iWill help someone in need if I am made aware of it
HAZEL SURTEES
K IRK CU DB RIGHT AC ADEM Y “Once upon a time, I was very shy and you wouldn’t even see me in a room. Then, when I was 16, I made the conscious decision to not be afraid of anything…….. and my life pretty much changed forever” Maggie Stiefvater My favourite fictional characters are from the Daughter of Smoke and Bones (Series) by Laini Taylor. The character are complex and have been through some horrible things, and yet they still manage to keep an optimistic attitude, and by the end of the series, are well on the way to achieving their goals, to changing the very world itself to make it a place people can live in. #iWill walk to and from school, minimise my energy use, look into university courses and careers in biotech, research politics
EVE KEMP
K N IG H T S WOOD S ECON D A RY S CH OO L “Let’s all go out and do something nice today someone you have nothing in common with.” Ellen Degeneres is an inspirational talkshow host. When she came out as a lesbian, fictional character of the same name did so as well. The Ellen Show is awesome, and always makes me smile. It has been going for 14 seasons. She is always helping deserving people in America with money problems, and helps the audience as well. Watching Ellen in the morning before going to school always puts me in a positive mood. She has a kind personality and is a generally wonderful woman.
TAMARA DERRICK
K N IG H T S WOOD S ECON D A RY S CH OO L “There are so many reasons to be happy” My niece Sophie is the person who inspires me because she is really smart, funny and she learns really fast. She is super cute and knows how to say a lot of words. I want to be a cheerful and successful person and everyone’s friend. I want to have a successful career to make money and look after my family. My vision for a better world is no one is ever sad, they are happy.
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FEEDBACK
“This project helped me learn more about my own qualities because I had to analyse and order them.” Rona Johnston, Kirkcudbright Academy
Winners P5
1st Place Lukas Zlabickas Holy Family RC Primary School
P7
2nd Place Ruby Wylie Newport Primary School
3rd Place Rosie Dairon Dunbeg Primary School 3rd Place Molly Pettigrew Ruthvenfield Primary School
3 Place Kayley McLeod Abbey Primary School
S2
3rd Place Linda Evans Perth High School
S3
1st Place Kathryn Matthews Waid Academy
rd
P6
S1
1st Place Sarah Bateman Kilsyth Academy
2nd Place Jessica Thorburn Perth High School
1st Place Madelaine Archibald Cargenbridge Primary School
2nd Place Jonah Greig Ross High School
3rd Place Roksana Stepniewska Braes High School
2nd Place Stea Philip Holy Family RC Primary School
3rd Place Teni Okpaje Broughton High School
3 Place Ben Brack Dunbeg Primary School
S4
rd
P7
S2
1st Place Niamh Pudney Dysart Primary School 2nd Place Samantha Graham Balmalloch Primary School
1st Place Abigail Nyarko Hillhead High School
1st Place Kirsty Duncan Portlethen Academy
2nd Place Rachael Murray Woodmill High School
2nd Place Aaron Wilson Turriff Academy
3rd Place Hazel Surtees Kirkcudbright Academy
3rd Place Kirsten Henderson Elgin High School
Gaelic
Luke MacLeod The Nicolson Institute
Highly Commended Neah Thekkekkara Holy Family RC Primary School Cara Harvey Hazlehead Primary School Jamie Cramb St. Mary’s Episcopal Primary Schoo Jessica Riach Banff Academy Hollie Craig Brechin High School Kerry Smiley Castlehead High School Mhairi Robertson Grove Academy Lauren Young Islay High School Tamara Derrick Knightswood Secondary School Maia Helm Queen Anne High School Katie Monk St George’s School for Girls Abigail Bates The Albyn School
Kelly Grant The Albyn School Tatiana Kacmarska Alva Academy Abby Jones Auchmuty High School Alivia Salsabila Bucksburn Academy Molly Dalrymple Douglas Ewart High School Aliya Mosha Gryffe High School Ailsa Bennet Kinross High School Ben Winter Langholm Academy Eilidh Cheyne Leith Academy Isla Young Mearns Academy Gus Molyneux Peebles High School Hannah Little Peebles High School
We ask schools to send in 5 Global Citizens Posters and / or 3 WW1 posters so that we can showcase, celebrate and share the thoughts, hopes and dreams of these very inspiring young people. This is an important element of our work, however, the true achievement is the time and effort taken to completed the programme. This is why we like to extend the celebration element of the Inspiring Purpose Programme to ALL participants, not just the pupils featured in these pages. Pupils posters, certificates and a generic film clip can be found at: www.inspiringpurpose.org.uk/awards2017
Ella McElnea Perth High School Matthew McHugh St John’s RC High School Lauren Berry St Margarets Academy Nicola Bakova St Margarets Academy Charlotte Comber The Gordon Schools Martha Malcolm The Nicholson Institute Jessica Campbell Clydeview Academy Jesicca Thompson Waid Academy Daisy Sunshine Penn - Ripley Waid Academy Michelle Luo Hillhead High School Lisa Myachykova Hillhead High School
The ‘in school’ Awards •
• •
Each school receives a personalised film clip from Glasgow Warriors, Scotland International and British Lions Rugby Star, Stuart Hogg to play either in class or as part of their whole school’s end of year award ceremony All Finalists (published in this magazine) receive a certificate and a medal (WW1) or Pin Badge (Global Citizens) A certificate is available for ALL young people who have taken part in the programme
Our 2017 Inspirational Ambassador – Stuart Hogg - Glasgow Warriors, Scotland International and British Lions Rugby Star Stuart Hogg (D.O.B - 24th June 1992) 53 Scotland caps Position: Fullback
Achievement Awards 2017 Primary Finalists Abbie Donaldson Abbey Primary School Archie Peill Acharacle Primary School Maddox Palmer Braehead Primary School Rhona Futter Dunard Primary School Struan Gatherer Murthly Primary School Charlotte Cornelius St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School Anasthasia Saleh Braehead Primary School Adam Halliday Hazlehead Primary School Emily Winn Mount Vernon Primary Iona MacDonald Murthly Primary School Mirrin McCulloch Simpson Primary Schol Maria McMullen St Fillans Primary School Molly Holmes St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School
Lily MacDonald St Mary’s RC Primary School Iona Durbin Acharacle Primary School Maysan Said Arkleston Primary School Elin Dargie Avoch Primary School Blaike Kyles Ballumbie Primary School Connor Cauley Fintry Primary School Zoe Robertson Mill of Mains Primary School Emilie Stewart Caol Primary School Aidan Mason Cargenbridge Primary School Mya Brown Fair Isle Primary School Sophie Wilson Kemnay Primary School Maddy Nairn Lockerbie Primary School Laurita Lyons Mount Vernon Primary
Megan Kearney Mount Vernon Primary Jacy Evans Murthly Primary School Ianthe Slavin Rosneath Primary School Nicole Roger Ruthvenfield Primary School Joni A Smith Shawlands Primary School Katy Donnelly Shawlands Primary School Emma McBride St Clares Primary School Natasha Piacentini St Columbkille’s Primary School Caitlin McMullen St Columbkille’s Primary School Maura Rathmell Strathallan Primary School Kirsty Anderson Westpark School Jayden Low Westpark School
Eimear Baxter Dunoon Grammar School Rebekka Forster Elgin High School Maisie Baptist Gairloch High School Liam Forbes Gairloch High School Aisha Olaide Gracemount High School Murray Brown Graeme High School Gary Livingstone Harlaw Academy Zugwai Adams Harlaw Academy Marlana Storrier Harris Academy Andreea Petrisor Hawick High School Alexandra Boyd Hazlehead Academy Rebecca Horne Hillhead High School Natalia Baczynski Hyndland Secondary School Amy Want Islay High School Taylor Munro Kemnay Academy Lewis Gillespie Larbert High School Matthew Gibson Liberton High School Matthew Johnstone Lockerbie Academy Caitlin Clarkson Lornshill Academy Jennifer Dangana MearnsAcademy Imogen Solomon Musselburgh Grammar School Cara Slaughter Plockton High School Jorja Kemp Portlethen Academy Emma Rose Portlethen Academy
Louise Innes Portree High School Ella McKendrick St Aidan’s High School Amith Benny St Andrew’s RC High School Igor Keblowski St Kentigern’s Academy Cara McTaggart Tarbert Academy Luke Macleod The Nicholson Institute Kirsty Harrison Turriff Academy Hope Clark Vale Of Leven Academy Catrina Fraser Webster’s High School Kelle Wilson Wester Hailes Education Centre Huda Jwijati Whitehill Secondary School Katy May Bonnar Clydeview Academy Regan Caie Craigie High School Samantha Hay Deans Community High School Demileigh Scott Hawick High School Gemma Coan St Maurice’s High School Rona Johnston Kirkcudbright Academy
Secondary Finalists Eilidh Howells Alness Academy Imogen Robertson Baldragon Academy Hannah Finlayson Balwearie High School Naomi Barrie Bishopbriggs Academy Caitlin Downey Blairgowrie High School Sophie Hilditch Blairgowrie High School Annaleece Simrick Broughton High School Amy Harrison Fortrose Academy Jenny Phinn Fortrose Academy Isla Cameron George Heriot’s School Ciara Mulhall Grangemouth High School Rosina Hall Grove Academy Josh Chambers Kilsyth Academy Ellie Stewart Kilwinning Academy Eve Kemp Knightswood Secondary School Jessica Drury Perth Grammar School Anya Gray St George’s School for Girls Julie Serdycka St Mungos Academy Alice Fordyce Strathallan School Kathryn MacPherson Islay High School James McNeil Bannerman High School Enara Abad Bucksburn Academy Maria McTaggart Doon Academy Abbie Ribbens Douglas Ewart High School
International & Northern Ireland Finalists Amanya Sharma Akshar School - India Prisha Sinha Akshar School - India Niamat Sadiq CARE Foundation - Pakistan Yolanda Thusi Ikusasalethu High School - South Africa Nontobeko Mayise Ikusasalethu High School - South Africa
Kimberly Baguma Rainbow International School - Uganda Pezo Chisala Lusaka International Community School - Zambia Holly Cleary St. Coms High School Niamh Shannon St. Dominic’s Grammar School
WW 1 Finalists Lauren Jardine Lockerbie Primary School Emma Mitchell Sciennes Primary School Rachel Hogg Lockerbie Academy Eila Tether Gracemount High School Ryan Jago Bannerman High School Erin Downie Turnbull RC High School Charlotte Schmautz Balfron High School Ellie Sung The Glasgow Academy Jessica Thorburn Perth High School Heather Campbell Balfron High School Hannah Bell The Glasgow Academy Leah McTighe Gracemount High School
A message from Stuart Hogg: “I had the opportunity to read some of your work and I was really inspired and impressed by your words and the time you had taken to go through this process of self-reflection. I know personally how important it is to know your own strengths and the things that you need to work on, and the sense of achievement that you feel when you work hard and achieved your goals. You have set your goals and I wish you all the best in achieving them. Congratulation and keep on working hard.”
BEN WINTER
L ANG H O LM A C ADEM Y Michael Jordan is regarded as one of the greatest ever basketball players. He was part of the US Olympic Team that won the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. After he retired, he gave $1 million each to the Community Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defence Fund - both organisations are devoted to building trust between blacks and the police. He is involved in many charities. I find Michael inspirational as he is resilient, hard-working, charitable and determined. When he was dropped or rejected, he still fought with all his power to improve. Most people would have given up after their first failure, but Michael kept going, which makes him inspirational.
years of practice he was getting the hang of it, but then had to work out how to serve. He had to flick the ball up with his toes. This man who has lost both arms inspires world champions, and is considered a legend in the sport. He was part of the Egyptian team in the recent Paralympics. The main reason I picked Ibraham is that he was the first to take on the challenge of playing with no arms. He is now teaching two armless boys aged 10 and 12 and is making their lives, just as his coach made his. This is what truly inspires me. I’m going to apply the same determination and persistence in my own table tennis career.
EILIDH CHEYNE LEIT H A CA D EMY
“People don’t care what you know until they know you care.”
LEWIS GILLESPIE
L ARB ERT H IGH S CHOOL “The best thing in my life is my wife. The second is table tennis, where I find my biggest success being able to enjoy every point.” My inspirational character is Ibraham Hamadtou, who lost both of his arms in a major train accident. In spite of this, he still wanted to pursue his dream of becoming a table tennis champion. It was a challenging journey, and he first thought that he might play using the bat between his chest and the little of his arm that was left. That didn’t work, so he tried with the bat in his mouth. After 36
My inspirational figure is Noel Fitzpatrick, the supervet, because I too want to be a veterinary surgeon. When he was a child in Ireland, he couldn’t read very well and his only friends were animals. He now owns two clinics, and appears on TV. He literally sleeps in his practice and works late into the night. A border terrier called Keira is his only family. Noel is famous for his bionic implants and life saving surgery. One of his best treatments was for Oscar, a cat who had his paws severed in an accident with a combine harvester. He developed two bionic paws for Oscar, and saved his life. I hope you’ve learnt enough about Noel to appreciate him as well. My vision for a better world is based on the fact that there are no real differences between us as humans. We should help fellow human suffering and in pain, and show that we care.
MATTHEW GIBSON
L IB ERTO N H IGH S C HOOL “It’s fine to celebrate success, but it’s more important to heed the lessons of failure” Bill Gates Bill Gates runs one of the most successful companies in the world, and gives a great deal of money to charity. He has donated $44.3 billion to his charity and is the richest man in the world. Throughout his life, Bill Gates has shown qualities that I think everyone can learn from, which is why he inspires me. My favourite fictional character is Tyrion Lannister. He was born a dwarf and suffered a lot of discrimination, but became very smart. The attributes I admire in him are courage, intelligence, humour, motivation, devotion, dedication, determination, loyalty, kindness and leadership. The most important lesson I learned from him is not to let your imperfections hold you back.
MATTHEW JOHNSTONE L O CK ERB IE ACADEMY
“It’s kinda fun to do the impossible” Walt Disney Walt Disney has always inspired me with his films. He was very creative, which is what I hope to be and, like him, an influence on the younger generation.
because it has shown me that anyone can change the world. It’s about a boy who is very good with computers but is badly bullied. He is beaten up but starts a team that builds a website that brings them fame and fortune, and they overcome a lot of obstacles.
MADDIE NAIRN
LOCK ER B IE PR IMA RY S CH OOL The person who inspires me is William FoxPit he is an eventer who competes in 4 star events. He inspires me because he never gives up and he is very determined and this is the sort of thing that really inspires me. William had a bad fall in October 2015 and was put in an induced coma but still made it to the Olympics. It inspires me that he can go from being in a coma and ten months after going to the Olympics, it is just amazing. I want to inspire more people and encourage them to do sport.
CAITLIN CLARKSON LOR N H ILL A CA D EMY
“FEAR has two meanings: forget everything and run, or face everything and rise. The choice is yours.” Saffron Barker is a social media influence on YouTube and was part of the band born2blush. Saffron is kind, creative, determined, responsible, reliable, hardworking, successful, confident, cheerful, caring, sympathetic, loving, honest, generous, committed and beautiful. This is why she is my inspiration.
Generation Next has also inspired me O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 37
JENNIFER DANGANA MEARNS ACADEM Y
“All I am trying to do is to survive and make good out of the dirty, nasty, unbelievable lifestyle they gave me” Tupac Shakur
and natural history. He also inspires me to follow my dream wherever it takes me and to keep walking and exploring new things every day - becoming a wanderer in the universe. My favourite story is Winnie the Pooh. This story teaches you about life and friendship. Eeyore is always sad but tries his best. Winnie the Pooh isn’t smart, but he is there for his friends. Piglet is small and scared but is always trying to help. Tigger has no spatial awareness and is probably autistic, but tries and is happy. This is from my childhood. I want to push through my autistic barrier to get to Stirling University where I want to study ecology and take a PhD in marine biology. My vision for a better world is where we help each other in crisis. We need to realise the endless possibilities that are out there.
ZOE ROBERTSON
MILL OF MA IN S PR IMA RY S CH OOL Tupac Shakur is an inspiration to me. He used his talents to spread news to the black community to support, educate and help each other. His family were active members of the Black Panther Party, which patrolled black neighbourhoods in order to prevent police brutality. His songs are designed to encourage black women and young people.
ISLA YOUNG
MEARNS ACADEM Y “I only went out for a walk, but finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out I found was really going in” John Muir John Muir was an explorer, mountaineer, conservationist, geologist and botanist. He was born in Dunbar, and emigrated to America at the age of 10. He inspires me because he had a thirst for knowledge and embraced new things and new surroundings. His passion was to find out more about nature 38
The person who inspires me is Jessica Ennis Hill. Jessica has lots of qualities. The ones that show the most are persistence. She has to be persistent or she would not have made it that far. She has to be confident to carry on and not give up. She is one of the most hardworking athletes I can think of. One of my proudest moments is when I ran for Hawkhill Harriers and came 1st. I was so proud of myself.
EMILY WINN
MOU N T V ER N ON PR IMA RY S CH OOL “Be a pineapple! Stand tall, wear a crown, and be sweet on this inside!” Dame Jacqueline Wilson is an amazing, successful children’s writer who has wrote a countless number of books. Jacqueline Wilson inspires me because she is creative, caring and very successful. She has inspired me to try to
become an author. Whatever I end up doing I will try my hardest to do my best and to think of ways to make it better. When Jacqueline Wilson was nine, she wrote her first novel – wow!
MEGAN KEARNEY
MO U N T VERNON PRI M ARY S CHOOL I find Stephen Hawking so inspirational. He is a genius. Even though he is very disabled he is one of the smartest men on earth. Stephen has achieved so much and nothing has stopped him, not even his disabilities. He is my hero and one day I hope to be just as inspirational as him. I would love to be a teacher in the future. I want to help children all around the world that wouldn’t normally get an education.
LAURITA LYONS
runner. I find her inspiring because she never gives up and keeps going. I want to be able to run as fast has her. She has achieved success by training hard.
IONA MCDONALD
MU RT H LY PR IMA RY S CH OOL “Don’t want until you’ve reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take towards reaching that goal” I find Carl Hester inspiring because he never gives up on his horses or his life, just because he can’t do something. He keeps on trying. He also doesn’t give up with his horses that he has in training when they don’t do something right. He just keeps trying until they get there. My most inspiring moment was when I got a very high score in my dressage test and I was very proud of myself.
MO U N T VERNON PRI M ARY SCH O O L I would like to be the kind of person that people can rely on. I would like to inspire others to be a better person and I would like to be known for who I am. In my life I would like to achieve being a marine biologist because I love animals and sea creatures and learning about them.
STRUAN GATHERER
MU RT H LY P R IM ARY S CHOOL Laura Muir is caring because she helps animals. She is really hard-working in training and in her races. She is committed to training and to work hard. Laura is determined to win all the races. She always wanted to be a Vet as well and so is a Vet alongside being a great
JACY EVANS
MU RT H LY PR IMA RY S CH OOL I chose Mrs Laura Young as my inspirational person because she teaches me flute and never gives up on me no matter how big it is. I have been learning for almost three years O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 39
FEEDBACK
“I like that Ruby is learning about what kind of person she is who she want to be as everything flows from self-awareness. She had fun learning all about Nic Vujicic and telling us all about him and his story. Great exercise!!!.” (Parent’s comment) Ruby Wylie, Newport Primary School
now and I have loved every minute of it. I lobe each and every one of her characteristics by my favourite ones are the following: she is kind, loving, hardworking, and humble. Her character is amazing because it helps me to learn. I chose her character because I want to be just like her when I am older. I want to be a kind, loving and good-hearted person so that I can hopefully inspire and encourage others to do the same as me.
cry when they listen to him because he is so inspirational. He teaches people to be strong and find courage inside themselves.
IMOGEN SOLOMON
David Rudisha achieved success because he never gave up on anything. He is the current world record holder at 800 m and a double Olympic champion. He inspires me to be determined like him and makes me want to achieve more in life. My inspirational moment was being selected to run for the East of Scotland - this is my first step towards becoming a great athlete and representing Great Britain at the Olympic Games.
MU SSEL B U R GH ACADE M Y “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase” Martin Luther King I am inspired by Martin Luther King because he was determined and kind, and stood up for black rights in the 1950s. He took part in many protests and never gave up. He inspires me to persist in my own work. In my own life, I would like to make a difference to the people I have encountered. I would like to stand up for kindness and equality.
RUBY WYLIE
N EW P O RT P RIM ARY S CHOOL Nic Vujicic is a motivational speaker born with a rare disorder. He has no arms or legs. When he was young he was very sad about his situation. He even tried to kill himself at the age of 10. He thought he could never do anything with his life and that he would never have a wife. But then he turned his life around. He was thankful for what he had not what he couldn’t do. He maybe could not hold a girls hand but he could hold her heart. He helps people through tough times and people 40
HANNAH LITTLE
PEEB LES H IG H S CH OOL “Sometimes when you get disappointment, it makes you stronger.”
GUS MOLYNEUX PEEB LES H IG H S CH OOL
“Remember these six minutes for the rest of your life. Listen to the crowd and take it all in. This is the stuff of dreams” Sir Steve Redgrave
Sir Steve Redgrave was dyslexic and struggled at school. Fortunately, he had big hands and feet, so he was recruited by the boat club. He worked very hard and showed enormous determination, which has been responsible for his subsequent success. Throughout his career, he had to battle and overcome illness. The characteristics underlying his success are what I would like to live up to. Since his retirement, he has run in three marathons, and he has raised a staggering £1.8 million for charity.
JESSICA DRURY
P ERTH GRAM M AR S C HOOL My inspirational figure is the Japanese film maker Hayao Mizasaki. The characters and relationships he builds are ones that I can relate to and make you care about them very much. His stories give me inspiration for my own. He has inspired me to write and draw and through his characters has given me other messages about friendship and hardship.
LINDA EVANS
P ERTH H IGH S CHOOL “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently…………” Steve Jobs had great adaptability – he went through a lot with his company and his family – but he didn’t give up and ended up being one of the richest human beings on the earth. He also had emotional intelligence – he wanted his ‘mac’ to communicate with a human and be friendly – siri was evolved from this concept. He had brilliant vision – not everyone understood why he was so focused on the computer saying ‘hi’ – but his vision (siri) is extremely loved and has been used in other companies. Finally, his urgency – he made deadlines for bugs to be fixed in
time for conferences, releases – he pushed for these deadlines to be met and they usually were. I look up to him because he made a change to most of this world. He changed things, I want to change things.
JESSICA THORBURN PERT H H IG H S CH OOL
“I used to think that time was a thief but now I realise that you give before you take. Every hour, every second, every minute is a gift” Alice through the looking glass The Women’s Protection Unit is a group of about 7,000 women aged from 18 to 24 that have dedicated their lives to fighting to protect their people from facing a fate like the ones they have seen and endured. The girls wake up at 4am and train until 10pm. Most of the girls that volunteer have at some point been captured by Isis or have lost a family member to them. These girls have only seen darkness in the world yet they still have hope. My vision for a better world isn’t one without sadness, anger or fear because we need them to experience joy, peace and safety. It’s not a world in which there are no evils because we wouldn’t know good without bad. My vision for a better world is simply a world in which everyone takes the time to stop and help those in pain. A world in which people take notice of those in trouble and choose to help like the Samaritan did instead of ignoring them and thinking that someone else will help. O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 41
ELLA MCINEA
P ERTH H IGH S CHOOL My inspirational moment occurred when I was nine and volunteering in an animal rescue centre in Costa Rica. I saw these flea-ridden stray dogs that they had taken off the street. Nobody would touch them, but I insisted that they bought flea shampoo and the very next day I washed them all. It took ages because there were at least 10 of them! Not even my parents helped because of the fleas! I am proud of myself because I showed persistence and wanted to make a difference.
CARA SLAUGHTER
P LO CK T O N HIGH S C HOOL “One sometimes finds what one is not looking for” Alexander Fleming Sir Alexander Fleming is inspirational to me as he discovered penicillin, which saved millions of lives and him a Nobel Prize. He was determined to make an important discovery and wouldn’t give up – I would like to be like that as well. He wasn’t actually looking for penicillin, he just found it - which is why I used the quote above.
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KIRSTY DUNCAN
PORT LET H EN A CA D EMY “There’s no limit to how much you can know, depending on how far beyond zebra you can go” Dr Seuss. I like this quote because it says I can do anything if I I am willing to work for it. Laura Bates is a feminist writer and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project. After graduating in English from Cambridge, she went on to pursue a career in acting, while working as a nanny on the side. She noticed that the girls she was caring for were already obsessed with body image, and she also experienced sexism at auditions. In 2012, she set up the Everyday Sexism Project to catalogue the experiences of women on a daily basis. The site has now expanded to 25 countries, and has resulted in two books. The project has had major results, including retraining police officers about how to deal with sexual assaults on public transport, and the removal of plastic surgery games from the App Store. She has spoken at the House of Commons on sexual harassment and has given a popular TED talk. I am inspired by Laura because she has made a difference in the struggle for gender equality. She is driven by her feminist passion, even though she has received rape and death threats for her stand. On my 13th birthday, I went to see Legally Blonde at the theatre, and noticed that one of the girls was wearing a T-shirt with Feminist on it. I didn’t know what that meant, so I researched it when I got home and I realised that I was a feminist. Since then, I have been reading articles and blogs about many amazing women in the world, and recently signed a petition to get girls into education this was sent to every world leader. I’m proud that I have done something that has made a difference, all because of a T-shirt.
JORJA KEMP
P O RTH L ETH EN ACADE M Y “If I don’t do it, nobody else is going to” Marc Ching Marc Ching is a Japanese herbalist from Hawaii, who has saved hundreds of dogs from Asian slaughterhouses. Some Asians believe that tortured dog meat tastes best, so Marc tries to capture the scenes on video as a campaign measure. He was inspired in 2011 when he found a dog in agony from a wound in its head. Marc treated the dog, and it became his pet. As a result of this, abused dogs began to go to him for help. His goal is to spread compassion and goodwill. He takes the dogs he saves to his Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation, where he treats them and re-homes them. He also created a business called the Petstaurant, where he sells nutritious dog food. I hope one day to make the kind of difference that he has. My inspirational moment is when I helped a dog find its owner. It started when I saw the dog in our back garden. I immediately told my mum and we ran outside to find the dog. Luckily, the neighbour had got hold of it and it had a telephone number on its collar. We called the number and the owner came to fetch the dog. It was a good day for the dog and me. My vision for a better world is when we inhale hope and exhale fear.
EMMA ROSE
P O RTLET H EN AC ADEM Y “It is always impossible until it is done” Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela is my inspirational figure because he used his wisdom in words to give freedom to many people. During the 27 years of his imprisonment, he never gave up on his beliefs and vision of bringing people together to live in peace. My inspiring moment is helping out by teaching the little ones in my dance class and being part of a team. In a team, you need to think about others and give back to the coaches who have helped you.
LOUISE INNES
PORT R EE H IG H S CH OOL “When the world says ‘give up’, hope whispers ‘try again’.” I chose Emma Watson as my inspirational figure because she has worked so hard to break gender stereotypes that are often quite harmful to people of both genders. I’m inspired by her because she is always confident and determined, and gets involved in issues that matter to her. She tried to push her title role of Belle in the new version of Beauty and the Beast to be more like the kind of woman she would like to embody as a role model. In addition, she has encouraged people to read by setting up an online book club called Our Shared Shelf. My favourite fictional character at the moment is Charley Hunter from Chris Bradford’s Bodyguard Series. I admire her because on an assignment she lost the power of her legs and needs to use a wheelchair. Although she has this disability and people have to do simple things for her, she remains optimistic and realises that the only person who can put barriers up is herself. She manages to match and sometimes surpass the abilities of her non-disabled friends. She has taught me to be positive and never give up even when people expect you to.
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MAIA HELM
Q U EEN ANNE HI GH S C HOOL “One child, one pen, one teacher and one book can change the world” Malala Malala is inspiring because she always stands up for what is right. She feels so strongly about women’s rights, that she put herself in danger and was shot by the Taliban. Her determination has been recognised by people all around the world. Malala is fearless and believes that what frightens the terrorists most is a girl with a book. Malala has inspired charities and organisations to take action and make education an essential part of every girl’s life. My inspirational moment was when I did a run in support of CHAS, which provides services and support to children with life-shortening illnesses. Their hospice services are free of charge, and are available to any young child and their family. It felt good that we were helping sick children and their families, and I would like to do more charity runs of this kind.
IANTHE SLAVIN
R OS N EAT H PR IMA RY S CH OOL “Fairy tales are more than true: Not because they tell us that dragons exist but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten” The person that inspire me the most is Neil Gaiman. He is the author of many books such as ‘Norse Mythology’, ‘The Graveyard Book’, ‘Coraline’ and many more. He encourages everybody to read and be creative and openminded to ideas and learning new things. I want to be a kind person who cares about other people and inspires people to try their best and try to achieve their dreams.
JONAH GREIG
R OS S H IG H S CH OOL “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better” JK Rowling I love this quote because it says that we as humans can do anything. It really underlines making the world a better place ourselves, without finding an excuse not to. JK Rowling is my inspirational figure because she battled through depression, being a single mum, makes her political opinions known, and is still writing amazing books. I think she is successful because she never gave up. She has said in interviews that she got her inspiration from real-life experiences – for example she based the Dementors (a creature that sucks the happiness out of you) on her depression and emotions when her mum died. She is a literary genius, and her creations inspire me to this day. She is inspirational in coming from poverty and going to a poor school and managing to become an international figure and billionaire. She has made the world a better place by writing amazing stories, and added a little bit of magic to everybody’s lives.
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My vision for a better world is one that does not judge people or discriminate against them in any way. Although I’m nonreligious, I would encourage religion in order to give people hope. I would want a world without smartphones (I’m being a bit hypocritical here) because I think they alienate us from each other and they cause a lot of trouble. I’m okay with mobile phones, but I think that smartphones have ruined a generation.
NICOLE ROGER
RU T H VEN F IELD PRI M ARY S CHOOL “Let your smile change the world, don’t let the world change your smile” I am inspired by Maddie Ziegler because she is a very talented dancer. At the age of eight years old everything changed. She became famous in a TV series called Dance Moms. She became very committed to her dancing and became home schooled. She has achieved many things at the age of fourteen. She was just a normal child who was very determined and committed to doing what she loves. I know feel motivated even further to keep working hard, reach my goals, be cheerful/ joyful and be persistent in all types of performing.
MOLLY PETTIGREW
RU T H VEN F IELD PRI M ARY S CHOOL “I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was unexplored” I find David Attenborough inspiring because he teaches the world about animals, plants and nature. He travels around the globe filming and finding animals. I think David Attenborough and I share some similarities.
Such as David loves animals and plants like me and we are both willing to help an animal in need. David also travels to wonderful places in the world, some of the places I have been. I think David has achieved success in his career because he is not boring and keeps things interesting and always delivers something new in his TV programmes. My aim is to be a trustworthy and independent individual. I want to be a helpful and adventurous friend. I want to make the world and its oceans cleaner and fresher. I would like to be like David Attenborough because he helps people to understand the natural world. #iWill help the world solve its pollution, poaching and illness problems.
KATY DONNELLY
S H AWLA N D S PR IMA RY S CH OOL “Positive findings are almost twice as likely to be published as negative findings. This is a cancer at the core of evidence based medicine” My inspirational figure is Ben Goldacre. Ben is a bestselling author, broadcaster, medical doctor and academic who specialises in unpicking the misuse of science and statistics. I am inspired by him because of his work which he introduces to you in his books. I tried to read his books and understand some of it for it is for adults, but also in his books he tells you if a drug is bad for you. I like his books because they are funny, interesting and very truthful.
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JONI SMITH
ELLA MCKENDRICK
SH AW L AN DS PRI M ARY SCH O O L
S T A ID A N ’ S H IG H S CH OOL
“It’s not the absence of fear. It’s overcoming it” The person that inspires me is Emma Watson. I have chosen Emma because she is kind and creative. I would also like to follow in her footsteps by achieving what I want. After I saw Emma in Harry Potter I wanted to find out more about her so I checked the internet and found out that using her fame as an actress she is promoting gender equality and woman’s rights. In 2014 she became a United Nations Good will Ambassador. Emma Watson started off like any other girl. Then working harder and harder she achieved what she wanted. I too am an ordinary girl and Emma Watson has shown me that I can achieve anything and that is why she inspires me.
MIRREN MCCULLOCH
SIMP SO N P R IM ARY S CHOOL “You only live once and you need to go out and achieve whatever you want to”
FEEDBACK
Ellie Simmonds is a professional swimmer for team GB’s Paralympic team. She is always trying her best when she swims and is very determined to win a medal in every competition. I noticed that she doesn’t grump or moan about it, she just thinks to herself “I’m going to get better and better and better”. She is extremely inspirational to a lot of young people including me. I want to be the kind of person who has a confident attitude towards helping people out.
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“Learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow.” “The important thing is never to stop questioning.” My favourite fictional character is Harry Potter. I’ve read all the books and seen all the films, and Harry is very influential. He was resilient and strong, and shows the importance of bravery and friendship. I admire Albert Einstein for his determination and self-belief. When he first proposed his special theory of relativity, nobody believed him, but he did not give in. He made the calculations and eventually managed to prove he was right. His theory is one of the two pillars of modern physics and he has revolutionised how we see the world.
AMITH BENNY
S T A N D R EWS H IG H S CH OOL “If I fail, I try again, and again and again. If YOU fail, are you going to try again? The human spirit can handle much worse than we realise. It matters HOW you are going to FINISH. Are you going to finish strong?” Nick Vujicic
“I learned of my true inner self and that I could do something for the world.” Emma McBride, St Clare’s Primary School
Nick Vujicic is inspirational to me because he was born limbless. Recently, he visited my home country, South Korea. He appeared on a popular TV show, and planted seeds of hope, love and truth among many young Koreans who had no real purpose or meaning in life. So many of us take things in our life for granted. This forgetfulness is real and insidious as we easily lose our perspective on what is really important in our lives. Learning about Nick has helped me better appreciate what I have rather than complain about what I lack. Comparing yourself with a better is such an epidemic in the world. Early in his life, Nick achieved the seemingly impossible. He has learned to be independent and take care of all his needs. He moves around the house by jumping around, and outside he has an electric wheelchair.
EMMA MCBRIDE
ST CL ARE’S PRI M ARY S CHOOL “Your gifts lie in the place where your values, passions and strengths meet. Discovering that place is the first step towards sculpturing your masterpiece, your life” There is one man who has inspired me my whole life. Michelangelo is a man that shows courage and determination. He is a supreme winner in his artwork and has done so many things like The David and The Pieta statues in the St Peter’s chapel. Michelangelo has just shown me what a man with a dream can do.
CAITLIN MCMULLEN
I would like to live up to JK Rowling because although JK was rejected twelve times and went through a divorce she still never gave up and believed that Harry Potter would be a success. I think JK’s success was from her imagination and her thoughts. She never gave up and fooled around and was determined to make a good story. I want to be kind and helpful person who never gives up and tries her best to succeed in life.
NATASHA PIACENTINI
S T COLU MB K ILLE’ S PR IMA RY S CH O O L “People always say that I gave up my seat because I was tired but that isn’t true. The only tired I was, was tired of giving in” Rosa Parks is known as the mother of the freedom movement, famous for her refusal on December 1st 1955 to obey bus driver James Blake’s demand that she had to give up her seat to a white man. Her great act began a movement that ended legal segregation in America and made her an inspiration to people everywhere. I feel that Rosa Parks is brave, loyal and never gives up. She makes a difference to my life because even though she was scared to not give up her seat, she took the risk for what she believed in. Also, I come from a mixed background and she taught me to fight for my rights and trust what I believe in no matter what other people say. If I was more confident and open minded I could accomplish so much in taking every opportunity I can to help keep people safe. I want to be caring and more involved so that my voice can be heard.
ST CO LU MB KILLES PRI M ARY S CHOOL “We do not need magic to transform our world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already”
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MARIA MCMULLEN
ST FIL L AN S PRIM ARY S CHOOL “Hope sleeps in our bones like a bear waiting for spring to rise and walk” Barak Obama inspires me because he is very open minded and does not think about what he thinks is right but what the citizens of America thinks is right. He also inspires me because he is kind and just like a normal guy. He was determined to make America a better place by trying to ban guns…but that didn’t work out. I want to be a kind healthy person who is determined to make the world a better place. I also want to be a good world citizen who helps the community to thrive.
ANYA GRAY
ST G EO RG E’ S S C HOOL “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, you don’t ask which seat, you just get on” Sheryl Sandberg For me, Sheryl Sandberg is one of the most inspiring people alive today. She is an author, activist and technology executive. She was always top of her class, but did not show off, which I admire. After Harvard, she worked at the World Bank on projects on AIDS, leprosy and blindness in India. Then she worked under Bill Clinton and at Google, and is currently chief operating officer at FaceBook, where she is the first female board member. She set out to change the fact that there are
hardly any women in high-profile jobs by founding the Lean In Foundation. This charity focuses on getting women to work together and help each other. She has also written three bestselling books. What I find amazing about her is her can-do attitude. Even through emotional hardship, she always sees the silver lining and comes out stronger in the end. She does not allow gender stereotypes to get in the way, and always does what is right.
KATIE MONK
S T G EOR G E’ S S CH OOL “The world is as delicate and complicated as a spider’s web. If you touch one thread you send shudders through all the other threads. We’re not just touching the web, we are tearing great holes in it” Gerald Durrell Gerald Durrell is by far the most inspiring person to me, as he loved studying animals and nature, and achieved his dream of setting up a zoo. He wrote 33 books in his lifetime in addition to making many TV documentaries and radio broadcasts. His fascination, commitment, connection to and with wildlife make him an inspirational person to me. He set up the Jersey Zoo, which specialises in breeding and rereleasing many endangered species from deteriorating habitats. Winnie the Pooh is my favourite fictional character. He is always honest and loyal to his friends. He is the friendliest, kindest and nicest character in any story. He taught me to believe in myself. My vision for a better world is where people and nature live in harmony. In 20 years’ time, I would like to be saving animals from the brink of extinction. The next generation may NEVER see a polar bear, only hear about them in stories. I also want to find a solution to global warming, which not only affects wildlife, but ourselves as well. As my immediate contribution, I’m going to plant 20 trees in the next month.
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MATTHEW MCHUGH
ST JO H N’S HIGH SCH O O L “There is nothing to fear in life. That’s the only thing you need to understand.” Marie Curie was Polish by birth and French by marriage. She is the only person to win the Nobel Prize for physics (in 1903) and chemistry (in 1911). She discovered radium, polonium and uranium. She is my inspiration as I aspire to be a person who helps people in times of need or extreme danger and has a good impact on their lives. My favourite fictional character is Jason from Jason and the Minotaur. The character attributes I admire is that he never gives up and has courage in extreme danger. He has taught me that even when the odds are stacked against you, you should try your hardest and fight to the end.
IGOR KEBLOWSKI
ST K ENTIGER N’S AC ADEM Y “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward” Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr., the unforgettable man who taught me and many others how to dream. He taught us that dreams, no matter
how big or small, can come true. No matter who you are and what life has thrown at you, Martin Luther King taught me that challenges are there to overcome them. It doesn’t matter how difficult a challenge is, you will overcome it as long as you stay persistent. #iWill offer a helping hand to anyone who is a victim of discrimination or racism and help them with their issues and offer my help in order to sort their issues out so that both the victim and the other person may be happy
NICOLA BAKOVA
S T MA R G A R ET ’ S A CA D EM Y “I want to live in a world where the word normal is an insult” Misha Collins I will start by saying that I have little or no interest in celebrities. Misha is the first person who inspires me – he is an actor in the TV series Supernatural where he plays angel called Casliel. I don’t particularly care about the details of his life, it’s the present that counts and it is his personality that inspires me. He is confident and doesn’t mind showing his crazy side. I myself am more on the crazy side, but not bold enough to put myself out there. Misha really inspires me not to care what other people think. He was always the kind of person I want to be even before I found out about him. He has helped me see who I want to be and that it is possible. It is clear to me that the world will never be perfect, and nothing will change my mind, it just isn’t possible. Even so, I hope things like poverty will change, even a little, and that the world we live in won’t be so damaged.
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LAUREN BERRY
ST MARGARE T’S ACADE M Y “Every 60 seconds you waste being sad is another minute of happiness you can never get back.” Annie Leblanc is part of a family vlogging channel. She is 11, and trains almost fulltime as a gymnast. When I see her doing gymnastics, it puts a smile on my face, especially when I realise that I can do it! One way that Annie inspires me is that she never gives up. People think that YouTubers have perfect lives, but I know that Annie lost her brother Caleb a year ago. However, I realise that you can’t live life upset, you have to go on, continue and celebrate life!
CHARLOTTE CORNELIUS
ST MARY’S E PI S COPAL PRIM ARY SCH O O L Enid Blyton inspires me because she writes very adventurous children’s books that make you feel you are there in the scene. I love when I read her books, it’s just really good! I want to be a Doctor for children and I want to work for the NHSD in Stirling. I want to be a doctor because I would like to cure people or even save their lives. I need to work on being purposeful and give more attention in all the subjects I do not just the ones I enjoy or find easy.
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MOLLY HOLMES
S T MA RY ’ S EPIS COPA L PR IMA RY S CH OOL I am the most proud of when I walked the West Highland Way with my family. The hardest part was the Devils staircase because it was really steep. It was also hard because we all had blisters on our swollen feet. We managed to survive all 96 miles and we managed to do it in 6 days! I am so proud of my perseverance because when it was really hard it would’ve been easy to give up but I didn’t.
JAMIE CRAMB
S T MA RY ’ S EPIS COPA L PR IMA RY S CH OOL
Joseph Garratt aka Stampy Cat did well in school and when he was a teenager he struggled as a bar tender with drunk situations. He loved YouTube and decided to have his own channel. He started using Minecraft on his channel and because everyone loves Minecraft he became very popular. I really like Stampy Cat because he has inspired me to try new things on Minecraft and he has created a community for children. He has even put Minecraft in schools.
LILY MACDONALD
S T MA RY ’ S R C PR IMA RY S CH OOL “Never give up on your dreams” I am inspired by Demi Lovato because even though she has been through a lot of tough times she has stayed positive and has continued to inspire young people. I would like to be the kind of person that people look
up to and admire, and that people think I am a good person. I would like to never give up and change the world in some way.
GEMMA COAN
S T M AURICE ’S HIG H S CHOOL “Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it” Oprah Winfrey My favourite fictional character is Link, because he is a brave hero who risks his own life multiple times to save others, even people he doesn’t know. I want to be as selfless and outgoing as he is. Link taught me that no matter how bad it looks, there’s always a way to make things better if you try. My vision for a better world is a world where everyone feels valued and appreciated, even if it is by a small few. I wish there were more positive influences in the world to replace the negative ones. I wish for good people to be able to stand up and let their voices be heard.
JULIA SERDYCKA
ST MU NG O ’S ACADE M Y “Just say yes, just say there’s nothing holding you back” Zoella
Zoella is a 27-year old YouTube/beauty blogger who currently has over 115 million subscribers. She works on her own charities, but helps other charities as well. Is the main reason she inspires me is that she suffers from anxiety and she has shown that nothing ever stops you. You just have to push yourself.
ALICE FORDYCE
S T R AT H A LLA N S CH OOL Beatrix Potter was a children’s author who illustrated her own books. She lived in the Lake District most of her life and with the proceeds of her books bought Hill Top Farm, where she lived, along with multiple other farms all over the district in order to preserve its natural beauty. She left almost all her land to the National Trust, which forms a large area of the Lake District National Park. I read all her books when I was little, and I enjoyed them. An inspirational moment was when I started training my dog by myself. She wasn’t very obedient to start with, But I kept going with it and it paid off after several weeks of training when she started to come back.
MAURA RATHMELL
S T R AT H A LLA N PR IMA RY S CH OOL Noel Fitzpatrick is an Irish vet. He has his own television series “the supervet” which has now run for eight series. He is the director of Fitzbionics a company created to design develop and manufacture new implants to reduce pain and suffering of animals. He inspires me because he is kind and caring and he always thinks of ways to help animals that were thought to have no hope. He is determined and inspires me with his
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FEEDBACK
“Learning about the person that inspires me got me thinking about my qualities and what I want to do in the future.” Lillyt MacDonald, St Mary’s RC Primary School
dedication to animals. He doesn’t only help the animals, he helps the people dealing with what’s happening. I want to become a vet and have a happy and successful life. I want to help people and change the world. I want to inspire people and help them see we can make this world better. #iWill speak about what I believe in.
CARA MCTAGGART TA RB ERT ACA DEM Y
“We are all the same in a different way” Martin Luther King is an inspiration to me because he wanted everyone to feel equal and proud of who they are, regardless of the colour of their skin. He showed confidence, courage, humility, appreciation and openmindedness. Racism is a lot better now than in his day, and more people are learning to be open-minded about sexuality, gender and race. I would like everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin. The world I want to live in is one where people can learn to be loving and accepting.
KIRSTY HARRISON T URRIFF ACA DEM Y
“It seems to me that the natural world it is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of so much in life that makes it worth living” Sir David Attenborough, OM, FRS 52
Sir David Attenborough is a broadcaster and naturalist. He is inspirational to me with his kindness, courage and curiosity. He sees humanity as a plague on the earth, destroying and polluting the environment, and overpopulating the planet. He states that our world is changing, that we rely on it, and yet we don’t look after it. He is part of the World Land Trust, helping to raise money to save rainforests and endangered animals. He always follows his passion, and is very enthusiastic about nature. He educates and entertains us at the same time while making us realise that we have to protect wildlife. He says he will never retire, and never tires of the natural world, saying that putting your feet up is all very well, but pretty boring.
AARON WILSON T U R R IF F A CA D EMY
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change” Stephen Hawking I find this quote inspirational because I am a curious person and I often see that scientists have to dismiss previous ideas and welcome new ones. Prof Stephen Hawking is inspirational to me because I see him as being hardworking, determined and curious. Despite his challenges, he has managed to combine family life and theoretical physics with an extensive programme of travel, and he has to communicate by means of a computerised voice system. After watching ‘The Theory of Everything’ I feel a lot more empathetic seeing what Stephen had to go through. Somehow, he managed to carry on with his work and make ground-breaking discoveries in cosmology, general relativity and quantum gravity. Stephen Hawking has also defied doctors by living 52 years longer than they said. He is inspirational because he never gave up - I would really have struggled myself.
HOPE CLARK
VALE O F LEVEN AC ADEM Y “You must never be fearful about what you are doing if it is right” Rosa Parks Rosa Parks is famous for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a bus - this led to her arrest. She showed courage and took a stand, even though she knew the consequences. I hope one day but I will be able to take a stand like her.
CHARLOTTE COMBER T HE G O RDO N S CHOOLS
“We do not need magic to transform the world, we all carry the power within us already.” My inspiration is JK Rowling. Her pen name incorporates her grandmother’s name Kathleen. She started thinking about writing the Harry Potter series in 1990, when she was recently divorced and struggling to bring up her daughter. She is now very wealthy, but lost her billionaire status because she gave so much to charity. The reason she is my inspirational figure is that she started with pretty much nothing, and by using her imagination alone made a name for herself. She has
inspired me to believe in myself and not give up on my ideas, because maybe one of them could make me a millionaire.
MARTHA MALCOLM
T H E N ICOLS ON IN S T IT U T E “The Japanese were out to get the medics and would let anybody get by just to pick us off. They were taught to kill the medics because it broke down the morale of the men. If the medic was gone, no one could look after them. All the medics were armed, except me” Desmond T Doss The person I’m inspired by is Desmond T Doss. Instead of picking someone I knew, I thought I would research someone who did something amazing whom I’d like to know more about. Desmond registered for the U.S. Army on his 18th birthday, and took some medical training. His number came up in 1942, but he was worried about the sixth commandment and killing people. He requested non-combatant status but the officials put ‘conscientious objector’ instead, which led to a lot of abuse. He completed his medical training, and, as soon as the first bullet was fired he showed that he was braver than everyone else. He ran at the enemy with the bull’seye painted on his helmet and nothing more than a box of BandAids and Neosporin. He was sent with his unit to capture a 400-foot escarpment. With a five-man squad of B team troops they charged up a 40-foot cliff and were mown down by close range Japanese gunfire. Doss never let anyone behind, and army-crawled to treat his injured comrades, who were only 15 feet away from the machine guns. He dragged four people to safety, which is why he inspires me.
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DAISY PENN RIPLEY T HE WAID AC ADEM Y
“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step towards being sorta good at something” Jake from Adventure Time Princess Bubblegum’s name and appearance strongly suggests a cliched girly princess, but she is anything but. I love the way she seems to conform to the stereotype but she’s strong and independent and more than capable of saving herself. She cares for her sweet subjects and is very adventurous. Bubblegum is a utilitarian so her decisions and actions are always for the greater good, for her kingdom and others. I admire Princess Bubblegum because she always fights for what she believes in, even though she is made out of bubblegum and is 827 years old. I have learned from cartoon and comics in which Princess Bubblegum features that it is perfectly acceptable to be myself, even if that means defying convention and not following the crowd.
committed she was in the fight to get her dream and get her books published. Rowling simply inspire me because of her skills as a writer, a creator, who somehow made a world too wonderful for words and yet is author to some of the most fantastic books I’ve ever read. In my life I want to become someone who is kind, charitable, caring and open, someone who is valued and loved in society and holds value and love for others. I want to have a goal, purpose. I want to be loyal to my friends and have loyalty in return. I want to be joyful and fun to be around. Most of all I want to be charitable and give what I can to good causes.
JESSICA THOMPSON T HE WAID AC ADEM Y
“Happiness can be found in even the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light” JK Rowling
FEEDBACK
JK Rowling has always inspired me, even before I watched the documentary on her life story and how she had dreamt of the magical world her whole life. I was inspired by her even before I knew she how much she had given up and how charitable she was, even becoming the first person to lose their ‘billionaire’ status due to mass donations. Rowling inspired me even before I knew how
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KATHRYN MATTHEWS T H E WA ID A CA D EMY
“My personal philosophy is that worrying only makes you suffer twice” Newt Scamander I think Emma Watson is inspiring because she is passionate about her views and speaks out on what she believes in. She is well thought out and presents great speeches that include reasoned arguments. She exudes confidence and has strong moral principles, two traits I admire and would like to have for my life. She is very intelligent and does not let her talent
“By doing this project I have learned more about myself as to what differences I want to make for myself and others. By doing this I feel a sense of achievement in being able to physically convey my feelings about myself for others to see.” Jessica Thompson, The Waid Academy
go to waste. She wants to change the world and sets about to do so. My vision for a better world is where there is more equality throughout society. A world where racism, homophobia and unequal rights for men and women do not exist. Where people do not have to come from a privileged background in order to do well in life. Where society is not full of prejudices against certain types of people. Where people aren’t left ostracised and alone.
CATRINA FRASER
JAYDEN LOW
WES T PA R K PR IMA RY S CH OOL “No matter what they tell you, no matter what they do, no matter what they teach you, what you believe is true” Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is a British musical theatre director and musical theatre composer. I am very dramatic and I like
WEB ST ERS HIGH S C HOOL “Once you train an audience to look for significance, they find it everywhere” Alex Hirsch The first person I am inspired by Audrey Hepburn, whom I saw in My Fair Lady. I looked her up and find she was also humanitarian as well as an actress. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for all her work. That made me think that I can do anything, and I look up to her for all her work. The second person who inspires me is Alex Hirsch, who is an American animator, television producer, storyboard artist and voice actor. He inspires me because he can do so many voices on his show and the characters are based on friends and family. This made me more creative and gave me the thought that I might also be a voice actor. My vision for a better world is that people should understand hidden disabilities like autism and ADHD. These conditions can look invisible, as each person is affected in a different way, which may not show up straightaway. I researched and delivered a presentation to my English class on my brother Simon, who has autism and ADHD. I will continue to volunteer for Sense Scotland.
going to see shows in the theatre. He inspires me to do musical theatre and when I grow up I would like to do what he did but also perform. I went to go and see his latest musical “The School of Rock” what was very good and I enjoyed it. He has made me want to sing and dance every day and that is something I I enjoy and love to do all the time.
KIRSTY ANDERSON
WES T PA R K PR IMA RY S CH OOL Ryan Hreijac changed my life and he has changed other people’s as well. He saved a lot of money just to make wells in poor countries. When we has 8 or 9 his teacher was telling him and his class mates that some people in Africa walk over 20km a day to get water but the water was dirty and had diseases as well. Ryan had enough of it and did all he could to raise the money to build wells. I want to be a loving and caring person. I want to take care of the world, my country and my city.
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“I have learned about who I am and what I can do to make myself a better person. I understand who and what inspirational people are and figured out who mine is.” Rachael Murray, Woodmill High School
KELLE WILSON
WESTER H AI LE S EDUCATI ON CE NT R E My inspiration is Hazel Grace Lancaster, who was diagnosed with stage IV thyroid cancer at the age of 17. Her mum made her go to a support group, where there were other children with different forms of cancer, one even going blind and another losing his leg. She loves a book called ‘An Imperial Fiction’, where the author knows what it is like to die, but has not actually died. Her friend Gus made the dying wish to go to Amsterdam to meet the author, Pieter van Houten and took Hazel with him. The day they left, Gus told Hazel that he had been to the hospital and was full of cancer – he died three days later, and Hazel was distraught. The reason Hazel it is so inspiring is that she does not let anything get her down.
HUDA JWIJATI
WH ITEH IL L SEC ONDARY S CHOOL “When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful” Malala Malala was already fighting for girls’ education at the age of 11, something she has continued to do since and which earned her a Nobel Prize for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people, and for the right of all children to education. She said she was scared, but her fear was not as powerful as her courage. She inspires me because she has never given up fighting for a better world.
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RACHAEL MURRAY
WOOD MILL H IG H S CH OOL “Know how to learn, then want to learn” Katherine Johnson, Space Scientist, Nasa My favourite fictional character is Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. She is my favourite because she is kind, honest, empathetic and always cheerful. She loves to help others and is always there when you need her. Many people find her strange but Harry and his friends see past that to see a creative, humble and selfless person. She taught me to never judge people and that a bit of craziness is good. #iWill help others learn and grow, by helping them with problems
GAELIC MEDIUM WINNER LUKE MACLEOD
THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE
Luke MacLèoid, Àrd sgoil MhicNeacail
“Life is just like surfing – you never know what is over the next wave.” The person who inspires me is Bethany Hamilton because there is a lot of things to learn from her story. This story shows that anything can happen to you. And Bethany Hamilton is really good at surfing – and she was even winning a lot of prizes. But unfortunately, Bethany went to a sort of beach party when she was a teenager. Bethany’s parents said that she was not to go. A shark came and bit off Bethany’s arm. This
was a terribly desperate time and she didn’t know what was going to happen in relation to her pastime and skill. Bethany could not understand why this happened to her but she could not get her arm back again – ever! Bethany was very competitive with her surfing and all her friends were taking part in it as well. But the competitions were just creating disagreement and breaking up friendships. When Bethany was in hospital, a lot of people visited her and made encouraging comments. So, the disagreements stopped and they all started looking out for each other. Bethany found this very trying and difficult to accept. Fortunately, Bethany started surfing bit by bit again. Funding for translation from Bòrd Na Gàidhlig.
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“I learned a lot when I was working on this project. I learned about my strengths and weaknesses, therefore, I can establish targets. This project gave me confidence in school to learn and to get a job” Luke MacLeod, The Nicolson Institute
INTERNATIONAL & NORTHERN IRELAND PEZO CHISALA | ZAMBIA
LUSAKA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL “So often in life the things you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune” Ruth Bader Ginsburg The person that inspires me a lot is Ireen Mambilima. She is the Chief Justice of Zambia. Ireen was appointed on 27th February 2017. The thing that grasps my attention is that she is the first female Chief Justice of Zambia. She sits on the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) as a Director of the African Region. She is a member of a number of professional associations including the Zambia Association of Women Judges, the Editorial Board Council of Law Reporting, The Child Fund Zambia, Women in Law Southern Africa and The Council of the Institution of Legal Education. She has worked in a variety of capacities including Director of Legal Aid, High Court Justice, Supreme Court Judge and Deputy Chief Justice. This inspires me a lot because I wish to do law. Basically I want to follow in her footsteps and achieve what she has achieved!! I want to be a person that brings justice and freedom. I want to be a tough but not bad person. I am building up my confidence so that I can stand my ground more!
NIAMAT SADIQ | PAKISTAN CARE FOUNDATION
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do” Rob Siltanen I am inspired by Iqbal Masih and his courage. At the age of 10 he escaped from slavery after learning that bonded labour was declared illegal by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He was caught by the police and brought back to his master who told police he would tie him upside down if he tried to escape again. He was not afraid, he escaped again and attended the Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF) School and completed 4 years study in 2 years. Iqbal helped over 3000 Pakistani children that were in bonded labour escape to freedom and made speeches against child labour throughout the world. I believe that Iqbal Masih has done the same work that Abraham Lincoln did for the slaves of America. As I had been a child labour victim, I can feel the pain and I have promised to work to free the children from this slavery and bring them to school to get education.
YOLANDA THUSI | SOUTH AFRICA IK U S A S A LET H U H IG H S CH OOL “Keep walking” Kwesta is a South African rapper; he lost his father when he was 5 just as I lost my mother when I was 4 years old. But still he had a loving family. The reason I wrote about him is because we have something in common. When he was in High School he wrote poetry which encouraged him to start to rap which I find very creative. What I love about Kwesta is that he is not like other celebrities, because
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he does not flash around with his success or money. He says that giving back is the most important thing to do and it’s a good thing to give back to the needy. Kwesta teaches me that you should never give up on your dreams even if people tell you that you won’t make it, you must keep walking. That encourages me not to give up on my dream of becoming the first pilot in Mtubatuba. My vision for a better world is decrease of teenage pregnancy. #iWill start a campaign about girl’s empowerment which encourages girls to stand up for themselves and be independent. Teach girls to SAY NO!!
into plans, at the end SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIMOND. I want to be a kind person that is hard working, selfless and caring, a person that is unique. From all of my character attributes that I have written about I want to be that kind of person. I want to be like my favourite fictional character Cinderella, I want to be a good role model for young children and set a good example for South African people and also the blacks. I want my future to shine like a diamond.
NONTOBEKO MAYISE | SOUTH AFRICA I K U SASAL ETHU HIGH SCH O O L
“On Saturday, I was a surgeon in South Africa, very little known. On Monday, I was world renowned” Christiaan Barnard Dr Christiaan Barnard inspires me because he was the first doctor to perform a human to human heart transplant. Dr Barnard’s quotes are one of my favourite because they speak to me individually and inspire me to do great in life. Cinderella is my favourite fictional character because the story about her has taught me that even if you don’t have any family that loves you, your life still goes on and you will have everything if you work hard, reach the unreachable, do the impossible, turn it to possible, turn my dreams to reality, turn them
PRISHA SINHA | INDIA
A K S H A R S CH OOL
“Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark” Rabindranath Tagore Poetry has always fascinated me. I have read the works of many Indian and foreign poets but among all, whom I admire is Rabindranath Tagore, the great Bengali poet. He is my inspiration. It is a matter of pride that
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“From this project I learned, that it is high time we make a goal to make the world a better place. I have come to know about my positive qualities and negative qualities. I know the qualities I want to work on being. This project has taught me a lot.” PRISHA SINHA – INDIA, AKSHAR SCHOOL
a person who did not receive any continuous education could write so well. He had an inborn aptitude for poetry. Even as a boy he found poetry as a medium of expressing his thoughts and feelings. As a matter, of fact, his work inspires me to reveal my thoughts in the form of writing (poetry). The works of Tagore convey his belief that God and Soul are two names of one thing. The special characteristic of his poetry is the expression of a typical Indian atmosphere. I admire him for his ideas, his nobility and his qualities. He has mesmerised the entire nation. I want to grow up and be like him.
AMANYA SHARMA | INDIA AK SH AR SCHOOL
“Roll with the punches” Lilly Singh Percy Jackson from the Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan is my favourite character. Percy has taught me to be loyal and selfless. He has taught me to fight when needed and accept defeat at no cost. He had taught me to be brave, fearless and strong. I have never had an idol. I never believed in setting a certain person on a pedestal. However, this question forced 60
me to rack my brain, I finally got one! Lilly Singh. She is an Indo-Canadian and was the first brown girl to open a YouTube channel back in 2010! And in these years she has achieved so much. Her words “Don’t survive life, conquer it” moved me the most. Her hard work and dedication rocks the ground beneath my feet. And the most appealing quality of hers is her positivity. How even in the worst of situations she handles them calmly. Also the amount of humility in her is astounding.
KIMBERLY BAGUMA | UGANDA R A IN B OW IN T ER N AT ION A L S CH OOL
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow” Helen Keller When I think about a better world, I think about a place where everyone has equal rights. I think about there being no poverty in the world and how everyone gets three meals a day. My vision for a better world includes everybody having a right to education and good healthcare. I believe racism, fascism and sexism should be stopped. Our world would be such a happier place with no discrimination. But for me a better world does not only include people being treated better but also animals and the environment. #iWill raise awareness of these issues by telling my family and friends so people will take action. If someone is being bullied, we need to jump in and even the little help that everyone makes it will make a difference.
HOLLY CLEARY | NORTHERN IRELAND
ST. CO L MS HIGH SCH O O L “I’ve failed over and over again in my life and that’s why I succeed” Michael Jordan Michael Jordan really inspires me. He failed so many times but never gave up. He is determined, hardworking, energetic and most importantly inspiring. Michael Jordan is an American basketball player, businessman and principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets. Michael Jordan taught me to never give up. He always said “you never succeed until you fail.” #iWill make sure I recycle properly, show positivity, be kind to all skin colours, pick up litter, be kind to others, donate money into our local money boxes for poverty
NIAMHSHANNON|NORTHERNIRELAND ST D O MIN IC ’S GRAM M AR S C HOOL
Gerard Arthur Way is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and comic book writer who was the lead vocalist and co-founder of the rock band My Chemical Romance from its formation in September 2001 until its split in March 2013. He really inspires me because he suffered with really bad depression and anxiety and before shows he used to drink a lot of alcohol or else he wasn’t able to go on stage. He would come off stage and nearly faint but after a while he got help and stopped drinking before and after shows and he barely drank any alcohol at all even when he wasn’t doing shows. Drinking before shows caused his singing to be not as good, but he got through it and now he is an absolutely amazing singer and has inspired people all over the world and saved lives. If I see anyone being bullied or looking lonely #iWill tell someone and talk to that person and become friends with them so they don’t feel lonely or sad anymore
“I feel like my mission is to be honest with myself. My mission is to share my truth share, not give. I think that’s what an artist is supposed to do: I think they share”
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FEEDBACK
“I learned more things about myself because I have said everything that I wanted to raise awareness about in real life that I have never had the courage to say.” NIAMH SHANNON, ST DOMINIC’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL
HEATHER CAMPBELL B A LF R ON H IG H S CH OOL
WW1
CHARLOTTE SCHMAUTS B AL F RO N H I GH S C HOOL
“You can’t overcome hatred with more hatred. Force can kill the liar but not the lie, the hater but not the hate and the violent but not the violence. Hate begets hate, violence begets violence and war begets war.” Joss Sheldon
FEEDBACK
While looking through ‘A Village Remembers’ on the tragedies of war, I chanced upon the story of Wilfred Blake Moyes, who was born in the manse in Strathblane in 1888. His mother died in 1908, and while at Oxford ill health prevented him from attending lectures and sitting his exams. He signed up in 1914 and was shot and injured three times between 1915 and 1917, but continued fighting. In 1918, he was shot in the neck and killed. He is on our local war memorial and will be remembered as a hero who sacrificed himself for a better future.
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“They died in splendour, those who claimed no spark of glory save the light in a friend’s eye” Edmund Blunden
This quote shows how, although many soldiers were not well known, they were always inspirational to a friend who knew them. William Edmonstone was born in Edinburgh in 1896. He went to France in the autumn of 1915 and in his letters he shows the sharp contrast between the grim realities of war and the lighter side of an officer’s life. On October 3, he tells his mother that his life is ‘perfect bliss at present ‘ with long rides every day, and yet on December 17 he is reduced to using his revolver to shoot rats in his trench. There are games of cricket, tennis and football against the Grenadier Guards. Winter is hard, and in September 1916 he reports an outbreak of dysentery. He expected the war end sooner than it did and went back to the Somme. His last letter was sent the evening before his death, when he was killed during a withdrawal.
“While doing this project I have learned how to put my inner feelings and emotions into words and how to look inside myself and find out what makes me ‘me’. I enjoyed this as a chance to take down walls and be myself rather than being someone shaped by others.” Charlotte Schmautz, Balfron High School
RYAN JAGO
B AN N ERMAN HIGH S C HOOL “If the women in the factories stopped work for 20 minutes, the Allies would lose the war” Field Marshal Joffre Surgeon Captain Arthur Martin-Leake was awarded his second VC for most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in Belgium in November 1914. His first BC was for treating a wounded man under intense fire. He refused water because he wanted the wounded men to be served first. He was one of only three men to be awarded a bar for their VC.
ELLIE SUNG
T HE G LASGOW ACADE M Y “War is organised murder, and nothing else” Harry Patch “Live for something rather than die for nothing” General Patton I am inspired by Gefreiter Josef Wilczek, a German lance corporal. Private Percy Buck put his address on the back of a picture of his baby, wife and family the night before going into battle. He hoped that if he was dying, one of his mates would send picture back. In fact, he was found dying by Josef Wilczek, who decided to send the picture back via the Red Cross in Geneva, saying he had found it in the hands of a dying comrade. In the letter, he said “he was holding the card in his hands and the finder was asked to forward it to his wife. Wishing to fulfil the last will of the dead comrade, I have sent it to you. May he rest in peace.” I found this inspiring as an incredible moment of humanity in the carnage of war.
HANNAH BELL
T H E G LA S G OW A CA D EMY “There were many words that you could not stand to hear, and finally only the names of places had dignity – abstract words such as glory, honour and courage were obscene” Ernest Hemingway “Two armies that fight each other is like one large army that commits suicide” Henri Barbusse Edith Cavell was working as a nurse in Brussels when the Germans invaded and took control. With the help of others, she aided many British servicemen to safety, but because of this was executed by the German army. She famously said, just before her execution: “Patriotism is not enough, I must have no hatred or bitterness to anyone.” I admire her as she did not show hatred towards the soldiers before they shot her. She believed they were just being patriotic like her, and that she was dying for her soldiers.
EILA TETHER
G R A CEMOU N T H IG H S CH OOL “A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do” Walter Bagehot Born in 1874, Sir Winston Churchill served in the British military, worked as a writer and then went into politics. At school, he joined the Rifle Corps, and it took him three goes O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 63
to get into the British Royal Military College. While in the military, he wrote reports for newspapers and two books, subsequently working as a war correspondent. One of his articles got him captured in the Boer War, although he managed to escape and made the headlines - this episode led to his third book. My research is maybe more grateful to be alive because it has inspired me to live the way I want to – if I plan ahead, I can have the life I want. I’m going to do my best to make my life the best I can. Even if I can’t do as well as I expect, I can still help others do better.
LEAH MCTIGHE
twitching. Sadly, Collie lost both his brothers, and his sister was killed by a Zeppelin. The story only came to light after his son Robert decided to sell his 13 medals. My research has made me realise how precious life is and how so many people never got the choice to be free and how boys aged as young as 14 believed that fighting and war was cool and appealing – they would lie about their age to join and were immediately killed in the war zone because of how uneducated they were about war. It has made me realise how many opportunities I have now compared with the few there were 100 years ago, and it has also made me grateful to know that these men fought for the life and freedom we have today.
G RACEMO U NT HIGH S C HOOL “War doesn’t determine who is right, only who is left.” My favourite war poem is For the Fallen, because the first line says “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old”, which makes me think about all the soldiers who died on the battlefield and didn’t make it home for any more birthdays, Christmases or the years ahead – they just died on the battlefield not realising that this was going to be it. My inspirational figure is Robert Collie, the soldier who refused to die. He survived the Somme and fought at Ypres after being left for dead at Passchendaele. His body was thrown onto a heap of corpses, and was only saved after a passing Indian medic saw him
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RACHEL HOGG
LOCK ER B IE A CA D EMY My inspiring person is Billy McFadzean, a six-foot tall soldier who sacrificed his life for his fellow soldiers on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. A box of grenades fell into the trenches and two of the safety pins fell out. McFadzean realised the danger to everyone in the trench and dived on top of the grenades so as to smother the explosion. He was blown to pieces, but because of his astounding bravery only one other man was injured. This selfless soldier was awarded the VC for his inspiring action.
JESSICA THORBURN P ERTH H IGH S CHOOL
“Don’t lose hope. (You never know what tomorrow might bring).” Birdsong is a novel via Sebastien Faulks set during the later stages of the First World War. He explores conflict and human reaction to conflict in times of war through three aspects: physical conflict, psychological conflict and the crisis of masculinity. It is a compelling story because the author obliges us to envisage the physical horrors of war through the descriptions of a young gassed soldier in hospital. He has lost most of the top surface of his skin, is blinded by the high-dose chlorine, his eyes are leaking down his face, and his whole body is raw and throbbing. As we read on, we learn just how cheaply the world of that day treated human life.
LAUREN JARDINE
LOCKERBIE PRIMARY SCHOOL Life is what you make it, if you don’t like it, change it! My inspiring person is Billy McFadzean; he was a World War 1 hero! He sacrificed his life for his fellow soldiers on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Billy McFadzean was 20 years old. Billy’s job was to go over the top of the trenches carrying buckets of handmade bombs. On the morning of 1st July 2016 a box of bombs slipped near Billy and he saw two bombs lose their safety pins. Without hesitation Billy threw himself on the bombs before they exploded. Because of Billy’s bravery and sacrificing his life for his fellow soldiers, Billy was awarded the Victoria Cross! Billy was the only person that died; Billy McFadzean is a true World Was 1 hero!
When you sit down and think about it we wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for these soldiers. It makes me think about what I do so I feel very grateful. Just like my quote says ‘life is what you make it, if you don’t like it, change it!’ Because the soldiers didn’t get this chance, once they were at war, for many that was it.
EMMA MITCHELL S CIEN N ES PS
Katharine Furse joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment in 1909, and was chosen at the outbreak of war to be the head of the first VAD unit to be sent out to France. In 1917, she became director of the newly formed Women’s Royal Navy Service. She was made at Dame and after the war became director of the World Association of Girl Guides.
ERIN DOWNIE
T U R N B U LL H IG H S CH OOL My inspiration is an unnamed hero from World War I. A young soldier called Robert Fitzcharles was shot through the heart in 1917 during the Battle of Scarpe in northern France. We know about this because of the letter and photo that Robert kept in his pocket next to his heart. The photo and letter were found with a bullet and bloodstain through them – the photo was of his family and the letter to his wife. However, the hero in this story is the man who helped Robert when he was shot. He found his body on the banks of the river and gave him a proper burial. He later brought the picture and letter to his family which has been passed on since 1917 and found by Robert’s great-nephew Arthur, my grandpa in 2016.
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TEACHER FEEDBACK The Inspiring Purpose programme has a transformational effect on the young people because of the inspiring and dedicated professionals who deliver the programme. Here is what some of them have to say about their experience: “The children were extremely motivated when completing the Inspiring Purpose tasks and produced excellent work. They were able to reflect well on their own character and it resulted in valuable and beneficial conversations between children and teachers that were unlikely to have happened otherwise. It was interesting to see who the children chose as the person who inspired them. It definitely caused the children to think how their inspiring person reached their goals and the hard work, dedication and effort that is often required.” Mrs Pickering, Murthly Primary School “This is a highly values programme which really makes the pupils think about their character and the future as well as about their place in the world.” Deidre Fraser, Dunbeg Primary School “Very good for building children’s confidence and identifying their strengths. Also good for allowing children to think towards their future and skills they can build on to achieve their goals.” Christina Beattie, Fair Isle Primary School “This programme provides a wonderful opportunity for children to become self-reflective. Although they find it tricky at first, the confidence they gain from identifying their own strengths is a powerful transition tool.” Mrs Findlay, Strathallan Primary School “It allows me to learn a lot about my students’ values and aspirations. It gives me insight into some of their wider reading / viewing and extra curricula achievements. It encourages pupils to reflect on their strengths and often prompts them to see themselves in a more positive light. “ Anne Connolly, St Dominic’s High School “We use this programme every year as part of the core RMPS course with S3 and this project gives pupils an opportunity to reflect on their values and beliefs. As this is conducted in S3, pupils are able to make connections between their values at present and potentially employability skills.” Andrea Sime, Braes High School “I have used Inspiring Purpose with my S3’s for the past 3 years. It sits well within the curriculum and allows me to get to know the learners in a personal way. The project allows pupils to be reflective and creative in a way that they don’t usual get to. Reflection is a hard skill to teach and this is the perfect way to do it. “ Danielle Jervis, The Waid Academy “We have participated in the programme for several years and will continue to do so. It is an excellent way to get pupils to think about their own qualities and values, those they see in others, and to engage with their aspirations for the future. It is challenging at an appropriate level and provides personal choice.” Claire Caley, Gairloch High School 66
“In a school where deprivation is high and pupil self-esteem and motivation are low, this programme is an important part of our efforts to build resilience and self-worth.” Shona Elder, Doon Academy “Very worthwhile experience for children. It encouraged them to think about what kind of person they are and what type of person they want to be.“ Collette Kelly, Mount Vernon Primary “It’s very valuable for pupils of this age as them move on to the next stage in their lives. It ‘forces’ them to reflect on themselves, their lives and the wider world. Thinking of an inspirational person enables them to focus on qualities they admire.” Michael Hopgood, Mount Vernon Primary “I have done this project with my pupils for a number of years now but feel that this year’s project was the best yet – I liked the link with the 4 capacities. Pupils were highly motivated by the project and felt that they had learned a lot about themselves and it had given them a sense of purpose about their future.“ Rona MacKenzie, Ruthvenfield Primary “This was very valuable. It gave the children an opportunity to think deeply about their character, personality and future.” Miss Keown, St Claire’s Primary School “I found the project hugely valuable as it allowed the children to reflect on themselves not just as learners but on their aspirations for the future. The project also linked with our current project which looks at the children as global citizens, the global goals and rights of a child.” Hannah Nicolson, Hazlehead Primary School “Our pupils are autistic and this programme helps to improve their skills and relationships.” Eilidh Thomson, Language and Communication Resource, Bannerman High School “It is an excellent programme and enabled over 200 of our young people to reflect on their morals and values. It also enabled them to plan what they can do to make a difference.” Nicola Quigley, Bishopbriggs Academy “It allows pupils to explore their values and set goals based on those characteristics. It lets them experiment with and discuss the things that are really important in life, rather than stick to superficial things.“ Adelle Fleming, Gracemount High School “This has been very valuable for pupils and it fits with our new behaviour ethos – a focus on skills needed for learning, life and work rather than on rules.” Gair Porter, Dunoon Grammar School “This programme is very valuable; pupils often have not considered which direction they are moving in in their lives. This programme allows pupils to do so in a structured and informed manner.” Edwin Philpott, Harlaw Academy
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BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS
CALLING ALL GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDCHILDREN Inspiring Purpose ‘Between the Generations’ is a new poster template to mark the centenary of the First World War and the opportunity to complete a joint project between two people from different generations. Completing a poster together will help you to think about purpose and the values and qualities needed for a fulfilling and happy life. Signup today for your chance to be a regional prize winner to get yourself published in next year’s magazine. For your free poster template Visit: www.inspiringpurpose.org.uk/generations Email: gererations@inspiringpurpsoe.org.uk Tel: 01334 844900