Sometimes we forget that kids have a unique perspective on the world. They haven’t become jaded, and their naivety doesn’t constrain their biggest dreams. This can enable some truly remarkable things. These 10 kids demonstrated bravery and intelligence; our list includes future scientists, activists, speakers, and inventors. Let’s take a look at some ideas that changed the world.
Anne Frank
Many students around the world learn about the Holocaust by learning about Anne Frank. During the Nazi persecution, the thirteen-year-old and her family hid in the attic from the Gestapo, the Nazis’ secret police. She documented her experiences, feelings, and aspirations in a diary she kept for two years. Her diary was discovered, then published and translated into 70 different languages. The Diary of a Young Girl taught millions of people about empathy.
Nkosi Johnson
Nkosi Johnson was a South African boy who greatly influenced the public’s perception of the AIDS epidemic. Born with HIV, Johnson first drew attention when a school refused to accept him as a student because of his health status. He continued to advocate for children with HIV/AIDS up until he died in 2001, at 12 years old.
Greta Thunberg
Greta Thunberg gained international attention when she was fifteen. The young Swede is an environmental activist whose school strikes and speeches brought climate change into public discussion. Her #FridaysForFuture hashtag became a movement with thousands of participants. She continues to advocate for the environment and exert pressure on politicians to effect change.
Jaylen Arnold
Jaylen Arnold was an eight-year-old young man with tourette’s syndrome and autism. Constant bullying inspired him to speak and travel to schools nationwide with an anti-bullying campaign called “Bullying No Way!” Over the past decade he’s talked to thousands of students about acceptance and empathy. He even created the “Bully-Free Schools Ambassadors Club” curriculum, which many schools have adopted.
Emma Gonzalez
In 2018, a gunman entered Parkland High School and opened fire on students and staff, killing 17 and wounding 18 victims. Emma Gonzalez was one of the surviving students. Since the tragedy, Gonzalez has been an outspoken proponent for stricter gun policies. She and other survivors co-founded March For Our Lives, a movement whose efforts have led to key changes such as raising the minimum age to purchase a firearm and implementing waiting periods during background checks.
Claudette Colvin
Before Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat for a white passenger, there was Claudette Colvin. The young black teenager’s refusal to move led to her arrest and subsequent court case, Browder v. Gayle. The case reached the Supreme Court, which ruled that segregating bus seats was unconstitutional. Colvin has since become recognized as a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
Louis Braille
At the age of 15, Louis Braille invented a writing system that enabled people who are blind to read. Blind himself, Braille used raised dots to represent letters, numbers, and punctuation. The notation gained popularity while he was attending the Royal Institution for Blind Youth. After he died in 1852, the tactile writing system known as Braille was adopted worldwide and adapted for use in other languages.
Easton Lachappelle
Wunderkind Easton Lachappelle created the first low-cost robotic hand using LEGO, fishing line, and electrical tubing. After seeing a prosthetic hand at a science fair, Lachappelle was convinced he could build one that would cost less than the $80,000 tag. He shared his $250 robot arm at the White House Science Fair, where he shook former President Obama’s hand. At age 17, he created one that was controlled by a wireless headset. Later he worked with NASA on their Robonaut project. Lachappelle is responsible for pushing the field of robotics and prosthetics.
Jazz Jennings
At age six, Jazz Jennings was interviewed by Barbara Walters on 20/20 about what it was like to be transgender. The high-profile appearance launched the topic into public discourse. As Jennings got older, they became an activist advocating for transgender rights, equality, and acceptance. She wrote a children’s book on the subject and starred in a TLC reality TV series called I Am Jazz (which is also the title of the book).
Jack Andraka
Teen Jack Andraka, with access to free online resources and lab facilities at Johns Hopkins University, developed a new method for detecting pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancer. He invented a paper-based sensor that was inexpensive to manufacture and provided results in minutes. Andraka was just 15 years old.
