Breaking Records and Redefining Sports: Athletes We Cheered On in 2019

Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in the world championships’ history with 25 world medals.

 

Cori “Coco” Gauff, 15, made history as the youngest tennis player to qualify for Wimbledon (after beating Venus Williams!).

 

The US women’s national soccer team won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup (undefeated!!) while advocating for equal pay for women in sports.

 

Philly teens like Shariah Harris are redefining the sport of polo through the Work to Ride team.

 

Najla Imad Lafta, 14, survived a bomb attack and went on to become a top Iraqi table tennis player.

 

TAKE ACTION: Demand equal payment for women athletes from the US Soccer Federation.

Never Too Young to Make a Difference: 2019’s Under 7-Year-Old Heroes

Jermaine Bell, 4, fed Hurricane Dorian evacuees with money he was saving for a Disney World trip.

 

This 4-year-old used his birthday party to raise money for RAICES, an immigration service organization.

 

Parker Curry, 4, published a book about the time that she saw herself in a Michelle Obama portrait.

 

Blake Rahjan, 6, designed and wore a custom shirt to let his classmates know he was there for them on the first day of school.

 

Weston Newswanger, 5, donated 3,000 toys to the hospital where he was treated for cancer.

Around the World in 2019: Young People With an International Impact

Omari McQueen, 11, became the youngest restaurateur in the world when he opened his Caribbean, vegan pop-up in London.

 

Aisha Mustapha, 15, wrote a comic about how she didn’t let Boko Haram stop her from attending school in Nigeria.

 

Kamkwamba, 14, built windmills out of junk to supply his village of Malawi with electricity.

 

Simone, 15, went viral for standing up to far-right fascist protesters in his Italian neighborhood.

 

TAKE ACTION: Online hate speech fuels violence against people of color. Flag hateful content online to stop its spread.

We Got Schooled This Year: 2019’s Student Heroes in Education

These Nevada high schoolers used TikTok to strike in solidarity with their teachers.

 

Sarahi Espinoza Salamnca created an app to help undocumented students find college scholarships.

 

Washington DC students organized against dress codes that disproportionately target Black girls.

 

Brooklyn middle schoolers who successfully protested to make their schools less segregated.

 

Through the Students Say No Movement in Canada, students walked out in protest of proposed changes to the educational system, including increasing class sizes and cutting arts funding.

 

TAKE ACTION: Write your rep about approving H.R. 2740 to increase funding for public schools by $4.4 billion.

Straight Out of a Comic Book: 2019’s *Literal* Life-Saving Heroes

Cheerleader Tyra Winters, 17, jumped off a homecoming float to save a choking child.

 

Kailyn Carkhuff, 13, saved the lives of seven people from a house fire with her quick thinking.

 

A group of Calgary skateboarders stepped in to stop a sexual assault and detain the attacker.

 

Zac Clark, 16, LIFTED A CAR to save his neighbor.

 

James Harelson, 12, saved his father and dog from an explosive fire.

 

Cousins Nate Williams and Darius Dillard rescued an entire family of strangers from a house fire.

 

TAKE ACTION: If you’re over 18, you could literally save a life when you join the bone marrow registry. Be listed as a potential donor for patients in need of a transplant.

Making Change on the Stage and Screen: 2019 Heroes in Media and the Arts

Molly Smith, 18, created a short film about the impact of gun violence on Gen Z and won an Emmy for her work.

 

These young women wrote a Broadway show about VIKINGS and FRIENDSHIP.

 

Charlotte Nebres, 11, made history as the first black lead in NYC Ballet’s The Nutcracker.

 

Marsai Martin, 14, became the youngest executive producer in Hollywood.

Fighting for Our Future: Climate Activists Who Made Their Voice Heard in 2019

Climate activist Greta Thunberg, 16, was the youngest person to be recognized as TIME’s Person of the Year for her work in the youth-led movement for climate action.

 

US Youth Climate Strike activists launched a massively successful petition to demand a climate debate from Democratic presidential candidates (which led to CNN’s climate town hall!).

 

Indigenous activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, 19, was a powerful voice in the climate justice movement.

 

Isra Hirsi, 16, co-founded the US Youth Climate Strike, which mobilized young people in the US to show up for the September 20 protests.

 

TAKE ACTION: Climate action didn’t end in September. Follow this guide from the Global Climate Strike for your next steps.

2020 Election, Here We Come: Voter Registration Heroes from This Year

David Ledbetter, 17, got a lot of buzz for registering people to vote in line for Popeyes.

 

Aleida Ramos, 15, used her quinceañera to boost Latino voter registration (she was the first of a few Texas teens to do so).

 

Madeline Feiock, 18, presented her idea to the Florida School Board Association to let Florida teens 'pre-register' to vote at school.

 

TAKE ACTION: If you’re eligible, take 2 minutes to make sure you’re registered to vote (and encourage others to do the same!).

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