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“I learned how to recognise my own values, passions and achievements. Without completing this project, I would not have realised how important these things are to me.� Holly Fletcher, Braes High School
www.inspiringpurpose.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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“It really helped me learn more about myself in the self-reflection part. I know now what I need to work on and how I can do that.� Isobel Short, Blairgowrie High School
Over 18,000 young people from 134 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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SUPP RTERS 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. DC Thomson supports the programme through the Northwood Trust. 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 6 Foreword 6 Judges’ Comments 7 Welcome 8 16 26 44 46 48 50
Pupil Showcase: Primary Winners Scotland Secondary Winners Scotland Awards List Secondary School Other UK Gaelic Research Teacher Feedback
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Primary Schools Balmalloch Primary School Caol Primary School Dunbeg Primary School Fair Isle Primary School Hazlehead Primary School Helmsdale Primary School Methven Primary School Mile End Primary School Sgoil nan Loch St Fillan’s Primary School St Joseph’s Prmary School Simpson Primary School Williamston Primary School
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Secondary Schools Aboyne Academy Auchenharvie Academy Bishopbriggs Academy Blairgowrie High School Braes High School Broughton High School Castlehead High School Cleveden Secondary School Deans Community High School Elgin High School Firrhill High School Fortrose Academy Gairloch High School Glenwood High School Gracemount High School
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Graeme High School Grove Academy Gryffe High School Hawick High School Hermitage Academy Hillhead High School Inverurie Academy Kemnay Academy Kilsyth Academy Kilwinning Academy Kings Park Secondary School Kinross High School Kirkcudbright Academy Knox Academy Langholm Academy Leith Academy Lockerbie Academy Mearns Academy The Nicolson Institute Peebles High School Perth High School Portlethen Academy Rosshall Academy St George’s School for Girls St John’s RC High School St Kentigerns Academy St Margaret’s Academy Stonelaw High School Tarbert Academy Trinity Academy Turriff Academy Vale of Leven Academy The Waid Academy Woodmill High School
Published by CAREER STUDIO www.careerstudio.co.uk Designed by CREATIVE CAUSE www.creativecause.co.uk Printed in the UK by THE MAGAZINE COMPANY The Inspiring Purpose Values Poster Awards is a programme of Character Education Scotland Ltd registered charity number SCO40962. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily the views of Character Education Scotland or its trustees. Character Education Scotland, Career Studio, Granary Business Centre, Coal Road, Cupar Fife KY15 5YQ Email: admin@character-scotland.org.uk Tel: 01334 844900 © 2018 Character Education Scotland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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FOREWORD
Graeme Hartley
Director Character Development Fund
“Our Inspiring Purpose poster programme provides a valuable resource that takes young people on a journey of self-discovery and aspiration. It invites honest self-assessment of values, personal strengths and areas for development. It challenges individuals to consider what they will personally do to bring out the best in themselves. There are no right or wrong answers and who or what inspires a person is unique to them. They can be as thoughtful and creative as they like. We are in our 12th year of the Programme and close to 500,000 young people have taken part. Our 2018 entrants showed yet again how inspiring our young people can be. With the help of more teachers and more participating schools we hope to widen our coverage even further.”
JUDGES’ FEEDBACK “Really enjoyed the session. To be part of the judging panel who had the opportunity to review the work of the kids was great. Their work was very creative, and I was inspired and impressed by the content and detail of each poster. This exercise is a great opportunity for kids to identify their strengths, build their confidence whilst being creative.” Claire Carmichael, BT “Great project and great standard of work. Important to focus on character as an individual’s values can and does impact on their lives, schools, families, workplace and communities so great – let’s focus.” Elaine Ellis, Select “From looking at and reading through all the S1 Posters selected you can clearly see that the individuals have learnt a great deal about themselves as a character through this exercise. I think it’s incredibly important in this modern world of technology for young people to step back/take time out for a bit of reflection of who they are and what’s important to them as an individual, particularly important at the point when they are considering the world of work.” Alison Rae, Graham & Sibbald “It was very difficult to choose between the various entries because the overall quality was so very high. At times it was very hard to believe that young people of that age could express themselves in words and pictures in such a direct, relevant and, at times, profound way. I wish Character Scotland all the best with its future work.” Neil Kelly, Macroberts
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“The level of self-reflection and maturity shown in all the Posters was very impressive and humbling. Some of the viewpoints around gender equality and sustainability demonstrated a deep understanding and desire for justice and fairness.” Ken Wilkie, Arcadis “A great day, reading very inspirational thoughts and perspectives from young people. I believe, it is very important for young people to have time to self-reflect and review what inspires them.” Cameron Moore, Arcadis “I personally felt that this is a very good way to get the children involved to think about and evaluate themselves and beliefs. Thank you for the opportunity of being involved.” Mary-Rose McMillan, Forbo Flooring UK “I feel the judging has been a great experience as I was really taken aback by the high level of talent at such a young age. I believe this project is very important for young people as it lets them express themselves and gives them a great sense of achievement and ambition for their future. Great project!” Jordan Crombie, Scottish Widows “I found today an amazing event to be part of and to see just how inspiring/creative young people can be. I think it is extremely important for young people to be involved with this programme as it helps to set them up for the future i.e. CV writing and university applications.” Jodie Currans, Lloyds Banking Group
WELCOME Welcome to our 2018 magazine, where you will find inspiring content from this year’s prize winners. Every year, the judges are impressed by the maturity and positive outlook of young people, and also by their frank observations on qualities they need to work on. Among the most striking was Caroline Newton, who in each box put a quote with an observation: “The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are but on how happy those around you can be as a result of you – when it comes to things that appear small like serving myself first or which pen I get I can be very selfish. I need to put others before myself. After all a candle never lost anything from lighting another candle.”
David Lorimer
Founder Character Scotland
I’m sure you will agree that this shows wisdom beyond her years which we can all learn from – including the beautiful candle analogy, which reminded me of what they call the resurrection service which I experienced at the French spiritual centre of Taize. Each person is given a candle as they enter, but only one candle is already lit. This candle lights the next and so on until the whole building is blazing with light - a powerful symbol of hope.
Reading through the posters is always an educational experience as one gains an insight into the inspirations and preoccupations of the next generation. Starting with their favourite fictional characters, one appreciates that the lessons drawn are similar to those from the inspirational figures such as resilience, determination and dedication but sometimes there are more unusual examples such as Hannah McLachlan talking about the Harry Potter character Neville Longbottom, with whom she can relate: “In both the movie and the book, Neville doesn’t have any confidence or set himself on any kind of pedestal. This is much like myself, but many times he plucked up courage to correct what was wrong and in the end saved the day.” Ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Patricia Ignat Sandu chooses three characters from three different stories, each with a different lesson: “My favourite story is about three friends who save the world. They come from the books Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince and Clockwork Princess. Tessa Gray teaches me that being oneself is one of the most important things. Jean Carstairs teaches me that there are some important things worth fighting for. And Will Herondale teaches me that people cannot survive without love.” This also reflects young people seeking to balance fitting in with standing out, sociability with individuality. These themes are further reflected in the choice of inspirational figures. Many young women are inspired by the pioneering suffragettes of 100 years ago like Emmeline Pankhurst and more recently by Emma Watson, who appears in her fictional guise as Hermione Grainger as well as in her role as a UN ambassador on gender issues. Dame Jane Goodall has inspired Katie Taylor to become a conservationist herself, while the recent documentaries by Sir David Attenborough have drawn attention to our overuse of plastic. Elon Musk has inspired Sia Shetkar to think that she will change the world so long as she works hard and thinks big. People who overcome personal difficulties and challenges like Angelina Jolie and Winnie Harlow as well as the surfer Bethany Hamilton are admired for this; also those who give a voice to minorities like Thomas Sanders and Ellen DeGeneres. Then there are musicians like Ed Sheeran and Emeli Sande, gymnasts like Nadia Comaneci and Simone Biles, who is quoted as saying “I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take it all.” Occasionally, the choice of inspirational sportsperson is even more directly relevant, as in the case of Mohit Ram choosing the basketball player Kyrie Irving as Mohit adapts his moves to his own personal style. The most striking element of the vision for a better world is a passion for equality, dignity and respect regardless of race, gender and sexual orientation. I feel that this emphasis comes out even more strongly than in previous years. In addition, young people are concerned about animal cruelty, war and violence, homelessness and environmental pollution. Lena Gerhardt is a good example: “I aspire to leave a positive mark on this Earth, and along the way to make people happy. My vision for a better world would include equality – people of all races, genders and sexuality being treated fairly and equally. In my better world everyone would be entitled to human rights, and every child would receive a full education with no corners cut.” More unusually, Shannon Ferries’s vision focuses on technology: “I think a world where technology doesn’t possess such a monumental hold on people and every part of their lives would vastly improve the Earth, humans and personal mindsets.” Feedback continues to show the importance of the first section in terms of enhancing self-knowledge and self-awareness. This awareness is already there in a tacit form, but our programme helps make this explicit and encourages young people to work on their lessdeveloped qualities. It also promotes the formulation of goals and aspirations for the future. In terms of her vision for a better world, Lilly Roy remarked that “the project also made me think about what I would like our world to be like, and now but I know what I want it to be like I can start making it happen.” This conveys a sense of empowerment that underlies the programme with its intention to help young people live from the inside out with the realisation that their dreams can become reality with vision and persistence. I would personally like to take this opportunity of thanking the John Templeton Foundation for their generous funding over many years, without which you would not be reading these words or the positive aspirations of young people as they co-create our future world.
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PRIMARY WINNERS SCOTLAND
OLIVA CURLE
P7 NATIONAL FINALIST BALMALLOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL “I can do all things through Christ that strengths me” The man that inspires me is Jesus Christ. He was born into a poor family and helped his Dad’s business as a carpenter. Jesus achieved lots of things such as performing miracles and saving lives. He taught people about God through telling stories about how people should love each other as the Bible tells us to do. Jesus inspires me because he is brave, kind and helpful to others. I would want someone to describe me as caring, respectful, reliable and trustworthy. I want to grow up to remember that no one is perfect, and we are all different in our own way and its good that we are all different. In my life I want to achieve good grades in school, so I can go to University and be a children’s Doctor because I hate seeing people in pain and suffering. To achieve this, I am going to work super hard and keep trying. Never give up and stay focussed on trying to achieve my goals.
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ELLA SHAW
P7 NATIONAL FINALIST BALMALLOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL “If you can’t love yourself, how are you gonna love somebody else” I have chosen Ru Paul as my biggest inspiration in life because of his background. Ru Paul is part of the drag queen community which consists of gay men that use wigs, make up and clothes to dress up as women and unleash their inner personality to the world. He inspires me because day after day he has fought for who he is and for his community. He has pushed through being bullied about being black and being gay. He inspires me because even though I have not had any of the issues he has had to deal with I feel that I have learned a lot from him. He has taught me valuable lessons and proved to me that anything is possible. His uniqueness, charisma, nerve and talent amazes me. I want to be the type of person that can inspire boys and girls to achieve their goals.
TEGAN MACKENZIE P7 NATIONAL FINALIST CAOL PRIMARY SCHOOL
“Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it” Liz Murry became homeless at the age of 15, just after her mother died and her father moved into a homeless shelter. Despite these limitations she was determined to have a good reality for herself. She graduated from High School and earned a New York Times scholarship. Liz eventually earned a doctorate in clinical psychology and has since written a best seller ‘Breaking Night: A memoir of forgiveness, survival and my journey from Homeless to Harvard’. I want to be able to always look at the positive side of things and I’m determined to make a good reality for myself and others even if there is overwhelming obstacles.
FEEDBACK
I learned that I can achieve anything if I put my mind to it. Obi Ejidike, Hazelhead School
EVITA TOMINA
P7 NATIONAL FINALIST FAIR ISLE PRIMARY SCHOOL “Don’t care about what others say about you. Care about what you say to others”
RUARI COTTIER
P6 1 st PRIZE DUNBEG PRIMARY SCHOOL
“A smooth sea never made a skilful sailor” Coxswain Hewitt Clark is a trustworthy, determined and resilient person. He is on the RNLI volunteer service which saves lives at sea. On 19th November 1997 the Lerwick lifeboat launched into battling storm force winds with 15 meter swell. The Lerwick lifeboat with Hewitt at the helm and four other crew members raced to the scene. The Green Lily cargo vessel had lost power and was drifting just off a headland. There were 15 crew on board. Hewitt had to show great courage to go as close as he dared to the rolling ship and the sharp rocks. Hewitt went in time after time to get the crew off with the Green Lily floating ever nearer to the shore. Hewitt made his last attempt when the Green Lily was 200 yards from shore. Hewitt had saved 5 people when a tug boat arrived just in time and got the Green Lily to safety. That day he got a gold medal of honour. I find Hewitt inspiring because he was determined, resilient and committed. I would like to be come a lifeboatman and save lives at sea. My vision is for the seas and lands cleared of plastic and litter.
I honestly want to be someone who is hardworking, someone who can make a huge impact, someone who is determined. I want to be a voice actress. I want to achieve that but so many more things. I want to improve. I want people to know they could be anything if they use all the strength they have.
OBI EJIDIKE
P6 3 rd PRIZE HAZLEHEAD SCHOOL
When I get older I want to be a kind, caring, hard-working and successful person. The things I want to achieve in life is a well-paid job. I want to be an engineer and follow in my Dad’s footsteps as this will be a great achievement for me. I want to stop climate change so that future generations can live a normal life and watch nature as it has always been. I will concentrate on my school work so I can have the knowledge and skills to achieve my vision.
LEWIS GAUNT
P6 NATIONAL FINALIST HAZLEHEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL “If you want to be the best then you must do things other people are not willing to do” Michael Phelps inspires me because he won 8 gold medals at the Beijing games and
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because he is committed, persevering and charitable. I am a swimmer. I train 4 times a week and on Saturday I get up at 6am to go to swimming. In fact, I even did it on my birthday. Michael Phelps is committed because he trains 7 days a week, 360 days a year. He trains on his birthday, Christmas and Thanksgiving. Now that’s a dedicated swimmer. All that training paid off because he holds numerous world records. The biggest achievement I’ve had (so far) is when I came 1st in a swimming gala. I’m proud because in all my events I got PBs.
into the under 13s team when I am only 10. I don’t always finish things because I think they can be a little boring but I can become more committed and motivated.
ISOBEL MACLEOD
P6 NATIONAL FINALIST HELMSDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL “Books have a way of making you homesick for a place you’ve never been to” Kate O’Hearn writes lots of books. One of my favourites is Pegasus. She inspires me because the way she writes her books makes your imagination go wild. The imagination that goes into her books, its amazing how she does it. My favourite character is Emily from Pegasus. She inspires me to keep going no matter what and to fight for what you love.
WILLOW BOYLE
P6 NATIONAL FINALIST METHVEN PRIMARY SCHOOL
FEEDBACK
I like Cristiano Ronaldo because he loves football. He has a cool celebration. He is also amazing. He is really generous and gives money to cancer charities. He also does YouTube videos with kids that like football. My best achievement (so far) was getting
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JOHN CAMERON GORDON P6 NATIONAL FINALIST METHVEN PRIMARY SCHOOL
The person that inspires me is Miss Orilk because she is kind and helpful. She taught me how to read. She spent a lot of extra time with me that is why she is my inspiration and she is trustworthy, hard working and thoughtful. I need to work on being motivated because I give up easily. I need to work on being self-disciplined because I say I will brush my teeth but I don’t. I need to work on being more honest because I lie sometimes (good honesty, well done!). I need to work on being respectful because I talk when other people are talking. I want to be open minded, determined, motivated and committed. I want to be successful in these things and will try harder.
I learned how to self-reflect and give myself constructive feedback on how to improve. I realised how much I have actually achieved in my life and I’m really proud of what I’ve done and been successful in. Anna Esslemont, Mile End Primary School
ANNA ESSLEMONT
P7 1 st PRIZE MILE END PRIMARY SCHOOL
“You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore” Christopher Columbus Kim Little grew up in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire and played football at a young age with her father and brother. Kim inspires me because she grew up in such a small village where football was not very popular and thought of as a boy’s sport. Kim grew up with determination to prove that girls could play football too and now she is one of the best female footballers in the world and is known worldwide. Kim has represented Scotland at senior level since the age of 16. Kim has been inspiring me ever since I started playing football in primary 1 at 5 years old and I’ve been looking up to her ever since, hoping I could someday achieve what she did. I want to be someone who other people look up to and think of me as a kind-hearted and positive person. I would also like to be compassionate and understanding but be strong and confident in myself. I want to be able to put others before myself and not let other people hold me back from my passions. I would like to believe in myself and be an inspiring and positive role model for others.
me in many different ways but one factor I like the most is his resilience especially missing his family. I admire his persistence throughout Astronaut training and aboard the ISS. Persistence was the key to his achievements. To achieve your dreams, you have to be hardworking and persistent. I would love to develop the leadership and intellect that Tim has.
RACHEL EWEN
P7 NATIONAL FINALIST MILE END PRIMARY SCHOOL “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard” Stephen Hawking inspires me because he is a physicist, which is why I love science. He has written many books, done amazing research, been in movies and even been in one of my favourite TV shows ‘Big Bang Theory’. He doesn’t mind people making fun of his voice because he often jokes about it himself. When I am older I want to inspire more kids to be scientists. I want to be looked up to for being kind, friendly and supportive. I would like to stand up for equality and make a contribution to science.
SAM LYNCH
P7 2 nd PRIZE MILE END PRIMARY SCHOOL
“Don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do anything” Tim Peak Tim Peak is a British European Space Agency Astronaut and the sixth person in the UK to board the International Space Station. He was the first person to walk in space wearing the Union Jack. Tim inspires O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 11
RANIA AZAM DAR
RUAIRIDH MACDONALD
“Someone who can’t abandon everything, can achieve nothing”
“Only you can hold yourself back”
P7 NATIONAL FINALIST MILE END PRIMARY SCHOOL
I chose Hajime Isayama because he’s who I want to be like one day. I think he is a very inspirational manga artist because even in the hardest times he still kept hope in himself. From the beginning he struggled with everything at school and the only thing he was really good at was drawing. He actually got the idea for his on-going series ‘attack on titan’ from a computer game then expanded on it. Even though he is one of the most successful artists today, he was rejected by every company he sent his work to. The main reason he is an inspiration to me is because in the hardest times he still believed in himself. Taking some big risks in life got him a great name in the world. I want to be a great name in the world. Some people say I dream too big but I think people who don’t take risks in life just get normal jobs like everyone else. That’s what makes you a person to look up to. Not being like everyone else, doing what you love and not following the crowd. People can put you down but don’t let them stop you. Prove them wrong. I know that becoming a manga artist won’t be easy. Nothing is. I will fall but that doesn’t mean give up. You rise again to face it.
P7 NATIONAL FINALIST SGOIL NAN LOCH
The person who inspires me the most is Michael Edwards, most commonly known as Eddie the Eagle. Ever since he was young it was his dream to ski. He learned at his local ski slope and swiftly became a talented downhill skier, narrowly missing out on being picked for the Great Britain team at the 1984 Olympics. After that he decided to move to the USA to train and enter better races. However, he was running short on funds so he switched to ski jumping. The clothes did not fit him and he was held back by his weight. He was short on money so he worked as a plasterer and slept in an old mental hospital. He was also very longsighted, so he had to wear very thick glasses that always steamed up. Later he completed his dream of competing in the 1988 winter Olympics. He inspires me because you don’t need good equipment to succeed, all you need is to try your best and persevere, even if you come last, all that matters is that you try your best.
ANDRAS PREDL
P7 2 nd PRIZE SGOIL NAN LOCH
“We come here with no peaceful intent, but ready for battle, determined to avenge our wrongs and set our country free” The person that inspires me is William Wallace. He led the Scottish armies against Edward I. He was fighting for Scotland’s freedom and he died for it. He inspires me because he taught me that it is better to do things for other people and not for yourself. He led the armies in many battles and he never gave up, even when he knew he would lose. Never give up or surrender. 12
JESSICA HENDRY P7 NATIONAL FINALIST SGOIL NAN LOCH
“Never give up on something you love” Ariana Grande inspires me because she is a famous actor and singer. She has been in movies and TV shows like Sam and Cat, Victorious, Zoolander 2, Hairspray Live, Scream Queens and loads of other ones. She was good at it but always very shy. She overcame that fear and started singing. She inspires me because she sings, acts and never gives up. Also, because I would like to do that when I’m older.
ORLAITH HEGGIE
P7 3 rd PRIZE SGOIL NAN LOCH
“If you have a goal, and you want to achieve it, then work hard and do anything you can to get there, and one day, it will come true”
FEEDBACK
Lindsey Vonn is a gold medallist and two-time bronze Olympic medallist in the downhill and Super G skiing events. Lindsey was taught to ski by her grandfather, who also taught her father. Following a bad crash in 2016 she could no longer move her arm as she had broken it. This year in the Pyeong-Chang Olympics Lindsey won bronze and dedicated it to her Grandfather who was a Korean war veteran and died in November 2017. Lindsey Vonn inspires me because she broke har arm, fought to ski again and went on to win. Lindsey encourages young skiers from all over the world to keep going at their sport. I will try my best at all times, even when it gets hard!
MORVEN GOUTCHER P7 NATIONAL FINALIST ST FILLAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
“Know how to learn. Then what to learn” My inspirational person is Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician at NASA. At first Katherine worked in a cluster of women who calculated maths problems. She called them ‘computers who wore skirts’. I look up to Katherine because she is persistent (which I want to be) to get what she wanted – the first woman’s name on the report. She is also hard working and creative which I always try to be. Katherine helped with the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
I have learned to be honest with myself, admitting my flaws and successes. By doing this project I have learned to follow all four curriculum for excellence capacities. Ruairidh MacDonald, Sgoil Nan Loch
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FEEDBACK
I learned more about myself (as the teacher said I would) and found some questions difficult to answer but that helped me to become stronger. Keira McKean, St Fillan’s Primary School
KEIRA MCKEAN
EVIE MCFARLANE
“If you find someone you love in your life, then hang on to that love”
“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world”
Princess Diana inspires me because she always considered others before herself. Even though she was the Princess of Wales she started with a normal life. She always considered other people before herself and donated to charity. I want to be a stimulating person, a type of person you look at and think wow, I would like to act like that. I dearth positivity and hope that in the future I will become more spirited like my Gran. No matter what, she always finds time for others even if she has something important to do.
When I am older I want to be as thoughtful, caring and peaceful as Malala Yousafzia and as smiley, selfless and independent as Mini Mouse. I find Malala inspiring because even though she went through so much she still never gave up and continued fighting for what she believes in. She is so caring and thinking about her makes me smile. I would like to be as loving as her. In my family I look up to my brother because he is always there for me and is so caring. He works hard for his achievements and makes me laugh.
P6 NATIONAL FINALIST ST FILLAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
EVAN BLAIR
P6 NATIONAL FINALIST ST FILLAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way” Martin Luther King Jr inspires me because he was so brave to speak to thousands of people about how America and other countries should be like. No matter what you look like or what your personality is like, you should be treated the same way as everybody else. We are all equal and should be treated equally. I want to be the kind of person who gives everybody a chance because I believe that everybody deserves a chance no matter what they look like.
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P6 NATIONAL FINALIST ST FILLAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
her art. Art can take a long time to make and you must have a lot of patience to make some things. Svena’s art is very detailed so she must have a lot of patience. Svena has spent time over the years improving her art. For this reason I believe she has been committed.
CAITLIN GARDNER HANNAH-SOPHIA OSBORNE
P6 NATIONAL FINALIST WILLIAMSON PRIMARY SCHOOL
P6 NATIONAL FINALIST ST JOSEPH’S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL
“No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced”
“Work transforms talent into genius”
David Attenborough is unbelievably 91 years of age and has recently released a new series call the Blue Planet. It’s awesome! He inspires me because he puts his life on the line to show people about nature. I wish people did not litter or waste food. I want to be a kind and caring person that is helpful to others and I want people to see me the way I am.
When Anna Pavlova was 8 years old she saw Sleeping Beauty. Captivated by what she saw, Anna resolved to become a dancer. Anna inspires me because she never gave up, she kept trying even when things were hard. I am also hard-working and determined. I want to be just like her. Even when things are hard I don’t give up.
KATIE MELHUISH P6 NATIONAL FINALIST SIMPSON PRIMARY SCHOOL
Visit the gallery to browse the amazing posters online: inspiringpurpose.org.uk/impact
“Beauty comes to the eye of the beholder” Svena Jodicke is an artist who sells very colourful art. She has inspired me because she was determined, caring and committed as she has turned art into her profession. I believe Svena is truly inspiring because in a stage in her life she became homeless, but she continued her love for art. After a while she discovered she could sell her art online and get the money that she needed. As she kept selling her art it became more popular, but her skills improved in every picture. To me, that’s what makes her determined. Also, I think she is very caring when she is making O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 15
SECONDARY WINNERS SCOTLAND
EILIDH LONGINO S1 NATIONAL FINALIST ABOYNE ACADEMY
“Giving is not about making a donation. It is about making a difference.” My inspirational figure is Douglas Macmillan, the founder of Macmillan Cancer Support. He created the charity as he had lost his father to cancer. I would like to be as hardworking, selfless and charitable as he was. Douglas was always thinking of ways to help others. I sadly lost my Auntie to cancer and to me I hope one day that no other family will have to lose a loved one or friend. Hopefully one day, cancer will be gone forever.
CHARLOTTE R. REYNOLDS
always inspired me. I share the same character traits as him and he inspires me to not fear rejection. But most of all it’s his work that inspires me. Frank’s structures have always inspired me to create my own, looking at them fuels my dream to become an architect. I want to be kind and helpful when I’m older. What I want to achieve most is to become a successful architect and create eco-friendly and affordable homes for places in poverty such as slums and refugee camps.
JAMIE JOHNSON S1 NATIONAL FINALIST AUCHENHARVIE ACADEMY
“I’m not really interested in making money, that comes as the result of success. My goal is to always try my hardest.” Steven Spielberg inspires me because he is such a hardworking and determined person as he has been working for a long time and has made amazing movies. I like him because of his personality but I also enjoy his movies as he put a lot of creativity into them and I like to consider myself a creative person. Steven is also a charitable person which is a great personality trait that I would like to take into the future. He is also very humble which is another reason I aspire to be like him.
S1 NATIONAL FINALIST ABOYNE ACADEMY
“You have to go whole heartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having.”
FEEDBACK
My inspirational person is Frank Lloyd Wright, he was an American architect born in the 20th century. His determination, confidence, creativity and persistence have
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I learned how to recognise my own values, passions and achievements. Without completing this project, I would not have realised how important these things are to me. I never realised how important it was to understand your own values. I thought of myself as quite caring, but now I see how this reflects my character and personality. Holly Fletcher, Braes High School
JADE MCLETCHIE S1 NATIONAL FINALIST BISHOPBRIGGS ACADEMY
“Be that girl who wakes up with purpose and intent. Be that girl who shows up and never gives up. Be that girl who believes anything is possible and is willing to work for it.” I want to be a down to earth person who doesn’t take anything for granted and appreciates life and also takes each day as it comes. In life what I want to achieve is simple, happiness. To wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and be comfortable with myself. I want a world where everyone is accepted for who they are; gay, transgender, Christian, Muslim, whoever they want to be. Everyone is an individual.
in. Clary came from a basic background and was raised by a single mother. She loved art and lived a normal life. However, her life turned upside down when she discovered she was actually a Shadowhunter. She struggled to fit in with the other Shadowhunters, who had been training all their lives. Clary shows a huge amount of dedication and determination, proving that if you put your mind to it you can do anything! I want to be a kind, caring and loving person. Since I was very young I have wanted to be a primary teacher. I love children and seeing their little brains work when they are trying to figure something out. I would also like to play netball professionally and go to the Commonwealth Games. My vision for a better world is people working together – many of our challenges could be solved if people found the love and care in their hearts.
ISOBEL SHORT
S1 1 st PRIZE BLAIRGOWRIE HIGH SCHOOL
“I don’t know how I’m going to live with myself if I don’t stay true to what I believe.” Desmond Doss inspires me because he is brave, kind, selfless and courageous. He won medals for bravery and courage under fire on 12th October 1945. Desmond Doss inspires me to be brave and kind. I want to not be scared to try new things and to just have a go.
AMY TURNER HOLLY FLETCHER S3 NATIONAL FINALIST BRAES HIGH SCHOOL
My favourite fictional character is Clary Fray of the Shadowhunter series. I admire her because she stood up for what she believed
S3 NATIONAL FINALIST BRAES HIGH SCHOOL “Life is like surfing…. when you get caught in the impact zone, you’ve just got to get back up. You never know what might be over the next wave “ Bethany Hamilton
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Bethany Hamilton was involved in an incident with a shark at the age of 13, but returned to surfing just as soon as she could. She inspires me because after everything she has been through she still keeps a smile on her face after the attack, she couldn’t wait to get back in the water. She proved that if you really want something you can achieve it, it just takes a lot of hard work. She inspires me because she kept trying and didn’t give up. When I was younger I took part in a swimming gala and won one gold medal and two silvers. I was so happy because I had been working so hard. I later had to stop swimming and took an interest in surfing. After that I joined the triathlon club, and I’m now working towards a triathlon. When I won in the swimming gala I was ecstatic - I loved it because my hard work paid off. So now I have a new and more difficult goal, but I’m determined to achieve it.
FAITH LAUCHLAN S1 NATIONAL FINALIST CASTLEHEAD HIGH SCHOOL
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet.” I would like to be a caring person and someone you can count on. Job wise I would like to be a doctor, the thought of saving/ helping people when they are not well has always appealed to me. #iwill make everyone feel cared for no matter what race, I will avoid violence as well. I learned that I want to help people, and that everyone’s thoughts are important.
TAHLIA TREMAIN S1 NATIONAL FINALIST BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney is one of the best entrepreneurs who ever lived. His creativity, persistence and determination were his personal key values which stood out in my mind. I look up to him in so many ways as he got to where he was because of determination to follow his dream. I also want that hope. I want to be someone like Walt Disney – someone that changes the future with creativity; maybe ink on paper, paint on card or ideas on mind. But I don’t want to just change the future, I want to influence others with the power of creativity.
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GURSIMRAN KAUR GHARYAL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST CLEVEDEN HIGH SCHOOL
The fictional character who inspires me is Dumbledore because he is a very strong character and he has taught me that “happiness can be found at the darkest of times if only one remembers to turn on the light.”
FEEDBACK
I learned that I need to be more persistent, self-disciplined, thoughtful and committed to make myself a better person. Gursimran Kaur Gharyal, Cleveden High School
“Happiness is the only thing worth fighting for in your life “ Lilly Singh Lilly Singh is a Canadian YouTuber, Vlogger, comedian, actress, singer/songwriter, dancer, businesswoman, model and motivational speaker. She is also a feminist and is known as Superwoman, which is also the title of her YouTube channel. She was raised as a Sikh just like me. She struggled with depression and started making YouTube videos in 2010 as a way of helping herself and others deal with depression. She released a red lipstick called Bawse and her first feature film A Trip to Unicorn Island in March 2017, then her book “Bawse: a guide to conquering life.” She helped to spread #GirlLove to break girl on girl hate and empower everyone with the confidence to become incredible leaders. She also promoted #GirlLove Rafiki bracelets help girls in Kenya go to school. That’s why she inspires me because she helps people in a small way by doing what she loves. I would want to be a bit like my inspirational figure, although different in making a different contribution. The changes I want to see in the world are gender equality and animal rights. I am passionate about animal rights because they are living beings as well.
Stephen Hawking wrote many bestselling books, which changed the way we think about physics and the laws that govern the universe. He inspires me as even with his life limiting disease, he did not give up. He has achieved things that many people would not be able to do in three lifetimes. He also helped funding into motor neuron disease so that other people get better help and treatments. My vision for a better world is one with less prejudice and discrimination against those who are different and more help for those who need it most.
JAKE MILNE
S2 NATIONAL FINALIST ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL “Surround yourself only with people who will take you higher” Oprah Winfrey Someone inspires me as Oprah Winfrey. She was born into poverty and was assaulted by a member of her own family. She eventually recovered and landed a job at a local radio station where many people recognised her talent, as she landed her own talk show. It was
KATIE GALLACHER
S3 NATIONAL FINALIST DEANS COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL “We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the universe. That makes us very special” Stephen Hawking O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 19
a huge hit from day one, with many people tuning in every week to hear her very strong views on sensitive subjects. She has grown to be one of the most recognisable people on the planet and is a household name. Recently she gave a very strong inspiring speech about the #metoo movement in Hollywood. She inspires me because she came from nothing and became one of the best loved people in the world.
I want to be the nicest person I can possibly be, but at the same time not beat around the bush, choosing who I want to be close to and returning their love. I want to inspire other people to make their own difference, assuring them that they matter and are loved.
SIA SHETKAR S2 JOINT 3 rd PRIZE FIRRHILL SCHOOL
“I think it is possible for ordinary people to become extraordinary” Elon Musk Elon Musk grew from being a South African sci-fi loving bookworm to being one of the most influential people in the world. He is making spaceships from the novels he used to read. Musk has an extremely strong work
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ethic, putting in everything he can and taking huge risks. From a young age he was hellbent on making an impact that could change the world. Elon has motivated me to have big dreams and put in as much effort as I can. He made me think that I will change the world so long as I work hard and think BIG. One of Musk’s goals is to establish civilisation on Mars, therefore solving population problems etc. He is developing cheaper, effective, reusable travel to Mars and possibly beyond. He thinks it possible to create an atmosphere on Mars capable of sustaining crops, humans and animals. If we remain confined to one planet, then he thinks there will eventually be an extinction event. I will be a person who changes the world, a reliable friend, a responsible worker, and inventive thinker. I want to be inspiring, fearless and embrace change. I yearn to explore and discover new and fascinating things. I want to be creative, create entire worlds, dimensions and souls with words. I want to and will fulfil this purpose I am totally passionate about, and will be courageous enough to persevere through all challenges. I want to play a part in changing the world, not in a small way - I want to make an impact that affects generations. Write a book, make Mars habitable by becoming a brilliant scientist, solve pollution and energy problems, find a way to share and harness anti-matter, be content, travel the world and beyond. This will all start from hard work, bravery and innovation that I hope to accomplish. And I’m stubborn and determined enough to do it.
ELIN DARGIE
S1 NATIONAL FINALIST FORTROSE ACADEMY “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’.” I want to be a person who is kind and understanding and to know what is right and
what is wrong. I want to be inspiring to others in my own way and I want to treat others how I would want to be treated. I want to have a job that I enjoy and that pays well so I can help charities, small communities and people living in developing countries. My vision for a better world is a place where there is peace and equality to all. Also, people need to treat our world with respect, I think we should try and stop pollution and slow down global warming. My whole family including myself will stop using plastic bags and use material bags instead. I will recycle anything that is recyclable.
HANNAH MCLACHLAN S2 NATIONAL FINALIST GAIRLOCH HIGH SCHOOL
My favourite fictional character is Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter as I could relate to that character a lot. In both the movie and the book, Neville doesn’t have any confidence or set himself on any kind of pedestal. This is much like myself, but many times he plucked up courage to correct what
was wrong and in the end saved the day. “Education is the key to acceptance” Thomas Sanders Thomas Sanders and his friends are parts of the LGBT Community and are open about everything, they support everybody. They are all encouraging me to find out about myself and be open about that. I’ve become more open about things I never thought I could say. I’m learning to appreciate myself and have become more outgoing. I’m encouraged by two other quotes: “you are the expert on yourself and you get to tell people you are.” Then “I’m really scared, but that’s not gonna make me stop being a woman, stop being gay and stop being Hispanic.” I want to be that person that others can confide in and trust. I want to develop a good moral compass and be close to people. I want to help people through hard times and I want to be naturally accepting rather than have ideas based on stereotypes. I want to help and teach people.
TAYLER BURNS
S1 NATIONAL FINALIST GLENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL “I do not belong to anyone but myself and neither do you.”
FEEDBACK
Ariana Grande is inspiring because she has showed and proved to girls that if you put your mind to something you can achieve anything and everything. She loves her fans and the bravery she showed after the horrors of the Manchester attack was so amazingly inspirational since she
Tayler was present at the Manchester Bombing during the attack. At the start of the year she closed off and was not “dealing with” her experience. This poster has allowed her to open up more about her experience and look to her role models character for inspiration. Mrs. Crosbie, Glenwood High School O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 21
FEEDBACK
By taking part in this project I have learned something about myself and what plans are waiting for me in the future. I’m not as confused and I feel more prepared on what I would like to do. Julia Bond, Grove Academy
showed her love and resilience. I want to be an inspirational person and I want people in the future to look up to me and realise I made a difference so they can too.
STACEY-LEE INKSTER S3 NATIONAL FINALIST GRACEMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL
“People must see that the natural world is important and valuable and beautiful and wonderful and an amazement and a pleasure” Sir David Attenborough Sir David Attenborough is my inspirational figure as an amazing nature presenter. I’m also inspired by Jane Goodall who tries to help people see what we are doing to the world. She works closely with chimps and has her own institute. This inspires me to want to help stop animal cruelty and I would like to become a zookeeper in order to work with animals.
also people who go out their way to prevent the disgusting cruelty suffered at the hands of humans. She gives me the incentive and aspiration to do similar work. I would like to achieve a better understanding of the people, animals and places around me and be able to appreciate the world.
BEA NICOLL
S1 NATIONAL FINALIST GROVE ACADEMY Rosalind Franklin inspires me because of the way her work changed the world and contributed to saving many lives. Her findings are vital to work geneticists do and I would love to make an amazing change just like she did. I want to work with genetics as I want to find something that changes the way we live our lives.
JULIA BOND LIZZY DALGLIESH S1 NATIONAL FINALIST GRAEME HIGH SCHOOL
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” I admire Jill Robinson for many reasons. The way animals are treated in some places makes me feel rather dismal, so the work Jill does really does have a positive effect on me. It makes me joyous and gives me optimism and hope that even though there are people who would do such harm to living creatures, there are 22
S1 SPECIAL COMMENDATION GROVE ACADEMY In my future I see myself achieving my dream, to work as a doctor. I want to achieve this because helping people makes me happy. I
picture a better world where patients beat all types of cancer. I hope in the future that very clever people will find the cure. #iwill donate money towards cancer research.
Jessica Ennis inspires me because she competes in the heptathlon, which consists of a variety of events. She won gold at London 2012 and a silver at Rio 2016, which was even more impressive as she had had a child in 2014. One of her main goals is to inspire young girls to pursue sport. She also supports various charities, including Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Jessica was inspired by Denise Lewis, who won the heptathlon at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. From then on, she trained and persevered to achieve her dream - I admire her determination, which is why she achieved success. My vision for a better world is that everyone is there for each other to fall back on and that if you need help, people are willing to act selflessly.
SOPHIE HOWIESON S1 NATIONAL FINALIST GROVE ACADEMY
“We are not here because we are law breakers, we are here in our efforts to become law makers.” I volunteer at a local rainbows club. I hope to work with young kids for the rest of my life as it is a real passion of mine. I aspire to become an early learning practitioner and give as many young children the best start to their learning life as possible. I want to be a kind person and spread smiles where I go.
ERIN CARSON
S2 NATIONAL FINALIST GRYFFE HIGH SCHOOL “The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow” Jessica Ennis
PATRICIA IGNAT SANDU S2 NATIONAL FINALIST HAWICK HIGH SCHOOL
“Heroes aren’t always the ones that win, sometimes they’re the ones who lose. But they keep fighting, they keep coming back. They don’t give up, that’s what makes them heroes” Clary Fairchild My favourite story is about three friends who save the world. They come from the books Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince and Clockwork Princess. Tessa Gray teaches me that being oneself is one of the most important things. Jean Carstairs teaches me that there are some important things worth fighting for. And Will Herondale teaches me that people cannot survive without love. At school, Angelina Jolie was bullied for wearing braces and being too skinny. She dropped out of high school aged 14 due to bullying, and began to self-harm. At 19, she got into drugs due to severe depression and twice tried to commit suicide. After all these events she managed to find a new path, she adopted a child in 2001 and became an ambassador
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for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. She has taught me to be more selfless and kind and that even a small act of kindness can help. She taught me never to give up and change the world in little ways. I find her inspiring because after all the tragic events in her life she managed to get up and try again – and when she succeeded, she shared her achievements with the whole world. She has made the world a better place just by sharing and helping others. With her fame she could have done something different, but she chose to help the world. That’s why I admire her. One of my inspirational moments was my first karate competition, which showed me that I could actually do it. I can actually achieve something if I work hard and don’t give up. On that day I won two golds in a national competition. I want to be the kind of person who stands up for people and is always there when people need me. I want to contribute to making the world a better place and making people realise that we are all equal no matter what race, gender or religion you are. I want to be smart enough to know what’s wrong, and wise enough to know what to do about it.
TAMÁS MIHÁLY
S1 3 rd PRIZE HERMITAGE ACADEMY
“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or objects.” I want to be like Albert Einstein because he unveiled new paths and theories to the world. I would like to become a mechanical engineer and I would like to invent new types of eco-friendly motors in the future. I want the world to invent hoverboards and more electric cars, so we stop using petrol that often which will help with the air pollution problem.
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CARLA WILSON
S4 1 st PRIZE HILLHEAD HIGH SCHOOL
“If you want to be the best, you have to do things other people aren’t willing to do” Michael Phelps In his Olympic career as a swimmer, Michael Phelps won 28 medals, of which 23 were gold. When I was younger, he was the person all my swimming team talked about. I tried to look for someone else, but he was always the first name to come up. This inspired me to keep going to training and put all my commitment into one thing that made me happy, and that’s the most important thing when taking inspiration from someone. We should always be inspired by somebody else’s positive aspect. My vision for a better world is where nobody is afraid to take a chance on their dreams even if they don’t think they are capable.
FEEDBACK
By doing this project I have learnt that I have the ability to inspire other people and that I have more positive personality traits than I thought. My teacher agreed with the strong qualities I chose, and there are others I could also have chosen. Carla Wilson, Hillhead High School
MOHIT RAM
S4 NATIONAL FINALIST HILLHEAD HIGH SCHOOL “No alarm clock needed. My passion wakes me up” Kyrie Irving My inspirational figure is the NBA basketball player Kyrie Irving, who is regarded as one of the very best ball handlers in the country. Most of my own moves are based on his movements and skill set – I can tailor his moves to work with mine. Everything about Kyrie is unique, from the way he dresses to the way he plays. He is also very humble, which I like and which I think reflects the key importance of respect for our generation. I also admire his bravery and courage, since, at 6 foot 3 he is in fact less tall than most of his opponents, but he tries to surprise them. I want to be humble and confident. My vision for a better world is equality and doing something to combat world problems rather than standing by. I’d also like to see an end to racism and gang violence.
humble despite his wealth and fame, and still lives in his mother’s flat. He has a high level of tolerance in the ring and remains coolheaded even when being repeatedly punched. He has drive and is enthusiastic. He is also respectful – when he won against Vladimir Klitschko he said: “you leave your ego at the door and respect your opponent.”
This is an inspirational quote as it makes working hard on getting results seem simple.
Around a year ago I was diagnosed with mental health problems – I was underachieving in all subjects, had no friends as a result of my exgirlfriend, and was living with two alcoholics. However, after focusing a lot of time on my schoolwork, getting rid of toxic people, working harder to be a more likeable person, starting a fitness journey in order to become slimmer and fitter, and moving in with my dad, I now have a much better life. I no longer have mental health problems, I achieved straight A’s in my prelims, and I have the best group of people around me I could ask for.
Anthony Joshua is a heavyweight boxer with the incredible record of 20 knockout and no losses – he also has an Olympic gold medal. He has four admirable characteristics: he is
I think a world where technology doesn’t possess such a monumental hold on people and every part of their lives would vastly improve the Earth, humans and personal mindsets.
SHANNON FERRIES
S4 2 nd PRIZE INVERURIE ACADEMY
“The work you put in always pays off” Anthony Joshua
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Primary School Winners P6 1st Place Ruari Cottier Dunbeg Primary School P6 2nd Place Andras Predl Sgoil nan Loch P6 3rd Place Obi Ejidike Hazlehead Primary School
P7 1st Place Anna Esslemont Mile End Primary School P7 2nd Place Sam Lynch Mile End Primary School P7 3rd Place Orlaith Heggie Sgoil nan Loch
Primary School Finalists Ella Shaw Balmalloch Primary School Olivia Curle Balmalloch Primary School Tegan MacKenzie Caol Primary School Evita Tomina Fair Isle Primary School Lewis Gaunt Hazlehead Primary School Isobel Macleod Helmsdale Primary School John Cameron Gordon Methven Primary School
Willow Boyle Methven Primary School Rachel Anne Ewen Mile End Primary School Rania Azam Dar Mile End Primary School Ruairidh MacDonald Sgoil nan Loch Jessica Hendry Sgoil nan Loch Katie Melhuish Simpson Primary School Morven Goutcher St Fillan’s Primary School
Evan Blair St Fillan’s Primary School Evie McFarlane St Fillan’s Primary School Keira McKean St Fillan’s Primary School Hannah-Sophia Osborne St Joseph’s Prmary School Caitlin Gardner Williamston Primary School
Primary School Highly Commended Paige Wilson Fair Isle Primary School
Primary School Best in School Alana Campbell Bickerton Dunard Primary School (Joint) Ben Adams Dunard Primary School (Joint)
Elizabeth Ferris St Columbas RC Primary School Lianna Greig Strathallan Primary School
Other UK 1st Place Freddie Webber Coedcae Comprehensive School 2nd Place Eliza Butler Coedcae Comprehensive School
3rd Place Hannah Forkuoh Coedcae Comprehensive School Amin Alamir Swanlea School
Gaelic Best in School Jack Wolf The Nicolson Institute Rebekah Mackenzie The Nicolson Institute Cleo Mackenzie The Nicolson Institute
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Kitty Ann Maciver The Nicolson Institute Molly Macdonald The Nicolson Institute
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2018 Secondary School Winners S1 1st Place Isobel Short Blairgowrie High School S1 2nd Place Clara Fergusson Kilwinning Academy S1 3rd Place Tamás Mihály Hermitage Academy
S2 1st Place S2 2nd Place S2 3rd Place S2 3rd Place
S3 1st Place Rahima Nazir The Waid Academy S3 2nd Place Ayesha Frisby The Waid Academy S3 3rd Place Urooj Chaudhary Rosshall Academy
S4 1st Place Carla Wilson Hillhead High School S4 2nd Place Shannon Ferries Inverurie Academy S4 3rd Place Shannon Baillie Kirkcudbright Academy
Katie Taylor Mearns Academy Caroline Newton Kinross High School Sia Shetkar Firrhill High School (Joint) Stasi Kosenoka Turriff Academy (Joint)
Secondary School Finalists Eilidh Longino Aboyne Academy Charlotte R. Reynolds Aboyne Academy Jamie Johnson Auchenharvie Academy Jade McLetchie Bishopbriggs Academy Holly Fletcher Braes High School Amy Turner Braes High School Tahlia Tremain Broughton High School Faith Lauchlan Castlehead High School Gursimran Kaur Gharyal Cleveden Secondary School Katie Gallacher Deans Community High School Jake Milne Elgin High School Elin Dargie Fortrose Academy Hannah McLachlan Gairloch High School Tayler Burns Glenwood High School Stacey-Lee Inkster Gracemount High School
Lizzy Dalgliesh Graeme High School Bea Nicoll Grove Academy Sophie Howieson Grove Academy Erin Carson Gryffe High School Patricia Ignat Sandu Hawick High School Mohit Ram Hillhead High School Daniel Ferrier Inverurie Academy Taylor Chapman Inverurie Academy Amelia Poskitt Kemnay Academy Louise McIntyre Kilsyth Academy Kayla Olivia Holliman Kings Park Secondary School Lilly Roy Kinross High School Olivia Dale Knox Academy Rhea Irving Langholm Academy Luca Bird Leith Academy
Madison Hodgkins Lockerbie Academy Rachel Murray The Nicolson Institute Lena Gerhardt Peebles High School Martha Tomlinson Perth High School Leanne Duguid Portlethen Academy Saskia Buitendijk St George’s School for Girls Maria Hapca St John’s RC High School Erin Cameron St Kentigerns Academy Taylor Stirling St Margaret’s Academy Alisha Hakeem Stonelaw High School Tansy Scott Tarbert Academy Sasha Hale Trinity Academy Inga Hardy Turriff Academy Mia MacLeod Vale of Leven Academy Charlie Stewart Woodmill High School
Secondary School Highly Commended Julia Bond Grove Academy
Kelsey Martin Kirkcudbright Academy
Secondary School Best in School Charlie Anderson-McGuinness & Zehra Tutus Baldragon Academy Nia Mullen Broxburn Academy Lydia Wilson Dumfries High School Joni Handren Gracemount High School
Zeynab Uzanova Harris Academy Ellie McInally Knightswood Secondary Iona Banks Perth Grammar School Isla Morrison Pitlochry High School Naman Sharma Queen Anne High School
Hope Wilson Ross High School Ella Macdonald St Matthew’s Academy (Joint) Cerys Duddy St Matthew’s Academy (Joint) Brad Ciohodaru St Mungo’s Academy
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DANIEL FERRIER S4 NATIONAL FINALIST INVERURIE ACADEMY
My favourite fictional character is Atticus from “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee because he works hard to achieve what he believes in despite the fact that his reputation is worsened by his defence of a black man. I like his progressive view in not tolerating racism. He taught me that if you stand by your beliefs, you are more likely to achieve your goals. British singer-songwriter Emeli Sande inspires me for a number of reasons. One is the meaning of her lyrics in that they are clearly well thought out and convey a message as well as sounding nice in the song. She uses her music to convey such themes as confidence and loyalty. By managing to get people to hear the messages and combining thoughtful lyrics with catchy tunes, she shows that she is a very creative artist. With her more typical yet still beautiful heartbreak songs like “Sweet Architect” and “Lonely”, her lyrics show how loving a person she is. Lyrics like ”my tears don’t fall too often, but your knife is cutting me deep” from “Hurts” and “to try to explain why some days hurt more than others is like asking rain to sing above the thunder” coupled with powerful, emotional vocals convey how strong-willed and honest she is. The fact that she writes, plays and sings most songs shows her independence and how hard she works to create her music. The enthusiasm for what she does shows through in her latest album “Long Live the Angels” through its many heartbreak songs written around the time of her divorce.
FEEDBACK
I aim eventually to become a game programmer and work with others to make games. Game development is done in teams
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so I will have to respect, tolerate and care for others in the team as we all work towards a common goal. You have to be enthusiastic about your game to make it work as well as possible.
TAYLOR CHAPMAN S4 NATIONAL FINALIST INVERURIE ACADEMY
“I know where I’m going and I knew the truth, as I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want” Muhammad Ali Mohammed Ali is a person who truly inspires me because despite all the hate and setbacks he faced during his career as a boxer, he was still able to succeed and was world champion for a long time. I believe he was undoubtedly one of the greatest boxers of all time. Not only that, he was an excellent human being and I think people should strive to be more like him. He was not worried by what others said or believed, he just stuck up for what he
I learned which qualities truly represent me and which need improvement. I also found out more about myself in the sense that writing down what kind of person I wanted to be made me think of my future aspirations. Taylor Chapman, Inverurie Academy
believed in, always following his own views and beliefs. He always believed in his own abilities and was not scared to dream – the sky was the limit for him. He refused to fight in Vietnam because he had converted to Islam, which led to is being banned from boxing for a long time. Despite this, he was able to come back and fight, retaining his focused mindset and determination to be a legendary boxer. I want to be a professional footballer and a hard-working and committed person who never gives up and always follows his dreams. I want to feel that I’m constantly doing my best and trying to improve and work towards being a better person. I want to be the best possible version of myself. I also want to be someone who helps others and treats others caringly and kindly. I want to achieve things through hard work and not through cheating myself and taking shortcuts. The world would be so much better off if fewer people followed the crowd and did the same things just to be popular.
AMELIA POSKITT S2 NATIONAL FINALIST KEMNAY ACADEMY
“One kind word can change someone’s entire day.” My inspirational figure is Millie Bobby Brown, who is an amazing actor who also showed that you don’t need hair to be beautiful. She has a social media account that is made to
spread love and stop bullying. Characteristics that she has that I would like to live up to are bravery, kindness, determination and generosity. My vision for a better world is where violence is never the answer.
LOUISE MCINTYRE S1 NATIONAL FINALIST KILSYTH ACADEMY
“Believe you can and you are halfway there already.” I want to be the kind of person that you can come to if you are upset and I want to be the kind of person who is smart, kind and nice. Also, I would like to be the kind of person who has lots of friends and who loves animals. I would like to achieve my goal in becoming a marine biologist and I would like to study marine animals such as whales, dolphins and turtles. I want to protest against zoos keeping orcas and dolphins in tiny pools that are simply not large enough for them.
CLARA FERGUSSON
S1 2 nd PRIZE KILWINNING ACADEMY
“There will be a day when you can say you’re okay, and mean it…” When I saw ‘Who inspires you and why?’ I immediately thought Dodie Clark! I have been watching her videos for ages and I think she is a brilliant role model. One of the reasons I love Dodie is how honest she is about anxiety, depression and other controversial subjects. She doesn’t make you feel bad, she makes me feel more confident. I want a world with no brainwashed teens, brainwashed into thinking they’re not good enough.
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KAYLA HOLLIMAN
S1 NATIONAL FINALIST KINGS PARK SECONDARY SCHOOL “If you can dream it, you can do it. It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” Walt Disney My best friend is the one who inspires me the most because she has bad heart problems and an unwell sister and still finds the energy to be happy and caring. She is so nice and she always helps you and is always there for you. She is getting an operation on her heart in the next year or so but is always there to help you. When I broke my leg, she was there to help me and when she visited me in hospital she took the time to get me a present. She is the best friend I could ever have.
CAROLINE NEWTON
Emmeline fought for women’s rights and a few weeks after her death in 1928 women achieved the right to vote. I aspire to be like Pankhurst because she stood up for what she believed in – she was not afraid to be herself and followed what she thought was right, not the crowd. Although her suffragette movement was right, I do not agree with her commitment to the White Feather Movement. Emmeline taught me to be resilient and not to listen to people when they tell you that you are incapable of something. She also taught me that sometimes in life you have to make sacrifices in order to do the right thing. Emmeline’s work and that of her associates have influenced the world we live in and the opportunities I have today. Although we are still not all equal, Emmeline lit a flame that spurred on women around the world to speak up for their rights and the idea of feminism itself.
S2 2 nd PRIZE KINROSS HIGH SCHOOL
The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are but on how happy those around you can be as a result of you – when it comes to things that appear small like serving myself first or which pen I get I can be very selfish. I need to put others before myself. After all a candle never lost anything from lighting another candle. “We are not here because we are law-breakers, we are here in our efforts to become lawmakers” Emmeline Pankhurst At the age of fourteen in 1872 Emmeline Pankhurst was introduced to the suffragette movement but already as a child she had listened to bedtime stories about strong, purposeful women, written by her aunt, and she used to play-rehearse rights protests with her younger siblings. Through hardship, sacrifice and repeated imprisonment, 30
I want to be a successful person who speaks up for what they believe in and what is right. I want my children to look up to me as a woman who when she speaks is heard. Although I want to feel and drive other people to be empowered, I want to be openminded, understanding and respectful of other people’s problems, thoughts and religions. Most of all within myself I want to be hardworking and succeed in what I love.
I never want to stop questioning, no matter how old. I hope to develop into an individual who displays determination and resilience, who will never stop learning and standing up for what is right.
LILLY ROY
S2 NATIONAL FINALIST KINROSS HIGH SCHOOL My favourite fictional character is Hermione Granger because she is hard-working, clever and a strong woman. She has taught me that it is still possible to work hard and enjoy yourself at the same time. She is a great role model with many positive qualities.
I’m most proud of when I became Scottish espoir vault champion and third all round. This was an amazing achievement as all my hard work and hours in the gym paid off. I was very pleased with the way I performed my routines. It was a great experience as we were warming up and competing alongside Olympians. I enjoyed competing a lot, and can’t wait to do it again. In the near future I want to progress in my sport of gymnastics and inspire younger gymnasts. When I leave school I would like to study medicine and combine this by becoming a sports doctor.
“I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take it all” Simone Biles
FEEDBACK
Simone Biles is an amazing gymnast who inspires me a lot. She and her siblings were in and out of foster care for many years because of their parents’ drug addiction. She was adopted by her grandparents and started gymnastics aged eight. She was noticed immediately because she was extremely talented. She has won three Olympic gold medals and 10 golds at the world Championships, making her the most decorated US gymnast ever. Simone inspires me because even though she didn’t have the easiest start in life she made it to the top of a difficult sport. She is also a very happy person and always has a smile on her face. She is hard-working like me and very determined. She has had injuries and recovered so when I was injured myself she made me believe I could recover too.
In my ideal world everyone would be equal with equal chances. I think that people are people and nobody should be discriminated against. I think if our world is to develop further we need to unite together and as individuals should put aside our differences and become one. I think our world would be a healthier place if we did not eat so much meat as this is unhealthy for our bodies and bad for the environment.
I learned more about my personal qualities, and because I had to think a lot to complete this project it made me see that I am persistent and hard-working. The project also made me think about what I would like our world to be like, and now but I know what I want it to be like I can start making it happen. Lilly Roy, Kinross High School O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 31
FEEDBACK
I learned about the qualities I have and what I need to improve on. This project helped me figure out more about my character, which is a nice thing. Rhea-Megan Irving, Langholm Academy
SHANNON BAILLIE
S4 3 rd PRIZE KIRKCUDBRIGHT ACADEMY
“You don’t always win, but every time you lose you get better” Ian Somerhalder Ian Somerhalder is an actor who also does what he can from the planet. He has a foundation that takes care of animals and he himself helps out at animal sanctuaries. He also helps with water clean-ups. I find him inspiring because he shows everyone kindness and cares about the world we all live in. He inspires me to show kindness to everyone and try my best. He pushes himself so that he can achieve as much as he can. I would like to be kind, caring and brave like him and do what I can to help the planet. My hope is that everyone achieves happiness of some sort. I believe that everyone is capable of being loved. I want everyone to feel that their life is worth something and not to waste a second of it.
KELSEY MARTIN
S4 SPECIAL COMMENDATION KIRKCUDBRIGHT ACADEMY “Before you see the light, you have to deal with the darkness” Dan Millman James Arthur is a singer-songwriter who won the X Factor in 2012. He has revealed how his anxiety affected his behaviour, relationships and career. In addition, his parents hardly spoke to each other until he had his first audition. In September 2016 he spoke about his struggle with drugs, anxiety and depression, and has become an ambassador for a mental health charity. 32
OLIVIA ROSE DALE S1 NATIONAL FINALIST KNOX ACADEMY
“And if I fly or fall, at least I gave it my all.” My vision for a better world is to reduce pollution and keep our world from overheating. If less rubbish ends up in the ocean then more animals will be kept safe from extinction. I’m going to recycle everything that can be recycled, I have also stopped using plastic straws, stopped buying bottled water and I don’t let the tap run when brushing my teeth. Hopefully I can convince some friends and family to do the same.
RHEA IRVING
S2 NATIONAL FINALIST LANGHOLM ACADEMY “Life is just a gamble, so enjoy the game” Lucy Spraggan Lucy Spraggan inspires me because she
is hard-working and enthusiastic about life and music. She was a contestant on X Factor and was doing well but she had to drop out because of illness. One day she was busking when an old lady fell over. She was so affected that she wrote a story in her memory. She also wrote a song called All that I’ve Loved (for Barbra – her wife’s Nan) to raise awareness of dementia. Lucy’s song writing always tells a story and every song manages to move me. One of Lucy’s friends committed suicide and she took out her emotions in a song called Dear You. Lucy is happily married to her wife Georgia, but recently she got attacked at a gig for being gay. It’s inspiring how she got through that.
small village in the country and wrote herself into the history books. She is an amazing figure in gender equality as she was the first woman in space. She was also prepared to go on a one-way mission to Mars. My vision for a better world is one where all races, all sexes and all opinions are treated truly equally, where people are accepted for what they are. I would like to stop wars and animal cruelty, as well as breaches of human rights. I hope I will contribute to peaceful protest marches against bad things. I would do this to make the world a better place by peaceful means.
When I grow up I want to be a kind, happy and driven person who has no regrets and lives life to the full. I want to be successful and help other people. I’d like to foster children and make their lives a little brighter even if it’s only for a little while, as I want other childhoods to be as happy as mine.
LUCA BIRD
S2 NATIONAL FINALIST LEITH ACADEMY I aspire to be like the fictional character Princess Mononoke first and foremost because she fights for what she believes in. When others came and destroyed her forest, she persevered and fought. She fights to do what’s right and to protect what she loves. She is always good at compromising and can deal with things from an open-minded point of view. “A bird cannot fly with one wing only – human spaceflight cannot develop any further without the active participation of women” Valentina Tereshkova My inspirational figure is Valentina Tereshkova, who was the first Russian woman in space. I find her inspiring because she started from a
MADDIE HODGKINS S2 NATIONAL FINALIST LOCKERBIE ACADEMY
“I don’t want people to decide who I am – I want to decide that for myself” Emma Watson Emma Watson is an inspirational British actress, model and feminist activist who believes in gender equality. She has pointed O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 33
out that feminism is not about telling women how to live their lives, but to give them choice. She encourages young women to live up to their potential and points out the importance of female leadership.
KATIE TAYLOR
S2 1 st PRIZE MEARNS ACADEMY
My favourite fictional character with whom I feel special link is the quirky Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. Caring, loving, compassionate Luna helped me through a lot with her unconventional and carefree thinking. She embraces her individuality and doesn’t give a damn what others think. She helped me enormously when I was being bullied at primary school for having my own views. With her kind and thoughtful soul, she cares for and appreciates even the weirdest creatures. She doesn’t view herself as superior but as an equal. Altogether, she has taught me to fight for what I believe in and not to change my personality or views for the sake of others, but also to love and care for all living things. “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have 34
to decide what kind of difference you want to make” Dame Jane Goodall From an early age, Jane Goodall dreamed of living in Africa, watching and writing about animals. She knew she belonged to the wild, and got the opportunity of working with the anthropologist Dr Louis Leakey. She concluded from her work on chimpanzees that animals do have emotions, minds and their own very original personalities. However, I find what she has done after these observations even more inspirational. She founded her own Institute to help protect chimpanzees through community centred projects. With her kind soul and calm human spirit, Jane helps bring a message of hope around the world, encouraging everyone to make positive changes. She further helps and supports our Earth by being passionate and open about animal rights and the ethical treatment of animals, as well as being a vegetarian. Overall, I find her inspiring because she stood up for women in science, encouraged environmental peace, promoted education for all, enhanced our awareness of global issues, did conservation, and has been a promoter of peace and wisdom. She is a UN Messenger of Peace and has encouraged me to make a difference in the world. One of my proudest moments was when I won our school MasterChef competition. I had cooked healthy organic vegan food: a spiral vegetable tart and a chocolate chia mousse. I felt happy that sceptical people loved my vegan food and I was glad that people were able to enjoy food without animal products, and I hope they try more in the future. I want to be someone who is kind and compassionate to all beings and is always there to care for and look after animals and plants. I aim to help achieve and encourage
FEEDBACK
I learned that there really are many ways I could change to have a positive impact – also that I should believe in myself more. Lena Gerhardt, Peebles High School
peace and harmony between all living creatures roaming our beautiful planet. I would love to make positive changes in the world that will help the Earth and its inhabitants, including reducing plastic pollution and promoting animal rights. I’d love to be a conservationist when I’m older, and my main goal is to protect orang-utans in the Sumatran rainforest. Their habitat is being rapidly destroyed by people clearing the forest for palm oil plantations, cattle ranches and logging. I want humans to be in harmony with nature, showing respect to all living things. I’d love people to become more compassionate and connect with nature while reducing the amount of animal products they eat. It would be wonderful if we came together in unity to help stop deforestation, reduce plastic pollution, have more preserved natural areas and for animal testing and abuse to be banned. I’d also love more organic and fair trade produce as well as natural plant medicines to be more widely available.
#iwill: continue to be vegan and make interesting and creative new recipes, do my best to avoid food with plastic packaging, continue to avoid food that contains palm oil, pick up litter, recycle, look after my pets, be friendly, and encourage others to be more eco-friendly.
RACHEL MURRAY S1 NATIONAL FINALIST THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE
“I always believed, and when you do that, life can get unbelievable.” My inspiring person is Jessica Ennis Hill. She inspires me because she is a determined, hardworking, caring and selfless person. She is really determined because she said that she was usually one of the smallest athletes but that didn’t stop her from winning. I want to be a kind, determined and hardworking person who inspires lots of people. I want to do more competitive running away in different places and become the best runner I can be.
LENA GERHARDT S2 NATIONAL FINALIST PEEBLES HIGH SCHOOL
I chose Rick Riordan as my inspirational figure because his books have transformed my life, given me more confidence and anchored me as a person. These books have also helped me through tough times by giving me a safe haven to escape to. Rick demonstrates determination and motivation by constantly coming up with new plot twists and filling the lives of many people, including me, with excitement and anticipation. Rick O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 35
is especially inspiring to me personally as I aspire to write stories that can truly capture and portray feelings. Reading so much of his work has helped me with writing as I am mildly dyslexic. The characters from his many books have also taught me valuable life lessons – they aren’t all cliché characters and represent diversity in every possible way. I aspire to leave a positive mark on this Earth, and along the way to make people happy. My vision for a better world would include equality – people of all races, genders and sexuality being treated fairly and equally. In my better world everyone would be entitled to human rights, and every child would receive a full education with no corners cut.
MARTHA TOMLINSON S2 NATIONAL FINALIST PERTH HIGH SCHOOL
“There is hope and a kind of beauty in there if you look for it.” My inspirational figure is the Swiss painter HR Giger because he was amazing at art with a style like no one else. His style was adapted for many forms of media including record albums, furniture and tattoos. I find him inspirational because his art style was unique, and I want to be like that as a tattoo artist.
LEANNE DUGUID S2 NATIONAL FINALIST PORTLETHEN ACADEMY
“I think to be successful at anything put in a lot of effort. Pick your battles. I chose music, put in a lot of effort, and it works” Ed Sheeran The main reason Ed Sheeran inspires me is because of his music - he’s an amazing singer-songwriter, and one day I’d love to follow in his footsteps. He was interested in music from an early age, and inspired to write songs by Damien Rice after he met him at a show. He was bullied at school on account of his ginger hair, glasses and stutter, but that only made him stronger and more determined. He was also homeless for two and a half years, sleeping outside Buckingham Palace, on the underground or on friends’ sofas and at night he would play gigs wherever he could. He got spotted and worked with a record label to produce his first EP, but was not signed on until after he had a number one hit in the charts. He does a lot for charity and was awarded an MBE. Not so many people hear the story of how others became successful, and I’m inspired by Ed’s music, his kindness, his charity work and his background. I want to be a successful singer-songwriter. I need to do a lot of work to achieve this, but if one day I get to this position I’d love to inspire people to work hard and chase their dreams. I’d love to follow in Ed’s footsteps.
FEEDBACK
My main vision for a better world is to stop bullying, cure cancer and help the homeless. I’d like to help the homeless, because one night I was in Glasgow in December and walked by a lady sitting in blankets on the ground with her head tucked into the blankets. She was shivering and rocking herself back and
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By taking part in this project I have learned the skills I am good at and what I need to work on. It also helped me look into the future and set certain goals. The last section helped me understand that I can become a better person by being nicer towards others and start making a difference. Urooj Chaudhary, Rosshall Academy
forth, and had nothing but a few pence in a cup. It made me want to help her and others in her position. That’s my main vision.
a helping and caring person as well as honest and trustworthy so that people can rely on me as a doctor. My vision for a better world is where everyone is respectful and people are not judged on what they wear or look like.
SASKIA BUITENDIJK S1 NATIONAL FINALIST ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
“You are constantly changing and evolving through your experiences.” Jenna Marbles is my inspiration because she is very funny and kind. When I watch her on YouTube I laugh a lot and so I aspire to have humour like that where you can just make everyone laugh and be happy. I want to be constantly kind and make others happy. I want to be able to make everyone laugh and feel special.
UROOJ CHAUDHARY
S3 3 PRIZE ROSSHALL ACADEMY rd
My favourite fictional character is Edna Mode from the film “The Incredibles”. In it she says “I never look back darling, it distracts from the now.” This quote teaches me that I should never look back on bad memories because if I do it will get in the way of my aim. My inspiration is Barack Obama, who first ran for president in 2000 at the age of only 38. He had the ambition and courage to stand again and was elected in 2008. He had set his mind on what he wanted to do, and therefore didn’t suffer from a lack of belief that he couldn’t achieve his aim. During his presidency, he inaugurated the Affordable Health Act and a free lunch programme in schools, as examples of how the helped his country. I would like be like him as he achieved a great deal starting with very little. I would like to be
MARIA HAPCA
S2 NATIONAL FINALIST ST JOHN’S RC HIGH SCHOOL “Hard work has made it easy. That is my secret. That is why I win” Nadia Comaneci I chose this quote because it is true and I can relate to it – I work hard for what I want and I know it pays off. Nadia Comaneci is an Olympic gymnast from Romania was the first person to score a perfect 10. She pushed through challenges that were thrown at her and strove for perfection. During her two Olympics she won five gold medals and achieved six perfect tens. She has inspired many people to be the best they can be, and to me her story shows that whatever you put your mind to you will achieve. When she was 18 she ran away from home and fled to America. It was an incredibly brave thing to do as she had to
O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 37
leave her family and her country and start a new life in America. Even now, she has set up a hospital in Romania for people who can’t afford treatment. People should try to help and support each other through the trials of life. I want to be a role model and confident so that people can see that it’s okay to be yourself. I’d like to be a doctor when I’m older so as to help people and make a difference in people’s lives. My vision for a better world is where people treat each other with respect. The people of the world would work as one for the better good of humanity.
Olympics. I find her inspiring as she always tries her best, trains hard and makes time for her family and friends. I admire when she changed events, as I know how hard that is in terms of training. I would like to be like her when I grow up as I love athletics just as much. I want to be a successful vet and keep up my hobby, athletics, and run professionally while I am training. I would like animals to be kept in the wild and not poached.
TAYLOR STIRLING S2 NATIONAL FINALIST ST MARGARET’S ACADEMY
My favourite fictional character is Judy Flopps from Zootopia. I like it when she says that no matter how small or big you are you can be anything, and she never gave up being first Rabbit police officer. She wants to make the world a better place. “Never follow anyone else’s path unless you are in the woods and lost and see a path. Then by all means follow that path” Ellen DeGeneres
ERIN CAMERON S2 NATIONAL FINALIST ST KENTIGERNS ACADEMY
“Know your limits but never stop trying to exceed them.” Dafne Schippers is a Dutch sprinter specialising in 200 m, who was formerly a heptathlete. She is the 2017 world champion at this distance, and came second at the Rio 38
Ellen DeGeneres has her own talk show and is part of the LGBT community, married to her wife Portia de Rossi. On her show, she makes people laugh and smile every day – she also gives out rewards and prizes to her audience to say thank you and be generous. She is an activist for gay rights and has given a voice to so many people in the LGBT community. I would like to be the kind of person who is loving, caring, responsible and intelligent. My vision for a better world is one where there is no hate, no war, no starvation, no inequality and for everyone to love each other.
FEEDBACK
What I learned from doing this project is more about myself and the way I view things. This is really made me think about character and the way the world is and more. Tansy Scott, Tarbert Academy
ALISHA HAKEEM S1 NATIONAL FINALIST STONELAW HIGH SCHOOL
“Your life will become better by making others’ lives better.” Will Smith inspires me to dream big and not let my hopes down. He is a very hard worker and is very passionate about his beliefs. He inspires me because he believes that everyone can succeed. I want to be someone inspiring and someone who can help others. I want to be a happy person and make others life’s happy too. I want to be who I am and make others’ life’s better. My vision for a better world is where all people are equal no matter what.
TANSY SCOTT
S2 NATIONAL FINALIST TARBERT ACADEMY “My skin doesn’t define me” Winnie Harlow
Winnie Harlow believes that everyone is beautiful; that their race, gender, beliefs or anything that could be judged by society does not define them as the person they are. I think that Winnie is very strong and determined as she managed to become a famous and highly respected model after all she was put through. I think she is a good example that anything is possible if you just ignore the people who try to bring you down, and really believe in yourself. My vision for a better world would definitely include equality around the globe. For women, men, the LGBTQ+ community, for all races, and for everyone to have equal rights. I also feel strongly about ending animal cruelty, for people to stop testing on animals and hunting them for sport. I would also like something done about the environment and pollution. I think if people really tried we could achieve this. I would also like us to be less judgemental as a society, both online and in real life. None of the things I have said are impossible and if everyone tried and believed, they could come true.
The person who inspires me is Winnie Harlow, the Canadian fashion model, spokesperson and activist who has the skin condition Vitiligo. She was diagnosed with the condition aged four, and was bullied by other children who would call her names like cow and zebra. This led her to change schools multiple times and she even contemplated suicide. I admire her because she was determined to live her dream of becoming a model, regardless of her condition. I think she’s a good role model for others around the world who have been bullied for being different. O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 39
FEEDBACK
By taking part in this project I have learned the skills I am good at and what I need to work on. It also helped me look into the future and set certain goals. The last section helped me understand that I can become a better person by being nicer towards others and start making a difference. Urooj Chaudhary, Rosshall Academy
SASHA HALE
S1 NATIONAL FINALIST TRINITY ACADEMY “You won’t forget the heavy steps it took to let go. Close your eyes. Count to ten. Hold your breath and fly.” Annie Leblanc is an international famous singer, youtuber, singer and actress. Disaster struck her and her family in 2015 as her brother died of a heart disorder, Caleb Leblanc is a big part of the Leblanc’s that they miss. She inspires me because with everything she has been through, she still stays positive and happy and never gives up. She is a great mentor by showing ordinary girls that they don’t need to be popular and pretty to do well in life. But to be kind, work hard and never give up.
hard to prove he was right. I think that’s very admirable. Min Yoongi is a South Korean rapper and composer. The reason why he inspires me is that despite facing many struggles he never gave up on becoming a professional rapper. Before joining BTS he had depression and grew up in a poor family. He often had to choose between food and transport because of lack of money. When he sold his songs on the street, Yoongi would sometimes get no money for them, and people would steal them. Now he is a member of a band and he is making money by doing something he loves. I admire him because he is creative, persistent, hard-working and tolerant.
STASI KOSENOKA
S2 JOINT 3 rd PRIZE TURRIFF ACADEMY
“Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect.” I think this quote is inspirational because you have to work hard to achieve what you want, not be lazy and expect things to be handed to you. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third from How to Train your Dragon was considered a weak person by his tribe. His father thought he was hopeless and could never kill a dragon, which was true. Hiccup was a kind person who was determined to prove to his tribe and his father that dragons have feelings. I like how persistent he was and how he worked 40
I want to be working my dream job as an animator. I want to make my characters and worlds come to life and be able to use my creativity to express my opinions and ideas. I hope I stay determined and work hard to achieve my dreams.
INGA HARDY
S1 NATIONAL FINALIST TURRIFF ACADEMY “Life is the leaves that shape and nourish a plant, but art is the flower which embodies its meaning” Charles Rennie Mackintosh
to me because after being bullied at school he began talking to groups and got a degree in accounting and finance. He also went through an operation to separate his fused foot so that he could use it as a hand.
I like this quote as it shows how much he loved his profession. Charles Rennie Mackintosh was interested in art from a young age, when he would paint flowers on driftwood. He joined an architectural practice in 1889 and got his first building commission. He designed the new Glasgow School of Art in 1896, and the Lighthouse the year before. His designs were unlike any others because of Japanese inspiration. I find him inspiring because he was open-minded and creative in using Japanese art. He was also very hardworking, and determined to finish designing his buildings. In my life I would like to become a lawyer so that I can bring justice and honesty. I would also like to help people have a better life, so that they can be cheerful and independent. To do this I will have to be selfless and humble, which are definitely things I will have to work on.
MIA MACLEOD
S2 NATIONAL FINALIST VALE OF LEVEN ACADEMY “It’s a lie to think you’re not good enough” Nick Vujicic Nick Vujicic has a rare disorder called tetra amelia syndrome that caused him to have no limbs, and he is one of only seven people who have survived. He soon realised that he had to live his life to the fullest, and he can now dive and swim, fish and play golf as well as football, which is amazing. He is inspirational
RAHEEMA NAZIR
S3 1 st PRIZE THE WAID ACADEMY
My favourite story is Rapunzel (Tangled), who spent 17 years locked in a tower by Mother Gothel with nothing but walls to paint. The dream of seeing magic lanterns released into the sky on her birthday keeps her going and when she asks on her 18th birthday if she can leave the tower to see them, and although her dream is shot down, she still hangs onto it. She feels stuck and craves adventure and with some help from a bandit Flynn Rider she fulfils it and goes home to her real parents. Mother Gothel falls out of the tower, the bandit is saved and they all live happily ever after. Watching Tangled as a little girl led me to believe in dreams in a different way. O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 41
Dreaming is important, it gives us purpose, ideals and goals that are extremely fulfilling when accomplished. Rapunzel steps out of her comfort zone and realises that change can be a good thing so she goes out to find her own truth. Her life truly begins when she is on a mission of dream chasing. “Find your voice and use it” The story of Emmeline Pankhurst I am inspired by Emmeline Pankhurst not for the violent way she fought, but for the perseverance, dedication and determination she showed. She was fighting to create a better and more just Britain. She made a strong start towards making everything fair, and left a grand legacy behind her. I want to live up to her work and value my beliefs as much as she valued hers. I want to have a strong will like Emmeline and find better ways of getting points across, as we do not need to add to existing violence. In the end, Emmeline fought peacefully and she won. Her story has taught me to stand up for what I believe in and never to resort to violence. I think we are living in a (mostly) civilised society; we have the ability to express our opinions in our words and deeds and we need to unify the two. Emmeline achieved success because she was persistent: she made sure that everyone knew who she was and what she stood for; she went to extreme lengths to
show everyone that she was capable of doing anything in order to succeed, and she did. Emmeline had a voice, and she found it and used it. I hope I can do the same. My vision for a better world is where people are wholeheartedly accepted for what they are, regardless of sexuality, race, religion, gender et cetera. We still live in a world where prejudice exists, and this needs to change!!! Our words are weapons, and people need to be taught how to use them properly. Perfection is impossible to attain, but having a concept of perfection gives us goals to strive towards.
AYESHA FRISBY
S3 2 nd PRIZE THE WAID ACADEMY
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain. My inspirational figure is JK Rowling. She first formulated the idea of Harry Potter when she was 25, planning out seven books. She inspires me because she has done a lot of charity work since making her fortune. I can relate to her picking herself up and making her own life when she was at her lowest point. Even after she became famous and wealthy, she still sees herself as an equal and helps people in need. I’m inspired that she never gave up and chose the path she loved. I don’t believe anyone should settle for less than they believe is right - we should do what we love. I hope that one day I can be as brave as Joanne and take some risks so that I’m able to look back and be proud of who I have become. An inspirational moment for me was a few years ago at Christmas. It was the first year without our mum. My dad was very stressed, and he was never the creative parent, so all he did was the basics with stockings and presents. I stayed up really late and put up
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more decorations and I wrote a note to myself and my siblings from Santa on my sister’s chalkboard with colourful chalk. I felt very proud when I saw my siblings light up when they saw it and when my dad told me I was a great sister. My vision for a better world is where everyone is treated equally without hesitation and where people can fearlessly say what they think without being judged and help those in need.
CHARLIE STEWART S4 NATIONAL FINALIST WOODMILL HIGH SCHOOL
“I’m proud of the way I’ve dealt with setbacks. It’s hard when you feel down and you think ‘why is the world doing this to me?’ But you have to pick yourself back up again. That’s what makes you a better athlete.” Jessica Ennis My inspirational figure is Jessica Ennis because, even in tough times, she has achieved her goals and not let life get in the way. She was so dedicated to the sport that, after having a baby in 2014, she returned to athletics a year later. I personally admire the fact that she decided to retire in 2016 so she can now focus on her family while celebrating her success. I see her key values and characteristics as being determined, hardworking, enthusiastic, resilient, motivated and committed.
Visit the gallery to browse the amazing posters online: inspiringpurpose.org.uk/impact
FEEDBACK
Personally, I think a better world would happen if there was less negativity and more positivity. If everyone focused on the good things in life rather than the bad, the world would be a better place.
I learned how other people have an impact on me, no matter who they are. Jessica Ennis’ story had a good impact on me as it inspired me to stick to my dreams. Charlie Stewart, Woodmill High School
O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 43
OTHER UK WINNERS
ELIZA BUTLER
COEDCAE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL 2 PRIZE nd
“I would rather be a rebel than a slave” Emmeline Pankhurst
FREDDIE WEBBER
COEDCAE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL 1 PRIZE st
“One life is all we have and we live it as we believe living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate worse than dying.” Joan of Arc In a time of sexism against women my inspiration Joan of Arc rose to power in the French army, defeated the British in four days and was crowned the rightful ruler of her proud nation, France. Her best characteristic is definitely her bravery, she fought on the battlefield, faced the British alone in court and kept her faith until the very end. Joan’s incredible strength of mind and body completely inspires me and even though all the odds were against her, she still managed to make it through with pride and faith. Her persistence and determination inspires me, she never lived to see a free France but, because of her, it came into existence. No matter who you are you have definitely had your fair share of mistakes. I can never be perfect but I will most definitely try to be the best person I can be. I will respect people no matter what their race, sex, weight or even the colour of their hair may be.
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Emily Davison was a militant suffragette who campaigned for women’s rights. Like me, Emily was an independent human who didn’t need anyone else to help her. She did what she believed was right and she refused to let people walk all over her. She was also principled as she knew right from wrong and she demonstrated that when she joined the WSPU as women weren’t being treated justly. I feel that Emily is an inspirational figure for women worldwide and she should be known as the ‘female activist that stood up for what she believed in’, rather than ‘the woman who flung herself under a horse’. Considering she did so much in her life time, she should be remembered for all those things. I’d like to be like Emily Davison as she was an inspirational woman who didn’t care what others thought about her and I believe I have nearly reached my goal of being a hardworking and resilient person.
FEEDBACK
By completing this poster I learned more about myself and my qualities. I had never noticed some of the positive qualities I possess, like how I am very enthusiastic. My outlook on the world has changed dramatically after researching Joan of Arc, she hasguided me to think more about my actions and how they could effect people. Freddie Webber, Coedcae Comprehensive School
HANNAH FORKUOH
COEDCAE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL 3 PRIZE rd
“Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made from sweat, determination and a hard to find alloy called guts.” Dan Gable Katarina Johnson-Thompson inspires me because she has become such a good athlete over the past few years. She has achieved quite a few names and medals in her athletics career. She is very bold and determined and she is also very resilient as after not reaching her full potential in a competition she bounces back and is even better. We both share the trait of athleticism and are both determined to compete to the best of our abilities. I want to be the kind of person who is committed and hardworking because if I can do that then hopefully I can achieve my dreams of being an athlete specialising in multiple events.
AMIN ALAMIR SWANLEA SCHOOL NATIONAL FINALIST
Emma Watson is an inspiration to me because I think she is the perfect role model for young girls. I respect her as she knows how important education is, she didn’t just settle for being the girl from Harry Potter, she decided to give back by doing charity work. She also inspires me as she cares about the environment. She has her own fashion line with the people tree company which is all environmentally sustainable.
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GAELIC WINNERS JACK WOLF
BEST IN SCHOOL THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE David Walliams is the person who inspires me because he does a lot of things / work for charity. The charities with which he works are Sports Relief and Cardiac Risk in the Young. Also, he swam the English Channel in aid of Sports Relief. The most inspiring thing I did was to create a Lemonade stand outside my house for the RNLI when I was 10 years of age. I raised £160 and that was a lot of money. When I get older I wish to be a helpful person and ensure that other people get the help that they need. I understand the difference this can make to other people’s lives. I want to achieve a lot of things in my life, such as going to a lot of different places in the world and making a difference to other people’s lives – and using Gaelic to display the language which we have in Scotland.
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REBEKAH MACKENZIE THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE
“Broken crayons still colour the same.” I am inspired by a singer named SIX. SIX was born on 18th December 1975. She inspires me because in 2000 her husband died. She turned to drink but she found solace in singing. That tells me that you can get solace in anything. She was doing really well on her course, and she was writing songs for Katy Perry and Rihanna. The person I would like to be is a person who always gives things to people who are in need and always provide help to people. My vision for a better world is that people will stop putting rubbish in the water because it does real harm to animals.
CLEO MACKENZIE THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE
“Let your SMILE change the WORLD, don’t let the WORLD change YOUR smile.” Maddie Ziegler Maddie Ziegler is an inspiring character because she has done a lot of things in her short life. She was one of the main characters in the film BALLERINA and she played Christina in the film THE BOOK OF HENRY. Her career started in the TV programme DANCEMOMS, which she started in 2011 when she was 8 years old. She inspires me because she has had a very successful life so far and because of my cheerleading I aspire to be like her. When I am older, I want to be a nice person who works hard and is helpful, and I also want to be motivated. My vision for a better world is that everybody recycles and uses ‘Containers Reusable’ instead of plastic which harms the environment.
KITTY ANN MACIVER
MOLLY MACDONALD
“They will be on my mind and in my heart every day and I will think of them with everything I do for the rest of my life.” Ariana Grande
“I am the way, the truth and the life. Nobody comes to the father but through me.”
THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE
Ariane Grande inspires me because on 22nd May people were killed in an explosion at her concert in Manchester. More than 116 people were injured and two of them were from Barra. Unfortunately, Eilidh MacLeod who was 15, was so badly hurt that she died. Laura MacIntyre was also badly hurt and she is fortunate that she survived. Ariana was brave and resilient after the horrific incident as she didn’t let fear get in the way of her putting on another concert in memory and to raise money for the victims of that horrible day. Ariana said on Twitter, ‘My heart, prayers and deepest thoughts are with the victims of the Manchester attack and their loved ones.’ I would like to be a person who always thinks of other people and would help anyone of any age. I would like to achieve things like graduating as a teacher and making people’s lives better.
THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE
Jesus Christ is the person who inspires me because he died on the cross to save everyone from their sins. He rose from his grave and in my opinion, that is wonderful. He was known for making many miracles in his time on earth and he was a very kind and hopeful and loving character. I would like to be a good person and an inspiration to others. I would like to help poor people in different parts of the world. I wish to help someone improve their life. It would be wonderful if I could do that. Perhaps help someone with a sore leg or a pain somewhere. Sometimes I pray for people but nothing happens. I need to keep on trying.
O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 47
RESEARCH THE PROGRAMME The Inspiring Purpose: Global Citizens in the Making poster program is a character education curriculum for 1018 year olds that was developed from Sir John Templeton’s Worldwide Laws of Life first published in 1997. Inspiring Purpose has reached over 300,000 youth from more than 58 nations. Inspiring Purpose is focused on creating educational experiences that foster the virtues of generosity, reliability, future mindedness, joy, purpose, curiosity, and humility. Inspiring Purpose uses a unique poster template and web-based resources. The program engages pupils in a process of self-discovery where they reflect on their personal values, strengths, and areas in need of improvement. Pupils select an inspirational figure to help them explore what kind of person they want to be and their vision for a better world.
THE RESEARCH STUDY A research team from the RYTE Institute at Montclair State University partnered with Character Scotland for a two-part evaluation of Inspiring Purpose. First, they examined the findings of the 2015 pilot study to jointly modify the program’s theory of change, the hypothesized processes through which the program affects youth. The collaboration led to modification of the pathway model, a visual representation of the theory of change, and to updated program materials. Second, RYTE Institute conducted an evaluation, to assess the impact of the program on participants’ development of a sense of purpose and other virtues.
Figure 1. The theory of change for Inspiring Purpose. The orange, blue, and purple pathways represent the core storyline of Inspiring Purpose.
METHODS AND APPROACH A variety of data sources was used to evaluate Inspiring Purpose: interviews and surveys with teachers and pupils, as well as posters completed by program participants. Pupils completed interviews and surveys before and after participating in Inspiring Purpose, and again the following fall. Surveys examined pupils’ ability to self-reflect and self-regulate, as well as their life goals, sense of purpose, contribution and confidence. Researchers scored posters for the completeness, development of pupils’ responses, and how well all the poster sections aligned. Finally, survey and poster results were compared to the variety of approaches teachers took when delivering the program to see what kinds of approaches led to better outcomes. 48
RESEARCH FINDINGS Does the Inspiring Purpose program have an impact on pupils’ short-term outcomes? Pupils who participated in Inspiring Purpose demonstrated short-term gains in their ability to self-regulate and had higher confidence. Will program effects last after the program? Findings are mixed on whether the effects of the program will be sustained across time. Overall, survey results showed that pupils who participated in the program were better able to self-reflect, articulate their goals, and make plans for achieving their goals. In interviews, pupils reported an increased sense of community belonging and confidence that they would achieve their goals but it is unclear if these effects are lasting. Do youth who make personal connections with an inspiring figure have better outcomes? Yes, after participating in the program youth made more personal connections to their inspiring figure. Youth who made personal connections with inspiring figures were more likely to be confident, have a better self-concept, be better at articulating goals, and be more involved in their community. Moreover, during interviews, when given an opportunity to select any inspiring figure, most youth chose to discuss a family member or close friend. Do teachers’ different approaches to delivering the program affect pupil outcomes? Teachers implementation style varied in terms of level of integration with the broader curriculum, extent to which materials were adapted or created, and how much guidance was provided. Teachers who created many of their own resources and integrated Inspiring Purpose into the rest of their curriculum had pupils with higher quality and better aligned posters when compared with teachers who provided high levels of guidance on pupil selection of inspiring figures. Teachers who created many of their own resources and integrated Inspiring Purpose into the rest of their curriculum also had pupils that were better at self-reflection. Teachers who provided more guidance tended to have pupils who were more confident after participating in Inspiring Purpose. Do youth enjoy participating in Inspiring Purpose? Yes! Indeed, all pupil interview participants expressed positive impressions of the program, and 43% said the program helped them better connect with themselves. The most popular aspect of the program was researching an inspiring figure; pupils also enjoyed creative learning through hands-on curricula.
Figure 2. Different teacher approaches to implementing Inspiring Purpose
LESSONS LEARNED •
Allow pupils a structured opportunity to reflect on inspirational figures that they already know including family members, close friends, and community members. Providing pupils with opportunities to reflect on the positive virtues of people with whom they closely identify can help move them towards relating to and emulating extraordinary unrelated individuals.
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When possible, teachers should fully integrate Inspiring Purpose into the broader curriculum as this is associated with higher-quality posters.
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Give pupils freedom and space to engage in self-reflection when selecting inspirational figures. Teachers who provided less guidance and integrated the program into other parts of their courses tended to have pupils with higher-quality posters. O F F I C I A L A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 49
TEACHER FEEDBACK
Zoe Brown
Inspiring Teacher Langholm Academy “I find this programme to be a rewarding opportunity for pupils and teachers. Pupils get an opportunity to showcase what they have learned about themselves and it is fantastic as a teacher to celebrate the personalities of our classrooms.” Andrea Sime, Braes High School “Inspiring Purpose allows me to learn about the young people I teach. It gives the learners the opportunity to reflect on their values and goals at an important stage in their high school career. It allows non-academic students to engage in something meaningful.” Danielle Jervis, The Waid Academy “I find this programme particularly valuable and will continue using it as part of the sports leaders’ programme as it relates perfectly to the personal qualities focus and development in our course. I suggest rolling it out so that more teachers are aware of this great resource. I love the opportunity pupils have to be so nice to each other through this programme.” Mairi Gowans, Hillhead High School “A fantastic introduction to exploring character and values. This forms a core part of our schools’ tutor time programme that focusses on promoting school values and wider character education.” Craig Shields, Knightswood Secondary School “It is great to engage pupils in self-reflection. We were pleasantly surprised by how honest, enthusiastic and inspired the pupils were by the project.” Mrs Montgomery & Mr Elder Smith, Knox Academy “Taking part in this project helps students to reflect upon their own strengths and areas for development. It makes them think more about what they can do to help others.” Peter Verrecchia, St George’s School for Girls 50
“I absolutely love teaching this project! I watch pupils self-evaluate and learn about themselves. They get complete freedom of choice and expression in a way we rarely get the opportunity to facilitate. Most of them thrive on the chance to talk about themselves and the values that are important to them.” Zoe Brown, Langholm Academy “I really enjoyed this project as it allowed the pupils to learn new works, self-reflect and look at different people. It also allowed them to share common qualities with each other.” Diane Crosbie, Glenwood High School “Pupils engaged really well with the programme. They were excited by the open-minded nature of the task, but we teachers appreciated the focus and direction provided by the breakdown in tasks.” Dr A Bisset, Grove Academy “I find it a really valuable piece of work. Asking students to REALLY think about what they are like as a person, and what is important to them, is a worthwhile endeavour. Being aware of your own values and qualities is vital as you go through school – and life in general.” Jayne Gordon, Kilsyth Academy “This project has once again proved very useful in terms of providing a meaningful and engaging project where pupils choose the direction of their learning. It helps us to cover outcomes in the RME BGE department and it provides a stimulating and enjoyable task for students to work on in class.” Richard Fraser, The Nicolson Institute “This project continues to be a really useful way to underpin character values that we are trying to develop. For one pupil, it has opened a line of communication from a pupil who is often selective mute.” Laurie McGuinness, Graeme High School “We have taken part in this programme for 4-5 years and our pupils value thinking about themselves and their goals. I learn a lot about the pupils in my class from their participation in this project.” Deirdre Mackenzie, Fortrose Academy
“We find the Inspiring Purpose programme very beneficial for our S2’s. It helps them begin to self-reflect. The vast majority, after overcoming who to choose as their inspirational figure, thoroughly enjoyed the course.” Rebecca Ennis, Leith Academy “Pupils were engaged with their ideas and research about their inspirational figures. This project helped them to think about the values and qualities needed for living a happy and satisfying life – very valuable indeed!” Mrs McDuff, Broxburn Academy “I have been doing this competition since it started and I always find it a valuable addition to my curriculum. It allows pupils to develop important skills as well as providing them a creative outlet in class.” Stephanie Chalmers, Turriff Academy “This programme was valuable to get an insight of how pupils valued people in their local community as well as celebrities – what attributes did they find appealing? Inspiring? Motivational? “ Jillian Poole, Perth High School “I have found this programme to be an excellent way to get pupils to think about their qualities and their place in the world. Some of them find it hard to talk about their achievements or who they find inspiring and I think completing the posters is a really good way for them to reflect on all of this.” Claire Robertson, Vale of Leven Academy “Very valuable. It gives students an opportunity to reflect on their own values and the values of others and there are very few opportunities in our crowded curriculum where this can happen.” George Clail, Kemnay Academy “Extremely valuable. It is enjoyed by almost all pupils. It gives a chance to reflect on what they are good at – and there’s not always enough time spent on this otherwise.” Maureen Casey, St Margaret’s Academy “This programme is now embedded in our Health & Wellbeing curriculum. It is so valuable in many respects and completely resonates with numerous aspects of Curriculum for Excellence. Pupils deserve a huge amount of enjoyment from participating in the project and derive a sense of pride from the finished task.” Bridie Gibb, St Fillan’s Primary School “Very valuable. As well as being fun, it covers health and wellbeing and allows pupils to really think about themselves as important individuals who have an opportunity to leave a mark on this world – no matter how big or small.” Lee Vernett, Balmalloch Primary School
“One of the most valuable tools I have ever used to push and encourage my pupils to self-reflect. Almost all got an incredible amount out of it and we loved seeing what they’re capable of. After 2 years of having the same kids, it gave me new insight to every one of them.” Melissa Robbie, Mile End Primary School “Very Valuable. It ties in well with our careers project and provides pupils with a chance to share their various views and opinions. The project also allows pupils to realise that everyone faces setbacks and their poster research gives evidence of this and how others have overcome them. The pupils were all engaged and loved the project!” Sophie Ashdown, Caol Primary School “The children enjoyed identifying their strengths and discussing their qualities. This programme promoted discussion around topical issues and our hopes for a better future. This was highly valuable to the children. They also enjoyed discussing/evaluating each other’s work.” Mr S Hutcheson & Mrs C Beattie, Fair Isle Primary School “This programme is of great value in supporting our Health and Wellbeing programme in our school, as well as the literacy.” Deirdre Fraser, Dunbeg Primary School “I find the programme incredibly valuable. This is the third year I have used the project in my teaching and I look forward to introducing it every year.” Kelly Plenderleith, Simpson Primary School “This is an excellent resource which the children enjoy working on. They produce work of a very good standard. We also find the website very helpful. The children enjoy the research aspects and gain experience in the skill of self-reflection – not an easy thing to do. If memory serves correctly, the last time I did this there wasn’t a parent’s section – excellent addition and parents really engaged with the task.” Mrs J. A. Smith, Sgoil nan Loch “This programme was very valuable in that it made the pupils realise their self-worth. Some pupils found it very difficult to state what they were good at, so it was valuable in highlighting we’re all good at different things and we’re all valuable.” Mrs S. Taylor, Helmsdale Primary School “Once more the Inspiring Purpose project has given the class and I an opportunity to explore values and shared visions for the future. I have gotten to know my class at a deeper level!” Kevin McIsaac Stevenson, Dunard Primary School
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The Character Development Fund is an initiative of Character Education Scotland Ltd, an educational charity formed in 2009 by a group of academics, educationalists and entrepreneurs. We believe that intentional character development is the foundation for improved attainment in Scotland’s schools and flourishing in homes, communities and workplaces. Get in touch: communications@character-scotland.org.uk
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