While my childhood was filled with many inspirational literary characters, the character I loved the most was the wild, clever Peter Pan. At only twelve years old, he had become captain of a pirate ship, friend of many beautiful mermaids, and saved a whole group of kids. Unfortunately, when I turned seven, I had to face the harsh reality that Peter Pan was fictional.
However, while Peter was fictional, he is not the only youth who has been inspiring and impactful to our world. Youth have always been underestimated, and criticized for their lack of experience and knowledge; however, today more than ever, they are proving that they are just as capable as adults. Here are seven teenagers who are already making the world a better place.
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1. Rania Zuri
Rania Zuri is one of the most influential figures in the literary world today and has been named an award recipient for FORBES Under 30, a highly prestigious title for future change-makers. Zuri focuses her work on solving literary deserts. But what is a literacy desert?
It is what the word sounds like- a barren, dry land. However, unlike a traditional geographic desert, it is not barren in the sense that it lacks lush plants and precipitation, but rather it lacks resources for creativity and growth, which is much scarier. A literacy desert is a region where individuals, particularly kids and adolescents, do not have opportunities or resources to develop linguistically, whether that is due to a lack of education or books. Literacy deserts are extremely prevalent throughout the world, especially in less-developed countries. Although various factors contribute to literacy deserts, poverty, and low income are the most closely correlated factors. Zuri’s organization, the LiTEArary Society was created to fight this issue, donating books to children who do not have access to books. From its founding, the LiTEArary Society has impacted over 41,000 preschoolers, donated more than 492,000 dollars in books, and reached all fifty states. Zuri is a lesson to all to show that anyone can make a major impact.
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2. Amari Luu
Amari Luu, whom I am lucky enough to call my brother, is the founder and CEO of Apex SAT. Apex SAT is a nonprofit organization that offers free, accessible college and testing advice to middle schoolers and high schoolers everywhere. Amari's inspiration was found in his kindness, as he noticed the disparity between students who could afford tutoring and those who couldn't.
He was distraught to hear that his very smart and capable friend received a bad score on the SAT, resulting in him losing many opportunities. The reason for his friend's bad score was financial insecurity, as their family could not afford tutoring, which has grown exponentially expensive in the last few years. After receiving a 1590 on his SAT, Amari set off with a goal to even the playing field and give people, regardless of their backgrounds or income, as many opportunities as possible. Apex SAT has many parts, such as its week-long summer camp. The summer camp had over 600 students sign up, representing almost every state and country, such as South Africa, Japan, France, and Nigeria. Furthermore, Apex SAT offers comprehensive English and Math seminars, where a qualified tutor who has scored in the top 97 percentile on state testing goes over a practice test and reasoning with students. However, the most popular course offered is college seminars, where college students from top schools, such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Georgetown, give insight into their personal journey and answer questions. Amari has impacted thousands and is a testament that we can all use our strengths to help others.
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3. Vivian Nguyen
Vivian Nguyen is yet another teenager who shows age is just a number. Vivian has made significant strides in her academic and extracurricular endeavors, earning her a feature in Forbes magazine. As the founder of "The Formula Project," Vivian is committed to addressing and mitigating food insecurity within her community.
The Formula Project focuses on providing nutritional support to those in need. Furthermore, Vivian's academic excellence and leadership have been widely recognized, including her selection as a winner of the Riley's Way Foundation Call for Kindness contest. She won this because of her other organization, Dynesoar Apparel, which encourages female empowerment and youth creativity. Her achievements inspire other young people to pursue their passions while making a tangible difference in the world around them. Through her efforts, Vivian addresses immediate social issues and lays the groundwork for a more compassionate and proactive future generation.
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4. Greta Thunberg
Perhaps the most famous on the list, Greta Thunberg, has been making great strides in the world of environmental activism, even being named TIME's Person of the Year. In August 2018, she initiated the "Fridays for Future" movement by skipping school to protest outside the Swedish parliament, demanding stronger climate policies. Her strike quickly caught worldwide attention because of social media, inspiring millions of students and activists to join her in calling for urgent action to address climate change.
The new attention on her made her want to continue her fight and empowered her, as she noticed she was inspiring people and making a big change. Thunberg's speeches at major international platforms, including the United Nations Climate Change Conference and the World Economic Forum, have emphasized the scientific urgency of the climate crisis and criticized global leaders for their inaction. Her advocacy has raised awareness and pressured policymakers to consider more aggressive climate strategies, making her a pivotal figure in the contemporary environmental movement. Thunberg shows that each person can make the world a better place.
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5. McKenna Grace
Many people forget that there are many ways to make a positive difference in the world. Some people can be activists. Others can be delegates and scientists.
However, a role that is overshadowed is being a joy to others. McKenna Grace, who captivated the world's attention with her portrayals of the young version of many actresses, such as in "I, Tonya," is now seventeen and as talented as ever. McKenna Grace is a multifaceted young actress who has rapidly ascended in Hollywood, earning acclaim for her impressive range and depth in various roles across film and television. Grace's breakout role came in 2017 with "Gifted," where her portrayal of a mathematically gifted child caught the attention of audiences and critics alike. She has continued to act in major productions such as "The Haunting of Hill House," "Troop Zero," and as a young Sabrina Spellman in the Netflix series "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina." In addition to her acting career, McKenna Grace is interested in advocacy and philanthropy. She supports environmental conservation, working with organizations to promote sustainability and combat climate change. She also supports animal rights, often using her social media presence to highlight issues related to animal welfare and encourage her followers to adopt rescue pets. McKenna's acting brings joy to many people, and she uses her platform to bring up critical issues. She is a true role model.
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6. Stephanie Hu
Stephanie Hu is a young leader and activist who is best known as the founder of the famous Dear Asian Youth (DAY), an organization dedicated to empowering Asian voices and fostering a sense of community among young Asians worldwide. Under her leadership, DAY has grown into a powerful platform that addresses racial justice, cultural identity, and social equity issues. The organization provides a space for Asian youth to share their stories, engage in advocacy, and collaborate on projects that promote positive change.
The organization is widespread, and several branches focus on different areas. Stephanie's vision for DAY emerged from her desire to combat the underrepresentation and misrepresentation of Asians in mainstream media and discourse. Through initiatives like educational webinars, creative workshops, and activism campaigns, Dear Asian Youth has empowered countless individuals to take pride in their heritage and participate actively in social justice movements. Stephanie Hu's work with DAY shows that she is passionate about activism, ensuring that issues such as gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and mental health are also addressed within the Asian community. Her leadership and dedication have not only created a supportive environment for young Asians but have also fostered greater awareness and understanding of Asian experiences and contributions in broader society.
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7. Marley Dias
Marley Dias is another young activist, author, and public speaker. She is mostly known for her groundbreaking initiative, #1000BlackGirlBooks. Launched in 2015 when she was just 11 years old, this campaign aimed to collect and donate 1,000 books featuring Black girls as the main characters, addressing the lack of diversity in children's literature.
Marley's organization quickly gained national and international attention, surpassing her initial goal of donating over 13,000 books to date. Her activism is not just featured in literature; she is a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in education and media. Marley has authored her book, "Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!" to inspire other young people to pursue their passions and effect change. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including recognition from Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and TIME's Most Influential Teens. Through her ongoing efforts, Marley Dias continues to be a powerful voice for representation and equity, encouraging young people to stand up for their beliefs and make a difference in their communities.
So, while Peter Pan will unfortunately always have to remain in Neverland, it seems our world has a bright future ahead. These figures inspire us to continue looking beyond ourselves and improve our world. As long as we continue having future changemakers who are dedicated, passionate, and committed, we seem to have much to look forward to in the coming years.
