SAM WESTON
INVERURIE ACADEMY “Stop comparing yourself to others. You can be the most beautiful rose in the garden and some jerk will still say they prefer daisies.” This quote is important to me as I can become consumed by worrying what others think about me when I shouldn’t really care. I am my own person and sometimes people won’t agree with me or like me but other people will. I love who I am and that matters more. The person I admire is Ashley Frangipane, a singer-songwriter better known by her stage name Halsey. She has taught be to take pride in my racial background as, like me, she has parents of different races. She is a firm believer in equality for all and from this I have learned to stand up or what I believe in. She is a popular artist who feels the need to speak about other issues like mental health, sexuality and race. Because of her openness I have learned that it is important to spread awareness about issues that people are reluctant to speak about. A recent achievement for me was participating in a presentation for a chosen local charity in the community. It was a real confidence booster to speak publicly about an important topic like mental health and I’m looking forward to doing something similar again. Since the presentation my friends and I have continued to help the charity out.
“By thinking about my qualities I’ve really begun to understand what motivates me, what I love about myself and what I need to do to improve as a person.”
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LILY ANN DOYLE ISLAY HIGH SCHOOL
“Old enough to know better, Young enough to do it anyway, Smart enough not to get caught, And experienced enough to blame my brother” Lily Ann Doyle Ma’A Nonu is my inspirational figure because he is so resilient when he is on the rugby pitch. He plays to the best of his ability and is a good team player. If he experiences a setback, he will pick himself up, learn from his mistakes and keep trying until he succeeds, which is what I love about him. I wish I could be more like Nonu with his patience and perseverance. His hair is another thing I like, because it is just amazing. He is also strong and fast at running. He scored the winning try in the Rugby World Cup final in 2015. The motto of the New Zealand team is: we scrum for possession, run for the try-zone, bleed for the team and live for the game. The thing I’m most proud of is being able to play the chanter and bagpipes. My uncle played the pipes, and so did my grandpa, and I play his silver mounted pipes. When I play it makes me smile and gives me a tingly feeling inside.