Who will you choose? From a tennis star to an environmental activist, we look at four teenagers from around the world who have made a real impact in 2023.
Your chance to vote for teenager of the year
Who will you choose? From a tennis star to an environmental activist, we look at four teenagers from around the world who have made a real impact in 2023.
Now make your choice
Joan of Arc was 17 when she led the French army into battle. Mary Shelley was 18 when she started writing Frankenstein. Mark Zuckerberg was 19 when he founded Facebook. Teenagers have achieved some remarkable things, and this year we celebrate four young people who are doing the same.
The girl trying to become the next Serena Williams Coco Gauff was six when she started playing tennis. By the age of 10 Coco was training with the former coach of Serena Williams and inspired to match her achievements. At 14 she became the No.1 junior women's tennis player in the world, and at 15 qualified for WimbledonAn international tennis tournament held in London every year., the youngest player to take part since the game went professional.
Since then, Coco has reached the late stages of the majors1 several times, without winning. However, this year, at the age of 19, she won the US Open - the first American teenager to triumph at the tournament since Serena Williams. She's currently ranked third in the world. "The goal is No.1."
The boy who wants to save the oceans Seven years ago, Haaziq Kazi had an idea while washing his hands in Pune, a city in Western India. He had been watching documentaries about plastic pollution in the ocean2 and wondered if he could design a boat that cleared rubbish the same way that water drained down the sink. At the moment, the idea for ERVIS was born: a boat that would remove plastic through creating whirlpools.
Now aged seventeen, Haaziq has given multiple TED talksTalks by expert speakers or influential people, which are then uploaded to the internet so people can view them for free. TED conferences is a non-profit organisation. , addressed a United NationsAn international organisation focused on keeping peace. Its refugee agency, the UNHCR, aims to assist refugees around the world. forum, and launched an organisation teaching young people about the plastic crisis in oceans. "They tell us kids not to daydream," he says. "But I'm not one to listen."
The girl teaching children to understand AI Neha Shukla is 18, but she's already had several careers. She has interned with NasaThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration, responsible for the US space programme. and delivered workshops to over 70,000 students in collaboration with organisations like Apple and Nestle. She has also written bestselling books that encourage young women to enjoy STEMScience, technology, engineering and maths. STEM is a term used to group these academic disciplines. subjects3 and teach children about AIA computer programme that has been designed to think. . And she's even an inventor.
Neha's first invention came during the pandemic: a wearable social distancing device called SixFeetApart. Next, she built an app to combat homelessness in her home state of PennsylvaniaA US state with a population of nearly 13 million. . In the future, she wants to "develop technology for social ... and fight for positive change".
The girl educating teenagers about social media risks At the age of 13, Jimin Lee founded SELFidence, a charity supporting the mental health of young people in South Korea. Through social media campaigns, it educates children and teenagers about subjects like toxic productivity and spending too much time online.
Now aged sixteen, their resources have reached over 100,000 young people. In addition, Lee has been appointed the first youth ambassador for the Korean health ministry. She also published a research paper on TikTok and mental health misinformation. "You belong in this world," she explains. "That's what inspired me to found SELFidence."
Choose which of these impressive young people is your teenage of 2023. Come back tomorrow to see who has won.
Keywords
Wimbledon - An international tennis tournament held in London every year.
TED talks - Talks by expert speakers or influential people, which are then uploaded to the internet so people can view them for free. TED conferences is a non-profit organisation.
United Nations - An international organisation focused on keeping peace. Its refugee agency, the UNHCR, aims to assist refugees around the world.
Nasa - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, responsible for the US space programme.
STEM - Science, technology, engineering and maths. STEM is a term used to group these academic disciplines.
AI - A computer programme that has been designed to think.
Pennsylvania - A US state with a population of nearly 13 million.
Your chance to vote for teenager of the year
Glossary
Wimbledon - An international tennis tournament held in London every year.
TED talks - Talks by expert speakers or influential people, which are then uploaded to the internet so people can view them for free. TED conferences is a non-profit organisation.
United Nations - An international organisation focused on keeping peace. Its refugee agency, the UNHCR, aims to assist refugees around the world.
Nasa - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, responsible for the US space programme.
STEM - Science, technology, engineering and maths. STEM is a term used to group these academic disciplines.
AI - A computer programme that has been designed to think.
Pennsylvania - A US state with a population of nearly 13 million.