Inspiring Purpose - Global Citizens in the Making 2019

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Global Citizens in the Making

“I learned that the world is not perfect, and nor am I. We all need to work hard if we want to get close to our vision for a better world. I also need to work hard if I want to become a better person. This project has made me think long and hard about the kind of person I want to be and the kind of world I want to live in.”

Nicole Shek, St Matthew’s Academy

W W W . I N S P I R I N G P U R P O S E . O R G . U K


The aim of the Inspiring Purpose programme is to give young people the opportunity to think about their values and character strengths whilst also reflecting on who or what inspires them and their aspirations and goals for the future. Our mission: help young people set goals, demonstrate future-mindedness and develop a sense of purpose.


Global Citizens in the Making

Over 18,000 young people from 117 schools have participated in the programme this academic year. Teacher and pupil testimony reveals a transformational effect on those who take part. This magazine is a showcase of the Character, Inspirations and Goals of our young people.


4 Global Citizens in the Making

COMING SOON...

Regenerating

Nature


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

CONTENTS 6 7 8 14 24 43 46

Supporters Welcome Primary Winners & Finalists Secondary Winners & Finalists Achievement Awards 2019 Gaelic Winners & Finalists Teacher Feedback

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Primary: Winners & Finalists Balmalloch Primary School Canmore Primary School Dysart Primary School Fair Isle Primary School Hazlehead Primary School Liberton Primary School Loirston Primary School Mount Vernon Primary School Rosebank Primary School Simpson Primary School St Fillan’s Primary School St Joseph’s Primary School St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School Strathallan Primary School Williamston Primary School

14 14 14 15 15 16 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 19 20 20 20 20 22 22 27 27 28 28

Secondary: Winners & Finalists Ardnamurchan High School Balfron High School Bishopbriggs Academy Blairgowrie High School Braes High School Broughton High School Dalbeattie High School Elgin High School Firrhill High School Gairloch High School Glasgow Gaelic School Glenwood High School Gracemount High School Grove Academy Gryffe High School Harris Academy Hawick High School Hyndland Secondary School Inverkeithing High School Inverurie Academy Islay High School Kemnay Academy Kilsyth Academy Kinross High School

28 28 29 30 31 31 31 32 33 33 33 33 34 34 34 34 35 36 37 37 37 37 38 38 39 39 41

Kirkcaldy High School Knightswood Secondary School Knox Academy Langholm Academy Leith Academy Lesmahagow High School Mearns Academy Musselburgh Grammar School The Nicolson Institute Peebles High School Perth High School Portlethen Academy St Andrews RC High School St David’s RC High School St George’s School For Girls St John’s RC High School St Kentigern’s Academy St Matthew’s Academy St Mungo’s Academy Stonelaw High School Stonelaw High School Tarbert Academy Turnbull High School Turriff Academy Vale of Leven Academy Waid Academy Woodmill High School

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Gaelic: Winners & Finalists The Nicolson Institute

Designed & Published by CREATIVE CAUSE www.creativecause.co.uk Printed in the UK by THE MAGAZINE COMPANY The Inspiring Purpose Values Poster Awards is a programme of Character Education Scotland Ltd registered charity number SCO40962. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily the views of Character Education Scotland or its trustees. Character Education Scotland, Career Studio, Granary Business Centre, Coal Road, Cupar Fife KY15 5YQ Email: admin@inspiringpurpose.org.uk Tel: 01334 844900 © 2019 Character Education Scotland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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SUPP RTERS Inspiring Purpose is an independent education programme of the educational charity Character Scotland which was established in 2009 to promote the development of character in young people and intentional character education in schools. We acknowledge the generous support, encouragement and partnership from the following organisations without which the programme would not be possible.

The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discovery in areas engaging life’s biggest questions. These questions range from explorations into the laws of nature and the universe to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness, and creativity. Our vision is derived from Sir John Templeton’s commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation’s motto “How little we know, how eager to learn” exemplifies our support for open-minded enquiry and our hope for advancing human progress through ground breaking discoveries. www.templeton.org

D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd is a private company based in Dundee. The company has significant interests in UK newspaper and magazine publishing. Amongst other publications it owns The Courier and Advertiser, The Aberdeen Press and Journal and The Sunday Post. It owns The Beano, The Dandy and Woman’s magazines My Weekly and The People’s Friend, Puzzler Media Ltd (one of the world’s largest publishers of Puzzle Magazines, Crosswords and Sudoku) and Parragon Publishing Ltd which publishes and sells some 90 million books each year worldwide. The company has interests in commercial television, online businesses, and is a major shareholder in Mothercare. DC Thomson supports the programme through the Northwood Trust. www.dcthomson.co.uk

The Garfield Weston Foundation was established in 1958 by Willard Garfield Weston, a Canadian businessman who arrived in the UK with his family in 1932. He was the creator of Associated British Foods and the Foundation was endowed with the donation of family-owned company shares. As a result, the Foundation is today the ultimate controller of the company. The trustees today are all lineal descendants of the founder and they remain committed to continuing the ethos that has made the Foundation one of the largest and most respected charitable institutions in the country. It gives them as much pleasure to help a small local community as a major national organisation and they are prepared to consider applications covering a wide range of charitable activity. www.garfieldweston.org

The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues is a unique and leading Centre for the examination of how character and virtues impact on individuals and society. It offers world class research on the importance of developing good character and virtues and the benefits they bring to individuals and society. A key conviction underlying the existence of the Centre is that the virtues that make up good character can be learnt and taught. The Jubilee Centre believe these have largely been neglected in schools and in the professions. It is also a key conviction that the more people exhibit good character and virtues, the healthier our society. As such, the Centre undertakes development projects seeking to promote the practical applications of its research evidence. www.jubileecentre.ac.uk


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

WELCOME David Lorimer Founder, Character Scotland

Welcome to our 2019 magazine, where you will find another year of inspiring content from Scottish prize winners and finalists. Readers will be touched by the humanity and vision expressed in these pages. Among the quotations cited by young people were a number of striking ones, including these: “It is not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something” Churchill Then a quotation from a dissident German of February 1943. Shortly before her execution: “Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said was believed by many – they just didn’t dare express themselves as we did.” Churchill also wrote that ‘we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give’, by reaching beyond our immediate interests and seeking to contribute to the whole. As the second quotation indicates, this requires moral courage, a quality greatly admired by young people and the reason they choose such inspirational figures as Malala Yousafzai, Emmeline Pankhurst, Harriet Tubman, Emma Watson and now Greta Thunberg who has inspired over 1.4 million young people to take to the streets to support action on climate change. The important thing here is clarity of vision and taking a stand together. Corrine McBride quotes the following: “It’s not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” This thought now applies to humanity as a whole in relation to the planet, as inspirational figure Sir David Attenborough eloquently expresses in his

latest series Our Planet, as presented by S2 winner Hannah White. In terms of young people’s vision for a better world, the same core elements dominate as last year, namely a passion for equality, dignity and respect regardless of race, gender and sexual orientation. This also implies that everyone has the right to be themselves as they are rather than presenting a mask to the world. In some cases, like Lily Reinhart, inspirational figures are admired not only for overcoming mental health challenges but for speaking out about them. On a more personal level, it is clear that many young people realise that in order to achieve their goals they have to put their minds to it, be persistent, not give up and have the self-belief that they can achieve what they set out to do. This comes out in our extensive pupil feedback such as from Amelie Chisholm: “I learned to look inside my head to find my talents, skills and hopes for the future; and Nicole Shek: I learned that the world is not perfect, and nor am I. We all need to work hard if we want to get close to our vision for a better world. I also need to work hard if I want to become a better person. This project has made me think long and hard about the kind of person I want to be and the kind of world I want to live in.” Next year we are planning to focus on a different theme, Regenerating Nature, although the importance of global citizenship will continue to be prominent. I hope you are as inspired as I am by the content of these pages.

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PRIMARY

WINNERS

& FINALISTS AVA TYRRELL

BALMALLOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL P7 NATIONAL FINALIST “I raise up my voice not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard.” By participating in the Inspiring Purpose project, this is the first time I’ve thought so deeply about myself. It has made me make small changes like simply putting my litter in the bin or tidying my room without my mum having to ask me. It has made me think about what my mum always says ‘positive thinking equals positive outcomes’. Thinking positively means good things will happen to you. Overall, I feel proud because I put a lot of effort and time into this to make it great.

ELLIE KIRKWOOD CANMORE PRIMARY SCHOOL P7 NATIONAL FINALIST “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” My inspiration is Walt Disney. Walt Disney was an entrepreneur, animator, voice actor and film producer. A pioneer of the American animation industry. He is a huge inspiration to me because he had a vision and he achieved it. He is a believer and an achiever, and I admire both of these things. I want to be an entrepreneur too and achieve my goals just like Walt Disney.

ARRAN MCBRIDE CANMORE PRIMARY SCHOOL P7 JOINT 3RD PRIZE “It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” I want to become a zoologist to become closer to animals because I love them and want to make a difference in the world for animals. My biggest inspiration is Charles Darwin, Sir David Attenborough, Steve Irwin and Nigel Marven. I see how they make a change in the world and I want to make a change like them. I would like my friends to describe me as calm but wild and adventurous and reliable.

GRACE WILSON DYSART PRIMARY SCHOOL P7 NATIONAL FINALIST Emmeline Pankhurst inspires me because of her great determination and hard work to get the law changed for women. I also want to make a difference to the world. Without her, think how the world might be today. Would things still be the same? I want to make a difference like Emmeline Pankhurst. She changed the lives of so many and I want to change other’s lives for the better.

ELLIE COOK

FAIR ISLE PRIMARY SCHOOL P7 2ND PRIZE “This is not an end. It is a beginning. You will need the courage of a lion to face this journey.” My vision for a better future is to help end plastic pollution. Plastic pollution is probably one of the worst things happening at the moment, and I absolutely hate it. The number of animals I’ve seen hurt or even dying because our selfish deeds is sickening to me, and I’d gladly help out to stop it.


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

ELLIE COOK - P7 2ND PRIZE

“I have learned a lot about Victoria Holmes, shown in here. I’ve also learned what I need to work on and what I am good at which the former I will try my best to work on.”

LAUREN TAYLOR

GRACE CANAVAN

P6 NATIONAL FINALIST

P6 NATIONAL FINALIST

“You only get one chance at life and you have to grab it boldly.”

“Whether you come from a council estate or a country estate, your success will be determined by your own confidence and gratitude.”

HAZLEHEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Bear Grylls inspires me because he is different. He has led a different life from the rest. He has done things that were unexpected, and he tries new things. Bear Grylls is determined to do whatever he sets his mind to. He inspires me because he runs a survival school for twelve to fifteen-year olds. I want to take part in this because I am adventurous. I want to learn from him to never give up even if it’s hard.

LIBERTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Michelle Obama has changed the world. She was the first African- American first Lady of the USA. She inspires me because she noticed the problems about poverty, education, health and much more. Around America a lot of young black girls are not allowed to have an education or a good job. And now, slowly this is not a big problem anymore, all because she stood up for what was right. She is persistent, loyal, respectful and she always thinks of the positive. I would love to be more like her because I want to change the world too.

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10 Global Citizens in the Making

DAISY HYDE-JOHNSTON

ERIN STRACHAN

P7 1ST PRIZE

P6 2ND PRIZE

“You say you love your children above all else, yet you are stealing their future in front of their eyes.”

“Fear is just a reason to try harder.”

LOIRSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Greta Thunberg is the 16-year-old from Sweden who sparked the recent climate change protests. She was sick of adults (especially those in power) who weren’t taking the climate change issue seriously. She took to the streets to protest and put things on social media. Greta was one of the first children to take action on the climate change crisis and I find her courage really inspiring. The children of the future finally have a voice, our worries are being expressed! Climate change isn’t to be brushed under the rug anymore, it must be tackled.

LOIRSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Bryony Page is a very inspirational person because of many medals, trophies and Olympic awards just for trampolining. Soon after she started competing she was diagnosed with yips (a loss of fine motor skills in athletes) for 2 years which affected her confidence and performance. But she overcame it in 2010 with the help of a confident coach. After yips passed Bryony wouldn’t and didn’t stop practising until she was back to normal and she won many medals after this. I would love to be like Bryony Page when I’m older and I would love to be so successful and hard-working. I also do trampolining and start competitions soon - even though she had yips she never quit.

DAISY HYDE-JOHNSTON - P7 1ST PRIZE

“I learned more about myself, about my traits and my aspirations. I have more of a clear view of what I want to do with my life. I also know more about climate change and the threat it has on all of us.”


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EMILY MOCHRIE

MOUNT VERNON PRIMARY SCHOOL P6 JOINT 3RD PRIZE “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” I want to be a kind, loving and trustworthy person. I want people to look up to me and know they can come to me for support. I would like to feel and be more confident as a person and try to achieve all my goals and targets. I want to prove everyone whoever doubted me wrong. I want to help the world be a better place so that everyone can live their life the best it can be. I have learnt things about me that I did not even know before this. I have learnt my bad and good qualities. I know my goals and how to work towards them and I have my life worked out.

BLAIR TAYLOR-MCNEIL ROSEBANK PRIMARY SCHOOL P7 NATIONAL FINALIST James Arthur is my inspiration because he has won the X Factor and got invited to sing at the Perth Christmas Light Switch On. He has achieved his goals that he wanted to. He is creative because he has written a lot of songs which he also has to be persistent to do. He has lots of attributes, for example he is persistent, determined and creative. By taking part in this project, I have learnt more about my inspiration as I had time to research my inspiration James Arthur.

OLA KROL

SIMPSON PRIMARY SCHOOL P6 NATIONAL FINALIST “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” J.K. Rowling inspires me because she never gave up on her dreams after what she came through. No one wanted to take on her first Harry Potter book

until Bloomsbury offered to take it. She then began to write the next seven books in the series. I want to be a creative person. I want people to see what creative ideas I have, and I want to be respected by other people. I want to be kind to people and them to be kind to me. I’ve learnt that I’m inspired by a lot of people and that I can be purposeful.

CIARAN CRUMLISH ST FILLAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL P7 JOINT 3RD PRIZE “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” Simone Arianne Biles inspires me because when she falls she always gets back up, she is so determined in fact when she falls she is happy because she knows where she went wrong and can learn from it. Usually when I fall I get annoyed, but I think of Simone, what would she do then I feel happy because I know I will learn from my mistakes. Simone is also very cheerful and joyful and always tries to be helpful in as many ways as she can. I also try my hardest to help others and stay positive and joyful. I try to reflect on my mistakes and try to not get annoyed, I think of what Simone would do and that she wouldn’t give up, so I am also not going to give up!

RYAN MCGARVEY ST FILLAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL P6 1ST PRIZE “Look up at the stars, not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be Curious.” Stephen Hawking was super intelligent, funny, caring and passionate. I also have these traits which makes him even more inspiring to me. Stephen Hawking also asked a lot of questions, which is also similar to me. He learned not to take things too seriously, I could definitely learn from him here! After researching about Stephen, I found that I need to try to take things less seriously and be a bit more laid back. I have chosen this person because he was

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determined, kind, persistent and super intelligent. I aspire to be like Stephen Hawking when I’m older because he is amazing and successful. I think I am very persistent, and I share this trait with him. He taught me to never give up, keep persisting and to be myself.

LUCY BALMER

ST FILLAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL P5 NATIONAL FINALIST

sums up why she is an inspiration to me. Supportive, helpful, creative and an idol to all. My vision for a better world is to stop plastic from getting into our oceans and seas. To make our world the happiest and healthiest it can be. If this can be fixed it will be a much nicer environment to live in.

EVE DAVIES

ST MARY’S EPISCOPAL PRIMARY SCHOOL P5 WINNER

“It’s not about how much you do, but how much love you put into what you do that counts.” My inspirational person is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I chose her as she is an inspiration to me because of her love, care and devotion to the poor, sick and dying. Mother Teresa became a nun at an early age but set up her own order of nuns called the Missionaries of Charity, who live very simply and work so hard to help the poor all over the world. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 but even more importantly, she was declared a saint recently. I would like to be able to show love and care and show God’s love and my love to others just like her.

LAUREN TAYLOR

ST JOSEPH’S PRIMARY SCHOOL P6 NATIONAL FINALIST

“Be as fearless as the women whose stories you have applauded.” Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated by a major party for President of the United States of America. I chose Hillary because she didn’t become a politician for her own sake or just because she wanted it. She chose politics because she wanted to help the people who were having a hard life. I’d like to make a difference like she did and even though she failed against Trump, she still hasn’t stopped giving hope. That is why she is such a big inspiration, nothing she did came from the head but from the heart. And she wants others to do the same.

AMBER FRASER

STRATHALLAN PRIMARY SCHOOL P7 NATIONAL FINALIST

“Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own.”

“You are amazing.”

Michelle Obama is wife to ex-president of the United States of America Barack Obama. She was the first African American First Lady of the United States. She also worked as a spokesperson for a cause. The cause she supports is better nutrition and exercise for children. She has done work with Disney channel and Nickelodeon to support this cause. Michelle has launched a campaign called lets move which helps to eliminate childhood obesity. As well as all that she has been creating her own legacy – including the “Let Girls Learn” initiative which started in March 2015. The idea of it is to help educate the 62 million girls around the world who aren’t in school. All of this

I chose Steve Backshall as my inspirational figure. He is a BAFTA-winning naturalist. Steve Backshall is inspiring to me because he is very brave and caring towards every animal he encounters, considering the animal’s feelings. One of Steve’s characteristics is having confidence in himself and that is something I aim towards. I feel that Steve is very empathetic towards animals and humans and I think I share that ability to put myself in other people’s shoes. This shows bravery wherever he is. I would like to be a brave, kind, happy and caring person and I think a better world would be having no rubbish in the sea and no pollution in the air.


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

ROSE EWEN

PATRICK CORMACK

P5 NATIONAL FINALIST

P6 JOINT 3RD PRIZE

“I was not born to be champion, I fought to be champion.”

“I still am a geek, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. I see no shame in an unhealthy obsession with something.”

WILLIAMSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

My favourite fictional character is Greg Heffley from ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ because it makes me see how important I am because Greg Heffley has two brothers and he gets none of the attention, but I usually get the attention in my home. Becky Lynch is a professional wrestler in the WWE. She inspires me because she does what she wants when she wants and believes all girls like me should get a chance to do whatever they want. Through this project I have learned that if I put my mind to it I can be really creative.

WILLIAMSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

After years of being determined and hardworking, on 16th April 2005 it was announced by the BBC that David Tennant would play the tenth Doctor Who. When Tennant resigned from the position he showed that he was kind and enterprising by going to Uganda and doing comedy sketches for Comic Relief. David Tennant inspires me because I want to be an actor and play The Doctor. I want to see the great pacific garbage patch destroyed in my lifetime and I also want to see stricter laws to limit the effects of climate change. I would love if I could see people stop cutting down trees and destroying animal habitats as we need to be more loving to our planet.

PATRICK CORMACK - P6 JOINT 3RD PRIZE

“I have learnt about myself, the qualities that I need to improve upon like how I need to be more resilient. I have also learnt about an actor. In addition to that, I have also thought about my future by writing about what I want to do and be.”

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SECONDARY

WINNERS

& FINALISTS ARCHIE GREEN

ARDNAMURCHAN HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “To those of you who see the lost objects of history, I wish you the best of luck. They are out there, and they are whispering.” Clive Cussler My inspirational figure is Clive Cussler. He served as an aircraft mechanic and flight engineer in the Korean War before he began writing in 1965, publishing his first novel in 1973. He is the founder of NUMA, a non-profit organisation working around the world to find lost treasures and ships at sea. They then return the finds to the rightful owner. These include CSS Manley, the first submarine to sink in a battle. It also recently found the ‘cursed ship’ SS Manazoo intact. Clive owns over a hundred of the finest examples of custom coachwork and 50s convertibles. I think one of my most inspirational moments was when I completed my first book aged 12. It was about a Navy officer who gets trapped on an island where he has to build a shelter hut and fight. I sent it to Penguin Books who sent me back £140 worth of Clive Cussler hardbacks.

MORVEN MCGOWAN BALFRON HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “The product is what I bring into the sighted world, but I’m very clear about not mixing the two so that the work of blindness is not tainted by the sighted world.” Pete Eckert inspires me because he is an amazing photographer, but he is completely blind. He also has an MBA and a black belt in martial arts. He’s

inspiring to me because his photography is very unique. To me it is amazing, and I aspire to take loads of photos like him. Pete is very determined, creative and independent. He is independent because before he went blind he was trained in sculpture and industrial design. He worked on his photography on his own with a little help from his guide dog Uzu. He is very creative because he has always worked with art and his photography is stunning. I wish for a world where everyone is given fair and equal opportunities. A world where racism and sexism and homelessness are not an issue. Where there is no one living in poverty and everyone has a comfortable life. Where plastic pollution doesn’t exist and everyone knows how to recycle properly and the planet isn’t at risk.

ESHAL ALI

BISHOPBRIGGS ACADEMY S1 NATIONAL FINALIST “It doesn’t matter how many times you fall, it matters how many times you get back up.” Lilly Singh is a Canadian Youtuber and an actress who has over 14 million subscribers. She suffered from depression but now that she has fought back from it she uses her experiences to provide a positive impact to her viewers. She helps women around the world who aren’t being given the best education. She inspires me because she loves spreading positivity and making everyone happy. I aspire to be like Lilly because she is kind, funny, loyal, resilient, motivated and determined about her work. My vision for a better world is for everyone to get an education and that girls around the world aren’t just told to cook or sew. So that there is gender equality all around the world.


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LEAH MUNGALL - S3 NATIONAL FINALIST

“By taking part in this project I feel I learned more about myself and my values and it helped me think about them mainly in the self-reflection (part 1). I also realised that I share values with the person who inspires me and got to learn more about them in who inspires you and why (part 3). Overall, I have achieved a better understanding of myself.”

FREYA MULLIN

LEAH MUNGALL

S1 NATIONAL FINALIST

S3 NATIONAL FINALIST

“No one is you, and that is your power.”

“I have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously” Susie Wolff

BLAIRGOWRIE HIGH SCHOOL

Dave Grohl inspires me because of all the great things he’s achieved throughout his life. After the death of his best friend Kurt Cobain, Dave had all this fame and attention but no idea what to do with himself. He could barely even listen to music because it reminded him too much of Kurt. He started up a new band, Foo Fighters, and continued to inspire other people. After Kurt died he thought “Well I’m going to live another day as usual, and he isn’t.” So, from that point onwards he would appreciate every single day of his life – even if it was a terrible day, he’s here and doing what he loves.

BRAES HIGH SCHOOL

Susie Wolff was the first woman to take part in a Formula One race weekend for 22 years. Her professional career in Formula Renault UK earned her three podiums and in 2016 she launched her own initiative, Dare to be Different, whose aim is to drive female talent - inspiring, connecting and showcasing it within male dominated sectors. Susie is a supporter of many charities such as Wings for Life and Macmillan Cancer support. Values I would like to live up to are her motivation, teamwork, equality, hope and confidence. I find her inspiring as she persisted in her ambition of becoming a racing driver, never giving up, and when she succeeded she encouraged others in turn.

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EILIDH CLARKE - S1 2ND PRIZE

“By taking part in this project I have learnt what I need to work on in future. For example, the character strengths have highlighted what my goals are for the future. I have also learnt lots of interesting facts about Barack Obama such as the fact that he was born in Hawaii!!”

A proud moment in my life is when I helped a friend through a hard time. I gave her a place to sit at lunch and helped her find new friends, so that my friends became her friends. She now has a better time at lunch as she has people to talk to.

EILIDH CLARKE

My vision for a better world is that people wouldn’t be afraid to talk about their feelings for mental health. People don’t talk and ask for help, so just by knowing that it’s okay to talk would make the change in how people feel. My vision is for people to feel a bit happier about themselves and life.

“We did not come to fear the future. We came to shape it.”

BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL S1 2ND PRIZE

I’m inspired by Barack Obama because of many reasons. One of the most important reasons is his bravery. When Obama ran for President it was believed that racist comments may have been thrown at him, but he did not let these prejudiced comments stop him from achieving his goal! Another reason that I aspire to be like Barack Obama is because of his beliefs that guns should be banned in the USA. With so many killings happening every year at the hands of guns it is extremely important that we recognise this and act against it to save thousands of innocent lives. I want to live up to Obama’s belief that we can always change things that we don’t agree with. My vision for a better world is a safe place where


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no one feels neglected, anxious or unsafe/ unprotected. My vision also includes no global warming, poaching/hunting or human trafficking. In my community I can participate in various protests that support good things like reducing the use of CO2 if there happens to be one. This could improve my community’s health and wellbeing as it could reduce toxic gases that we are inhaling. This is important as my local primary school is located right next to a polluted and busy roundabout.

HEATHER FISHWICK DALBEATTIE HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “You have to stand up for what you believe in.” My inspirational person is Karen Bardsley, who plays in goal for Manchester City and England. She is inspirational to me because she has made a long journey to get where she is today and has been extremely successful. She first wanted to become a footballer at the age of six, but her dad told her that he didn’t think that girls played football due to his growing up at a time when women’s football was banned. Her international career has been a bit of a rollercoaster. In 2011 she was reportedly ‘devastated’ after conceding a long-range shot from Mexico but she kept going until England were knocked out by France. What really proves her resilience is the 2017 Euros. She had helped England reach the quarter-finals against France. After colliding with a teammate, she went down with what she thought was a minor injury but later she experienced severe pain and it was found that she had been playing for 14 minutes with a broken tibia! She kept going, however, eventually made a full recovery and continues to play. I see her as a very determined and motivated woman, who is resilient, persistent and inspirational. My inspirational moment was when I helped our football team beat our long-term rivals, Saints, in April 2018. This was particularly special, as prior to this match they had kept thrashing us. I was inspired to help my team after a hard season and was determined for us to win, and it worked!

In my life I want to achieve a football career, not because of fame and fortune, but enjoying the game. I want to live a comfortable life but without being loaded and just be happy! A life of fame and riches doesn’t appeal to me, as I wouldn’t know what to do with the money and a big house is unnecessary. There are more important things than money anyway.

ABBIE HOWIE ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “If one man can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?” Malala inspires me because she did what she believed was right and got her education. She is a strong and independent person and she has set a great example for others. I admire how strong and independent Malala is. She has a strong belief and won’t bow down. She has a voice that deserves to be heard as much as anyone else’s. I think Malala has achieved success because she stood up for what was right and never gave up. My vision for a better world is a world where there is no deforestation. I find it very unfair that animals and plants living in the rainforest have been killed just because humans use palm oil in food and shampoo. Why should we do this for our own personal gain?

SCARLETT SMITH FIRRHILL HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” The person that I’m inspired by is J.K Rowling. She is an inspirational person in many ways. She was living on benefits on her own with a baby, barely able to buy food and unable to heat her house. When she wrote Harry Potter she would go to a café with her baby to stay warm and write her book there. Despite handling depression and her baby, she kept on writing. After sending the first few

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18 Global Citizens in the Making

chapters to publishers she received many rejection letters., but she didn’t let that stop her. Rowling began losing confidence in her book until finally the editor at Bloomsbury publishing company accepted to publish her book after the editor’s 8-year-old daughter fell in love with it. It took J.K a lot of hard work, persistence, determination and resilience to get to where she is today. If you keep running into failure in something you really believe in, don’t give up.

what was wrong, in 1858 he lost the election to Stephen Douglas but won later on. In 1863 Lincoln ordered freedom of all slaves. That inspires me because he knew that was wrong. He knew that the treating of people of colour was wrong, and he had an idea of a better new world. I find him inspiring because he didn’t give up and he’s made me feel that I also should not give up.

PAIGE THORPE ASHLEY QUINN

GLENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

GAIRLOCH HIGH SCHOOL

S1 NATIONAL FINALIST

S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

“I’m happy to be alive, I’m happy to be who I am.”

“You never need to justify the way you feel.” Lily Reinhart

I chose Michael Jackson because he made songs with deep feelings and he put thought into his music. He talked about how he sees the world and what needs to be changed with the world. He chose to help people that needs help the most. His music brought joy to the world and so many people thanked him for it. He didn’t mind helping people and he changed the world, even if he helped with something so small. He shows that we deserve to be heard and that race and religions don’t matter, we are equal. In one of his songs a line says, “you are not alone” and I totally believe that no one is alone.

One of the people who inspires me is Lily Reinhart, an American actress who suffers from depression and anxiety, but isn’t afraid to talk about her feelings and opinions. She has spoken about body image and equality, and also about therapy. She feels that other people who suffer should talk about their feelings and should not be ashamed to seek help. Lily gave a speech at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards about comparing ourselves, and how on social media we are often told how to look and what to dislike about ourselves and feel insecure about. She wants to make sure that people, especially women, are confident about how they look and are, and how most things presented to us have been filtered. We should make sure that we include people and celebrate each other as ourselves.

KATIE DYNES

GLASGOW GAELIC SCHOOL S1 NATIONAL FINALIST “Most folks are as happy as they make their minds up to be.” Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 16th U.S President. He inspires me because he didn’t give up and knew

KERRY FARMER

GRACEMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL S1 NATIONAL FINALIST My vision for a better world is peace, unity, generosity and patience. We need all these things for our world to be safe. Peace can settle down all of the attacks. Unity can bring all the different places in the world together, this would make the world a safer place. By being generous we can help the less fortunate by buying water, food, clothes, donating money for education. We would also need patience because all of these things would take time.


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RUTH DE VILLIERS GROVE ACADEMY

thank you for making this project! I was quite confused by what I wanted to do in life., but now I know.

S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE “Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings… It’s something we make inside ourselves.” My vision is that more people love. Not just for the planet, but for humans. For people to treat others how they would like to be treated and to realise the impact they have on the world and to change their ways. For music to play a part in our world and for people to find their inner happiness and to smile! I hope people stand up to poverty and injustice as that is not fair. I hope the world is a happier place. I definitely realised what I wanted to do in life. I now have a plan for my future and know how to achieve my goals. I know how to improve myself,

RUTH DE VILLIERS - S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE

“I definitely realised what I want to do in life. I now have a plan for my future and know how to achieve my goals. I know how to improve myself, thank you for making this project! I was quite confused by what I wanted to do in life, but now I know.”

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20 Global Citizens in the Making

EVIE LIVINGSTONE

DEVIN CASSON

S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

“The moments I live for in my life are the days that I free an animal to go home to his family.”

“We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.”

Noel Fitzpatrick is one of the world’s leading veterinary surgeons who specialises more in biotechnology and orthopaedics. He features on the popular show ‘The Supervet’. Noel has created and built thousands of bio-technical structures that can be used by other current vets. I admire the amazing contribution Noel has made to the veterinary world. Noel has certainly reached the top of the ladder in his occupation and has achieved so much success independently. I would love to follow in his footsteps and show the same amount of love to animals as he does. He has inspired me to think big and follow my dreams.

Alan Turing OBE FRS was a mathematician from Wilmslow in England. He was bullied horrendously by his classmates because of his quiet and different personality. Yet he was still able to finish his studies, join the British Army Codebreakers, break German Enigma Code, and create the first computer. Although I don’t have much interest in computing, I believe Turing is one of the greatest minds in history. Most of us today carry around a piece of Alan Turing’s work in our mobile phones. In my opinion, that’s an achievement to be proud of.

GRYFFE HIGH SCHOOL

My vision for a better world is for people to use more renewable energy and produce less CO2 so that the air we breath is once again clean and pure. I would love it if people took part across the world to plant trees as there is so much deforestation. In the future I hope that species will be thriving once again.

CAITLYN WRIGHT HARRIS ACADEMY S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela inspires me because he proved that one man can truly make a difference. He overcame some of the biggest obstacles, but still put others before himself. He was behind bars for nearly three decades, yet he still strove for what he believed in and eradicated apartheid when he became president. I grew up in South Africa and learned that the small thing he did made a huge difference.

HAWICK HIGH SCHOOL

EVIE MCLINTOCK

HYNDLAND SECONDARY SCHOOL S3 NATIONAL FINALIST “Being yourself is all it takes. If you want to impress someone, don’t be someone else, just be who you are.” Selena Gomez Selena Gomez is someone who inspires me, and who has many values I would like to possess. She is tenacious and grateful, and has overcome life altering health issues, she can be vulnerable at the right time and tough when needed. In the face of discrimination, she hasn’t changed herself, but has remained determined and thoughtful. Her personality, respect for others and values is partly why she is so loved. I relate to her values, and aim to work towards being open-minded, hard-working, creative and patient. She believes in natural beauty, and not altering oneself to fit in with other people’s expectations. I admire that she has remained true to herself despite difficulties and would like to achieve that myself. Taking part in this project has brought to light qualities and part of myself that I would like to possess and others I would like to improve on such as patience.


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EVIE LIVINGSTONE - S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

“By taking part in this project I have realised the qualities that I have to improve on and what I can do in order to make myself a better person. Now that I have my ideas and visions down on paper, I feel even more determined and inspired to reach them.“

MIA STEVEN

HYNDLAND SECONDARY SCHOOL S3 NATIONAL FINALIST “Bravery is not being afraid to be afraid.” Maria Colvin Marie Colvin was an American journalist who worked as a war and foreign affairs correspondent. In 1995, she was credited with saving the lives of 1500 women and children in East Timor, refusing to abandon them until they were evacuated by UN forces. In 2001, she lost the sight of her left eye due to a Sri Lankan army rocket propelled grenade. Despite her injuries, she managed to write a 3,000-word article and meet her deadline, having walked 30 miles through the jungle with Tamil guides in order to evade government troops. She reported on the humanitarian disaster, including a government food blockade and a lack of medical supplies. In February 2012, she entered Syria where

foreign journalists were banned. She described conditions as merciless. She died on February 22 from an improvised explosive device full of nails. Many believe it was assassination. I think Marie Colvin was a real-life superhero and an incredibly powerful inspiring woman. She chose a selfless path to write the truth. She cared about people and was strong for those in need. However, she was real and not fearless, suffering from her line of work. Ultimately, she gave her life and livelihood to the truth and doing the right thing. I hope I am able to achieve even being a fraction as selfless and inspiring as this amazing woman. She was inspirational in communicating the horrors of war. Her advice was “to be passionate and involved in what you believe in, and to do it as thoroughly, fearlessly and honestly as you can.” My vision for a better world is a world of equality, where no one is treated as less or discriminated against because of their gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age or character. I

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22 Global Citizens in the Making

wish to live in a world without poverty, cruelty or hatred where no one is restricted in what they can achieve and where everyone has enough food, water and resources. I wish to live in a world where every child has a caring family and a loving home.

EVE CORMACK INVERURIE ACADEMY S3 JOINT 2ND PRIZE “Never be afraid to be yourself – do your thing.”

AMY LANCASTER

INVERKEITHING HIGH SCHOOL S2 JOINT 2ND PRIZE “Let us pick up our books and pencils, they are our most powerful weapon.” Malala Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban in 2012 for her activism in favour of education for women. She is my inspiration as someone who is confident, honest and determined in relation to her cause, caring about people all over the world, committed to what she values most, resilient to keep fighting even after injury, and persistent in never giving up her hopes and dreams. I think that Malala’s will for everyone to get an education is very important, we cannot live successfully without it. She is a role model for being so fearless and honest about her circumstances and beliefs. She stood up when others were afraid to do so. She has a vision for a better world and a better future for generations to come. I strongly believe this too. Malala has achieved so much success because of her determination, her strength and her will for girls to get an education. I recently passed my Grade 3 trumpet exam with a distinction! I am very proud of myself as I stand months practising AND I NEVER GAVE UP. I was committed to my practice, motivated to achieve a good result, and hard-working in relation to my practice. The result taught me that practice makes perfect and to believe in myself. It has also inspired me to continue working hard on my trumpet! I have definitely learnt more about my strengths and weaknesses in the self reflection part. I have learned who I want to become and what I value in life. I have learnt that stories can teach us valuable lessons and sometimes how to be a better person.

Dianne Buswell is an Australian professional dancer on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. She inspires me because she is a really talented dancer and choreographer. She put so much time and effort into every performance, and always looks so graceful and effortless when she dances. She is always so supportive to her fans and takes time to meet everyone. I always try to be as happy and positive as Dianne. I think she has made me a better person by teaching me to be a little bit kinder to everyone. If I ever have half as much of her positive impact, I feel I will have achieved everything. I think she has achieved success simply through how hard she works. I’m so lucky to be seeing her live in May, and can’t wait! My vision for a better world would be for everyone to support each other and be a little kinder. I believe we should start with kindness, not just towards humans but also towards our planet and every living thing on it. One kind word can really change a person’s life, even just the simple act of smiling. For the world to be a better and truly nicer place, we must start with kindness and then we will be rewarded with happiness.

EVE SIMPSON INVERURIE ACADEMY S3 1ST PRIZE “This is Major Tom to Ground Control. I’m stepping through the door.” David Bowie’s Space Oddity is a song that has influenced my life and my way of thinking greatly because of Major Tom’s courage. He risked his life simply to help others, and his bravery and courage inspires me. I chose this quote as it shows Major Tom not hesitating.


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Wes Anderson is an American filmmaker known for his quirky movies featuring extremely colourful and impressively designed costumes and sets, flawed characters and dry and blunt humour with unusual cinematography. Wes had a passion for filmmaking from a young age and has been pursuing his dream of becoming a world-renowned film director since writing his first script with a roommate at college. I am inspired by his work every day, especially his immense creativity and commitment to his craft. I admire that he doesn’t care about creating popular movies, but instead creates movies that he wants to see and he always puts his heart into it. His engaging characters teach me lessons that I live by and he always reminds me to try to make my dreams a reality as well as to think out-of-the-box. Many of his films teach you things about myself and remind me about the important things in life such as friendship, family and being true to yourself. Anderson’s experimentation has changed in the filmmaking world, and I aspire to make as big an impact as he clearly has.

EVE SIMPSON - S3 1ST PRIZE

An inspiring moment was when my grandpa visited our home for Christmas. We sat in the living room and talked as Frank Sinatra crooned in the background. My grandpa described his life experiences and the many countries he has visited and what he has achieved. He told me about the ups and downs of his art career as well as some of his favourite artworks he has created. This moment in my life inspired me because my grandpa has lived his long life to the fullest and has collected memories he will never forget. This reminds me that my own life is worth too much to waste.

“I picture a world where people aren’t judged for simply expressing who they are. Although acceptance of others has come a long way, there are still stereotypes and stigmas surrounding people of colour, anyone part of the LBGTQ + community, people who dress a certain way etc. I also think that social media can have a really negative effect on people’s mental health due to famous social media models and influencers which can have a big impact on body-image and self-esteem. I envision a world where people know it’s okay to be themselves, and I hope to live in a world like that one day.”

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Primary School Winners P5 WINNER Eve Davies | St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School P6 1ST PRIZE Ryan McGarvey | St Fillan’s Primary School P6 2ND PRIZE Erin Strachan | Loirston Primary School P6 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Emily Mochrie | Mount Vernon Primary School P6 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Patrick Cormack | Williamston Primary School P7 1ST PRIZE Daisy Hyde-Johnston | Loirston Primary School P7 2ND PRIZE Ellie Cook | Fair Isle Primary School P7 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Arran McBride | Canmore Primary School P7 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Ciaran Crumlish | St Fillan’s Primary School

Primary School Finalists Lucy Balmer | St Fillan’s Primary School Rose Ewen | Williamston Primary School Lauren Taylor | Hazlehead Primary School Grace Canavan | Liberton Primary School Ola Krol | Simpson Primary School Lauren Taylor | St Joseph’s Primary School Ava Tyrrell | Balmalloch Primary School Ellie Kirkwood | Canmore Primary School Grace Wilson | Dysart Primary School Blair Taylor-Mcneil | Rosebank Primary School Amber Fraser | Strathallan Primary School

Gaelic Finalists Isla Mackenzie | The Nicolson Institute Saorsa Macleod | The Nicolson Institute Amy Macritchie | The Nicolson Institute Seumus Murray | The Nicolson Institute


ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2019 Secondary School Winners S1 1ST PRIZE Leila Maycock | Knox Academy

S2 JOINT 2ND PRIZE Haddie Robinson | The Waid Academy

S1 2ND PRIZE Eilidh Clarke | Broughton High School

S2 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Nicole Shek | St Matthew’s Academy

S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Ruth de Villiers | Grove Academy

S2 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Tristan Bleak | The Waid Academy

S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Nina Wallace | Knox Academy

S3 1ST PRIZE Eve Simpson | Inverurie Academy

S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE Gabi Mackay | The Nicolson Institute

S3 JOINT 2ND PRIZE Eve Cormack | Inverurie Academy

S2 1ST PRIZE Hannah White | Turriff Academy

S3 JOINT 2ND PRIZE Hero Turner | Inverurie Academy

S2 JOINT 2ND PRIZE Amy Lancaster | Inverkeithing High School

Isi Oliver | The Nicolson Institute

GAELIC WINNER

Secondary School Finalists Eshal Ali | Bishopbriggs Academy

Laura Schofield | Kinross High School

Freya Mullin | Blairgowrie High School

Maisie Mcleod | Langholm Academy

Katie Dynes | Glasgow Gaelic School

Amelie Chisholm | Leith Academy

Paige Thorpe | Glenwood High School

Demi Slater | Lesmahagow High School

Kerry Farmer | Gracemount High School

Corrine Taylor | Mearns Academy

Sophie Hamilton | Kilsyth Academy

Maddie Rebera | Peebles High School

Evita Tomina | Kirkcaldy High School

Emma Forbes | Perth High School

Elly McBride | Knightswood Secondary School

Lexie McBride | Portlethen Academy

Emerson Sharp | St George’s School for Girls

Kinga Dwojak | St David’s RC High School

Gemma Blair | St Mungo’s Academy

Natalia Stewart | St John’s RC High School

Emer Devlin | Stonelaw High School

Erin Robertson | St Kentigern’s Academy

Sarah Wills | Stonelaw High School

Eilidh Norris | Tarbert Academy

Chloe Stewart | Turnbull High School

Beau Russell | The Waid Academy

Archie Green | Ardnamurchan High School

Leah Mungall | Braes High School

Morven McGowan | Balfron High School

Evie Mclintock | Hyndland Secondary School

Heather Fishwick | Dalbeattie High School

Mia Steven | Hyndland Secondary School

Abbie Howie | Elgin High School

Georgia Campbell | Musselburgh Grammar School

Scarlett Smith | Firrhill High School

Natasha Thomson | St Andrew’s RC High School

Ashley Quinn | Gairloch High School

Mark Inglis | Vale of Leven Academy

Evie Livingstone | Gryffe High School

Gregor Dowall | Woodmill High School

Caitlyn Wright | Harris Academy

Elise Fletcher | Woodmill High School

Devin Casson | Hawick High School

Sophie McGrouthe | Woodmill High School

Fiona Want | Islay High School

Greig Young | Woodmill High School

Katie Elrick | Kemnay Academy


26 Global Citizens in the Making

HERO TURNER - S3 JOINT 2ND PRIZE

“Although I knew most of the information about my chosen person and about myself already, I think this project allowed me to articulate it in a way that we don’t often get at school. I do often find that writing down things like this can help me to achieve more because its more permanent than just keeping them in my head and its also a good way to clear out my mind and organise my thoughts.”

HERO TURNER INVERURIE ACADEMY S3 JOINT 2ND PRIZE “If people can reach mutual understanding over a work of art in this world of conflict and despair, we can reach with the arts where we can’t reach with words and politics alone.” Daniel Barenboim Daniel Barenboim is a celebrated conductor and pianist known for his contributions to classical music, and with new and inventive ideas about how music should be played. However, he does not just use music as a means of achieving personal happiness, but to connect people on both sides of the difficult relationship between Israel and Palestine, despite criticism. 1999, he formed the Western-Eastern Divan Orchestra with the Palestinian American Edward Said, with whom he has also written the book Parallels and Paradoxes. The orchestra unites young musicians from Israel, Palestinian territories and Arab

countries every summer when they come together to study and perform music, and to promote mutual reflection and understanding. I admire Barenboim for his ability to combine different skills and qualities to bring people together. There have been other musicians interested in politics, but he is also a supporter of human rights and a polyglot who speaks six languages. His quote above demonstrates his belief that we cannot communicate indifferently: we must instead seek to understand each other on a more human level using things we can invest our feelings in so as to advance as a species. Since I prefer to look at my achievements as progressive and ongoing and not things that stay in the past and cease to be achievements as time goes on, I would say that something I’m proud of is that I have learned three times the number of piano pieces in the first four months of 2019 as 2018. My main goal in life is just to be happy. Everyone’s idea of happiness is different, which is why I think


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it’s a good thing to strive for: there is no point in being rich or famous if you are not happy. Everything I work for I consider to be just one more part of the massive picture that makes up happiness, so I don’t want people to think of me in terms of one or a few of these things – success, health, love, accomplishment - but rather as someone who knows how to bring everything together into something better. I think so many problems in the world can be traced back to a lack of communication. In spite of the fact that we are told to be honest at all times, I think very few people actually speak to each other completely clearly, whether unintentionally or not. If we were all to speak exactly what we feel, I think we would be far less sensitive about the truth, and our capacity to articulate our emotions would mean that so many disputes would be avoided. It seems that everything from the very beginnings of a relationship to the well-being of the country can be pulled apart by our inability to be open with each other and to negotiate, and I think we need to pay less attention to the few small words that offend everyone and more to the long conversations that could resolve the topic of the offence entirely.

FIONA WANT ISLAY HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “We would consider it cruelty to confine a dog permanently in a kennel. Yet we visit zoos where hundreds of wild animals are permanently kept in the equivalent of a kennel.” Virginia McKenna Virginia McKenna is a wildlife campaigner and founder of the Born Free Foundation, an international wildlife charity that campaigns to keep wildlife in the wild. It rescues wild animals in the wild and protects them in their natural habitat as well as campaigning against wild animals being kept in captivity. She inspires me because of her care for animals, raising money for her activities. When I am older, I want to do this kind of work and help keep animal numbers up. My inspirational moment is when I adopted an Amur leopard, one of the most endangered species in the world.

KATIE ELRICK KEMNAY ACADEMY S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “There’s always tomorrow and it always gets better.” I find Ariana Grande inspirational because she has survived so much in the past two years. Ariana Grande survived a terrorist attack at one of her concerts, which killed 22 people including an 8-year-old girl. She also survived her boyfriend killing himself. She also had an engagement that was broken. Then her ex-fiancé posted on Twitter about killing himself, which she immediately responded trying to comfort him. Now after all of this she is standing, performing her heart out. She just released a new album and her songs immediately rose to fame. She inspires me with all of this because it shows that even when life lets you down, that if you power through it, you can do great things.

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28 Global Citizens in the Making

SOPHIE HAMILTON KILSYTH ACADEMY S1 NATIONAL FINALIST Sarah Gordy is a British actor who has Down’s Syndrome. Sarah inspires me because my sister has Down’s Syndrome and people think they can’t do anything but people like Sarah prove them wrong. Another reason on why she inspires me is she has given hope to many people with low self-esteem and people who may not see a bright future for themselves and has helped them change that. She also inspires me as she was the first woman with Down’s Syndrome to receive an MBE and the first person with down’s syndrome to get an honorary degree from a university.

LAURA SCHOFIELD KINROSS HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, model and singer. I find her inspiring as she had a hard time growing up in foster care. She became very successful at a time when feminism was still in the distant future. She tried to fight the stereotypes and often didn’t receive the personal support of those around her. Her whole life, she battled to keep her own identity, and most importantly her independence. Marilyn studied method acting for a number of years, and was usually portrayed as the embodiment of the American dream. Due to these factors, she often played the ‘dumb blonde’ and was even forced to play this ‘character’ in interviews and at press events. She played this role so well that most people assumed that she was like this in real life. Many people still think that now, but in fact she was an extremely intelligent woman. In life, I would like to get a job as an actor on stage. I don’t want to be famous as that often brings a lot of pressure, and that’s not my aim. However,

I would also love to be a motivational speaker. I could use my skills and passion to make people feel good about themselves. #iwill trying to take time every day to cheer someone up, to make their day. I realised that I spend a lot of my time and energy trying to make others happy. I didn’t completely notice this before, and I feel that this is important for me to continue and channel it more.

EVITA TOMINA

KIRKCALDY HIGH SCHOOL S1 NATIONAL FINALIST “Be like a frog. Leap over your mistakes and failures and start again!” Monica Rial is my inspiration. She is an American voice actress, she was born on 5th October 1975. She voiced my inspirational fictional character Tsuyu Asui. She also voiced Fairytail, Tokyo Ghoul, Yuri on ice and she is the script writer for season 2 of ‘Owari No Seraph’. She inspires me because she helps me continue my passion for writing, I have been chosen to be part of an author’s group. I want to be somebody that inspires others to express their thoughts and imagination. I want to one day achieve my goal of writing a book.

ELLY MCBRIDE

KNIGHTSWOOD SECONDARY SCHOOL S1 NATIONAL FINALIST “You have to go out there and make your own mistakes in order to learn.” Emma Watson is the person who inspires me because as well as being an actor and singer, she is also a person who works for charities. You may know this as being an activist. Emma also shaved all of her hair off for charity. I think a better world would be a world with no racism or bullying with more people like Emma Watson. Be the best version of you!


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LEILA MAYCOCK KNOX ACADEMY S1 1ST PRIZE “Why shouldn’t a woman run a reptile house? Women are at work in my country, and the rest of the world, in all types of work and professions.” Joan Procter endured chronic-ill health, but she didn’t let that interfere with her fascination of reptiles. From the age of 10 she kept several frogs, lizards and snakes as pets. Her favourite was a large dalmatian lizard which travelled everywhere with her. Joan inspires me because the fact that she had constant problems with her health it didn’t stop her

LEILA MAYCOCK - S1 1ST PRIZE

from doing what she loved. She really cared about making these reptiles as at home as possible, using her artistic talents for scenery, special glass for ultra-violet sunlight and this philosophy of creating a natural environment for the animals informs the way modern zoos are run today. Nothing stopped her believing until her death. I learned to critically evaluate myself and found it quite difficult when asked what I needed to work on. Although it was challenging, I really enjoyed thinking about myself as a person and who I wanted to become through looking at other inspirational characters and people.

“I learnt to critically evaluate myself and found it difficult when asked what I needed to work on. Although it was challenging, I really enjoyed thinking about myself as a person and who I wanted to become through looking at other inspirational characters and people.”

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30 Global Citizens in the Making

NINA WALLACE

MAISIE MACLEOD

S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE

S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

“I want to limit the amount of suffering I’m responsible for.”

“I ain’t going to face defeat. I just gotta to get out of this prison cell, some day I’m gonna be free.” Freddie Mercury.

KNOX ACADEMY

Small things like not eating palm oil can save the environment, which then makes our world better. If we have a healthy planet, we have a healthy future. I’m sick of hearing people make excuses to do nothing. We’re not going to know what we had until it’s gone! Most people don’t care about tomorrow. We need to do something about the Earth while we can. As you spread your Nutella (with palm oil in it!) on your toast, you’re basically just spreading away your child’s future. We need to stop while we can! People of this generation don’t care about our planet since they won’t be around when it happens. Our planet is being destroyed and no one’s doing anything about it.

LANGHOLM ACADEMY

I chose this quote because it is powerful to me. Not facing defeat means that he is going to rise above the scorn and doubt that the crowd will heap on him for doing something ‘different’. Working to break free from his prison relates to society and how many of us live according to the views and wishes of others rather than ourselves and how he wants to break from this judgement and follow his own path. My inspirational figure is Emmeline Pankhurst, founder of The Women’s Franchise League and later the combative Women’s Social and Political

NINA WALLACE - S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE

“I learned that no matter what happens or whatever comes my way, if I have a dream or something that I want to achieve, only I can make it happen. Nothing should hold me back if its what I want to do. I’ve learned that if I want to do something so much, I shouldn’t doubt the fact that I can. No one else except me gets to decide my future. I’ve learned that with the right mindset you can do anything – big or small.”


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

Union, whose members were the first to be called suffragettes. She was arrested many times, and also went on hunger strike which meant brutal forcefeeding. Emmeline inspires me because she fought for what she believed in and never let things get her down. Even when all things seemed lost she never gave up hope and believed that together we could achieve equal rights. When I am able to vote in elections I will not take that right for granted, but will remember the amazing women who fought so I could have my say. There are many things I would like to change in the world for the future, but I know that one person can’t do it alone. That is why we need to fight for what we believe in, because if only one of us makes a stand right now this will inspire others, and together we can make a difference!

AMELIE CHISHOLM LEITH ACADEMY

S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “Trust in God. She will provide.” Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst was the leader of the suffragettes, a movement campaigning for votes for women. She grew up in a politically active family, and began to read aged three. Despite this, the family felt that the role of women was to beautify the home and she did not receive the same education as her brothers. The age of 19 she went to Paris to study chemistry and bookkeeping, and met her husband Richard Pankhurst. In 1903 she founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) to campaign for votes by physical confrontation rather than peaceful protest. Her daughter Christabel took over the movement, which became more violent as they tried to prove that they were as strong as men. Emmeline Pankhurst inspires me because she understood that she was being mistreated and worked hard for all women to appreciated for their amazing capabilities. I learned to look inside my head to find my talents, skills and hopes for the future.

DEMI SLATER

LESMAHAGOW HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein Albert Einstein was a German born physicist who was one of the greatest scientists of all time. He inspires me by his positive attitude to life and by the way he thought about the amazing theories he came up with. I love how even when he made a mistake he just kept going and did not give up. He had great creativity and imagination. If I go to university it would be Albert Einstein who inspired me to do so, and I would love to get a PhD in one of my favourite subjects.

CORRINE TAYLOR MEARNS ACADEMY S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but rather in rising every time we fall.” Confucius Dr Chien Shiung Wu is a renowned physicist who made important contributions to the Manhattan Project and other ground breaking initiatives. She is often known as the First Lady of physics and the Chinese Marie Curie. Dr Chien Shiung Wu inspires me because like Curie she was a strong and determined woman who also made it past the struggles of being a woman and an Asian in a sexist, anti-Asian and racist time. When I grow up I aspire to be just like Dr Wu, as I also have a passion for science, in my case chemistry. And in my opinion we still live in a very racist and sexist world that we need to change. I may not be old enough to have had ‘real-life experiences’ but even being in school as a young Asian shows me that people, and especially children, use racism as a way of being funny.

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32 Global Citizens in the Making

GABI MACKAY - S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE

“I learnt a lot about David Bowie because I didn’t know much about his personal life beforehand. I think I also learnt more about presenting a project and making something that people can learn from.”

GEORGIA CAMPBELL

MUSSELBURGH GRAMMAR SCHOOL S3 NATIONAL FINALIST “If one man can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?” Malala Malala Yousafzai is inspiring because she stood up for she believed in. She is very passionate and has done amazing things to help the world. She had a lot of strength and courage, and didn’t give up during tough times. She spoke up when no one would, and changed many lives. Some of her values that I would like to live up to are being motivated and caring. I believe you can make a difference at any age. You can stand up for what you believe in and make people listen. Education was a huge part of her life, so she chose to stand up for this. She also established a fund for girls in underdeveloped communities to complete 12 years of education.

If I was in charge of the world, I would get rid of poverty and make sure everyone gets a good education. Poverty can affect mental health, and everyone deserves to have a happy, healthy life. Without education, people don’t get a good chance or opportunities in life.


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GABI MACKAY

EMMA FORBES

S1 JOINT 3RD PRIZE

S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

“I’m an instant star. Just add water and stir.”

“If I die tomorrow, I will not regret. I really did everything I could.”

THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE

My vision for a better world is where everyone is equal. No matter what gender, skin colour, race, sexuality or religion, everyone would be respected. I would hope that racist/sexist bullying would not be a thing. People would all be happy with themselves and others. I would also hope some of the poorer countries and countries with war will be helped and supported. In a better world I would also want there to be no pollution or less than there is today, so the world can be a brighter and cleaner place.

MADDIE REBERA PEEBLES HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “We are not interested in the fact that the brain has a consistency of cold porridge” - I have modified and used this quote many times in self defence. I feel it combines sarcasm with truth brilliantly. Alan Turing FRS saved millions of lives and shortened the war by an estimated two years by cracking the enigma code. I relate to him as someone who is not socially inclined, but who loves science. He was determined, hard working, motivated, purposeful, creative, resilient and persistent. Turing’s first day at school coincided with a general strike in 1926, and he was so determined to attend that he cycled 60 miles. This shows sheer unfiltered determination. Although not the same, I did walk 24 miles to attend an interview. Another quote of his that I like is: “we can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty that needs to be done.” Surprisingly, I have never categorised my qualities and now feel I have a better understanding of myself. I found doing research on Alan Turing interesting and educational.

PERTH HIGH SCHOOL

Freddie Mercury was a British singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band ‘Queen’. He inspires me because of the way he was as a person. He wasn’t afraid to be himself and dress the way he wanted to. He didn’t care what others thought of him. Once he found out that he had AIDS he didn’t tell his fans and he didn’t allow people who did know to fuss over it. He said that he wanted to make music with the time he had left. He wanted to make himself and others happy even though he was very ill, that was a very selfless act. Freddie followed and ended up joining a band called ‘Smile’. This inspired me to follow my dreams like he did, joining multiple small local bands until finally he made it. This taught me to never give up on my dreams and to continue to do what makes me happy, not others. My vision for a better world is an end to all things bad. Everybody has everything that they need to survive, war has been put to an end, no more pollution, everyone has a fair paid job, a decent house, clean water and everyone is treated as equals.

LEXIE MCBRIDE PORTLETHEN ACADEMY S2 NATIONAL FINALIST Amanda McCarthy is a professional make-up artist in many areas - bridal, editorial, vintage, SFX, evening and day. She is a tutor for Glamcandy, a professional make-up school, with 15 years of experience. She inspires me to improve, not give up and not to doubt my work. She gives me the encouragement to pursue my career dreams as an SFX artist for movies. I don’t do regular make up, the beauty style, but have a passion for SFX, leaning towards the gory side. Amanda may not have had a massive impact, but she has had an impact on me, and I’m currently doing a course led by her.

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34 Global Citizens in the Making

My vision for a better world is to see a smile on everyone’s face. I know it’s harder than just walking up to someone and saying “don’t be sad”. I know it takes dedication and compassion to do this. I know that I can’t reach out to everyone, but that won’t stop me from helping as many people as I possibly can.

suffered with himself. I admire him for coming out about this and for supporting others. He started AKF because a friend of his committed suicide as a result of depression.

NATASHA THOMSON

EMERSON SHARP

S3 NATIONAL FINALIST

S1 NATIONAL FINALIST

“You are not what happened to you, you are what you choose to become after what happened to you.” Selena Gomez

“Sometimes in the darkness, there is a light and today, that light came in the form of a turtle.”

ST ANDREWS RC HIGH SCHOOL

Selena Gomez is a young singer, dancer and actor. She is an inspiration to many with her amazing work for UNICEF as their youngest ever Goodwill Ambassador. She was a spokesperson for the Trick or Treat campaign working to raise awareness of the plight of children in Ghana. She was happy and full of life until 2015 when she was diagnosed with lupus. She had to stop singing for almost a year. In 2017, Selena found she needed a new kidney, and it could take months to find a match. Her best friend Francia Raisa has herself tested and was a match. Now her illness is almost gone and she is back on top of the music chart. Lupus gave her a spirit to help others improve their lives even though she was struggling herself – this is heroic. She has also shown me that no matter your age or condition, there is always a way to help.

KINGA DWOJAK

I learned more about myself and that I’m not as tolerant and caring as I could be.

ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

I have chosen LDShadowLady (a.k.a Lizzie) as my inspirational figure. She is a gamer on Youtube. I chose her because she inspires people and puts a smile on her viewers’ faces. I found out about her when I was in a dark place and she was one of the few things that put a real smile on my face and makes my heart feel light. She’s who I wish to be like – happy, humorous, pastel hair and great real friends. She got to where she is today by never giving up on herself. My vision for a better world is a world where people are equal and where people are caring. Where everyone has a warm house, clean water, an education and no money or love worries.

NATALIA STEWART ST JOHN’S RC HIGH SCHOOL S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

ST DAVID’S RC HIGH SCHOOL

“It matters if you just don’t give up.”

S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist who inspires me to believe that anyone can do anything. I have a passion for physics and space, and one day would like to know the things he learned and studied. He inspires me that I can do anything no matter what I’m going through. If his disability could not stop him, then my difficulties can’t stop me! I hope he is resting in peace among the quintillions of stars.

Jared Padalecki is an American actor most famous for playing Sam Winchester in the TV show Supernatural. He is a very motivated person and raised $250,000 for the charity To Write Love on her Arms. He also supports causes relating to animals, Alzheimer’s, cancer and world oceans. In 2015, he founded AKF - Always Keep Fighting - to help people with mental health problems, which he


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

NATALIA STEWART - S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

“I definitely learned more about myself. Thank you very much for letting me express my thoughts and feelings.”

I feel very proud that as a six-year-old I flew in a microlite. I don’t think I ever was or ever will be afraid of heights. Up next: skydiving! I want to make a positive change for our world. It can be as big as creating world peace or as small as smiling at a stranger in the street. I don’t mind how big or small this is, so long as it makes a difference.

ERIN ROBERTSON ST KENTIGERN’S ACADEMY S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “The art challenges the technology and the technology inspires the art.” John Lasseter John Lasseter is an American animator and filmmaker who has been chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios and also of Pixar Studios, where he directed many films. These have cumulatively grossed more than $19 billion, and he

has won two Academy Awards. He loves Hawaiian shirts, which he wears every day, and has started up his own line of shirts, Studio Collection, inspired by the films he has worked on. He currently owns over 370 Hawaiian shirts! John inspires me as I would love one day to work as an animator at Pixar. I’m a huge Disney fan, so this job literally screams my name. I’m Scottish and Pixar is the home of Maida, the Scottish princess. My inspirational moment is when I went to Walt Disney World last year. We headed to this art shop called ‘the Art of Disney’ where I started talking to one of the cast members about the art and what I want to do when I’m older. She very kindly introduced me to one of the artists who told me how I can improve my art skills and what subjects to choose. He was very kind and helpful. Then he drew a picture of Stitch (my favourite) saying “Hi Erin”.

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36 Global Citizens in the Making

NICOLE SHEK

ST MATTHEW’S ACADEMY S2 JOINT 3RD PRIZE “With guns you can kill terrorists, but with education you can kill terrorism.” Malala My inspiration is Malala Yousafzai. I chose her because she is kind, caring, generous and strong. I like how strongly she feels about female education. Malala is very committed and was willing to risk her life to get an education. She has tried very hard to get as many girls as possible in education and with her father has created a fund to support this. An inspirational moment for me was when I met Nicola Sturgeon. I was still in primary school when I was invited to an event as part of a campaign to encourage girls to go into male dominated careers.

The First Minister gave an inspirational speech about young women going into STEM related jobs as these jobs are normally taken by men. Her speech made me really think about going into one of these jobs. My vision for a better world is some place where everyone can feel safe. A place where no one is starving. A place where everyone can live with their family. A place where everyone appreciates each other. A place where everyone can live in peace, a place where no one is punished for their race, sexuality, beliefs or gender. I want the world to let children go to school feeling safe and secure. A place where people can leave their house without any fear of something happening. A place where we have clean water to drink and food to eat. A place where everyone has a proper house to live in and an education, where everyone has a job they love to do, and are surrounded by their loved ones.

NICOLE SHEK - S2 JOINT 3RD PRIZE

“I learned that this world isn’t perfect, and neither am I. We all need to work hard if we want to get close to a vision for a better world. I also need to work hard if I want to become a better person. This project has made me think long and hard about the type of person I want to be and the kind of world I live in.”


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GEMMA BLAIR

SARAH WILLS

S1 NATIONAL FINALIST

S1 NATIONAL FINALIST

“Generosity makes you a happier person.”

“We realise the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”

ST MUNGO’S ACADEMY

Harry Potter is my favourite fictional character. He is kind and humble, caring and nice. He is brave and an inspiration to me. I want to be a kind loving person and be able to help so many people. I want to be able to go and travel the world and help and give to people along the way. A better world would be a place where people are not bullied, and nice places are kept clean and not vandalised.

EMER DEVLIN

STONELAW HIGH SCHOOL

STONELAW HIGH SCHOOL

Malala Yousafsai inspires me because she shows me I can stand up for what I believe in. She is such an inspiration to me for all the struggles that she has faced and still pushes through. Her bravery and courage is so inspirational. She inspires lots of young women to stand up for what they think is right. I personally am inspired by her resilience and commitment to everything she does. I wish to be as courageous as her and to have the confidence to speak up for what is right. Malala takes risks between life and death to help others around her which is the most selfless thing ever and that is why she inspires me so much.

S1 NATIONAL FINALIST “The noblest art is that of making others happy.” The person that inspires me the most is P.T. Barnum the founder of Barnum’s American Museum and co-founder of the famous Barnum & Bailey Circus. He took people that society rejected and put them in the spotlight. I want to bring people joy just like Barnum’s shows did. Barnum inspires me to be myself because like he once said, “no one ever made a difference by being like someone else”. Just like P.T Barnum I want to be an inclusive and selfless person. My vision for a better world is a world where there is no animal captivity and animals aren’t forced to perform in shows.

EILIDH NORRIS TARBERT ACADEMY S2 NATIONAL FINALIST “Just because my path is different doesn’t mean I’m lost.” Gerard Abrams I chose Kay Lee Ray as she is one of the hardest working athletes I know. She taught me that no matter whether you are male or female, you can achieve your dream if you work hard enough, and that girls are just as good as guys. She is willing to do anything to get women’s wrestling on the map. She has changed the way I personally see women’s wrestling. Even when she was told that wrestling is a guy’s sport, she pushed through and became an important face in women’s wrestling. Kay Lee Ray inspires me to work hard and never give up no matter what people tell you, and that we are all special and shouldn’t be treated differently because of what we choose. I hope that one day I will be able to inspire people in the same way that Kay Lee Ray has inspired me.

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38 Global Citizens in the Making

HANNAH WHITE - S2 1ST PRIZE

“I have learned so much more about Sir David Attenborough and his extraordinary life achievements. I have also learned more about myself and who I want to be as I progress through life.”

CHLOE STEWART

HANNAH WHITE

S1 NATIONAL FINALIST

S2 1ST PRIZE

“It’s ok to be scared but you have to get out there, open up, love, make mistakes, learn, be stronger and start all over again.”

“The truth is that the natural world is changing and we are entirely dependent on the world. It provides food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it.” Sir David Attenborough

TURNBULL HIGH SCHOOL

My inspiring person is Elise Christie. She is a speed skater and she competes for Team GB. She inspires me because she has been through a lot of failure in her career, but she doesn’t give up and she perseveres. She learns from her mistakes & keeps going no matter what happens and no matter how many times she fails along the way. If she keeps trying her hardest she will be successful in what she does. I lack perseverance and Elise inspires me to keep trying and develop my perseverance.

TURRIFF ACADEMY

Sir David Attenborough is a 93-year-old broadcaster who even as a child loved to collect fossils, stones and natural specimens. At the age of 11 he was already selling newts to University College, Leicester where his father was Principal and at 13 he went on a 400-mile cycle ride to the Lake District to collect fossils, and his parents had no idea where he was. Sir David started in TV in 1952 presenting Zoo Quest, having only seen a single TV programme. 1967 he was enterprising in directing a cult sketch called Monty Python’s


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Flying Circus, a show that went on to motivate generations of comedians. Between 1977 and 2005, he narrated Wildlife on One for 253 episodes. He presented Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, Africa and many other series and is the only one to have one BAFTAs in black-and-white, colour TV, 3-D and HD. The reason I chose David Attenborough is because of his trustworthy attitude. He is humble and is informing audiences about beautiful species they would never otherwise be able to see. He is resilient with all his travelling, and very enthusiastic about conservation, where he is using his influence to improve the world. I wish everyone had Sir David’s selfless attitude, which is why I admire him. My favourite fictional character is Jean Valjean from Les Miserables. At first he is a criminal, yet he is very selfless as he is not stealing for himself, but rather to save his sister’s son. When he got out, he vowed to himself and a priest that he would become an honest man. He was very hard-working and enterprising, building himself up to become mayor of a successful town. He was very kind towards the poor citizens, and he was very loving towards a dying young woman. He very selflessly volunteered to save her daughter from abuse and neglect. He was very resilient and raised the girl himself as his daughter. When he received a letter for his daughter from her ‘boyfriend’ he selflessly went to the barricades during the French Revolution and saved the young man’s life. My vision for a better world is where there is no ethnic or gender persecution. We should be living in an honest world where the human population can be loving, caring, kind and tolerant of different species of animals. Everyone should be respectful and generous towards people in need, and nobody should have to live on the street or in ghastly conditions. This though means that we have to be principled as well as self disciplined, and also resilient and determined in fighting for our rights.

MARK INGLIS

VALE OF LEVEN ACADEMY S3 NATIONAL FINALIST “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid” Albert Einstein The person who inspires me most in life is Albert Einstein. He is famous for his work in theoretical physics, mostly for developing relativity theory, which is one of the two pillars of modern physics. He is the most influential physicist of the 20th century. I chose him because I find his work fascinating, and share some of his characteristics: curiosity and hard work. Einstein was not stopped by discrimination. He was in the US when Hitler came to power in 1933, and never returned. Einstein’s work and life have inspired millions. He was a kind, thoughtful person and I aspire to be like him. I learned ways that I can work to achieve my goals. I also learned my qualities and values, and I’m now more confident in myself.

TRISTAN BLEAK WAID ACADEMY S2 JOINT 3RD PRIZE “I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for 8 years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say: I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger.” Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman was born a slave in 1822 and in 1844 married a freeman John Tubman although she herself was still in slavery. In 1849 she fell ill and her master tried to sell her no one wanted to buy her because of her state. She began to hate her master and one night prayed for him to die, which he did a week later! Shortly after, she made her escape through the Underground Railroad and friendly connections. She could have forgotten about slavery, but she faced the truth and became a conductor on the Underground Railroad conducting 13 expeditions and saving 70

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40 Global Citizens in the Making

slaves. This was a dangerous job and she carried a revolver, which she was not afraid to use for self defence or shooting slaves who left the pack as this could endanger the whole operation. One of her last missions was to save her parents and move them to Pennsylvania. During the Civil War she was a nurse, then a cook and a spy. During 1863 she led an expedition to free 700 slaves on a boat, which made her famous. After this, she campaigned for women’s suffrage and created a Home for the Aged. Eventually she was forced into her own home, and died at the age of over 90. Her tombstone reads: servant of God, well done. I want to achieve many things in life, being an author, illustrator and editor in a publishing company, as well as building my own house. I want to live a full life, and not be a robot who does the same things all time. I’d like to write a six book adventure series and have the honour of illustrating Harry Potter.

HADDIE ROBINSON WAID ACADEMY S2 JOINT 2ND PRIZE “It’s mostly just a matter of changing your perspective.” I chose this quote because 90% of survival is believing you will survive, so it must also help when you want to achieve your goals or become a better person. The person who inspires me is Chris Hadfield, a Canadian pilot and astronaut - the main reason is that I also want to become an astronaut. I have read his book where he writes that he always wanted to be an astronaut but there was no such person as a Canadian astronaut. Even though he knew this, he pursued his dream and pushed himself in the direction of becoming an astronaut. Not giving up his one of his main characteristics, always trying to find a way and never being deterred by how things seem. It is highly unlikely that I will get to

HADDIE ROBINSON - S2 JOINT 2ND PRIZE

“I learned that it is quite hard to think of who you really are and put this down on paper. It was hard to know which qualities to put in the character boxes, because you only know yourself from the inside, not how you come across from the outside.”


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be an astronaut, but I will do everything I can to try to get myself there. Chris Hadfield also inspires me as he comes across as a very nice person who would always encourage you to achieve your goal. Encouragement matters as sometimes you need a little boost to get you going, and when you do you have the best chance of success. I believe that Chris Hadfield was successful because, as well as trying to achieve his goals, he helped others achieve theirs. This may have given him a new way of looking at things or a new goal himself, and the more small things you can achieve the more big things you can achieve.

I am a young rider and last year I had a serious riding accident. William’s courage to continue horse riding despite a terrifying accident and to pursue his dream through hard work and commitment has made him an inspiration to me. He sets goals and works hard with 100% determination to achieve them. He has amazing qualities that remind me every day to follow my dreams no matter how out of reach they seem. Anything is possible!

My vision for a better world is where there is no pollution or global warming, sexism or racism or homophobia, with everyone equal and no one important or unimportant. I don’t really like how humans are now. They act as if they are above all of nature, can control it and do what they like. They also act as if certain people are above others and better. In my vision for a better world, everyone could be as they are without being questioned and humans would stop destroying our common home.

In my serious riding accident last year, I fell off my horse Ernie and fractured my jaw in two places. I had to have two operations to insert two metal plates and eight screws to fix my jaw. I was on a liquid diet for a month, and after two months of not being allowed to ride, I was anxious about getting back on my young nervous horse. However, with a lot of courage and determination, I got back on Ernie only eight weeks after having completely split my jaw in half and took him to a local show jumping competition where I had a clear round. This was the biggest achievement and proudest moment of my life as I overcame my nerves to continue the thing I love most. I will remember this forever.

BEAU RUSSELL

GREGOR DOWALL

S2 NATIONAL FINALIST

S4 NATIONAL FINALIST

“Keep breathing and get on with it!” William Fox-Pitt

“We must learn to live together as brothers, or we will perish together as fools” - Martin Luther King

WAID ACADEMY

William Fox-Pitt is a former British Olympic Eventer who had a horrific riding accident in 2015. He sustained a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for three weeks. After waking up, he was unable to move or see. Following intensive treatment and rehabilitation, his goal was to make it to the Rio Olympics only 10 months later: “I always had Rio in the back of my mind, and it has been brilliant having it as a target. A totally unrealistic one, but it was always there. I thought it was fine, but nobody else did.” Despite a list of overwhelming challenges, he qualified for the British Olympic team and made it to Rio through sheer bravery, courage and hard work. Although he didn’t win any medals, he felt he had achieved the gold just by being there.

WOODMILL HIGH SCHOOL

Martin Luther King was an American Baptist minister who was the most well-known spokesperson for the civil rights movement until his assassination in 1968. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his use of non-violent protest. He campaigned for the desegregation of schools, lunch counters and buses.

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42 Global Citizens in the Making

ELISE FLETCHER

GREIG YOUNG

S4 NATIONAL FINALIST

S4 NATIONAL FINALIST

“I just wanna raise awareness for it and let people know that it’s not something that you should be afraid of showing.”

“I had a dream and I’m not going to give up on it. I have an opportunity, and I’m going to take advantage of it and not give up.”

My inspirational figure is Gaten Matarazzo. He inspires me because despite the rare condition that he has, cleidocranial dysplasia, he has still managed to put in the work to follow his dreams of being an actor. He stars in the Netflix original Stranger Things. I admire that even after all the rejection he has received, he still has the drive and determination to keep trying. I hope to live like this. I think he has achieved success by not giving up and bouncing back from knocks.

Andy Haliday inspires me as he was a Rangers fan as a young boy and is now a Rangers player. There was a time when he was not quite good enough for the team, and so he was loaned out to a foreign team, which was devastating for him as he realised he was not good enough to play for his boyhood club. During this time, he worked extremely hard as he was determined to come back. After playing exceptionally well, he was invited back and now plays regularly for Rangers. The reason he inspires me is that I am also a Rangers fan and would like to play for the club and to get that opportunity I will have to work extremely hard.

WOODMILL HIGH SCHOOL

SOPHIE MCGROUTHE WOODMILL HIGH SCHOOL S4 NATIONAL FINALIST “Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong” Emma Watson Emma Watson inspires me as she shows true integrity as she speaks out and airs her strong feminist views as she inspires many young girls around the world to stand up for what we believe in. she is a strong actor who aimed to show that girls can be beautiful and warriors in her role as Hermione in Harry Potter. She also refuses to change her body as she wants to show a healthy body image. She is passionate in her views but also respectful of others. she is determined to make a change, meeting women all over the world, for instance in Malawi, where she helped end child marriage. This shows how kind and caring nature. My vision for a better world is: • the banning of zoos and keeping wild animals in captivity • banning single use plastic everywhere and finding alternatives • no discrimination anywhere

WOODMILL HIGH SCHOOL

I learned from this project that from now on I should be grateful for what I have and who I am and how I was brought up because there are many people in the world who aren’t as lucky as me and may live in poverty or difficult circumstances.


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

GAELIC

WINNERS

& FINALISTS ISI OLIVER

THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE GAELIC WINNER “Trust in god – she will provide.” Emmeline Pankhurst was born on 14th July 1858 in Moss Side, Manchester. Her parents were very rich and enjoyed politics a lot. When she

ISI OLIVER - GAELIC WINNER

was growing up she found that women were not treated in the same way as the men. She wanted to change that. In 1903 she joined WSPU (Women’s Social and Political Union) with her daughters Sylvia and Christabel. The WSPU began the Suffragettes! Emmeline travelled up and down the country speaking at rallies for women’s suffrage. She encourages me because she has been fighting for what she thought is right. And if she didn’t do anything for the WSPU they wouldn’t have work or a job as they have now. She did something which the law didn’t allow but women now have equal rights. She set their lives on linen for others to catch. My vision for a better world is where there is no plastic pollution. This is good for the environment and the animals of the world too. I also wish to see no fighting or wars in the future.

“I learned about Emmeline Pankhurst and how she played a massive part in the Women’s Movement and the rights and equality that women have today.”

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44 Global Citizens in the Making

ISLA MACKENZIE

AMY MACRITCHIE

“I was still happy with second place… Everyone gets a chance to win, so I felt happy for the other girl.”

“Fight for the fairy-tale, it does exist.”

THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE

Maddie Ziegler first became known for appearing on a tv show called ‘Dance Moms!’ from 2011 to 2016. Maddie Ziegler has explored many things such as modelling, dancing, tv, film and advertising. She does a lot of dancing and lots of drama. In 2017 she was in the film ‘The Book of Henry’ as Christina. She has appeared in many music videos by famous performer Sia. Maddie Ziegler has inspired me because she dances in and now produces videos and drama videos! I have the idea for a better world, which is that we can stop pollution throughout the world and make the world peace. I believe everyone has a voice and that anyone can make a difference.

THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE

Laura Muir is a long-distance runner born in Glasgow in Scotland. Laura 25 is born at the 9th of May. Laura competes in the 800m 1500m 3000m and 5000m competitions and she became the British champion in 1500m at the Diamond League in London in 2016. My vision for a better world is there is no plastic in the sea, and it can’t hurt or kill our animals or damage our world. I want to help people and be nice to all. I learned that it is good to be helpful and supportive to everyone. We must look after our world.

SEUMUS MURRAY THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE

“The story is just the beginning.”

SAORSA MACLEOD THE NICOLSON INSTITUTE

“There is no better place to heal a broken heart than on the back of a horse.” Mary King Mary King broke her neck in 2001 but has won 3 medals with Team GB in 3 different Olympic events since that time. She has also become the number 1 in the world, and won the ‘HSBC FEI Classics Series’, a group of six particularly difficult competitions. If you win this, you will get $150,000. My vision for a better world is where no animals are killed or endangered and there is no fighting in the world and no wars.

Kylian Mbappe is a footballer who plays for the French team PSG (Paris Saint-Germain F.C). He is only 20 years old and plays on the right-wing. Before he was signed with PSG he was played as captain of as Monaco, where he had been since he was young. In the summer of 2017 he went to PSG for £ 170 million. Kylian Mbappe is inspirational to me because in 2017 people did not know who he was, then in 2018 he became recognised as being a huge star from the world of football. My vision for a better world is to help people in poverty and those who have depression and try to help give the world a better focus.


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

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46 Global Citizens in the Making

TEACHER FEEDBACK ANN GILLESPIE

LIBERTON PRIMARY SCHOOL It allowed a wonderful opportunity for pupils to recognise their own self-worth, explore various values and share their own strengths and ideas. It allowed the pupils to realise that everyone faces obstacles and connect with inspiring true accounts of human resilience. At parent’s night, pupils brimmed with pride as they shared and discussed their own work with impressed parents!

BRIDIE GIBB

ST FILLAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL The Inspiring Purpose Programme is exceptionally valuable and relevant. It is now embedded into our curriculum with over eighty pupils engaging with it annually. The pupils work was shared at our wholeschool assembly. Pupils who had their posters submitted last session thrived on being part of the judging panel for 2018-2019.

MRS. GORDON

HAZLEHEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL The programme was an enjoyable process for staff and pupils. We spent a long time looking at the selfreflection section which was particularly thought-provoking. As a teacher reading their inspirational person writing was insightful.

MICHELLE TURNBULL INVERURIE ACADEMY

This project is extremely valuable as it allowed pupils time to reflect on what really matters, an opportunity many pupils don’t often get. It has certainly opened my eyes to what young people have done to contribute to making the world a better place e.g. charity, extra-curricular, finding their own identities etc.

NEIL VALENTINE

MUSSELBURGH GRAMMAR SCHOOL This is such a high-quality learning experience for our pupils. They use what they learn from the project, throughout the school year and beyond!


OFFICIAL AWARDS MAGAZINE

DANIELLE JERVIS THE WAID ACADEMY

This is the 5th year I have delivered this programme in my classroom – I love delivering this. Teaching 540 pupils in one week means it can be tricky to get to know all your learners. This is the perfect way to do this. I get a unique insight to my learner’s dreams / how they see themselves and their creativity.

ZOE BROWN LANGHOLM ACADEMY

Year after year I love teaching this programme! Pupils commit themselves to self-reflect and they flourish as a result.

MAGDALENA KATZIG LESMAHAGOW HIGH SCHOOL

This was the fourth time I took part in this project, I just love reading the posters created by my pupils. It helps me to get to know them better, see them from different perspectives, deepen the relationship between us. I like how they are becoming more and more creative as the project progresses. But most importantly it’s the great impact that the project has on their self-esteem. How it boosts their confidence and shows them how good they are and how many positive character traits they have. I like the way the project can be delivered, that can suit all abilities and everyone can access it and work on it at their own pace. Its very important that pupils can work individually or in small groups helping each other.

JAYNE GORDON KILSYTH ACADEMY

As always, I find this programme to be very valuable. The students are challenging themselves to really think about their own personal qualities. It helps them identify what values are important to them, and to think ahead to the future.

LIANE MONTGOMERY KNOX ACADEMY

This project is very valuable. I think it is great as it really gets the kids thinking and it hits a lot of the RMPS benchmarks that we have in our school.

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Global Citizens in the Making

W W W . I N S P I R I N G P U R P O S E . O R G . U K


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