The Kids Hall of Fame Inductees
15-Year-Old Extraordinary Achievers
ACTIVIST: ANIMAL RIGHTS
Taylor Finderup is working to stop shark finning, cutting off a shark’s fin to make soup, then throwing the shark back into the ocean to die.
(New Zealand: 2023)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
Visit Taylor’s website.
ACTIVIST: ANIMAL RIGHTS
Sadie Sink says, “I’m a passionate vegan.” She promotes the importance, ease, and convenience of people finding animal-free replacements for their meals.
Sadie is widely known for playing the role of Maxine “Max” Mayfield in the Netflix science fiction series Stranger Things.
(Texas: 2017)
Illustrated by Alexandra Holliday
ACTIVIST: ANIMAL RIGHTS
ACTIVIST: CIVIL RIGHTS
Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus.
(Montgomery, Alabama: 1955)
Illustrated by Ray Russotto
ACTIVIST: CLIMATE CHANGE
Greta Thunberg: After Sweden’s hottest summer ever (2018) and devastating forest fires, Greta knew that she had to do something to fight climate change for her generation and for generations to come. She was angry that the Swedish government was not dealing fast enough with the climate change crisis or meeting the carbon emissions target it had agreed to in 2015.
Learn more…
(Stockholm, Sweden: 2018)
Illustrated by Ray Russotto
Visit Greta’s website.
Learn about Greta as:
– an activist: age 16
ACTIVIST: CLIMATE CHANGE
ACTIVIST: ENVIRONMENT
Linda Arnade read a newspaper article about the threat septic tanks pose to our drinking water. Shocked by the thought that she could be drinking contaminated water, Linda set out to determine if the problem was real. “Over 70,000 people in my community rely on drinking-water wells and septic tanks,” she explained. “I knew that if people were consuming contaminated ground water, this could lead to illness or even death.”
Learn more…
(Palm Bay, Florida: 1997)
ADVOCATE: UNICEF
YOUTH ADVOCATE FOR UNICEF
Omar Archane (Morocco: 2020)
Tirsitemariyam Gessesse (United States: 2021)
Jessica Gnamien (Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa: 2021)
Alexis John (Canada: 2020)
AMBASSADOR: UNICEF
Penelope Lea served as a youth ambassador for UNICEF.
(Norway: 2019)
AMBASSADOR: HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
YOUTH AMBASSADORS FOR
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
Luke Chacko (Arlington, Texas: 2021)
Visit Luke’s website.
Learn about Luke as:
– an ambassador: age 16
Mya Daniele (Peoria, Arizona: 2022)
Gia Parr (New Fairfield, Connecticut: 2020)
Ash Silcott (Wyoming: 2021)
Learn about Ash as:
– an ambassador: age 16
AMBASSADOR: LITTLE PRINCESS TRUST
Kiya Kanani explains, “When I was asked to be an ambassador I knew straight away that I wanted to do it. Back in 2020, I donated my hair to The Little Princess Trust in the hope that it would help someone who was dealing with hair loss. In 2021, a year later, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and I became that someone who needed a wig. Just a few weeks after my diagnosis I received my wig. It gave me peace knowing that once I lost my hair I would have this wig ready for me to wear.”
Kiya adds, “Before I donated I used to watch videos about little kids opening their wig boxes up. Just seeing how happy they were made me feel like I needed to donate to help someone else but now I know how it feels and I know how much it can change your life.”
(United Kingdom: 2022)
Photo: Courtesy of Little Princess Trust
Learn more about Kiya as an ambassador.
ARTIST: PAINTER
Akiane Kramarik
Visit Akiane’s website.
ATHLETE: BASEBALL PITCHER
Joe Nuxhall joined the Cincinnati Reds, after getting special permission from his parents and high school principal. He was the youngest person ever to play major league baseball. Joe, a left-handed pitcher, was known for throwing “comets” across home plate. Joe had previously pitched for his father’s semi-pro team based in Hamilton.
(Hamilton, Ohio: 1944)
ATHLETE: FIGURE SKATER
Alena Kostornaia performed at the Russian Figure Skating Championships.
(Russia: 2018)
ATHLETE: FIGURE SKATER
Tara Lipinski
(Sugar Land, Texas: 1998)
Illustrated by Daniel Pacificador
Visit Tara’s website.
Learn about Tara as:
– an athlete: age 14
ATHLETE: FIGURE SKATER
Kamila Valieva performed during the Eteri Tutberidze Demonstrating Ice Show in Minsk, Belarus.
(Russia: 2022)
Learn about Kamila as:
– an athlete: age 12
ATHLETE: GOLFER
Ryo Ishikawa became the youngest winner of a professional golf tournament. He won the 2007 Munsingwear Open KSB Cup.
(Japan: 2007)
ATHLETE: GOLFER
Michelle Wie became a professional golfer.
(Honolulu, Hawaii: 2005)
Illustrated by Ray Russotto
Learn about Michelle as:
– an athlete: age 4
ATHLETE: GOLFER
Tiger Woods won the Optimist International Junior World Golf Championship for the sixth time. He also became the youngest ever (until 2010) to win the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. Tiger went on to become one of the most accomplished athletes of all time.
(Cypress, California: 1991)
Visit Tiger’s website.
Learn about Tiger as:
– an athlete: age 2, age 3, age 6, age 8, age 9, age 12, age 13, age 14, age 16, age 17, age 18, age 19
– a visionary: age 9
ATHLETE: GYMNAST
Yana Kudryavtseva, a rhythmic gymnast, performed at the 32nd Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championship in Kyiv, Ukraine.
(Moscow, Russia: 2013)
ATHLETE: ICE HOCKEY PLAYER
Brody Roybal became the youngest U.S. Paralympic sled hockey player.
(Melrose Park, Illinois: 2014)
Illustrated by Ray Russotto
ATHLETE: MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
Ming Kipa climbed Mount Everest from the north/Tibet side. She was honored in the Guinness World Records as the youngest woman to do so.
(Nepal: 2003)
Illustrated by Sofia Gomez
Lucy Westlake, with her father, Rodney Westlake, climbed to the top of Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest mountain, which is in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia (18,510 ft./ 5,642 m.) This was the second of their Seven Summit Goal.
(Naperville, Illinois: 2019)
Visit Lucy’s website.
Learn about Lucy as:
– an athlete: age 7, age 8, age 12, age 13, age 17, age 18
ATHLETE: SNOWBOARDER
Ayumu Hirano won the silver medal in the snowboard halfpipe at the 2014 Olympics in Scochi, Russia.
(Japan: February 11, 2014)
ATHLETE: SOCCER PLAYER
Mia Hamm started playing soccer at age five and at age 15, became the youngest player ever to join the United States Women’s National Soccer Team. She didn’t let the fact that she was born with a club foot and had to wear corrective shoes as a small child, stop her from playing soccer. She played as a forward for 17 years (1987-2004). Jerseys with her number 9 became a top seller. Mia learned that every player experiences setbacks. Mia’s message: “Failure happens all the time…It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.” She added, “If you don’t love what you do, you won’t do it with much conviction or passion.”
(Wichita Falls, Texas: 1987)
Illustrated by Sofia Gomez
Visit Mia’s website.
Learn about Mia as:
– an athlete: age 17, age 19
ATHLETE: TABLE TENNIS PLAYER
Mima Ito became a Table Tennis Olympian.
(Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan: 2015)
ATHLETE: TENNIS PLAYER
Caroline Wozniacki became a professional tennis player.
(Odense, Denmark: 2005)
ATHLETE: TRACK & FIELD
PARALYMPIAN
Tatyana McFadden, a wheelchair racer, made her Paralympic debut in Athens. She was the youngest member of Team USA.
(Baltimore, Maryland: 2004)
Illustrated by Ray Russotto
Visit Tatyana’s website.
AUTHOR: INFLUENTIAL LETTER / PETITION
Esha Marwaha began an online petition to keep learning about climate change in the national geography curriculum for students up to age 14. The petition received 31,000 signatures which helped influence Secretary of State for Education (2010-2014) Michael Gove and the government to reverse its original order, which was to delete the topic. Esha explained, “Climate change is the most pressing and threatening issue to modern-day society. Through lack of understanding from generations before us, we are having to fix it. And how can we do this without education?” Esha added, “This campaign has opened my eyes to how much of a difference we all can make, and actually how enjoyable it can be.”
(London, England: 2013)
Illustrated by Sofia Gomez
AUTHOR: INFLUENTIAL LETTER
Joel Rubin began a letter/postcard writing campaign that influenced a huge multinational corporation to change the way it catches tuna, preventing dolphins from being killed in the process.
(Cape Elizabeth, Maine: 1990)
AUTHOR: BOOK IN PROGRESS
Susan Eloise (S. E.) Hinton began writing her first novel, The Outsiders, at 15 years old. She loved to read and write, but felt frustrated with the lack of realistic teenage representation in books. Most novels centered around a romance and a dance, and did not delve into the real struggles of teenage life. Susan was inspired to change this while witnessing the intense clashing of gangs at her high school. The Greasers were considered by society to be low-class troublemakers from the rough side of town, while the Socs were the upper-class elites. The two groups constantly fought, and even had to enter through separate entrances at school to avoid each other. Susan was part of neither group. She lived in a Greaser neighborhood but went to class with the Socs, so she understood both sides.
At 15 years old she started writing about the gritty fights between the two groups, creating a story about a group of Greasers that challenged stereotypes about teenagers. The characters had deep friendships with each other and cared about real issues. She worked on her story after class through high school, and published it when she was 18. The Outsiders went on to sell millions of copies, became a movie, and is considered a modern classic.
(Tulsa, Oklahoma: 1964)
Written & Illustrated by Danielle Alexander
Visit Susan’s website.
Learn about Susan as:
– an author: age 16, age 18
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Katherine Adams and her 18-year-old sister, Isabelle Adams, had the 222-page book they co-authored, One Piece of Paper at a Time (10 Year Anniversary Edition) published by Carpenter’s Son Publishing. The book chronicles the first ten years of Paper for Water, a non-profit that aims to end the global water crisis.
(Dallas, Texas: 2021)
Photo: Courtesy of Paper For Water
Visit Katherine’s & Isabelle’s website.
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Daryl Bernstein authored a published book of small business ideas for kids. It includes 51 ideas for kids to make money and start a business with little or no start-up costs. The book was reissued by Aladdin/Beyond Words Publisher in 2012, and contains 226 pages.
Daryl started his first business, a lemonade stand, at age 8. At age 12, he spotted a need and founded Global Video, on his family’s kitchen table. Daryl grew the business into the leading producer and distributor of educational videos.
(Arizona: 1992)
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Menelik Haqq had his 40-page book, The Missing Piece, published by Young Authors Publishing. Finn, the main character, creates a supercomputer but realizes something’s not quite right.
(Atlanta, Georgia: 2019)
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Sidney Keys III had his 27-page book, Cool Bros Read! published. The publisher, Books N Bros, is the first and only youth led book club of African American books for boys. Sidney started Books N Bros when he was 10 years old.
(St. Louis, Missouri: 2020)
Visit Sidney’s Books N Bros website.
Learn about Sidney as:
– an activist: age 10
– an author: age 17
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Montavious Mincey had his 34-page book, A Day Inside, published by Young Authors Publishing. Montavious hopes his book teaches children how to release their energy without getting into trouble.
(Atlanta, Georgia: 2019)
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Devonte Thomas had his 36-page book, Dex and The Angry Bullies, published by Young Authors Publishing. Dex learns that most school bullies simply require a little bit of kindness to change their ways.
(Atlanta, Georgia: 2019)
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Akash Vukoti, six-time Scripps National Spelling Bee competitor became the published author of Spelling Anything…even Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis: A Guide to Becoming Your Regional Spelling Bee Champion and Qualifying for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The book will be released on January 14, 2025.
(San Angelo, Texas: 2024)
Visit Akash’s website.
BRIDGE PLAYER: LIFE MASTER
The youngest people to earn the title of Life Master, by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) which is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the card game are:
Michael Freed (1975)
Bobby Levin (Miami, Florida: 1973)
Joseph Livezey (Springfield, Pennsylvania: 1968)
Kyle Larsen (San Francisco, California: 1965)
CHEF
Morgan Hipworth, in his family kitchen, made about 700 doughnuts every weekend and supplied them to local cafes. He went on to create Bistro Morgan Bakehouse.
(Australia: 2018)
Illustrated by Alexandra Holliday
Visit Morgan’s website.
CHESS: GRANDMASTER
Judit Polgar became the youngest chess grandmaster, at the time, at 15 years and 4 months old.
(Budapest, Hungary: 1991)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
Visit Judit’s website.
Learn about Judit as:
– a chess player: age 9
CHESS PLAYER
Justus Williams won the 2013 US Junior Open Chess Championship.
(NYC, New York: 2013)
Illustrated by Ivy Guo
COLLEGE FRESHMAN
COLLEGE GRADUATE
Eugenie De Silva became the youngest person to graduate from Harvard University when she completed her master’s degree in Intelligence Studies.
(Manchester, England: 2021)
Visit Eugenie’s website.
Learn about Eugenie as:
– a college graduate: age 14
COLLEGE GRADUATE
Shania Muhammad graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Langston University, and at the top of her class with a 4.0 GPA. She told KOCO News 5 Reporter, Meghan Mosley, “It goes beyond the books. Understanding that we are the invisible Black scholars of this world. We don’t have the press that the athletes, the artists, the social media influencers do, because we’re unrecognized in society.” Shania adds, of graduating early, “It’s possible. It just takes a team and hard work…There were plenty of levels before I even got to this point, things we’ve been working on since I was eight, nine years old.”
(Langston, Oklahoma: 2023)
Illustrated by Soleil Oladeji
Learn about Shania as:
– a college graduate: age 14
DANCER: BALLET
Gabi Shull creates joy and inspiration for herself and others, through her dancing as a ballerina. She doesn’t let her prosthetic leg prevent her from reaching her goals.
(Missouri: 2016)
Illustrated by Ray Russotto
DONOR:
SOCKS, HYGIENE/SNACK BAGS & PRIZES
Declan Cassidy and the non-profit organization he founded, Socks For The Streets (SFTS), donated socks and hygiene bags to the University of Pennsylvania for their care packages. They also donated prizes for the Carnival/Pride Day at Pyramid Healthcare Langhorne Detox & Residential Treatment Center.
Declan explained, “I also had my 4-H group Bucks Clucks help with making 150 snack bags and 150 hygiene bags. We were able to distribute these Hope Bags to individuals who were in need at different times and locations in the Philadelphia area. I was also able to teach kids what some needs are for those who are homeless and how to work as a team to make bags up.”
Declan was selected as one of the 2024 Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Grantees. His project was to make Hope Bags and have other kids participate. He explained, “I was able to have my AFJROTC help with making 200 snack bags and 200 hygiene bags.”
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 2024)
Photo & Story: Courtesy of Socks For The Streets
Visit Declan’s website.
Learn about Declan as:
– an ambassador: age 14
– a donor: age 11
– a founder: age 10
– a fundraiser: age 12
– a visionary: age 9
EDUCATOR
Olivia Bouler enjoys speaking to young people around the country, about birds and saving their habitat. She also spoke at a teacher and educator camp. Olivia told them, “In every classroom, they have a kid army, and they just have to teach them the right things and they can spark their own creativity and take action. Because everybody has a talent, no matter how young and no matter how old. Kids want to make a change, it’s just they don’t know how to do it. They don’t think they can make anything, and sometimes parents even put them down on it. So sometimes kids, don’t have reality weighting on their shoulders yet. They just want to do whatever they can, and even if it’s that little boost, it still makes a change.”
(Long Island, New York: 2018)
Photo & Story: Courtesy of The Bouler Family
Learn about Olivia as:
– an author & illustrator: age 11
– a donor: age 11
– an educator: age 12
– a speaker: age 12
– a visionary: age 11
Taryn Pream created a brochure on Internet safety that has been distributed nationwide and overseas to schools, families, and law enforcement agencies. After falling victim to Internet harassment and terrorism herself, Taryn decided to turn her negative experience into a positive one by educating other Internet users about how to stay safe.
(Thief River Falls, Minnesota: 1998)
Learn more…
ENTREPRENEUR
Alyssa Burgos and Lauren Burgos, twins, founded Brooklyn Blingz, a line of trendy inexpensive jewelry for style-conscious teens.
(Brooklyn, New York: 2007)
Jasmine Lawrence became the CEO of Eden Body Works, an all-natural hair and body care line that includes shampoo, conditioner, temple balm, and soap.
(Williamstown, New Jersey: 2007)
ENTREPRENEUR
Madison Nicole Robinson began selling her original children’s footwear, FishFlops, in 64 Nordstrom department stores.
(Texas: 2012)
Illustrated by Emilia Guerrero Hayllar
Visit Madison’s website.
Learn about Madison as:
– a visionary: age 8
ENTREPRENEUR
Aonghus Stevens bought and rented out drones to everyday people. Within a number of years, and after much work, his business became Australia’s largest drone service company.
(Australia: 2009)
Illustrated by Emilia Guerrero Hayllar
FOUNDER
Isaac Hertenstein founded Students Teaching Finance, (STF), a non-profit organization whose mission is for “student volunteers to teach youth at their schools and in their communities about the growing financial problems in our world and redirect their future financial paths.” Isaac is passionate about teaching others the powerful principles of finance. One of the main goals he has for STF is to combat economic inequality and diminish the wealth gap.
(Greencastle, Indiana: 2020)
Visit Isaac’s Website.
Alex Kline founded The Recruit Scoop, a college basketball recruiting website that provides up-to-date recruiting information. It gave high school basketball players exposure to college coaches and fans worldwide. Alex explains, that by using the website and his Twitter account, he was, “able to connect high school players with coaches based on their size, ability, level, and character.” A year later, Alex sold the website to Yahoo.
(Pennington, New Jersey: 2009)
Learn about Alex as:
– a founder: age 16
FOUNDER
Tiassa Mutunkei, often called “Elephant Girl” and “Wildlife Warrior,” founded Teens4Wildlife (T4W). It’s a mentoring and advocacy campaign to inform young people about wildlife conservation, fighting poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Tiassa explains, “I realized that many young people do not know how fast we are losing wildlife …T4W creates awareness about our wildlife and the need to stop the killings.” She adds, “We will not be the generation that will allow our wildlife to become extinct; we are the generation that will save it…I need to be the voice for our animals…We have lost too many elephants just for trinkets, toothpicks, jewelry and chopsticks…I am optimistic. People are becoming aware of the wildlife crisis of our time. I believe the power to save our wildlife is in our hands.”
(Kenya, Africa: 2016)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
FOUNDER: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Tavi Gevinson became the founder and editor-in- chief of Rookie, an online magazine and book series for teenage girls worldwide. It focused on a different theme each month. Tavi edited the site for 7 years, until 2018, when she ceased adding new material. Although it is no longer published, Tavi continues sharing its 87 issues which are archived and still accessible at www.rookiemag.com.
(Chicago, Illinois: 2011)
Illustrated by Alexandra Holliday
Learn about Tavi as:
– a blogger: age 11
INVENTOR
Joseph-Armand Bombardier invented the snowmobile.
(Valcourt, Quebec, Canada: 1922)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
INVENTOR
Louis Braille invented the raised dot reading system, to help blind people read. His system, called Braille, is now the standard form, worldwide, of writing and reading for people who are blind. Louis, who was blinded at age 5, learned by listening, developed a great memory, was a good student, but wasn’t satisfied. He wanted to learn how to read.
Learn more…
(France: 1824)
Illustrated by Elgin Bolling
INVENTOR
Christopher Cho invented the Automated Page-Replacing Contrivance which allows a musician to turn pages of music without interruption of his/her performance. It operates by means of a foot pedal which, when depressed, drops the front sheet of music, allowing the next page to be viewed. It won the 1993 Duracell/NSTA Scholarship Competition.
As a student at Ward Melville High School, Christopher played the viola and performed in the Julliard Pre-College Orchestra, where he won the 1995 Julliard Annual Award for Music.
(East Setauket, New York: 1992)
Thomas Edison invented an instrument that enabled messages to be transmitted automatically over a second line without the presence of an operator. This was Tom’s first major invention, which he created while working as a telegraph operator.
(Port Huron, Michigan: 1862)
INVENTOR
Chester Greenwood is credited with the invention of earmuffs, or ear protectors as he called them. Although other people may have created a similar item, Chester’s invention became world famous.
Learn more…
(Framington, Mane: 1873
Illustrated by Elgin Bolling
Learn about Chester as:
– a patentee: age 18
Vaishali Kiran Grover invented Ship Shape, an enzyme-based anti-fouling paint.
(Miami, Florida: 2003)
INVENTOR
Amin Hataman invented biodegradable bags made from a coconut by-product that disintegrates after several days. Amin’s purpose behind his invention is to reduce the use of plastic bags. In 2015, Amin’s invention earned him a bronze medal from the International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering and Environment Project.
(Mindanao, Philippines: 2014)
Illustrated by Alexandra Holliday
INVENTOR
Hannah Herbst invented the Ocean Energy Probe, a device that converts ocean currents into usable power through a generator. Hannah’s reason for inventing it was to provide fresh water and a source of sustainable power to people in developing countries.
(Boca Raton, Florida: 2015)
Visit Hannah’s website.
INVENTOR
Raina Jain invented a magnetically induced, visual detection of trace arsenic contaminants in water using FE304 Photonic crystal structures.
(Riverside, Connecticut: 2018)
INVENTOR
Reyhan Jamalova invented a smart device to generate electric power from raindrops. She came up with the idea after her father asked, “If you can make energy from wind, why not from rain?” Reyham (who was a 9th grader at the Istek Lyceum in Baku, Azerbaijan) and a friend, Zahra Gasimzade, with assistance from their physics tutors, spent four months developing the device. The State of Azerbaijan provided the initial costs to build it.
(Guba, Azerbaijan: 2018)
INVENTOR
Ann Lai invented Micro-Sensors, a small device for monitoring sulfur dioxide emissions, major contributors to acid rain. Sulfur dioxide is produced by a variety of industrial processes at refineries, metal smelters, and pulp and paper mills. Although other sensors are available, Ann’s invention is small and cost-efficient and can effectively monitor pollution emitted from individual smokestacks.
(Beachwood, Ohio: 2023)
INVENTOR
Ann Makosinski invented the Hollow Flashlight. Made from a hollow aluminum tube, it produces light by using the thermoelectric effect rather than batteries. Its renewable light is made by converting heat from the user’s hand into electricity strong enough to power an LED light bulb for 20 minutes.
Ann was inspired to invent the Hollow Flashlight after learning that a friend living in the Philippines was having difficulty in school because she didn’t have light to study at night.
Ann’s Hollow Flashlight won several awards at various competitions such as the 2013 Canada-Wide Science Fair and the Google Science Fair.
(Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: 2013)
Illustrated by Alexandra Holliday
Visit Ann’s website.
Learn about Ann as:
– an inventor: age 18
– a visionary: age 10
INVENTOR
Lino Marrero invented The Kinetic Kickz, a shoe insert that can charge cell phones, and other devices, using energy from the sole of a shoe.
(Frisco, Texas: 2022)
Illustrated by Catherine Sun
Learn about Lino as:
– an inventor: age 10
INVENTOR
Annie Ostojic invented a battery-charging device with optical concentrator reflector design that optimizes indoor energy harvesting.
(Munster, Indiana: 2018)
Naveen Neil Sinha invented the Multi-Purpose Non-Invasive Sensor for monitoring contents inside closed containers. Such a sensor is important because it avoids contamination of very clean or pure substances. Naveen’s invention uses two ultrasonic transducers mounted on opposite sides on the outside of the container. The two sound waves produced combine to create an interference pattern that is then used to monitor the contents of the container. At the time, Naveen was a student at Los Alamos High School.
(Los Alamos, New Mexico: 2000)
Lisa Marie Wright invented the Auto-Off Candle.
(Columbus, Ohio: 2002)
LIFESAVER / RESCUER
Joseph Stelmaszek, while walking over a bridge on his way home from school, encountered a woman who was planning to jump off the bridge and commit suicide. Even though Joseph didn’t know the woman, he wanted to help her.
Learn more…
(North Fort Myers, Florida: 2000)
MILLIONAIRE: NON-INHERITED
Dominic Edward Henry McVey became Britain’s youngest self-made millionaire, by importing collapsible mini-scooters from the US to England. He started his business at age 13.
(London, England: 2000)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
Learn about Dominic as:
– an entrepreneur: age 13
MILLIONAIRE: NON-INHERITED
MUSICIAN: DRUMMER
Millo Castro Zaldarriaga played her bongo drums at a New York birthday celebration for U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She performed with her older sisters as part of Anacaona, Cuba’s first all-girl dance band. About five years earlier, girls in Cuba were not allowed to play the drums, since that was only for boys. Millo helped change that tradition.
(Cuba: Circa 1935)
Illustrated by Sofia Gomez
Learn about Millo as:
– a musician: age 10
MUSICIAN: SINGER
Justin Bieber (above), singer and songwriter, performed on stage for NBC Today Show Concert with Justin Bieber, Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY.
(Ontario, Canada: 2010)
Visit Justin’s website.
Learn about Justin as:
– an author: age 16
Billy Gilman, an American country music singer, release his single “One Voice” making him the youngest male artist in history to ever have a top 40 single on the country chart.
(Richmond, Rhode Island: 2003)
Visit Billy’s website.
Learn about Billy as:
– a musician: age 12
MUSICIAN: VIOLINIST
Sarah Chang performed the Violin Concerto in D major by Mozart to the sold-out concert in the Hamilton Town Hall, Brisbane, Australia.
(New Jersey: 1999)
Illustrated by Ivy Guo
Visit Sarah’s website.
PROGRAM DEVELOPER
Shelarese Ruffin began developing an intervention program that enables middle and high school students to confront and overcome drug and other discipline problems, instead of being expelled from school.
Learn more…
(Atlanta, Georgia: 1998)
REPORTER:
'"TIME FOR KIDS" MAGAZINE
Tyler Gordon
(San Jose, California: 2021 – 2022)
Lino Marrero
(Frisco, Texas: 2022 – 2023)
Gitanjali Rao
(Lone Tree, Colorado: 2021 – 2022)
Visit Gitanjali’s website.
Learn about Gitanjali as:
– an advocate: age 16
– an inventor: age 11
– a reporter: age 11
Jordan Reeves
(Columbia, Missouri: 2021 – 2022)
Visit Jordan’s website.
SOCIAL MEDIA STAR /
INTERNET CELEBRITY
Olivia Olivarez achieved a following of 1.7 million on TikTok, where she creates lip sync videos.
(Fort Worth, Texas: 2022)
SOCIAL MEDIA STAR /
YOUTUBER
Akash Vukoti creates educational and motivational videos on his YouTube channel, which boasts nearly 1 million subscribers and over 182 million views. His content covers a wide range of topics, including spelling, math, science, geography, current events, and much more. He shares videos from his TV appearances, media interviews, and public speaking engagements, attracting a significant international audience.
(San Angelo, Texas: 2024)
Story: Courtesy of Akash & His Family
Visit Akash’s website.
SPEAKER
John Lewis preached his first public “trial sermon” at the Macedonia Baptist Church in Troy, Alabama. He entitled it, A Praying Mother based on The Old Testament Book of First Samuel. John’s sermon was inspired by Autherine Lucy, who at that time was trying to become the first black student the University of Alabama.
John’s sermon became so popular, that his photo was published in The Montgomery Advertiser, accompanied with a story about him as the emerging “Boy Preacher”. Some time later, when John first met Martin Luther King Jr., King told him, “I just want to meet the boy from Troy.”
John went on to become a civil rights leader and US congressman.
(Troy, Alabama: 1956)
Learn about John as:
– a visionary: age 5
SPEAKER
Akash Vukoti inspired audiences across the United States and globally through his motivational keynote speeches delivered to schools, colleges and other institutions. In 2024, Akash delivered the Keynote Address at a Charter School District Administrators’ Meeting in Columbia, South Carolina (SC). He also gave a Commencement Speech at the LLCS 2024 High School Graduation Ceremony near Charleston, SC, while still being a freshman in high school. Additionally, he presented a keynote speech at the Senior Management Meeting for Signode, a prominent American multinational company, and has given 16 motivational speeches at various schools and colleges across India.
Story: Courtesy of Akash & His Family
Visit Akash’s website.
SPEAKER: TED TALK
Zoe Rosenberg, as stated on her website, “gave an inspiring TED talk in front of 2,000 people on the campus of California State University (CalPoly), recounting her experiences as an animal rights activist starting from age 11 and continuing through her entire youth. Although she was the only under 18 years old to present at the event, her talk was the only one selected by TED.com to be featured on their main site. ”
(California: 2017)
Visit Zoe’s website.
Learn about Zoe as:
– an activist: age 11, age 16
– a founder: age 12
– a speaker: age 12
VISIONARY
Angelina Arora, while eating a prawn (shrimp) dinner, had a Eureka Moment. “Prawn shells look like plastic.” She wondered if there was a way to use the clear, transparent part of the shell to make a biodegradable alternative to plastic. While a student at Australia’s Sydney Girls High School, Angelina began researching her idea, as a way to help the environment. Two years later, at age 17, Angelina invented a new type of biodegradable plastic made from prawn shells. Angelina’s message: “Age shouldn’t be a limit to invention and discovery.“
(Adelaide, Australia: 2018)
Illustrated by Sofia Gomez
Learn about Angelina as:
– an inventor: age 17
VISIONARY
Leah Flynn has been playing the violin for ten years. She started two days after she turned five. Leah explains, “In today’s classical music, there is a need for diversity and inclusion. As an African American female, I anticipate challenges in my aspirations for acceptance as a classical musician. Hopefully, the beautiful music I play, will help me gain acceptance quicker. There definitely needs to be a wider representation of ethnic performers, especially African Americans in the arts. I remain committed to this cause, as I am very passionate about classical music and really enjoy creating beautiful music on my violin. My dream is to inspire other youth to play the violin or another instrument. I believe young people will become inspired to play an instrument, whenever they see me perform.”
(Orlando, Florida: 2023)
Photo: Courtesy of Leah and Her Parents
Visit Leah’s website.
Learn about Leah as:
– a musician: age 7
– a college graduate: age 15
VISIONARY
Albert V. Sadacca, after reading an article about a New York City house fire caused by candles on a Christmas tree, envisioned a safer way to light and decorate household Christmas trees. Albert, whose family owned a novelty lighting company, thought, “Maybe we ought to put those little lights on a string and sell them.” Although a similar idea had been implemented for commercial use, Albert’s vision revolutionized home use. The first year, his family’s company sold about 100 strands of white lights. The second year, they also offered strands of multicolored lights, and sold thousands. Albert went on to become the president of NOMA, the world’s largest Christmas light manufacturer.
(New York City, New York: 1917)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
NOTABLE
NOTABLE
Albert Einstein was teaching himself differential and integral calculus. To clear his mind and free his imagination, he would construct houses of card, often up to 14 stories high.
(Germany: 1894)