Krtin Nithiyanandam, 17
He may not have graduated high school yet, but Nithiyanandam — whose interest in science was sparked after getting a ear surgery as a kid — already has a resume that rivals many professional researchers. In 2015, when he was only 15, the UK native developed an antibody that can help detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, a project that earned him a $25,000 award at the Google Science Fair. Then, this September, he won another award for creating a bioplastic that can clear wastewater of toxins.
Millie Bobby Brown, 13
Not many actors can say they got an Emmy nomination for convincing the world that they have superpowers. Brown can, thanks to her role on Netflix’s sci-fi ‘Stranger Things’. She plays Eleven, a mysterious girl — part science experiment, part prodigy, part awkward teen — who uses telekinesis to ward off evil. But there’s a remarkable nuance in Brown’s performance, the kind that is able to convey melancholy beneath magic. It has made her the standout character on a show brimming with them, one who inspires memes, Halloween costumes and newfound interest in Eggo waffles (Eleven’s favourite food).
Brooklyn Beckham, 18
The son of footballer David and fashion icon Victoria, Beckham, pursued photography at Parsons in New York, has started his success trip with a book of his own photos, a campaign for Burberry Brit and has 10 million Instagram followers.
Chloe Kim, 17
When Kim’s father first took her snowboarding near the family’s home in California, she was 4. She didn’t fall hard for the sport. “I wanted to go play My Little Ponies,” she says. “But I was stuck on a mountain.” That was then. Now, Kim, who last year became the first woman to ever land back-to-back three full revolutions in the air, is widely seen as a favourite to win gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics in S Korea. Source: Time
Mikaila Ulmer, 13
Like most kids her age, Ulmer used to hate bees. “I despised anything that buzzed,” she says. But shortly after she was stung, twice, in 2009, she developed a fascination — she learned that honeybees are critical to the ecosystem, and also going extinct. So Ulmer decided to help – with lemonade. Using her great grandmother’s recipe, Ulmer made a blend, sweetened with local honey, to sell at fairs, donating 10% of her profits to honeybee advocate groups. Now Me & the Bees Lemonade is stocked across the US markets.
Rayouf Alhumedhi, 16
ThisVienna high school student proposed Apple’s new emoji with a headscarf. While messaging friends, she was baffled when she couldn’t find one donning a headscarf. Alhumedhi from Saudi Arabia appealed to Apple and the firm announced that the emoji was on its way.
Moziah Bridges, 15
At 9, Bridges launched his own handmade bow-tie business from his grandmother. Now Mo’s Bows is worth about $1.5 million — thanks in part to his 2015 appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank and, recently, a licensing deal with the NBA has let Bridges sell bow ties featuring team logos. “My all-time goal is to be a fashion mogul,” he says.
Muzoon Almellehan, 19
For millions of refugee kids, the outlook is bleak: less than half are enrolled in schools. Called ‘Malala of Syria’, Almellehan, who experienced these conditions firsthand after she fled Syria in 2013, is fighting to change this. She became UNICEF’s youngest goodwill ambassador. She has been spreading awareness in Chad, where the militant group Boko Haram has forced children out of school.
Salvador Gómez Colón, 15
Everything went dark when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. Initially, Colón says he felt scared. “Then I asked myself, How could I give people hope?” he says. The answer: Light and Hope for Puerto Rico, a campaign he started to raise money for solar lamps, hand-operated washing machines and other supplies for those in need. In four days, he raised $36,000.
Kaia gerber, 16
The daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber has inherited her mother’s fashion savvy. Since gracing the cover of Vogue Paris with her mom at 14, Gerber has made a name for herself as a high fashion model and snagged campaigns for major brands like Versace, Alexander Wang, among others.