i nspireas pire
INSPIRED GLOBAL CITIZENS IN THE MAKING
2016
“By taking part in Inspire Aspire I have taken the time to properly look at who I am and what I want to become and achieve in life” Georgina Mile End Primary School
in spi reaspi r e
26,000 YOUNG PEOPLE
We call it In spireA spire because young people think about their strengths and talents, who and what inspires them and what they want to achieve in their life; helping them translate their inspiration into aspirations. This academic year 26,000 young people from 225 schools have participated in the programme. Teacher and pupil testimony reveals a transformational effect on those who take part. This magazine is a showcase of the Vision, Inspiration and Aspirations of our young people.
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OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE 2016
INSPIRED 255 SCHOOLS
“By taking part in this project I have learned a lot about myself and others, because this is the first time in my life I have had to think about questions like these.” Kyle Sutherland Knox Academy 3
SUPPORTERS
The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discovery in areas engaging life’s biggest questions. These questions range from explorations into the laws of nature and the universe to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness, and creativity. Our vision is derived from Sir John Templeton’s commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation’s motto “How little we know, how eager to learn” exemplifies our support for open-minded enquiry and our hope for advancing human progress through ground breaking discoveries. www.templeton.org D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd is a private company based in Dundee. The company has significant interests in UK newspaper and magazine publishing. Amongst other publications it owns The Courier and Advertiser, The Aberdeen Press and Journal and The Sunday Post. It owns The Beano, The Dandy and Woman’s magazines My Weekly and The People’s Friend, Puzzler Media Ltd (one of the world’s largest publishers of Puzzle Magazines, Crosswords and Sudoku) and Parragon Publishing Ltd which publishes and sells some 90 million books each year worldwide. The company has interests in commercial television, online businesses, and is a major shareholder in Mothercare. www.dcthomson.co.uk The Garfield Weston Foundation was established in 1958 by Willard Garfield Weston, a Canadian businessman who arrived in the UK with his family in 1932. He was the creator of Associated British Foods and the Foundation was endowed with the donation of family-owned company shares. As a result, the Foundation is today the ultimate controller of the company. The trustees today are all lineal descendants of the founder and they remain committed to continuing the ethos that has made the Foundation one of the largest and most respected charitable institutions in the country. It gives them as much pleasure to help a small local community as a major national organisation and they are prepared to consider applications covering a wide range of charitable activity. www.garfieldweston.org The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues is a unique and leading Centre for the examination of how character and virtues impact on individuals and society. It offers world class research on the importance of developing good character and virtues and the benefits they bring to individuals and society. A key conviction underlying the existence of the Centre is that the virtues that make up good character can be learnt and taught. The Jubilee Centre believe these have largely been neglected in schools and in the professions. It is also a key conviction that the more people exhibit good character and virtues, the healthier our society. As such, the Centre undertakes development projects seeking to promote the practical applications of its research evidence. www.jubileecentre.ac.uk
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CONTENTS 6 6 8 10 28 50 52 54 10 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 16 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 19 20 21 21 21 21 22 22 23 23
Foreword Judges’ Comments Introduction Pupil Showcase Awards List The Contribution to Education What’s the Difference? Teacher Feedback Alness Academy Arkleston Primary School Avoch Primary School Baldragon Academy Balerno High School Balfron High School Balmalloch Primary School Baltasound Junior High School Balwearie High School Banff Academy Battlefield Primary School Bellshill Academy Bishopbriggs Academy Braehead Primary School Braes High School Broughton High School Caol Primary School Castlehead High School Cleveden High School Clydeview Academy Coupar Angus Primary School Craigie High School Douglas Ewart High School Douglas Ewart High School Dunbeg Primary School Dysart Primary School Echt Primary School Elgin High School Elie Primary School Fair Isle Primary School Fisherton Primary School Fortrose Academy Gairloch High School Garnock Academy George Heriot’s School Gourock Primary School Graeme High School
24 24 24 25 25 25 25 26 26 27 27 30 30 31 31 31 32 32 32 32 33 34 34 35 36 36 36 36 36 37 37 37
Grangemouth High School Grantown Grammar School Grove Academy Gryffe High School Hamilton Grammar School Harlaw Academy Harlaw Academy Hawick High School Hillhead High School Holy Family RC Primary School Hyndland Academy Inverurie Academy Islay High School Kemnay Academy Kilsyth Academy Kinross High School Kirkcudbright Academy Knightswood Secondary School Knox Academy Langholm Academy Lockerbie Academy Lockerbie Primary School Mearns Academy Mile End Primary School Mount Vernon Primary School Murthly Primary School Peebles High School Perth Grammar School Perth High School Portree High School Queen Anne High School Renfrew High School
37 38 38 38 39 39 39 39 40 40 41 41 42 42 42 42 42 43 43 44 44 44 45 45 46 46 47 48 48 48 49 49
Rosneath Primary School Ross High School Sgoil nan Loch Shawlands Primary School Simpson Primary School South West Fife Accreditation St Andrews RC High School St Columbkilles Primary School St Fillans Primary School St George’s Primary School St George’s School for Girls St Johns RC High School St Joseph’s Primary School St Kentigern’s Academy St Maurice’s High School St Mungo’s Academy St Muns Primary School St Ninian’s High School St Ninians Primary School St Peters Primary School St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School Stonelaw High School Strathallan Primary School The Albyn School The Glasgow Academy The Gordon Schools The Waid Academy Turnbull High School Turriff Academy Ullapool High School Williamston Primary School Woodmill High School
Edited by JULIE THOMPSON Designed by LIAM HOWARD Published by CAREER STUDIO Printed in the UK by THE MAGAZINE COMPANY The Inspire-Aspire 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. This magazine has been produced for charitable purposes. Any proceeds from the sale of this publication will go towards the continued funding of the values poster programme administered by Character Education Scotland. Character Education Scotland, Career Studio, Granary Business Centre, Coal Road, Cupar Fife KY15 5YQ Email: admin@character-scotland.org.uk Tel: 01334 844900 TAKE PART in 2016 www.inspire-aspire.org.uk © 2016 Character Education Scotland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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FOREWORD There can be few things more important than the future of our young people. It is the ambition of our charity to support schools with the development of character, self-awareness and aspiration so that it is a bright future for every young person. The programme first started 10 years ago as an adaptation of the late Sir John Templeton’s ‘Laws of Life’ essay contest. Since then and with the support of Sir John’s Foundation; 400,000 young people have taken part. Each year we learn from the last and make small improvements to help schools inspire attainment in their pupils. The voices of many primary and secondary school pupils from across the country are featured in this magazine. Each one is a reminder of the tremendous potential in our young people and assurance that we are making a contribution towards that potential being reached. To those teachers with pupils featured in this magazine, congratulations and thank you for everything you do. If you are featured inside these pages then well done. I hope you remember the commitments you made and will stay ‘inspired’. Keep working and go for it. You can do it!
RONNIE DAVIDSON MSC DIPCG MCDI MIOEE CIWP FRSA Chief Executive Character Scotland
JUDGES’ COMMENTS How were the young people who are featured in this magazine selected? This year we hosted our judging event at SQA in Glasgow. SQA are a great supporter of our work and we would like to thank them for their ongoing support and generosity, especially Liam Priest their Social Responsibility Manager, who worked with us to arrange this event. An external panel of judges chose the posters that inspired them the most. Here is what they said about the experience:
“It was an absolute delight to be involved. I was particularly impressed with the quality and honesty of all of the submissions. Each of the finalists deserved to be there and are an absolute credit to their schools, and of course themselves. I was struck by the mature and visionary outlook that our young
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people have and I have no doubts that our future is in good hands.“
THOMAS MCLOUGHLIN MSC CMGR FCMI
Superintendent Police Scotland, Greater Glasgow Division
“A very rewarding experience to get an insight into young people’s experiences, influences and what inspires them. The pieces have opened my eyes to a huge breadth of talent in our Scottish schools that as an employer it is quite exciting that these young people could be the future talent of our industry and that their vision is one that can teach the older generation. All entries were exceptional making judging very difficult.”
HAZEL BIRD
Attraction and Outreach Officer KPMG “The work that has been submitted is so refreshing and honest. The pupils have totally understood what was being asked of them. Giving the pupils a platform to express their views in a totally unbiased manner should be applauded. They understood the undertaking and how their actions will affect their future.”
SHIRLEY GALLACHER
Sales & Marketing Executive City & Guilds
“The standard was fantastic and all of the children should be really proud of their effort and attention to detail. It’s great to see the dreams, ideals and aspirations of our young people.”
YVONNE GREEVES
Enterprise Manager The Royal Bank of Scotland
”What a privilege to be involved in such inspirational work! InspireAspire is a highly effective framework which supports young people to explore and understand values and personal qualities, to consider their own in the light of these, and through research, apply a lens to inspirational people. This takes them a big step beyond popular culture, e.g. celebrity and the media, to a potential realisation of what really matters. Applying this to their own lives and wider environment is a powerful tool. It was utterly inspirational reading their responses – we should be so proud of their insights and achievements!!!”
LINDA KIRKWOOD
Education Consultant & former Head Teacher “This has been an inspirational, through provoking process again which is an endorsement of the commitment and deep thinking youth of today. Working through this process of identifying your personal values, strengths and weaknesses at this early stage in life and developing this into a real vision for the future will undoubtedly stand them in good stead for their future pathways.”
KLAUS MAYER
Development Officer Education Scotland “It is a really worthwhile activity for children and young people to do as it supports them in their reflection and self-awareness. Reviewing their work was an enjoyable experience for me and opened up my thinking about how we motivate and inspire young people.”
GAIL NOWECK
The Scottish Attainment Challenge Team Education Scotland
“I think it is a great initiative which encourages positivity, self-improvement, and selflessness. It encourages the students to think about their future in a creative way, as opposed to just purely academic assessment. As a judge, I’m hugely impressed with each and every one of the students who took the time to participate. It was extremely difficult to choose a winner and everyone should be proud of their efforts! Well done all.“
JAMIE DUNCAN
Employer Engagement ScotlandIS “Spending time to reflect on ourselves and understand why we are and who we are, is an under-rated use of time. This process offers that experience and as such should play a bigger role in curriculum development, not just personal development. The power of the stories by the winners was highly moving.”
VIVIENNE BROWN
Past President of Institute of Career Guidance & Director of MyCareerClub 7
INTRODUCTION Welcome to our 2016 InspireAspire Magazine of ‘Global Citizens in the Making’. In these pages we hope that the young people will inspire you with their vision and commitment. The content is extracted from pupil’s posters and consists of quotations and reflections on inspirational figures and aspirations for the future. Our ambition; to help as many young people as possible deepen their self-knowledge and self-awareness so that they are better equipped to set informed and ambitious goals for their future, and feel motivated to pursue these goals.
BACKGROUND InspireAspire is a personal development programme for young people and has been running in various formats for the past 10 years.
THE ACTIVITY Pupils use a unique poster template and supporting resources to complete a process of self-discovery and inspiration, concluding with informed personal statements about their own future ambitions. The final questions ask young people about their vision for a better world and what they will personally do to bring this vision to life. We encourage pupils to make pledge starting with the hashtag #iwill; and invite them to tell the world about their vision and plan to make a difference (www.iwill.org.uk). Our aim is that by participating in the programme, young people become part of a network of active, connected global citizens.
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Participating schools and other organisations send in their 5 most inspirational posters , an external panel of judges select which ones inspire them the most and we help schools to celebrate these positive young role models - and the achievement of every young person who has completed the programme - through individual school events.
help people to understand that if we weren’t so greedy there would be enough food for everyone on the planet Layla Ogbu Rosneath Primary School
WHAT NEXT? In 2015, driven by the desire to help pupils bring their vision for a better world to life, we began to work more closely with organisations who we felt could support the next step for pupils and teachers:
and dedication to social action. Schools travelled down from all over Scotland last year with InspireAspire and for a taste of WE Day UK, search ‘We Day - Born Out of a Dream U.K 2014’ on You Tube. To sign up to WE Schools and continue the journey go to www.freethechildren.co.uk/we-schools The Waid Academy from Fife took part last year, here’s what their Teacher Danielle Jervis said:
#iwill is a national campaign that aims to make social action part of life for as many 10 to 20 year-olds as possible by the year 2020. The campaign will champion Scotland’s inspiring young people and the difference they make in their communities and society.
Project Trust is a Gap Year charity who have been pioneering Gap Year placements in Africa, Asia and the Americas for young people aged 17-19 since 1967. They provide all volunteers with extensive training and support before, during and after their time overseas, to maximise both the educational value of their experience and the positive impact they have in their projects. Challenge yourself, learn about the world, be a positive force within it. Find out more at www.projecttrust.org.uk
Free the Children supports schools to take that next step in action planning to discover local and global issues pupils are passionate about and give them the tools to help make a difference. The WE Schools programme offers the chance for schools across Scotland and the rest of the UK to experience free assemblies and workshops supported by Scottish curriculum learning resources. Schools also have the opportunity to attend events such as WE Day UK at Wembley Arena in London to celebrate their hard work
“This year we participated in #iwill week and this has resulted in us starting a WE group in school. One of the conditions for joining this group was based on effort and engagement in the InspireAspire programme. WE Schools has given the learners an active way to act upon the things they identified as important in section six of the poster. It also encompasses the beliefs and values that they identified at the start.” We are enormously grateful for the opportunity to bring this project to schools through the generosity of the John Templeton Foundation the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Northwood Charitable Trust who have expressed their continuing confidence in the programme through their generous support. I leave the last word to Moyra De Soyza, a teacher at St Andrews R.C.High: “We love doing this project with our pupils. It is wonderful seeing them engage in honest selfreflection and growing in knowledge of themselves and what makes them tick. It is also intriguing to see who they think is inspirational. Finally – reading ‘Me, My Future and My Commitment to a Better World’ could not fail to encourage weary staff! Its reading their work in this project that reminds you of why you become a teacher!!”
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PUPIL
SHOWCASE
swimming. She says the key to success is never give up. She has 4 medals but even when things don’t go as planned she is persistent and looks at the positive side of things. She is encouraged by her family and very grateful for her Dad Patrick for bringing her this far in her career. She has practiced hard from the age of 10 and has really motivated me to be persistent. If I never give up and reach for my goals, maybe I will be like her someday.
LEONA CARMICHAEL AVOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL
RAZANNAH HUSSAIN ALNESS ACADEMY
“The sun doesn’t lose its beauty when covered with clouds, the same way your beauty doesn’t fade when covered by hijab” Angelina Jolie I am inspired by Angelina Jolie because she has helped so many people around the world. She is a UN ambassador for refugees and has travelled to many countries risking her life and listening to refugees’ stories. The most beautiful thing about her is how courageous and kind she is. She has her own charity, which helps build schools in less privileged places in the world. She inspires me to be a better person, and has inspired many others to help with the Syrian refugee crisis with her speeches.
LYDIA PZEMKUMAZ
ARKLESTON PRIMARY SCHOOL My Inspirational person is Hannah Miley not just for her incredible talent in sport but because she wasn’t always good at
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“Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect”.
“I thought hard about my goals for the future and now I know that if I believe I can do it . . I can do it” Ever since Primary 3 I have loved writing and when I had a day out in Drumnadrochit, my mum bough me my first Jaqueline Wilson book, Lola Rose. It was then I knew I wanted to be a writer. Jaqueline has inspired me with her stories. She has written over 100 books and I have read 99 of them. She is an inspirational writer as well as a member of Battersea cats and dogs home, helping stray animals find homes. I have written many of my own stories, and I hope one day I inspire people through stories. In P5, at the leaver’s assembly I won the superstar writer trophy. It had my name engraved on it. It was when I won this award that I knew I wanted to be an author. #iWill try to inspire others though my books and I won’t give up
SOPHIE BOOTH
BALDRAGON ACADEMY “Why is it that giving guns is so easy and giving books so hard?” Malala Yousafzai Malala inspires me because she stands up for women’s education. Her story is incredible and she has made amazing sacrifices for her beliefs. She is the youngest recipient of a Nobel Prize and is now an activist and motivational speaker.
FREYA REEKIE
BALERNO HIGH SCHOOL “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” Lao Tsu This quote reminds me that every big, important journey begins with a single achievement. My inspirational figure is Nelson Mandela, whose values were: • Persistence – he never gave up on what he believed in • Generosity – he gave his life to helping others • Resilience – he recovered quickly from major setbacks • Visionary – he wanted to make the world a better place • Committed – he dedicated his whole life to what he thought was right Nelson Mandela is an inspiration because he knew what he wanted to achieve and worked hard to achieve it even though he was put in prison. When he came out he did not want revenge and instead told his people not to rebel. I admire his determination and the fact that even after he was treated badly he did not retaliate. I also admire his generosity as he gave everything he had to improve the lives of his people. I would like to have the same determination and ability to forgive as Nelson Mandela, also his persistence and generosity. In 2014 my Dad and I did a run for SNAC (Scottish Network for Arthritis in Children). My Dad ran the Edinburgh marathon and I ran the 3K. In total we raised £2,228 for the charity. I
am proud of this because I was diagnosed with arthritis in the summer of 2013 and still managed to run 3K in 17 minutes.
ABBY FABEL BALFRON HIGH SCHOOL
“When life gives you lemons, make apple juice!”
Inspire Aspire! n i rt a p g n i k ta d “I have really enjoye that I did not lf e ys m ut o b a t lo a I have learned think about my to d e rn a le e v a h know before and future positively.”
This is my all-time favourite quote because it signifies that it is okay to be different and be yourself. My favourite fictional character is Minny Jackson, who was a slave to a white family. Even though she is being treated badly, she always has faith and attitude. She has taught me never to give up on yourself and what you believe in and always stand up for what you believe is right. My inspirational figure is Dian Fossey, who dedicated her life to gorillas, studying their personality and behaviour. She was tragically murdered by poachers in her hut in the Rwandan Forest in 1985. There is a film and book about her incredible work ethic, determination and life changing discoveries. Dian inspires me because she gave her life to help and educate others. Her fantastic mindset and enthusiasm inspire me to reach out for my goals, work hard and achieve great things with my life!
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e more b to e b t h g u ta s a “This project h to think so d a h r e v e n e v a h I committed. .” deeply about myself
NIAMH DRUMMOND
BALMALLOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL Corinne Diacre was born in Croix, France. She is a former football defender but now she is the coach of professional men’s football team Clermont. This is such a challenging and incredible position for a woman because she must experience discrimination. She is the first coach of a men’s team. Corinne inspires me because she shows determination. She works hard and trains her team to perform as well as possible. She wants them to be great. She has courage. Even though people before her had quit because of severe discrimination, she followed her dream. This is something I will try to do in life. I will aspire to have the same courageous attitude as Corinne .
TOM FRASER
BALTASOUND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Shigeru Miyamato has been involved in the development of over 150 Nintendo games. He is the creator of Pokémon, Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, three of my favourite game franchises. He got the idea for The Legend of Zelda when he was young and out playing in the woods when he found a cave. He went back to his house to fetch a lantern and when he came back he felt a great sense of adventure, which he wanted to recreate in a game. He has inspired me to create simple games, and I hope one day to work for Nintendo.
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LAYA PRYOR
BALWEARIE HIGH SCHOOL “If Plan A doesn’t work, there are 25 other letters in the alphabet.” Nelson Mandela inspires me because he wasn’t afraid to stand up and fight. He was so positive about life and such a wise man who made peace for black people. He shows me to stand up for what I believe and that one person can make a change in the world, big or small. He was such a brave, loving man who will never be forgotten.
ALICIA WOOD BANFF ACADEMY
“The real problem with the world is that too many people grow up” Walt Disney One of the most successful people we know and love is Walt Disney. He had humble beginnings - he was not born to success, instead he made his own success. He told us to do what you love, take what we do seriously, to do it for others, never to settle for your first success and not let obstacles stop you. When he first started work on Snow White, his wife and brother did what they could to stop him, but he had so much drive and determination to succeed that he didn’t. For my 12th birthday, instead of getting gifts from people, I asked them to make a donation to the NHS Hodgkin lymphoma cancer research. I chose this research team because my Dad had this disease but thanks to this research and our local hospital he is fine. In
the end, I raised £130 and went to Aberdeen Hospital to present the money.
NATASHA GUARIN
BATTLEFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently” Henry Ford I am inspired by Richard Branson because his life started out quite rough. Born with dyslexia, Branson had poor academic performance as a student and on his last day of school his headmaster told him he would either end up in prison or becoming a millionaire. I really like Richard Branson because he is open-minded and always has a growth mind-set and important values. #iWill help people around the world in need
“This project has helped me to think up lots of ideas and built up my confidence”
TAYLAR PATERSON BELLSHILL ACADEMY
Someone who inspires me is Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer who has won many events in different countries. Even though she lost an arm, that still didn’t hold her back from her one passion. That is what inspires me the most about her. It teaches me that anything is possible if you try your hardest to succeed.
MORVEN BINNIE
BISHOPBRIGGS ACADEMY
“Is fat the worst thing a human being can be? Is fat worse than vindictive, jealous, shallow, vain, boring, evil or cruel? Not to me” JK Rowling I like this quote because we don’t need to look stunning, we are all lovely in our own way. JK Rowling inspires me because in 1994 she had just got a divorce and could hardly afford to feed her baby or even pay for photocopying the first Harry Potter novel. So she manually typed it out. She didn’t let the fact of not having enough money get in her way. Her book was rejected by many publishers, but she persisted and eventually found Bloomsbury after the eight-year-old daughter of the Chief Executive fell in love with the book.
EMILY CARLTON
BISHOPBRIGGS ACADEMY “Never let your memories be greater than your dreams” Doug Vecher Emmeline Pankhurst was the leader of the suffragette movement in England. She and the other suffragettes fought for women and their
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right to vote. She has inspired me always to keep fighting for what I believe in and never give up, to do whatever it takes and use my actions wisely to reflect what I feel. My Mum was also inspired by her, which is why I am called Emily. My vision is of an equal world where no person is a label and with no bullying, no war, no racism, no sexism, no discrimination and no sectarianism.
ore m k n i th e m e d a m s “The project ha life.” y m h t i w o d to t n about what I wa
“I learned a lot about myself, who I want to be and how I’m going to get there. I have also learned about what matters to me and why. It has made me realise that you don’t have a lot of time to impact the world, which is why every second counts and you have to work hard to get the best out of what you have. Whether you create a big difference or a small one, they are all important and they all matter.”
ALLY STEWART
ALICE BEATON
BRAEHEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL
BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL
‘Supervet’ Neil Fitzpatrick inspires me because every animal that comes into the vet with any problem he never gives up in trying to help them. I would love to be like Noel.
“Wherever I am, if I have a book with me, I have a place where I can go and be happy” J.K. Rowling
JENNY DONACHIE BRAES HIGH SCHOOL
“Many things that seem impossible now will become realities tomorrow.” Walt Disney I am inspired by Walt Disney because of what he achieved and the fact that he never let anyone stop him from achieving it. No matter how many setbacks he faced he always came out on top. I think he developed a lot of resilience and determination over the years as even when someone stole
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the rights to one of his characters and all his animators except one, he simply got together who he had and created new characters. He did not create his animations for fame and money, he did it because he loved to and he wanted to inspire the world and show that everyone has an imagination - all you have to do is use it and it will open the door to a new magical world. That is what inspires me most.
One of my favourite fictional characters is Clary from Mortal Instruments. She is brave, loyal and principled, and always does what is right. She has taught me that you should always stand up for what you think is right even if you hurt yourself while you’re at it, because you will always have more strength to pick yourself up again. JK Rowling inspires me because of her talent and persistence. She was declined by 12 publishers over two years, but she still did not give up. When I’m older I want to be someone who does not judge people by appearances. I wanted to
be strong-willed and passionate about my opinions, but at the same time caring and considerate. I feel that far too many people judge a book by its cover and don’t even care to look inside.
FINLAY DEMPSTER CAOL PRIMARY SCHOOL
Lieutenant Orlando Rogers is my inspiration. He is in the Royal Marines and served in Norther Ireland and Afghanistan. I like him because he has courage, determination, cheerfulness, is selfless and professional. I want to be in the Royal Marines when I grow up. Some of my favourite things are when I visited HMS Blyth and saw how weapon systems and navigation works and when I cycled 14 miles in 1 hour 30 minutes! One day I will climb Mount Everest raising money for war veterans.
“I know more about what I want my future to be like”
LAUREN MITCHELL
CASTLEHEAD HIGH SCHOOL “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself” Coco Chanel My inspiration is Demi Lovato, who helped me through rough, sad and difficult times. She made me believe that I could accomplish my goals and achieve my dreams. Her songs help me think and make me happy, strong and brave and that I can overcome stuff even if I don’t think I
can. Demi went through a lot of physical and mental issues but she managed to overcome them and still have a successful career and life. She has inspired thousands of people (mainly girls) by making them feel happy when they’re sad and giving hope to everyone.
ZAINA SHARIF
CASTLEHEAD HIGH SCHOOL I want to achieve great things, but great things come to those with dedication and determination. They push themselves beyond imagination. This is the attitude I will have to have to achieve my dream of becoming a vet. I just want to be positive and happy, putting a smile on people’s faces because smiles are contagious.
CORY SHEARER
CASTLEHEAD HIGH SCHOOL “Follow your own passion - not your parents’, not your teachers’ – yours.” Robert Ballard When I grow up I would like to achieve becoming a scientist because I have always loved science. I would also like to invent a different type of renewable energy to help the planet. I hope I will still be kind and happy when I am older and I would like to be the type of person who inspires and helps people by donating to charities.
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LYDIA ALLAH
CLEVEDEN HIGH SCHOOL “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love” St Teresa of Calcutta St (Mother) Teresa left her family and friends to devote herself to the poor people who have nothing in Calcutta, providing them with food, medicines and shelter. I myself want to become a doctor and a better person in life.
JOSHUA JOHNSTON CLYDEVIEW ACADEMY
“Be careful with your words. Once spoken, they can only be forgiven, not forgotten.” My inspirational story is Lord of the Rings, because all the characters teach us something different. Legolas teaches us to put aside differences and work together. Aragorn teaches us loyalty. Gandalf teaches us to be optimistic. Boromir teaches us to regret our mistakes. Fairmair teaches us to ignore the haters. Frodo teaches us to keep going to the end and Sam teaches us never to give up on a friend. I thought a lot about who my inspirational person should be and the more I thought about it the harder it was. As I thought about all the possible inspirational figures I realised that there are no truly selfless acts: everyone had something to gain. So I asked my family if they knew of any truly selfless acts of courage and bravery. I found Sgt Michael Willets in Belfast in May 1971. A terrorist entered the hall of the Springfield Road Police Station, dumped a suitcase with a smoking fuse protruding and fled rapidly. The other officers began to organise an orderly evacuation while Sgt Willets sent a warning upstairs and hastened towards the door of the room where the bomb was. He held the door open, shielding those who were taking cover. The next moment the bomb exploded with terrible force, mortally wounding Sgt Willets. His duty did not require
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him to go towards the threatened area and he knew after four months of service the perils of going towards a terrorist bomb but he did not hesitate to do so. He used his body as a shield. Now what is unique is that he chose to save people he knew hated him and would have spat on him in the street. It is one thing to sacrifice yourself for those you love, but quite another to do so for those who mean nothing to you, especially as this meant he would not see his family again. That is bravery, that is inspiration, that is a truly selfless act of heroism. I will try to be less selfish and think of others’ needs as well as my own. I will try to help those I can. I will remind myself and others to be compassionate, first in thinking, then in doing. I will strive to be kind of heart and fair in my dealings with others.
CHARLOTTE HAMILTON
COUPAR ANGUS PRIMARY SCHOOL “On child, one teacher, one book and one pen is enough to change the world” Malala is my inspiration because she shows people that you can be the change you want to see in the world. She shows me this because she was the change she wanted so see. Malala is now 18 and lives in Birmingham with her family and she is better than ever. She inspires me by changing lives for the better. I want to be like her and help girls get equal rights. #iWill help give kids an education and protest for equal rights for everyone
My favourite story is Forbidden Friends by Anne-Marie Conway. It’s a story about two girls who meet on a beach and feel they have always known each other. A chance meeting reveals that their families used to be close, and their friendship is pushed to the limit by a shocking secret that forced the families apart. This story shows that a strong friendship can overcome anything no matter what happens. It also shows that no matter how well a lie is hidden, the truth will always be found. The lie can be driven by guilt, fear, anger etc. The book tells us that all lies can be uncovered, but also that they can be forgiven.
self in y m t u o b a e r o m d e “I have learn about”. k n i th lly a u s u ’t n o d things I
ANDREW MANDS
COUPAR ANGUS PRIMARY SCHOOL My inspirational figure is Sir Alex Ferguson. I have chosen him because I think he is very inspirational. He possesses lots of qualities that I need to work on which I will strive towards to make me a better person. He has inspired lots of other people like Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo and the Europe Ryder Cup Team. His qualities include creativeness, persistence, optimism, modesty, and being visionary. I think these are very useful qualities for a football manger and in general for a nice person.
KATIE TAIT
CRAIGIE HIGH SCHOOL “You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.” I like this quote because it tells you that if you keep going over the past and not letting go, you will never be able to move on with your future. You should never look back, only forwards.
I find Bob Barker inspiring for his work on animal rights. Since 1994 he has donated $2 million to Drury University to fund a chair in Animal Rights and Animal Ethics, $5 million to the Sea Shepard Conservation Society to combat whaling and $1 million to SHARK to combat pigeon shooting in Pennsylvania. Bob Barker inspires me because he has done many amazing things to protect different types of animals and I have always felt strongly about this. I think they deserve better and more than they get. This shows that there are still some good and generous people prepared to help with bad situations. The world as a whole still has a lot to learn about animal cruelty and how bad it is. My vision for a better world is people having a better understanding of the consequences of their actions.
ELLIE STANLEY
DOUGLAS EWART HIGH SCHOOL “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean of dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi is my inspirational figure. He inspires me because he fought for what he believed in without using violence. He organised many nonviolent campaigns and was jailed many times. No matter what happened to him, Gandhi fought for what he believed in and I don’t think many people can do that and be as strong as he was. He has shown me never to give up on my dreams and to keep trying.
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My proudest moments have all been to do with swimming. In my swimming club championships, I won ‘most dedicated A squad swimmer’, ‘female swimmer of the year’ and ‘committee’s swimmer of the year’. I have also won three bronzes, two silvers and one gold at the Scottish schools swimming competition. I’m really proud of these achievements because I work really hard to improve my swimming.
“I learned how
My inspirational person is Sir Terry Wogan. He was very modest as he did not expect any attention what so ever for the amazing things that he did for others. Last year Terry sadly could not present Children in Need because of medical reasons but even through these rough times he was very optimistic about all the good that was going on. Terry has demonstrated skills such as modesty, positivity, generosity and caring. I would like to live up to all of those qualities. #iWill be nice to everyone and respect their choices even if I do not agree.
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on s r e p d n i k a g n i e b to work toward
NOAH HWANG
DUNBEG PRIMARY SCHOOL
KIRSTEN MCROBERTS
DOUGLAS EWART HIGH SCHOOL “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift and that’s why they call it the present” Bill Keane Paul Blart (Fictional Mall Cop) inspires me because he is a very good cop and he helps people when they get lost. He also inspires me because he cares about people and he also tells jokes and he cares about his family. This has inspired me to care about my family.
INNES MUNRO
DUNBEG PRIMARY SCHOOL “Stop hating yourself for everything you aren’t and start loving yourself for what you are”
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“I hated every minute of my training, but I said don’t quit, suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion” Muhammad Ali I chose Louis Zamperini as my inspirational person because his family could not speak a word in English when he went to school in America and he was bullied for that so his Dad taught him to box in self-defence. That bit of the story reminds me of when I moved to Scotland. I was bullied like Louis. At a young age he wanted to run in races and his brother Pete helped him to train. His goal was to be an Olympic runner and in the end he made it. He was one of the fastest people in America. He was so fast that even Adolf Hitler insisted on a personal meeting with him. When the war was on Louis enlisted in the Army. One day Louis’ plane crashed into the sea while they were doing a search and rescue mission, killing 8 out of the 11 men on board. The survivors, Louis, Phil and Mac were stranded in the middle of nowhere with no water and little food. After 33 days at sea, Mac died but Louis kept on going no matter
what. On their 47th day adrift they reached land in the Marshal Islands and were captured by the Japanese Navy where he became a prisoner of war. He later became a born again Christian and forgave his torturers. Though he has an amazing story, what inspires me are his qualities. His life, in a way, is a lesson that we should all apply to ourselves. I will follow in his footsteps; though my life might not be as dramatic as his I can still learn from him. I want to make sure that my life is inspirational. Though I may not make it to the hall of fame, if I try hard enough maybe, just maybe, I can make the world a little brighter. #iWill try to help as best I can with the world’s problems
EUAN TAYLOR
DYSART PRIMARY SCHOOL My inspiration is Tim Howard and not just because he is a football player but because of a different thing entirely. Tim Howard has a neurological problem called Tourette’s syndrome like me. Tourette’s is when you have a tick. Even with Tourette’s Tim plays for Everton and his own country USA. Tim’s Tourette’s helped him to become a professional football player. Why? Because with Tourette’s comes fast reflexes. To be a good goalie you need spectacular reflexes. Like Tim I will try my hardest and do whatever it takes to not let Tourette’s stop me.
RACHEL JONES
“I have learned to try and
DYSART PRIMARY SCHOOL
encourage and inspire others”
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better it’s not” Dr Seuss I would like to be the sort of person you would call in trouble. I’d like to help charities that help people going through a rough time. When I’m older I’d like to be musician and composer and play concerts and weddings. My vision for a better world would be a world without poverty. I would give money to charities that support people on the streets. For those who have addictions I’ll get professional help! #iWill try my best to get a well-paid job I will enjoy so I can afford to help those less fortunate.
MORVEN FINDLAY ECHT PRIMARY SCHOOL
Alex Jones is a Welsh TV presenter and does very inspirational things for sport relief. She climbed a mountain call moonlight buttress which has a vertical rock face. Alex admits she was in constant fear during the climb. In 2016 Alex and her team attempted to sail around the UK in just 5 days. She is very inspirational. I am proud that I did the Kiltwalk and raised £100 to for medical supplies. Millions of people die because they don’t get the right medication for their illness.
MILLIE BURRELL ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL
“Earth was made for all beings, not just human beings” Gary Yourofsky is an animal rights activist. He is known for being quite radical as he has
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been banned from a number of countries. But he is also a passionate animal lover and spokesperson for his cause. He inspires me because he is well educated, compassionate, and isn’t afraid to share the truth. He chooses equality and passion over money and business. #iWill stand up for what I believe is right
Bianca Walkden will still be competing for Great Britain. The moment I’m most proud of is when I achieved my second Dan black belt at taekwondo. I practised day and night and did not miss a day. I’m now working towards my third Dan black belt and eventually want to become a personal trainer.
AEDAN BARCLAY ELIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL
My inspiring person is Markus Persson also known as Notch. His is the founder of Mojang and creator of Minecraft. He inspires me to want to make video games. I would like to be successful and be a software developer, creating new computer games so that I can make learning more fun for children who find it difficult.
“Hard work beats talent when talent does not work hard.”
STRUAN MCILROY
EMILY SUTHERLAND
I find this quite inspiring because when I was training for a taekwondo competition the person I was up against was naturally flexible and very good. So I worked really hard every day and ended up winning. You don’t need to be great to try. Aaron Arthur Cook inspires me because I do taekwondo and I want to be as hardworking, open-minded and committed as him. He started after he saw Power Rangers on TV. He has won many medals for Great Britain, including gold at Beijing in 2008. However, despite being number one in the world, he was overlooked for London 2012. He was very concerned that this might happen again, so arranged change his nationality to Moldovan so he could fight again at the Olympics. This takes three years to change and came into effect in May 2015. He now wants to prove that he is the best. I find this very inspirational because he found a way around the problem to keep his dream alive and will represent Moldova at Rio this year. He is a very motivational person and gives seminars, some of which I have attended. He was polite and encouraging, and his girlfriend
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ELIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
I want to be kind, generous, help others, learn football skills and be a coach and possibly a player. My inspiration is Lionel Messi because when he was my age his legs weren’t growing properly. He was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. Messi inspires me because I want to be a great footballer. He didn’t give up and he helps others by being a good will ambassador for Unicef.
“I learned that even if you have problems you can stil achieve great things in life”
RUBY SOMERVILLE ELIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
“Art is never finished, only abandoned” Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci inspires me because he didn’t need any help to figure things out. He could do it all on his own. I know when I am older I will want to be like him but in my own way. He was an out of the box thinker and had a mind of his own. He always wore his thinking cap. He was at least two centuries more intelligent than his time.
PAIGE DOUGALL
FAIR ISLE PRIMARY SCHOOL “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them” Walt Disney I want to be a musical actress and I need courage to perform and step forward. Doris Day inspires me because when I was little I would sing (more like scream) her songs out, I wanted to be just like her. When I did my first audition and got the main role (Annie) I’d been working up to it for so long. When I am older I want to be brave, bold and reliable.
CHLOE WRIGHT
FAIR ISLE PRIMARY SCHOOL “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm” Winston Churchill At Nethybridge I had conquered a phobia of heights. We had to climb up a 95ft tree. I was ready to be brave I started climbing eventually through perseverance and effort. The best thing was I tried my best and kept strong. I was so proud of myself. I thought I couldn’t do it but I could.
you are and can o h w g n ei se e ar e l op say “I really like how pe It’s a great way to s. e i t i al qu al on rs pe learn about your who you really are” imary School Pr n to er h s Fi n, a l A y Holl
MOLLIE CURRIE FISHERTON PRIMARY SCHOOL
I find A.P McCoy a very inspiring person because of how great a rider he is and how determined he is. He has just kept going and never given up. I would love to get up to that standard in horse riding. He has done it through training, determination and working hard. I would like to be a person that people look up to.
CALUM CAMERON FORTROSE ACADEMY
I find Michael Faraday inspiring because he received little in the way of education and had only the most basic mathematical ability (like me). I would like to be a scientist but I’m not that mathematical. Often the most influential ones were never popular in school and it’s always the least likely ones who come out on top.
EMMA MACDONALD GAIRLOCH HIGH SCHOOL
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase” Martin Luther King I chose this quote because it inspires you to have faith in yourself and believe you can do something even when you are uncertain. I find Magnus McFarlane-Barrow inspiring because he wanted to do something to
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help people who were suffering in the Bosnian conflict. He and his brother dropped everything to drive out to this dangerous place, putting their lives at risk. What makes his charity what it is, is a young boy that Magnus met in Malawi: “I just want to have enough to eat and go to school every day.” This boy’s wish inspired Magnus. Now his charity, Mary’s Meals, provides 1,101,206 school meals a day. A small dream has turned in an incredible world-famous charity that does little, yet so much.
person who helps people in need. He also inspires me because he is kind to people and makes them laugh.
My vision is for every child to have the right to education. We take education for granted, and don’t realise that some children around the world can’t go to school because they have to help at home, and would give anything to have what we have.
My inspirational figure is Srunivanam Ramanujan. Knowledge and experience give us an understanding of the world; learning is key to this. The man who inspires me had no access to formal education, and yet he became one of the greatest mathematicians ever. He was self-taught, extremely clever and determined, always pushing himself to do better. Ramanujan exchanged letters with the Cambridge mathematician GH Hardy, who invited him to Cambridge, where he spent five years. During this time, he created or rediscovered 3,800 theories, the most important of which are the Ramanujan prime and theta function; the latter was used to develop superstring theory. Hardy tells the following story about him: ‘I remember going to see him when he was ill in Putney. I had ridden in a cab number 1729 and remarked that the number seemed rather dull to me. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘it is a very interesting number. It is the smallest number expressible as two cubes in two different ways. 1729 is 13 + 123 = 93 + 103’. The age of 11, Ramanujan calculated the Euler-Mascheroni constant (an extremely complex mathematical number series) to 15 decimal places - at the time the furthest ever calculated. How incredible that he was able to do this at such a young age when he was completely self-taught.
LOUISE FOY
GARNOCK ACADEMY “Life is like riding a bicycle - to keep your balance you have to keep moving” Albert Einstein Robin Williams inspires me because he started from the bottom with stand-up comedy in San Francisco in the 1970s. In 1998, he won the Academy award for his performance as Dr Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. He described himself as quiet and shy in his childhood and became involved with his school drama department. In 1986 he teamed up with Whoopy Goldberg and Billy Crystal to found Comic Relief, which as of 2014 had raised $80 million for the homeless. Robin Williams inspires me to become a better
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FELIX ESCHE
GEORGE HERIOT’S SCHOOL “Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science” Edwin Hubble
ANNA O’NEILL
GEORGE HERIOT’S SCHOOL When I was about three or four I met a handicapped man and I said to Catherine: “I hope I never see Paul again as long as I live.” Catherine said: “Well that’s OK, you probably won’t.” About 10 minutes later Catherine
saw me sharing my chocolate buttons with him. I was proud that I had overcome my fear that he looked different and I have never looked at anyone again like that, because nobody is perfect!
EVE THOMSON
GOUROCK PRIMARY SCHOOL
“It’s a lie to think you are not good enough” Nick Vujicic Nick Vujicic is a motivational speaker with an inspiring story of life without arms or legs. Nick was born with a rare medical condition of Phocomelia. At 19 he had his first speaking engagement. Since then he has travelled all around the world inspiring people of all ages. His confidence has grown throughout his years of motivating others. During his childhood Nick struggled with depression and illness. He always questioned why he was different from other kids and if his life had any purpose. Nick says he found his strength to carry on with life in his faith in God and in his families love and support. I admire his persistence and resilient attitude to trying again. If he had given up he would never have accomplished what he has today. One of my biggest achievements was when I was selected from my school to go to a conference in Stirling where I spoke about the responsibilities of our GIRFIC group (Getting it right for every child). While there I really developed my confidence and ability to speak to a wide variety of people. #iWill make a difference.
“In completing this project I learned more about what type of person I would like to be”
LIBBY HUNTER
GOUROCK PRIMARY SCHOOL “Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing its stupid” Albert Einstein A Scottish composer and musician was my tutor in the national youth band. Alan Fernie is involved in the brass band for Africa project. He is composer in residence and goes to Africa on a voluntary basis for several months at a time to work with disadvantaged children that would otherwise have no access to music. What really inspires me is that he is a very successful and well known composer and practically every band in Britain will have played at least one of his tunes. #iWill try to be generous to people in need and try to encourage others to do the same.
KATIE CONNELLY GRAEME HIGH SCHOOL
“As a girl you’re meant to love Sleeping Beauty. I mean, who wants to be Sleeping Beauty when you can be Aladdin?” Ellen Page Ellen Page is a Canadian actress who came out as gay on a Human Rights Campaign after the release of her first film. She inspires me because she is not afraid of what people think of her being gay. Kitty Pryde is my favourite character that she plays – a strong independent girl – while being hated by so many people for being gay. She encourages people to be themselves and other LGBT people not to be afraid of people who do not see that they are pushing them back by judging them. When she was asked how it felt delivering her very public coming out speech she said “it was the most nervous I’ve ever felt when I was writing it. I’d try reading it out to friends and family and could not get five lines in without crying.” She is an inspiration to a lot of young people. I’ve focused a lot on her LGBT work, being gay myself. She really helped me accept myself and after watching her speech I later came out. I was scared but I knew if I didn’t I wouldn’t be happy. So I chose happiness.
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ALEESHA CANTRELL
GRANGEMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL “We must let go of the life we planned so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” Around the time of Martin Luther King, there was segregation, which meant that blacks and whites were kept apart. Black people had to use different fountains, restaurants, toilets and transport. They were lynched and killed just because of the colour of their skin. Martin Luther King was assassinated at the age of 39 because he stood up for what was right. However, if it was not for him, we might still be segregated. This is why Martin inspires me - he had a dream to change the world and he fulfilled it.
reproduce, grow old and die. I want to live my life to the fullest while I can. I want to travel the world, skydive, swim with sharks. I want to change the world for the better and be remembered when I’m gone. I want to change the world with words - control your focus to control your life.
JEN MACKENZIE
GRANTOWN GRAMMAR SCHOOL I am inspired by Jessica Ennis-Hill winning gold at the 2012 Olympics. She is a big inspiration to me. I have always been good at a lot of different sports and hope to make it to the Olympics. She inspires me to hope to become a heptathlete like her. To achieve this I started to go to athletics club but I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes so I haven’t been going much. I hope to go there more often.
RACHEL ANDERSON GROVE ACADEMY
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward” Martin Luther King
The thing in my life I’m most proud of is being part of the Leeds Young Authors. I competed in poetry competitions around the UK; my poems inspired people to be better and made them think about the deep things in life. I even performed one of my poems to the Queen, and was on BBC News. I don’t want to spend my life on automatic pilot wondering who I am. I want to focus on the changes I can make and the person I can become. I don’t want just to survive,
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I think Vicky Batch is an inspirational person. She was 19 when she lost her leg in a theme park ride last June. While Vicky is still coming to terms with her life changing injuries, she has refused to give up on life. She feared that she would not be able to walk down the aisle, travel or run after her future children - all things we take for granted. However, Vicky has courageously adapted to life without her leg. Her positive outlook on life has undoubtedly helped her through this ordeal. Since the accident, Vicky has been fitted with a £60,000 state of the art prosthetic leg, which will transform her life. She has been able to walk upstairs for the first time in eight months. She has graduated from University of Derby, signed up with a modelling agency and has had a tattoo put on her leg depicting three elephants, which she explains stand for strength, unity and family. She has proved that she still has her whole life in front of her, despite being different.
ROWAN JOHNSON
RONALD KAMWA
“I don’t want to be remembered as the girl who got shot, but as the girl who stood up” Malala
“The first step is you have to say that you can.” Will Smith
Malala is an inspiration to me because she wasn’t afraid and did something that took a lot of courage. She said that she doesn’t tell her story because she is unique but rather because it is the story of many girls.
Will – I – Am: Raised by a single mother in LA, California he grew up on a housing project, which he describes as being “raised the ghetto, on welfare, two minutes from the homeless”. I find him inspiring because through all his success he is still very down to earth. He is always seen smiling in public, he is extremely generous and he donates and raises large amounts of money to the right causes. Will – I – Am has achieved success by being confident, determined and hard working.
GRYFFE HIGH SCHOOL
LUCY HEANEY
HAMILTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL “The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.”
HARLAW ACADEMY
NICOLA BROOKS HARLAW ACADEMY
“Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is your better and your better is your best.” This quote inspires me to put more effort into the things I set my mind to. There are many people who inspire me, but I have narrowed it down to one. I have chosen Four from Divergent. He doesn’t just want to be brave, he also wants to be kind, honest, intelligent and selfless. This is inspiring, because he doesn’t just want to be dauntless, he wants to be everything and a good person. He can also accept his fears, like his fear of heights. When I was younger we went to Egypt with a dream of going up in a hot air balloon. I will never forget the day we did it. A boy came up to the balloon when we landed, begging for money. My mum said we didn’t have any money, so we went off to eat our chocolate bars. I asked how many she had, and she said three: one for me, one for my sister and an extra one. I asked if I could go and give the boy the chocolate. He said thank you and waved when we left.
Erik Weihenmayer climbed Mt Everest blind. He believes in inner power and strength. He doesn’t allow anything to hold him back and uses his disadvantages as advantages. I find him inspiring because he was told he could not do something but he did it anyway. People doubted him but he proved them wrong. I admire the fact that he achieved what people once said were impossible. He didn’t let society chain him down. He believes in more than one way of doing things. He has confidence and he accepted help. He achieved success against all the odds and I’d like to live up to his confidence, bravery and “This project has helped adventurous nature. me set goals for the future. I
have achieved a clear mind-set and a calmer attitude towards the future.”
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RHEA MIDDLEMAS HAWICK HIGH SCHOOL
“You can have all the right answers but none of it matters if you don’t have the right questions” Sara Shepard Veronica Roth inspires me. She is the 27-yearold author of the bestselling series Divergent. She wrote her first book on a winter break of her senior year of Northwestern University. I would like to write a book someday because I think that books can have a massive influence on the way people think. In school you are taught what kind of things are right and wrong, but you may not always be able to think about things from someone else’s point of view. When you read a book, you are living the story through the character’s eyes and that can make you aware of issues you never really thought about. The book also will show you things from a new perspective and especially for young people, and change the way they look at the world. I would love to be like Veronica Roth one day and be a published author who is not just a people pleaser but can make a difference to the way people view the world.
BACHAR ZAGHBOUR HILLHEAD HIGH SCHOOL
“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” J.K.Rowling Mothers are appreciated all around the globe. It is the most conventional idea that is almost unnegotiable. The fact that they go through so much pain bringing a life into the world just makes them absolutely admired. However, I want to put all of that aside and describe someone whom I think deserves more than just appreciation, someone who persevered through obstacles in life that I don’t imagine a normal person would, and this person just happens to be my mother. Here it goes, I am Syrian and where I lived there was great evil, evil that surpassed all goodness. The hope, innocence and humanity, were all obliterated from existence. Our belongings were taken from us, our houses and dreams collapsed to
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the ground along with so many others’. Friends we knew where no longer there but were photographs framed with black ribbons. Any normal child would have preferred death than to live through this. And yet, my mother never ceased to radiate hope. She would rebuild our dreams and everyone else’s when we nearly gave up to the evil. She created a fun learning centre at our house since most of us were not able to go to school. She made sure none of the neighbours went hungry and as a civil engineer, she would sit late at night making sketches of a rebuilt country and the next day she would show the sketches to us and we would discuss how we would contribute to building our neighbourhood. When we arrived to Scotland after her sleepless efforts and tiresome worry, she told us, ‘not a single materialistic object should matter to you, all of it is replaceable, but you only get one future ahead of you and you must seize every opportunity that comes in your way as long as it is harmless to others.’ She made me realise that HOPE can never die. It propels us to soar when our wings are broken. She taught me that strength comes with experience and experiences are tough, experiences could be as major as war or as minor as a lost basketball game. We could only hop and try, hope and try, hope and try until we succeed.
MUKADASS JAVAID HILLHEAD HIGH SCHOOL
“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it’s a matter of choice. It’s not a thing to be waited for, it’s a thing to be actioned.”
The person that inspires me most is Martin Luther King Jr who spent his life campaigning peacefully to change society. Non-violence was essential to his cause. He campaigned tirelessly for civil rights and equality. He was a great speech maker. He never gave up the idea of non-violence. The civil rights movement would never have succeeded if it wasn’t for Martin Luther King Jr. By the mid 1950’s, segregation was abandoned in the USA. His speeches inspired tens of thousands to join his cause. Since then his peaceful methods have been taken up by campaigners all over the world. One day I hope to inspire others to stand up for what they believe in no matter what. Even if it’s just one person, I will have achieved my goal.
“I’ve learned who I really am and what I stand for by doing this project. I have also learned what I want to achieve in life and what my goals are. Before I was unsure what I wanted to do with my life, but now I know – I want to help people that are less fortunate than us, I want to be able to make their lives easier and more enjoyable.”
inspires me to be a person who thinks positive. He shows me that no matter what obstacles come into your life you can achieve things. I think I am a bit like John when I try my best and don’t give up. In his painting he draws eyes crossed out. One of main aims is to be a better artist. John tries to look in a positive way and tries to be happy. I want to be like him.
LENA SHARIF
HYNDLAND ACADEMY “Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” JK Rowling inspires me because when she was struggling financially she could not afford a computer to copy her manuscript so she had to type it out again by hand to send to another publisher – and she had 12 rejections before her book was accepted. She was working as a researcher and bilingual secretary with Amnesty International in 1990, when she conceived of the idea of Harry Potter on a delayed train. Her books have sold over 400 million copies and she has inspired me never to give up on my dreams.
JAGODA SKIBA
HOLY FAMILY RC PRIMARY SCHOOL Michelle Obama is an extraordinary woman with a strong personality. Her words are always very moving. To me she is wonderful inside and out. She inspires me because she fought for girl’s education and childhood obesity. I would love to be like her. I shall try by eating healthier and studying harder. #iWill give everyone a second chance
JANETT FRANCIS
HOLY FAMILY RC PRIMARY SCHOOL When he was 11 years old John Brabbitt had a brain disorder called epilepsy and this cause he to become blind when he was thirty. John
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INSPIREASPIRE NATIONAL WINNERS P4 Special Commendation Struan McIlroy Elie Primary School P5 1st Place Leah McBride St Fillan’s Primary School 2nd Place Ally Stewart Braehead Primary School 3rd Place Morven Findlay Echt School P6 1st Place Natasha Guarin Battlefield Primary School 2nd Place Jagoda Skiba Holy Family RC Primary School 3rd Place Eilidh Heggie Sgoil nan Loch Highly Commended Mouhammad Al Johmani St Ninians Primary School Erica Malcolmson St Ninians Primary School Special Commendation Layla Ogbu Rosneath Primary School Aedan Barclay Elie Primary School P7 Joint 1st Katie Cromar Brown Mile End School Eve Thomson Gourock Primary School
P7 2nd Place Catlin Scollin St Columbkille’s Primary School 3rd Place Innes Munro Dunbeg Primary School Specail Commendation Chloe Wright Fair Isle Primary School Conner Halpin St Ninians Primary School Specail Commendation (for art) Georgia Augusta Kewitz Mile End School S1 1st Place Iman Hafizal St George’s School for Girls 2nd Place Abby Fable Balfron High School 3rd Place Angus Baxter Queen Anne High School Highly Commended Calum Cameron Fortrose Academy Specail Commendation Cory Shearer Castlehead High School S2 1st Place Heather Donaldson Lockerbie Academy 2nd Place Emily Sutherland Elgin High School
S2 3rd Place Catherine Anderson Mearns Academy Highly Commended Ellie Stanley Douglas Ewart High School Mia Hope Fawsitt Kinross High School Specail Commendation Ross Jamieson Mearns Academy Rebekah Adams Langholm Academy Commendation For Art Lena Macaulay St John’s RC High School S3 Joint 1st Joshua Johnston Clydeview Academy Neve Peacock The Waid Academy 2nd Place Rhea Middlemass Hawick High School 3rd Place Carla Lees Ullapool High School S4 Exceptional Achievement and Inspiration Award Bachar Zaghbour Hillhead High School Joint 2nd Rebecca Campbell Woodmill High School Mukadass Javida Hillhead High School 3rd Place Ronald Kamwa Harlaw Academy
InspireAspire A C H I E V E M E N T A W A R D S 2 0 1 6 We ask schools to send in 5 posters so that we can showcase, celebrate and share the thoughts, hopes and dreams of some of the most inspiring young people – and this is an incredibly important element of our work; however, the true achievement is the time and effort taken to compete the programme. As a result of feedback from teachers, stakeholders and our research partner; this year, our intention is to extend the celebration element of the InspireAspire programme to ALL participants through a new awards procedure without a dedicated national awards ceremony. The ‘in-school’ Awards • Each school will receive a personalised film clip from Steve Frew - Scotland's first ever Gymnastics Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist - to play either in class or as part of whole school end of year award ceremonies • All finalists (published in this magazine) will receive a certificate and medal • We will send certificates for all of the young people whose posters were sent into us • We will make a certificate available for schools to download for ALL young people who completed the programme
All of this is available, including a generic film clip at www.inspire-aspire.org.uk/awards
AWARDS 2016 NATIONAL FINALISTS PRIMARY Charlotte Hamilton Ruby Somerville Dugald Mackechnie Stevie Paterson Holly Allan Evan Andrew Mckenzie Kayleigh Patterson Joshua Reynolds Janett Francis Aoibhinn Mullen Shannon McManus
Coupar Angus Primary School Elie Primary School St. Mary’s Episcopal Primary St George’s Primary School Fisherton Primary St Joseph’s Primary School Williamston Primary School Rosneath Primary School Holy Family RC Primary School St Fillan’s Primary School St Peter’s Primary School
Leona Jayne Carmichael Kirsty Snedden Andrew Mands Emily Trudt Lauren Devlin Niamh Drummond Rachel Jones Paige Dougall Maleeha Mahmood Robyn Turnbull Alison Good
Avoch Primary School Simpson Primary Schol Coupar Angus Primary School Lockerbie Primary School St Muns Primary School Balmalloch Primary School Dysart Primary School Fair Isle Primary School Mount Vernon Primary Murthly Primary School Shawlands Primary School
Hannah Finlayson Lydia Premkumar Finlay Dempster Noah Hwang Libby Hunter Alyson McGraw Euan Taylor Mollie Currie Alyth M Campbell
Strathallan Primary School Arkleston Primary School Caol Primary School Dunbeg Primary School Gourock Primary School St Ninians Primary School Dysart Primary School Fisherton Primary Sgoil nan Loch
Abbie Morris Abi Hartless Beth Law Emily Carlton Anna O'Neill Elena McGourum Jennifer Shaw Lily Ann Doyle Josh Allan Louise Foy Nienna Brill Razannah Hussain Taylar Paterson Lucy Heaney Rebecca Dobie Caterina Lue Molly Scales Anika Kusiak Lydia Ngoujock Allah Tom Fraser Shreeya Bhandari
Islay High School St George’s School for Girls Stonelaw High School Bishopbriggs Academy George Heriot’s School Peebles High School Portree High School Islay High School Kemnay Academy Garnock Academy The Gordon Schools Alness Academy Bellshill Academy Hamilton Grammar School Renfrew High School St Ninian High School The Glasgow Academy St Kentigern’s Academy Cleveden Secondary School Baltasound Junior High St Andrew’s RC High School
Rowan Johnson Millie Ritchie Ewen McGillivray Emma MacDonald Chloe Griggs Robbie Templeton Jessica Thorburn Millie Burrell Amie Lochrie Jenny Donachie Freya Reekie Nicola Brooks Katie Tait Lena Sharif Sam Weston Katie Connelly Freya Halliday Lauren Ross Kirsten McRobert Brigid McGuigan
Gryffe High School Langholm Academy Turriff Academy Gairloch High School Mearns Academy Lockerbie Academy Perth High School Elgin High School St Maurice’s High School Braes High School Balerno Community High School Harlaw Academy Craigie High School Hyndland Secondary School Inverurie Academy Graeme High School The Waid Academy Ullapool High School Douglas Ewart High School South West Fife Accreditation
SECONDARY Jen MacKenzie Rachel Anderson Zania Sharif Lauren Mitchell Felix Esche Alicia Wood Emmah Chibesakunda Kyle Sutherland Niamh Gillies Emma Nicolson Laya Pryor Courtney Smith Ellie Gibson Patrick Kiehlmann Morven Binnie Aleesha Cantrell Holly Coleman Alice Beaton Dylan Grant Sophie Booth Teigan Brunton
Grantown Grammar School Grove Academy Castlehead High School Castlehead High School George Heriot’s School Banff Academy The Albyn School Knox Academy Stonelaw High School Perth Grammar School Balwearie High School Knightswood Secondary School Kirkcudbright Academy Turnbull RC High School Bishopbriggs Academy Grangemouth High School Ross High School Broughton High School Kilsyth Academy Baldragon Academy St Mungos Academy
Our 2016 Inspirational Ambassador - Scotland’s first-ever gymnastics Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Steve Frew Steve’s journey to Commonwealth gold met with many obstacles along the way. Fitting in at school was not always easy for him as someone who was small for his age. However, thanks to his strength and determination, Steve came to be counted as the only Scottish gymnast on the Great Britain team by the time he turned 14. His progression through the ranks was challenging; it took Steve 23 years to finally fulfil his childhood dream of taking home a Commonwealth gold medal.
A message from Steve Frew: “Hi, I’m Steve Frew and I want to say a big congratulations to each and every one of you for taking part and completing the InspireAspire programme. I have been looking at all of the fantastic entries; your work is incredible and I’ve been inspired by the depth, insight and self-reflection that I’ve seen. You should be extremely proud of the work you have produced. Congratulations!”
SAM WESTON
INVERURIE ACADEMY “Stop comparing yourself to others. You can be the most beautiful rose in the garden and some jerk will still say they prefer daisies.” This quote is important to me as I can become consumed by worrying what others think about me when I shouldn’t really care. I am my own person and sometimes people won’t agree with me or like me but other people will. I love who I am and that matters more. The person I admire is Ashley Frangipane, a singer-songwriter better known by her stage name Halsey. She has taught be to take pride in my racial background as, like me, she has parents of different races. She is a firm believer in equality for all and from this I have learned to stand up or what I believe in. She is a popular artist who feels the need to speak about other issues like mental health, sexuality and race. Because of her openness I have learned that it is important to spread awareness about issues that people are reluctant to speak about. A recent achievement for me was participating in a presentation for a chosen local charity in the community. It was a real confidence booster to speak publicly about an important topic like mental health and I’m looking forward to doing something similar again. Since the presentation my friends and I have continued to help the charity out.
“By thinking about my qualities I’ve really begun to understand what motivates me, what I love about myself and what I need to do to improve as a person.”
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LILY ANN DOYLE ISLAY HIGH SCHOOL
“Old enough to know better, Young enough to do it anyway, Smart enough not to get caught, And experienced enough to blame my brother” Lily Ann Doyle Ma’A Nonu is my inspirational figure because he is so resilient when he is on the rugby pitch. He plays to the best of his ability and is a good team player. If he experiences a setback, he will pick himself up, learn from his mistakes and keep trying until he succeeds, which is what I love about him. I wish I could be more like Nonu with his patience and perseverance. His hair is another thing I like, because it is just amazing. He is also strong and fast at running. He scored the winning try in the Rugby World Cup final in 2015. The motto of the New Zealand team is: we scrum for possession, run for the try-zone, bleed for the team and live for the game. The thing I’m most proud of is being able to play the chanter and bagpipes. My uncle played the pipes, and so did my grandpa, and I play his silver mounted pipes. When I play it makes me smile and gives me a tingly feeling inside.
ABBIE MORRIS
DYLAN GRANT
“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.”
“Why? Why not? Why not you? Why not now?” Aslan
My inspirational figure is Emma Watson. She acted in eight Harry Potter films after only two school plays. She is an ambassador for the UN HeForShe campaign for gender equality. This inspired me as she was standing up for what she believed in, which is an act of determination to change opinions and lives. She recently visited Zambia and Bangladesh as part of her humanitarian efforts. Her bold speech at the UN changed the way people saw her.
When Didier Drogba was a small child living in the Ivory Coast in Africa, he would play football in the streets, without grass, shoes or decent goals. In 2005, when the national team qualified for the World Cup and a civil war was going on, Drogba took a microphone and made a plea for peace in the changing room. In under a week, both sides laid down their arms and Drogba arranged for one of the matches to be played in a fighting area. When he made an endorsement deal with Pepsi in 2009, he gave the £3 million to build a hospital in his home town. Many Ivorians are alive because of this man, and this is why he inspires me.
ISLAY HIGH SCHOOL
I have won many medals for Highland dancing, which I was only able to do by committing myself and trying to be the best I can. I would like to become a vet when I leave school and carry on with my music and dancing.
JOSH ALLAN
KILSYTH ACADEMY
My vision for a better world is where there are no religious wars and we accept that everyone has their own opinion or faith.
KEMNAY ACADEMY “Many of life’s failures were people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up.” I find George Lucas inspirational for going from a kid with a camera to a man with a lifetime achievement award who is worth $4.5 billion. In the press pre-awards, the fourth of his Star Wars films got the worst graphics, worst director and worst film award. I thought it was pretty good, though not as good as the first three. He has a good eye, so when he is helping to edit, he has to check all the acting and props. He also has to be brave when he goes on chat shows because of all the mean questions about his films and the way he directs.
“I have learned that I need to be a more patient, responsible and optimistic person.” MIA HOPE FAWSITT KINROSS HIGH SCHOOL
“Human rights, women’s rights, women’s rights are human rights.” This quote inspires me to be an independent, strong woman and reminds me that I have exactly the same rights as men. This quote inspires me to do great things for women and not to let men knock me down because I am a girl. We are all equal.
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Lorde is my inspirational person. She is smart, talented, hard-working, honest and most of all down to earth. Lorde thinks that everybody is equal and should be treated fairly. Her music means so much to me. As a young teenage girl she inspires me to fight for the things I believe in. She has done a lot of work with the New Zealand Labour Party to try to encourage young people to vote. She said: ‘Young people are creative and with that creativity we can revolutionise our home.’ Lorde inspires me to do great things, to fight for what I believe in and never give up. I am proud of the time I persevered and after six months was able to come off my crutches. I had nerve damage to my ankle and knee and had to retrain my nerves completely. It was very painful, but no pain, no gain. If I had not put in as much effort as I did, I would probably still be on crutches.
live for today and hope for tomorrow - most important thing is not to stop questioning.’
COURTNEY SMITH
KNIGHTSWOOD SECONDARY SCHOOL I am inspired by Adele, who is a successful singer, which is what I want to be when I’m older. She has shown me that it doesn’t matter how old you are or how rich you are, you can do anything if you set your mind to it. She went from nothing to being an amazing singer who has sold over 2 billion copies of her album. She also has a big welcoming heart.
KYLE SUTHERLAND KNOX ACADEMY
“We do not remember days, we remember moments” Cesare Pavese
“By taking part in this project I have discovered so much more about myself but also others too. Most of these questions I have never been asked before so it revealed a lot about my personality - even things I didn’t know myself.”
ELLIE GIBSON
KIRKCUDBRIGHT ACADEMY “Out of difficulties grow miracles” Jean de la Bruyere Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity led to new ways of looking at time, space, matter, energy and gravity. One of his quotes is that ‘we cannot solve problems with the same thinking that created them.’ Also ‘the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.’ His most famous one is ‘I learn from yesterday,
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Steve Jobs, at one point the most successful businessman in the world, actually lived off a salary of one dollar for 10 years. This proved his power to make people ‘think different.’ He was fired from his own company in 1985 and created a new company neXT, which was bought by Apple for $427 million in 1997. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2003, but refused medical treatment for nine months. He continued to work until the day he died in October 2011. Steve Jobs inspires me because he revolutionised the way we live our lives. With his many creations such as the iMac, the iPhone, the iPad and the iPod, he made people stop and ‘Think Different.’
REBEKAH ADAMS LANGHOLM ACADEMY
“A smile is the best make up any girl can wear.” My inspirational figure is Malala, who is inspiring because she has fought so hard for something she really wanted to achieve. Even though she was under attack, that did not stop
her from helping millions. She kept strong and looked on the bright side, even when she was shot. I would love to live up to her example.
MILLIE RITCHIE
LANGHOLM ACADEMY “Be nice to everyone, always smile and appreciate things because it could all be gone tomorrow.” Ed Sheeran is a 25-year old singer who started at the age of four then busked and lived on the streets in London before becoming well-known. While busking he never caught the eye of anyone special and began to run short of money. He moved from place to place, sometimes staying with friends, but other times near the Underground at Buckingham Palace. In 2011 he had finally saved enough money to fly to Los Angeles, where he was spotted in a karaoke bar by Jamie Foxx and signed a record deal with him. He is an inspiration because he has shown me that if you keep trying you will get through anything.
HEATHER DONALDSON LOCKERBIE ACADEMY
“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one remembers to turn on the light” Albus Dumbledore The book I’m reading at the moment is called Wonder. It is about a boy called August with a deformed face and who has had many operations. He goes outside and walks around town knowing that people are staring at him and making comments, but he just gets on with life because he knows that nothing will ever be done about it. He has friends and people who love him dearly, which is all that matters at the end of the day. August inspires me because he is so brave and positive. He may have an unusual face, but does that weigh him down? No! The moment I’m most proud of is when I believed in myself. In primary school, I was
always put in the bottom or middle class, never the top. I had to go to special classes to improve my spelling. When I came to secondary, we had our tests and I was over the moon when I saw my results. I got 127% in physics, which you might think is impossible, but I put in extra information. From then on, I believed in myself, and my test results were just as good so I am in the top classes.
sitting down st u j f el ys m ut bo a t “I have learned a lo d at real y ba d n a t a d o o g m ’ I and thinking what opened my mind.”
ROBBIE TEMPLETON LOCKERBIE ACADEMY
“Nothing is impossible” Dynamo My inspiration with Dynamo, because he encouraged me to take up magic myself. I aspire to live up to and beyond his standards. He is such a down-to-earth guy, because most famous people brush you off, but he takes the time to talk to you and take photos. Dynamo wants more people happy, even if just for a moment. I work more on sleight of hand stuff and like to work close-up without any fancy props. Dynamo inspires me because he can go anywhere in the world, no matter what language people speak, and can make an impossible moment. He can show that everyone is connected. I want to follow in his footsteps.
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EMILY TRUDT
CHLOE GRIGGS
“Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age and dreams are forever” Walt Disney
“The path to success is not as fixed and inflexible as you think” Misty Copeland
An inspirational moment in my life was when I went to Florida. The reason this was inspirational because in America there is so much wildlife and energy. It made me want to go and do something a bit like an adrenaline rush. I got this at the Disney Park because I’ve never been somewhere like that before.
My inspirational figure is Misty Copeland, who was the first African-American ballet dancer to be appointed principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre in June 2015. Misty was born in 1982 as the fourth of six siblings, and their mother Sylvia Delacerne had many marriages so the family moved around a lot, mainly under bad conditions. Her mum’s relationship with her fourth husband was terrifying as he was emotionally abusive to both Sylvia and the children. I was affected when my parents split when I was five but it’s remarkable that Misty went through all that, bounced back and made her dream come true. After a while she decided to move in with her dance teacher and continue her training. This shows how committed she was to dance and how dedicated she was to becoming a dancer.
LOCKERBIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
CATHERINE ANDERSON MEARNS ACADEMY
“Fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storms terrible but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for staying ashore” Vincent van Gogh I love this quote as it says that you should go for your dreams even if they are difficult and scary. A moment in my life I’m most proud of is when I won the working hunter competition on my horse Amira at Pony Club Camp, and came second overall. I went to camp so we could enjoy ourselves and didn’t dream that we would be placed, let alone come first. It was such a wonderful feeling, knowing that we had come in front of all these horses and riders – cantering around the ring with a red rosette hanging off her bridle.
MEARNS ACADEMY
I’m proud of every exam I have taken since I was three. I have worked incredibly hard and managed to get top marks in highland, ballet, modern and tap. This makes me proud and shows that all my hard work and commitment paid off. I’ve wanted to be a dancer since I was very young.
“I have learned how much more I can help others than I thought and this has helped me look at life more positively.”
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ROSS JAMIESON MEARNS ACADEMY
“I like simple songs, simple chords, simple vocals, simple lead guitar. I like simplicity” Jeremy Spencer Jeremy Spencer is the drummer of my favourite band Five Finger Death Punch. He has been drumming since he was six on a three-part kit. He was in multiple bands and suffered a serious drug addiction. He nearly gave up when he couldn’t get a new band together. He then called his Dad, who said to him “if you don’t follow your dreams and play metal on drums, you will not have achieved anything you really want. If you come home, you will have failed in your life goals.” It was after this that he joined his current band and life changed for the good. My proudest moment was when I played ‘Alone Together’ in front of the whole school - I want to be a drummer myself.
GEORGINA KEWITZ
MILE END PRIMARY SCHOOL “To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong” Joseph Pearce
to nd what I want to a m a I o h w t a ok properly lo e in life” become and achiev ve taken the time
Inspire Aspire I ha “By taking part in
I love the moment when you hear a new note in a song, you see a new art style or you read an inspiring passage or phrase in a book. It’s the thrill of knowing you can do something new and you have the chance to leave a mark in the world. Jarvis Cocker was born in September 1963 and grew up to be a famous musician, singer, songwriter, actor, video director and radio presenter. He is most famous as the front man of Pulp. I discovered his music quite recently through an advert and haven’t forgotten him ever since. I never thought it
was possible to listen to a song a million times without getting board, but he proved me wrong. Jarvis inspires me because he achieved so much in his lifetime and I know I could do it too if I push myself. #iWill achieve my goal of finding something new and being different, then maybe others will learn that if we want to do something with our lives, we have to stop wasting our opportunities and do it.
KATIE BROWN
MILE END PRIMARY SCHOOL “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore” Christopher Columbus I find Evanna Lynch very inspiring because even after all she has gone through she still strives to help others. She achieved success because she was brave, resilient and persistent. If she had given up she would never have beaten 15,000 other girls for the part of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter franchise. She wants equality and stands up for LGBT rights and animal rights. On her Instagram she posted how she was happy that same sex marriage had been legalised in Ireland and responded to the homophobic comments. She uses her fame to promote healthy self-esteem to girls. I look up to Evanna because I want to be kind, brave and strong like she is. I want to become the best version of myself.
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MALEEHA MAHMOOD
EMMA NICOLSON
My favourite character is Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games because if she has a goal she’ll achieve it and will not stop, no matter what. She helps people and thinks of others before herself. She is always ready for anything that will come in her way.
“Love the life you live and live the life you love” Bob Marley
MOUNT VERNON PRIMARY SCHOOL
ROBYN TURNBULL
MURTHLY PRIMARY SCHOOL “Always be more than you appear and never appear to be more than you are” Angela Merkel Angela Merkel is the Chancellor of Germany since 2005. I admire her because not only is she very clever (she has a doctorate in physical chemistry) but she is the second most powerful person in the world and the most powerful person in Europe. She was the only person in Europe to say that the Syrian refugees can come to Germany.
ELENA MCGORUM PEEBLES HIGH SCHOOL
“Nothing is impossible because the very word says I’m possible” Audrey Hepburn Katherine Grainger is a Scottish rower who won six Gold Medals at the World Championships. Despite this, what she really wanted was an Olympic Gold. She came in silver position for three Olympics but then in 2012, with Fiona Watkins, finally won Gold in the double sculls. It was not her great win at the Olympics that inspires me but what led up to it. If she hadn’t come second three times she would not have been so determined to win. If I had to have something of hers it wouldn’t be the gold medal but her sheer persistence and determination to do well. Like most people I want to change the world, but the thing is, anyone can say that….but few actually achieve that goal. I want to be one of the few that does. THAT is my goal in life.
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PERTH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
My inspirational figure is Nicola Benedetti. She not only inspires me to become a musician but also a confident individual and to be able to achieve my goals. She has encouraged me to continue my violin lessons in the hope that one day I will perform like her. I’m most proud of passing my violin exams. I remember being really nervous as I stepped into the room, but when I start playing I always feel confident in myself and knew I would do well. Since my exams I’ve been less shy and I perform twice a year at the concert hall with the senior orchestra. These achievements have changed my life in a small way and I don’t know what I would do without music.
JESSICA THORBURN PERTH HIGH SCHOOL
“Hope might fade to a dim light but it’s never gone” I chose Eddie the Eagle (Michael Edwards) because of his determination. It takes a lot of courage to keep going when everyone is telling you it’s impossible. He hadn’t gone to win. He had gone to prove that he could. He had changed the way people looked at him by simply never giving up. Everyone loved him because of the hope he gave them. If he
could accomplish his dream then why can’t we accomplish ours? Eddie is an inspiration in his strength, love, courage and hope. His jumps united countries and showed that if you put your mind to something, nothing is impossible. #iWill never judge people because of who they are.
JENNIFER SHAW PORTREE HIGH SCHOOL
“One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world” Malala I am inspired by Malala because she had many difficulties standing up for education and got shot in the head. I am inspired by Obama because he was the first black president of United States and must have thought a lot beforehand because not everybody would approve. I am inspired by Chris Froome because he went from a rider who delivers bottles to the main riders to world champion in his sport. I admit that many cyclists go through this journey, but he began his in another country.
Scotland at gymnastics four times since 2009. I would like to be a professional gymnast and compete at the Commonwealth Games. If I believe in myself, anything is possible.
REBECCA DOBIE
RENFREW HIGH SCHOOL “You’re mad, bonkers, off your head, but I’ll tell you a secret, all the best people are.” Walt Disney is an inspiration because he was rejected many times and millions thought his ideas were stupid and unrealistic. Despite this, Disney continued to follow his dreams winning countless awards and entertaining thousands of people, even after his death.
ANGUS BAXTER
QUEEN ANNE HIGH SCHOOL “Practice as though you are the worst, but compete as though you are the best.” Max Whitlock is the first ever GB gymnastics world champion - I watched the whole thing in the arena! I am a gymnast myself and train five days a week at the West Lothian GC. I’ve actually had the chance to train alongside Max when I was selected to go down to his club last summer. It was amazing to see him in real life and to watch him train. The other reason I aspire to be like him is that he has so many good qualities. He is super committed, and trains 30 hours a week. He is persistent as he has trained for 16 years and determined as when, two days before the final, he fell off the high bar, missing out on a medal, but he was determined to keep going and it paid off. My best and proudest moments are competing for
I want to inspire people never to give up on their dreams and not care what other people think of them, just keep being themselves. I want to change the world! I’m not sure how I’m going to get there yet, but I can guarantee it will happen. I believe in living life to the fullest and among the things I would like to do are skydiving, winning an Oscar, meeting the Queen, visiting the Amazon rainforest, riding an elephant, running a marathon, publishing a book and swimming with dolphins.
LAYLA OGBU
ROSNEATH PRIMARY SCHOOL #iWill help people to understand that if we weren’t so greedy there would be enough food for everyone on the planet.
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JOSHUA REYNOLDS
ROSNEATH PRIMARY SCHOOL I want to be a good, reliable, achieving and helpful person when I get older. I want to be a famous YouTuber and work for a good company and be a project manager to make lots of money. One of my goals is to become a free runner. When I am twelve I am going to start my training.
ld improve u o w I w o h d e n r a “I have le tter place” e b a t i e k a m to ld the wor
HOLLY COLEMAN ROSS HIGH SCHOOL
“You must see with eyes unclouded by hate. See the good in that which is evil, and the evil in that which is good. Pledge yourself to neither side but vow instead to preserve the balance that exists between the two” Hayao Miyazaki Hayao Miyazaki inspires me because he works hard to make his movies perfect. They brought joy to my childhood got me watching online and drawing manga. His movies tell a lesson or a moral to be learned and teach mainly about friendship.
EILIDH HEGGIE SGOIL NAN LOCH
“Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving” Albert Einstein My inspirational character is Tosh van der Sande. He inspires me because even though he is quite young he has won some big cycling tours. He inspires me to keep cycling and to keep trying to achieve the things you want to achieve because although he might not have
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won every race he entered he still did well to try and do it. #iWill try to treat everyone equally even if I don’t get on with them. I want to treat everyone how I would like to be treated myself.
ALYTH CAMPBELL SGOIL NAN LOCH “Whatever you are, be a good one” Abraham Lincoln One of the most inspiring moments in my life was when my Mum had her heart transplant. She was so brave and I don’t think I heard her complain once and not even when she had her leg amputated. She is one of the bravest people I know because of all she has been through she still tried to be the best Mum she can be. She had been sick for a while but always tried to stay positive. My Dad inspires me because he had a lot on his plate when my Mum was in hospital. They both are the best parents I could wish for.
ALISON GOOD
SHAWLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL Marie Curie is inspirational to me because in her lifetime, woman didn’t get an education, yet she is still to this day the only person to get two Nobel prizes in different fields. She received them for chemistry and physics despite being a girl. She inspires me because she did what no one else dared to. I want to become educated so I can become a scientist and give something back to humanity by finding cures and discovering medical breakthroughs. #iWill develop medicine that is revolutionary and change the way we live forever
KIRSTY SNEDDEN
SIMPSON PRIMARY SCHOOL “Who says you have to grow up?” Walt Disney I picked the Monsters character Mike Wazowski because he never gave up. He went to University and people told him he wasn’t scary but he believed in himself. He taught me to believe in myself, even if nobody else does.
BRIGID MCGUIGAN
SOUTH WEST FIFE ACCREDITATION “We’ve all got light and dark inside of us. What matters is the part we choose to act on, that’s who we really are” My keyworker Sally inspires me because she is doing a job that is all about the well-being of others. She is always passionate about her job and she does her job so well. She always makes sure I am feeling OK and if I’m not she finds a way to make me feel better. She inspires me to be a better person and to overcome my anxiety.
“I have learned to be more positive about what I think of myself”
My inspiration is Martin Luther King. A lot of people use superpowers to do something good, but MLK was a normal person just like all of us. He inspired people around the world with his message of peace and racial equality: people should be respected whatever their colour. He helped people think that violence is not the answer. He thought that little white boys and little white girls should be able to hold hands with little black boys and little black girls as sisters and brothers. He stood up for what he believed in and never gave up, treating everyone with respect. Even after all he had done, he was still assassinated. I guess you don’t realise you’re drowning whilst trying to be someone else’s anchor because that’s what love is, putting others before yourself. Perhaps this is not a massive achievement, but everyone goes through a lot in life and at some point may think of giving up. I’m proud of myself for not giving up and picking myself up, for looking at the sun in the world of darkness.
CAITLIN SCOLLIN
ST COLUMBKILLES PRIMARY SCHOOL
SHREEYA BHANDARI
ST ANDREWS RC HIGH SCHOOL “Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you’ve ever been in order to stand up taller than you ever were.”
“A wise girl knows her limits. A smart girl knows that she has none” Marilyn Monroe Emma Watson is my inspirational person because despite being an actress and a fashion designer, she has shown the world that she is more than that by becoming a UN Goodwill Ambassador, founding HeForShe and furthering her education to become an intelligent, independent woman. Now she
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can be known as both an actress and an activist. Emma’s work has made me realise that what we share is more powerful than what divides us. Over a billion people have joined HeForShe including me. Something I am proud of is my ability to stand up for what I believe in. I used to feel scared around people who blatantly spurt their opinions without thought to the insecurity they strike up in others. People like Donald Trump who inspire panic and hate between communities. But I know feel able to say ‘no’ to people like that. Something has motivated me to say they’re wrong and I am proud of that. I am happy that I have found the courage. #iWill inspire others to embrace their quirks and not feel judged.
“I was able to recognise what I am good (and bad) at. This was really interesting because I can work on my weakest values and improve my best”
LEAH MCBRIDE
determination when training for events and for consistently pushing her personal best times. Jessica has been coached by Toni Minichiello since she was 11 years old. Jessica achieved a foot above her own height which only 10 women in the world have ever managed. Jessica is very positive because how hard she works when training and that’s something I need to work on.
STEVIE PATERSON
ST GEORGE’S PRIMARY SCHOOL Mhairi Black MSP inspires me because she is the youngest in Glasgow. Already she has made so much progress and is not afraid to share her opinions. She inspires me because she is a kind and loving person to all people in need. Mhairi is not afraid of standing up for what’s right. She has already stood up to David Cameron.
“I have learned more about myself and what I would like to do in the future”.
ST FILLANS PRIMARY SCHOOL “Don’t judge me. You might know my name but not my story” Demi Levato Demi Lovanto is not afraid to stand up for what’s right. She encourages people with depression to stand up to it. She really inspires me. When I saw someone all alone I went over to see if they wanted to play with me because I was alone too. Now we are best friends.
ABI HARTLESS
AOIBHINN MULLEN
“It’s failure that gives you the proper perspective on success” Ellen Degeneres
“What hurts you today makes you stronger tomorrow”
These quotes make me realise that if I had never made any mistakes, I would not be the person I am today. And if you never fail, success does not feel so good.
ST FILLANS PRIMARY SCHOOL
Jessica Ennis is best known for her grit and
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ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new” Albert Einstein
Bethany Hamilton inspires me because of her reaction to her arm being bitten off by a shark. Most people would have gone off and found a new hobby or passion but Bethany wanted to get back on her board. She kept practising, but it felt like she was learning from scratch. What I learned from Bethany’s story is that just because people say and think that something is impossible, I should ignore them and push myself even further. Bethany showed many characteristics such as persistence, determination, resilience, optimism and determination to achieve her goal of surfing again. Her message is that if something is hard you should try harder and never give up and never judge people on how they look as they may be capable of much more than you think. One of my most inspirational moments was when I was 10 and went to volunteer in a school for refugees. I read to the children and explained the meaning of words they did not understand. I want to be the kind of person who leaves their stamp on humanity and does something good for the world. I want to achieve a world free from judgement and stereotypes.
IMAN HAFIZAL
ST GEORGES SCHOOL FOR GIRLS “If you are offered a seat on a rocket, don’t ask which one, just get on” Sheryl Sandberg
This quote encourages me to take opportunities and not look back.
Robyn Davidson is an Australian woman who has inspired me in unimaginable ways. She took a 1700-mile trek across the whole of Australia, travelling with only four camels and a dog. She earned the title of ‘the camel lady’, and the journey took nine months to complete. In this time, she was forced to eat strange foods to survive, to walk non-stop and sustain injuries and lost her favourite dog, Doggity. I find Robyn Davidson inspiring because of her dreams. Most women want a job and a husband for a successful life, but she chose adventure over normal women’s roles. To be great, you have to act on your dreams. I have plenty of dreams, but have never acted on them. Robyn encourages me to do so.
LENA MACAULAY
ST JOHNS RC HIGH SCHOOL “Things that I grew up with stay with me. You start a certain way, then you spend your whole life trying to find a certain simplicity that you had. It’s less about staying in childhood than keeping a certain spirit of seeing things in a different way” Tim Burton The person who inspires me is Tim Burton because of his wild and amazingly dark and mysterious imagination, which is reflected in his many films. He inspires me because since my early childhood he was the first filmmaker to give female characters heroic and challenging roles. I went to see his Alice in Wonderland four times because Tim’s Alice was portrayed as a strong character driven by an unusually creative imagination. Alice was allowed to inspire, and that inspired me!
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EVAN MCKENZIE
ST JOSEPH’S PRIMARY SCHOOL “Cycling has brought me a lot of pleasure and being a Scot I know how lucky we are to have beautiful scenery and quiet roads to enjoy by bike” Chris Hoy Chris Hoy inspires me because he is a great Olympian track cyclist and has won 6 gold medals and 1 silver medal. His values are hardworking, self-disciplined, persistent, optimistic and co-operative. These are some of the qualities that he has and I would like to be like this when I am older.
ANIKA KUSIAK
ST KENTIGERN’S ACADEMY “If you’re lucky enough to be different, don’t ever change” Taylor Swift My inspirational figure is Leanne Ratcliffe, better known as Freelee the banana girl, who is a diet guru, author, YouTube sensation, international speaker and educator, and online teacher. She is well known as the creator of the Rawtill4 diet or vegan lifestyle. What inspires me about her is that she proves that you don’t need to consume animal products to be slim and healthy. She is also very determined because she suffered from anaemia, anorexia nervosa and depression. She says: ‘animals are our friends, not food.’
AMIE LOCHRIE
ST MAURICE’S HIGH SCHOOL “Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives” Michelle Obama The person who inspires me is Michelle Obama. Since becoming First Lady she has developed her leadership skills and community activism. She is generous, caring, patient and open-minded. She
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supports her husband’s policy priorities completely by advocating bills that support these. The thing I admire most is how she stands up for women’s rights and she actually tweeted a photo of herself holding a poster asking for ‘our girls’ to be brought back from Nigeria. I would love to live up to her example of being extremely loyal, committed openminded and positive.
TEIGAN BRUNTON ST MUNGO’S ACADEMY
“Oh yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it or learn from it” Rafiki, The Lion King The person who inspires me is my auntie, who at the age of 7 1/2 got retinoblastoma. She was in hospital for a long time after the operation, and had to have a glass eye. Just recently, she had to go in for another operation because the implant in her eye had burst. When she got out her eye was really swollen and black. It takes a lot of courage to walk about like that, also living with one eye and coping with life. This is why she inspires me.
LAURA DEVLIN
ST MUNS PRIMARY SCHOOL “You can close your eyes to things you don’t want to see, but you can’t close your hearth to the things you don’t want to feel” Johnny Depp Walt Disney inspires me because of his amazing ideas he brought to the world
and his creative imagination. If it wasn’t for him there would be no Disneyland and no Disney Movies. I want to be the kind of person that will inspire others, that will be a great role model and always be myself, not someone I am not. I want to achieve something amazing, something that will make people astonished of what I can do.
“I will keep the memory of doing this project”
CONNER HALPIN
ST NINIAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL “Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with trying to win” Messi Lionel Messi inspires me because he is just amazing. He has scored 1,000 goals throughout his career. I’m good myself too but not as amazing as him. I want to be a successful football player and be in the Scottish Premiership. If I don’t make it as a footballer then I would definitely like to work in sport. I will continue to be positive and keep looking forward to the future.
ERICA MALCOLMSON ST NINIAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
CATERINA LUE
ST NINIAN’S HIGH SCHOOL “You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose” Dr Seuss Dr Seuss was an author and illustrator of children’s books and his most famous book is The Cat in the Hat. I admire his resilience when his first book was rejected 27 times. A friend who had just become an editor published the book. I’m so glad he did not give up as I love his quirky drawings and witty poems.
My inspirational Aunt has given me encouragement and a sense of self-belief to help make things easier for people when they are at their most vulnerable. When I am a bit older I would like to help people who are facing cancer treatment in some way. My plans are to become a fund raiser and have different events to raise lots of money for cancer charities. I want to be the kind of person who thinks of others and would put a great deal of effort into all that I do. #iWill help other people regardless of their age who are suffering from cancer
MOUHAMMAD AL JOHMANI ST NINIANS PRIMARY SCHOOL
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power” Abraham Lincoln I am proud of myself because I recently learned to ride a bike. In Syria, having a bike was uncommon as very few people had one. Before I learned how to ride a bike I would watch others who were riding bikes in amazement as I could not understand how they managed to stay on without falling. I am delighted to be able to go the bicycle path with my sister.
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ALYSON MCGRAW
ST NINIANS PRIMARY SCHOOL Malala Yousafzai is my inspiration because at the young age of 18 she was determined to prove that girls are just as worthy of an education as boys. She defied the Taliban and because of that she was shot in the head and neck in 2012. She overcame her dreadful injuries, remained resilient and luckily she survived. I think she is so strong to have the confidence to stand up to people who oppress others and deny them their rights. I am really passionate about her story because I too believe that every child deserves an education. Her story makes me realise that I am extremely lucky to have a free education and other opportunities in life that some children do not have. If everybody could be a little more like Malala, I’m sure this world would be a better place! Malala’s story has made me value my education and the opportunities which have been given to me. #iWill always work hard to achieve my goals in life and help others to achieve theirs.
SHANNON MCMANUS ST PETERS PRIMARY SCHOOL
“Let’s pick up our books and pencils, they are our most powerful weapons” Malala My inspiration is Malala. She has won a Nobel peace prize in 2014. I’d love to grow up an inspiring and helping woman like her. She is a young and powerful woman and has changed thousands of lives. Even though she was shot in the head, she never gave up and won, which I find so inspiring. I want to be someone who people look up to, I want to be inspirational and to help the poor. My vision is that there to be no guns and for the world to be peaceful so that everyone is happy.
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#iWill fight to make the world a gun free zone.
DUGALD MACKECHNIE
ST MARY’S EPISCOPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL “I don’t play tournaments to come second best” Andy Murray I have looked up to Andy Murray since I was 5 years old. He is renowned for being the most hard working and fittest athlete on the ATP world tour. All the pain he puts his body through is incredible and definitely pays off as his is the winner of major titles. Andy is always appreciative of the team around him. He is also a very charitable person. He donates £50 to UNICEF for every Ace he hits, raising £83,000 since September last year! He is very down to earth. For example he does not drive flash cars. He actually drives a VW Golf! Another one of Andy’s inspiring qualities is his professionalism and dedication and his ability to never give up. He shows that he is professional by stretching after a match no matter what the score was, sticking to a strict diet and ensuring all of his practice sessions are of a high quality. He never gives up and is determined to win every match he plays. I’ll never forget the day my brother and I were chosen to give a card to Andy on a day he came back to Dunblane. I think Andy Murray is the most inspiring person not just to step on a tennis court but as a role model in life as well.
and reflect in a rd a rw fo ok lo to “I have learned k a lot more n i th e m de a m o ls a new way. It has individual” about myself as an
NIAMH GILLIES
STONELAW HIGH SCHOOL “Happiness is found when you stop comparing yourself to other people.”
Jessica Ennis Hill inspires me because she will not give up. She had to pull out of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 because of injury, but went on to win at London 2012. She inspires me to keep going with my training or a race and not give up halfway through, because you have to work hard to be a winner. She has helped charities like Oxfam, Cancer Research UK and Sports Aid, taking pride in this and wanting to become more involved. I think one of her best qualities is her dedication to sport and her family. I find it amazing that a year after the birth of her baby boy she is back in training and preparing for Rio 2016. She has taught me to keep my head high and never do myself down for not doing well in a race. My proudest moment is coming second in a national race final in Glasgow.
BETH LAW
STONELAW HIGH SCHOOL Robert Smith is English singer, songwriter and musician in the band The Cure. He is very well known for his smudged makeup an unkempt hair on stage. I think he is an inspiration for not caring what other people think of him and not wanting to fit in. He is special in his own way and I look up to him for that. He has become successful because he is not afraid to be different, and was excluded from school for having different views about religion. Robert has had a positive effect on me because when people mock and make fun of my music, he reminds me that it is okay to be different. My vision for a better world is one where everyone is equal and important. I want people to know that they are loved by others for being themselves. I believe everyone is the same but different.
HANNAH FINLAYSON
STRATHALLAN PRIMARY SCHOOL “You get one shot in life, make it count” Stephen Sutton What would you do if you were told you had cancer, you were 15 and you knew that you
were going to die? Cry, complain, feel depressed, shout or make the most out of life? Well, when Steven Sutton was diagnosed with terminal cancer he created a bucket list and at the top was to raise £10,000 for the teenage cancer trust. After getting support from various celebrities he upped his target to £1,000,000 and wrote a blog called Stephen’s stories to help others. Sadly in May 2014 he passed away. He had raised over £3m before his death and was given an MBE. Stephen is an inspiration to me because so much of what he did was for others. His qualities were that he always appeared positive, charitable, optimistic and cheerful. I admire his courage and determination.
“I have learned that an ordinary person can make an extraordinary difference”
EMMAH CHIBESAKUNDA THE ALBYN SCHOOL
“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work, second, stickto-itiveness, and third common sense” Thomas Edison The person that inspires me is Emmeline
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Pankhurst. I find all the suffragettes inspiring as they have contributed so much to women’s lives, even a hundred years later. Emmeline founded the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903. Her husband Richard was a radical liberal lawyer while Emmeline and her daughters contributed to the movement by marching, protesting and speaking publicly about the need for equality. She was stood up for what she believed in and said once that ‘justice and judgement often lay a world apart.’ Emmeline was imprisoned and went on a hunger strike, which proves that she was a strong and committed woman. I hope I can be a strong and independent as her - her story proves that perseverance and commitment can help you succeed. I will try to apply this to all my work and projects.
MOLLIE SCALES
THE GLASGOW ACADEMY “We are all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all.” My favourite fictional character is Liesel Memminger from The Book Thief. She is described as having dirty blonde hair and dangerous eyes. She is incredibly brave, as shown when she runs into a parade of Jews heading for concentration camps to find Max. Throughout the book, she deals with hardship and the loss of loved ones, but she rarely complains. When Death (the narrator) comes to find her, she gladly goes with him. My inspirational figure is Millicent Garrett. She was an English feminist, political and union leader, and writer. She is most famous for founding the Suffragist movement who, as opposed to the suffragettes led by Emmeline Pankhurst, believed in peaceful protest and were shocked by their violent methods. This did not mean that she was not devoted to her campaign. She concentrated most of her efforts on the struggle for improving women’s chances in higher education, such as degrees at university. She later became President of the National Women’s Suffrage Societies, a position she held between 1897 and 1919. Partly because of Millicent’s suffragists’
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struggles during wartime, all women were given the vote in 1928, and made equal to men. Many countries soon follow Britain’s example. I admire Millicent Garrett as she kept on struggling, even during wartime, but she kept to legal means, which may have been just as brave as Emmeline Pankhurst’s illegal battles and bombings with police. She was an intelligent, well educated woman, and after women were given the vote she was appointed to report on the conditions of concentration camps in South Africa, something she was passionate about. I also believe that Millicent is not celebrated enough, and that she deserves more recognition for her lifetime of campaigning for people to have a better life.
NIENNA BRILL
THE GORDON SCHOOLS “Every point in your life, however tough, is something to cherish and be happy about” Jared Padalecki Jared Padalecki inspires me not only because of his acting skills, but also from his fight with anxiety and depression. He put his struggles to good use by starting the Always Keep Fighting campaign. He and his cast members sell T-shirts to raise awareness about mental illness. #iWill try my best to make my friends and family feel loved, so that they can make other people feel loved.
FREYA HALLIDAY THE WAID ACADEMY
“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them” Eeyore Walt Disney inspires me that you can do anything if you don’t give up. He had a dream and he made it come true. Once he achieved his goals he just dreamed bigger. His dreams became dreams for so many children across the world with all the characters he created. In 1923 Walt Disney and his brother Roy produced a series of short, live-action animated films collectively called Alice comedies. In 1928 Mickey Mouse was born, followed by Pluto, Goofy, Donald Duck and the rest of the Disney gang. His first full length animated film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I apply his inspiration to my life by trying to do better while being happy with what I have got. He could have given up at many points, which encourages me not to give up myself. An inspirational moment in my life was when the entire family got together and wrote messages to my nana, tying them to a balloon. She was kind all her life and because of that she had a happy one. I would love to be like her and help other people achieve their goals while achieving mine.
“Taking part in this project has made me think more about my future. It has also made me think about how much I am influenced by the world around me”
NEVE PEACOCK THE WAID ACADEMY
“They say the best blaze burns brightest when things are at their worst.”
Dear LDShadowlady, When I came across your YouTube channel I didn’t think I’d find a home, but that is what has happened and I have watched every video at least twice. However, it’s not your videos that inspire me but your past and how you came to be the person you are today. I look up to you as the person I want to be – selfless and determined in what you do. You do everything without asking anything in return, and you have managed to make your own way in life. You only had your determination to get you to your goal. You have never given up hope that your Mum might get help for her alcohol addiction. You had a lot of obstacles to overcome. You had to watch over your Mum, cook dinner and make sure she was safe because the alcohol consumed her. I don’t know how you managed to get through this alone. Through all that you still managed to keep your grades up and put a smile on your face. Only on the inside I know the pain and fear you must have felt. I know what it feels like to see the things you have and to fight on. I chose you because you turned this into something, got out of the trap and made your own life. I always try to be there for my family, just like you. You have helped me grow as a person and I now know not to be ashamed of things I can’t control, to embrace who I am, try new things and not to follow everyone else. Sharing your story with me has made me stronger. When you were scared or worried you turned to video games, a virtual reality, like I turn to my books. I feel you are the sister I never had and you give me a safe place I can come to
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when I want to forget or relax. I now know how to stand up and control my life and to look out for my friends. Thank you for everything Lizzie. Without you I wouldn’t be so determined to change things and do things right. Your loyal shadow cadet – Neve Peacock
PATRICK KIEHLMANN TURNBULL HIGH SCHOOL
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean My vision for a better world is a world where we look after nature more than our own selfish needs. No fast food. I want a world where all religions agree to disagree. There is no war and violence of any kind and people trust each other so much so that we don’t need rules.
EWEN MCGILLIVRAY TURRIFF ACADEMY
“I think it’s really important to design things with a kind of personality” Marc Newson The person I find inspiring is Marc Newson because he is very artistic, creative and imaginative, using smooth geometric lines, strength and transparency. He tends to have an absence of sharp edges and developed artistic qualities when he was studying jewellery and design. He has designed things like tables, chairs, restaurants and stores, and has given them his own unique style. What I most admire about him is the way he gives his designs
unexpected features. For example, he was asked to make a concept car for Ford and gave it unexpected features like seats that could curve round and a boot that you can pull out like a drawer. I would like to share his ability to look at things in a different way and give a new perspective on everyday objects.
CARLA LEES
ULLAPOOL HIGH SCHOOL “I didn’t want my future to be imprisoned in my four walls and just cooking and giving birth” Malala Yousafzai I find Malala inspiring because education is very important to me and to know that there are people like Malala in the world makes me proud to be a girl. The way she has recovered from being shot is truly inspiring. She has been called an ‘icon of courage and hope’ but to me that only begins to describe the kind of person she is. She is truly incredible and I only hope that there are other people out there like her. She has inspired me to speak up about anything I think is wrong. I am proud of all the youth work I have done. I love doing things for other people and contributing to my community. I have given up a lot of my free time going to meetings, conferences and events. I have done it for three years now and hope to continue for many years to come. #iWill be kind to everyone wherever I go. I will stand up for what I believe in. I will learn to smile every day even if I don’t feel like it. A day without smiling is a day wasted.
LAUREN ROSS
ULLAPOOL HIGH SCHOOL “Be the change you want to see in the world” Mahatma Gandhi Malala inherited her interest in education from her father, who ran his own school. She began to write a blog in 2009 about how afraid she was of her school being attacked. She and her father received many death threats from the
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Taliban and she was shot on a school bus in 2012. This girl has put her life on the line for what she believes in, which is why she is so inspiring to me. A friend of mine lost her mother last year. They played a big part in my life as we used to go to the beach together. The day I heard about her death was particularly hard but I knew I had to be there for my friend. The next day I took a day off school, picked out a few DVDs, packed some snacks into a bag and went to where my friend was staying. We sat down and talked for a while and thought about all the good times we had shared together. She told me she really appreciated me being there for her when she was having a hard time and that made me proud to be her friend.
learned that if ve a h I ct e oj pr s i th “By taking part in st sit around u j ’t n ca u yo ge n a ch you want things to e to do it. You have to try to e els waiting for someon self.” ur make a difference yo
If I am ever considered a role model or an inspiration to someone I would feel amazing and it would be the biggest achievement that I could ever dream of. It would mean that I have done something with my life. I also want to be able to do things that I am passionate about. Most of all I want to feel like I have contributed something to the world.
REBECCA CAMPBELL WOODMILL HIGH SCHOOL
“Kill them with success and bury them with a smile.” Ella Jane Fitzgerald is one of the most inspiring and influential jazz singers of all time. Ella fought through the racism she had to endure every day and demonstrated huge amounts of courage and bravery throughout her life. These are some qualities I would love to have in myself, which is one of the reasons why Ella Fitzgerald inspires me so much.
KAYLEIGH PATTERSON
WILLIAMSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it” Salvador Dali My vision for a better world is for people to stop dropping litter and wasting electricity. If people keep dropping litter then it would be bad for all living things. I want to help protect the environment. #iWill start picking up litter and turning off lights.
MEGAN MCKINNON WOODMILL HIGH SCHOOL
“There are too many people in the world to let just one keep you down” Alfie Deyes
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THE CONTRIBUTION
TO EDUCATION
The programme is designed for use in the second, third of fourth phase of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence (P6-S4) with many thousands of young people completing across each of these year groups. It is also a cross cutting educational experience, developing attributes and capability outcomes in Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Religious and Moral education and in some circumstances, Social Studies and Technologies. The programme provides explicit support for Curriculum for Excellence by seeking to develop character virtue literacy and personal development associated with each of the four capacities.
MORAL CHARACTER
RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS
PERFORMANCE CHARACTER CIVIC CHARACTER
EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS
INTELLECTUAL CHARACTER
CONTRIBUTION TO DISADVANTAGED YOUNG PEOPLE The programme is highly valued by teachers working with young people who typically have low levels of engagement or attainment in education. The Good Shepherd Secure Centre in Bishopton is one example. Joseph Casey a teacher at the school says, “Inspire Aspire has become a huge part of our curriculum. It is an invaluable educational tool. It encourages pupils to reflect on their own skills and qualities and every pupil that has completed the project has gained in self-confidence through being encouraged to think more about their future and the impact they can have on the world.”
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CONFIDENT INDIVIDUALS SUCCESSFUL LEARNER
CONTRIBUTION TO RAISING ATTAINMENT A core purpose of the programme is to raise attainment in young people. In 2015/6 almost 30,000 young people completed the programme and identified goals and specific personal qualities they will need to work on to help them reach those goals. In 2016/17 and in addition to our internally accredited certification scheme, all schools involved in the attainment challenge will be able to present pupils for SQA Personal Development Awards through Character Scotland upon completion of the programme.
CONTRIBUTION TO ‘DEVELOPING THE YOUNG WORKFORCE’ is about the future workforce - our young people - making informed and ambitious choices about jobs and careers, ready to take their place in the world as effective contributors. “From taking part in this project I have learned more about myself and what I really want from life. This has helped me realise what I really want to achieve and given me motivation to reach those goals. It makes me think about who I am and what I am.” Jordan Smith S1 pupil, Ross High School
CONTRIBUTION TO LEARNING AND TEACHING “Inspire-Aspire has been a tremendous programme to be involved in. I have witnessed pupils of all abilities reflect on the type of person they are and who they want to be in the future. It has been a privilege to work with them and I think it has had a huge influence both on how the pupils value and support each other and on how I approach my teaching.” Zoe Brown Langholm Academy, in 2016/18
CONTRIBUTION TO YOUTH SOCIAL ACTION “By taking part in the Inspire Aspire programme, I have learned a lot more about myself; I now have a clearer understanding of my own opinions and feelings which is something that I never considered before. Most importantly it has helped me focus on my goals for the future, to be the best possible person I can be. So one day I can be an inspiration to young people.” Ella McKenna-Baxter St. Colms High School
#iwil l inspire other to embrace their quirks and not fell judged. Together we can all stand up to the minority of haters because we are stronger. We should all because more active in fighting for equality, especially children. Children are the future. I personally want to get my friends involved so that people can hear our voices and we can spread the love. I want to be able to challenge people who get others down and motivate others to do the same. Caitlin Scollin Balfron High School #iw ill start off small and be peaceful to myself and the people around me. I will inspire people to see what i hope for: To bring peace to the word. I will accept everyone and their own beliefs and ways of life. “Be the change you wish to see in the world” Ghandi. Abby Fabel Balfron High School
#iw ill try to be less selfish, to think of others needs as well as my own - I will try to help those that I can. I will remind myself and others to be compassionate towards others, first in thinking then in doing. I will strive to be kind of heart, and fair in my dealings with others. Joshua Johnston Clydeview Academy
#iw ill treat everyone the same no matter what their gender, skin colour or religion is. I will make people aware that equality matters and even though people make out they don’t care, deep down it’s really hurting them. I will respect others! Alicia Wood Banff Academy
#iw ill never make assumptions about people because of their faith and will not judge others based on religion. I will get to know people before developing an opinion on them. Dylan Grant Kilsyth Academy
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W H AT ’ S T H E D I F F E R E N C E ? EVALUATION OF THE INSPIREASPIRE PROGRAMME The formal evaluation of programmes is important if we want to understand what works and what could be improved. During the lifetime of InspireAspire, there have been several informal evaluations and a significant amount of testimony collected from both teachers and pupils. These have indicated a transformational effect on those who take part. In 2016/17, leading social scientists from Montclair State University USA, working in partnership with IPSOS MORI will use ground-breaking methodology to study the programme effect in detail. This new research will investigate how our young people set goals, demonstrate future-mindedness and develop a sense of purpose. It will involve 40 S2 classes from 30 schools throughout Scotland. This new research was preceded by a pilot study undertaken by Montclair State University during 2014 and 2015 which involved the Character Scotland team along with staff and pupils from Kemnay Academy, Gracemount High School, Inverurie Academy, Turriff Academy and Clydebank High School. The study is described below and the full report is available on request from the Character Scotland team.
THE RESEARCH STUDY InspireAspire was evaluated in two parts. First, REDSS Lab at Montclair State University collaborated with Character Scotland to determine the program’s theory of change,
the hypothesized processes through which the program affects young people. The collaboration yielded a pathway model that visually represents these processes of change. Second, REDSS Lab conducted a process evaluation, to assess various components of the program.
The theory of change for InspireAspire. The yellow and pink pathways represent the core storyline of InspireAspire.
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METHODS AND APPROACH A variety of data sources were used to evaluate InspireAspire including teacher interviews, pupil interviews and pupil surveys, as well as posters completed by program participants. Pupil interviews and surveys were completed before and after pupils participated in InspireAspire. Survey measures examined positive youth development (PYD), goal setting, future aspirations, future orientation, and sense of purpose. Poster quality was assessed by a systematic scoring tool for posters based on degree of completion, development, and alignment of poster responses. Teacher implementation approaches were compared to pupil poster quality and outcomes.
QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS Nearly all pupils (94%) who participated in InspireAspire generally completed the entire poster. A strong association was observed between the values selected and pupil’s future aspirations (alignment of these poster sections ranged from 41% - 84%). In addition, there was also a strong connection between pupils’ visions for a better world and their plans to personally bring that vision to life (these sections were well matched in 76% of posters). Pupil survey data revealed very little change in outcome scores between Time 1 and Time 2. Reasons for stability across the pre- and postsurvey measures could be attributed to the small sample size, measurement error, and/or the relatively high survey scores at Time 1 (thus, there was little opportunity for growth).
QUALITATIVE FINDINGS The findings from the qualitative analysis of teacher and pupil interviews helped enhance the quantitative results and offered insight about emerging trends. Teaching style and experience implementing InspireAspire varied widely across the teachers interviewed. Teachers with more experience with the program tended to focus more on supplemental activities during their instruction. Students whose teachers spent more class time on the poster spent more hours overall working on their posters than students whose teachers did less classroom instruction related to
the poster. Despite differences across teachers in implementation and delivery, students overall demonstrated understanding and development of values and virtues, such as connection and competence, although the actual word “values” was sometimes difficult for students to understand. In addition, goal setting, as well as the optimization of goals, were often articulated by pupils. Goal setting was strongly connected to various other concepts, such as future-mindedness and sense of purpose.
LESSONS LEARNED The highest quality posters were produced by pupils whose teachers spent significant time on poster related activities in class but did not immediately have pupils work on the poster template. Preparing the students to work on the poster by using activities that lay the foundation for the poster elements is important. Posters are of higher quality when the poster is completed in school rather than at home. Teachers who fully integrated InspireAspire into the broader curriculum tended to have pupils with higher-quality posters. Teachers suggested that InspireAspire dovetailed nicely with their courses on religious and moral education. The resources offered to both teachers and students can be further enhanced to be more geared to the abilities of younger students, as well as to address the needs of teachers who are interested in additional implementation guidance.
ABOUT REDSS LAB AT MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY The Research on Evaluation and Developmental Systems Science (REDSS) Lab explores questions related to developmental science and program evaluation and planning from a systems science perspective. Co-directors Dr. Jennifer Brown Urban and Dr. Miriam Linver, Associate Professors of Family and Child Studies at Montclair State University, engage in interdisciplinary projects and actively collaborate with researchers and practitioners across the US and in Scotland.
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TEACHER FEEDBACK The InspireAspire programme has a transformational effect on young people because of the inspiring and dedicated professionals who deliver the programme. Here is what some of them have to say about their experience:
“We love doing this project with our pupils. It is wonderful seeing them engage in honest self-reflection and growing in knowledge of themselves and what makes them tick. It is also intriguing to see who they think is inspirational. Finally – reading ‘Me, My Future and My Commitment to a Better World’ could not fail to encourage weary staff! Its reading their work in this project that reminds you of why you become a teacher!!”
MOYRA DE SOYZA
ST ANDREWS R.C. HIGH SCHOOL
“This is a great, well-defined citizenship activity which staff and pupils value highly.”
NICOLA WHITE
ST. JOHN’S RC HIGH SCHOOL
“Many pupils appreciated having a moment to reflect on themselves, their values and goals. Many haven’t considered future plans and it was fascinating sitting and learning more about my pupils.”
MR PHILPOTT
“Very useful to most S2 pupils. It allows discussion in pairs and groups, reflection on qualities and values and opens up ‘bigger discussions’. It allows less able ‘performers’ to produce a piece of quality work and feel good about their effort and work. “
WILMA MACRUARY
PORTREE HIGH SCHOOL
HARLAW ACADEMY
“Vary Valuable. It is an excellent opportunity for pupils to reflect on their values and achievements. The feedback is also very positive – the pupils enjoy using their creativity for the project.”
EMMA WILSON
ROSS HIGH SCHOOL “Excellent programme that encourages pupils to reflect on their own values, role models and think more deeply about their lives and what they want to do.”
JOHN CUDLIPP
BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL
“Found it invaluable – the students really engaged with it, and I saw a lot of really good self-reflection going on. If they can be honest about their qualities, it will help them in school life as they set targets and interact with others.”
MRS GORDON
KILSYTH ACADEMY
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“As a P7 teacher, I think this is a perfect age to run this programme: pupils are reflecting on their achievements so far as top of the school; they are also looking to the future as they embark on the next chapter of their lives at secondary school. The InspireAspire project is valuable as it allows pupils at an impressionable age to really learn about themselves as individuals – character education is the most important lesson we can offer.”
LEE VERNETT
“This has been an incredible valuable programme. The Primary 7 pupils thoroughly enjoyed the process of completing the posters. We had some fantastic lessons and discussions surrounding the vocabulary of Curriculum for Excellence and the many inspiring individuals they could focus on. It was also an excellent stimulus for reflection.”
K. PLENDERLEITH
SIMPSON PRIMARY SCHOOL
BALMALLOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL
“As a Primary 7 teacher I am always looking for ways to encourage and support my children and InspireAspire is a wonderful tool to use. It encourages the children to look at themselves in a different way and to assess the natural goodness that they possess and how they can use this to make the world a better place to live in. They realise that little things mean a lot and that although they are in no position to change the world they can change little things in it which can blossom into bigger things.”
AILSA BARR
“This programme ties in beautifully with our school ethos which aims to encourage children to see the best in themselves and others. We encourage each pupil to be a good role model for others and by identifying who they look to for inspiration and why, helps them to identify what they would like others to see in them. We take part in this programme as it has, each year, shown an increased depth of thinking in our learners.”
VERONICA CURRIE
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL
MOUNT VERNON PRIMARY SCHOOL
“This is the third year I have taken part in InspireAspire. I find it a very supportive and reflective process for the children and by working with them I can see them grow in personal understand of themselves and others. A valuable experience for everyone involved.”
MRS MCCARTHY
MURTHLY PRIMARY SCHOOL
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