Teen Activists

Sometimes the world can seem like a dreadful place surrounded by brutal situations with no way out. Child labor, bullying, and world hunger are just some examples of those situations. These circumstances can lead to physical injury, social problems, emotional problems, and even death. Luckily, some teens around the world have decided to stand up for what they believe is right. They change the world by making things better for us. They care and try to change things to help us. They make this world a better environment. Such teens are called teen activists. Teen activists may become who they are because of some of their personal struggles or they might get inspired by others struggles. They persevere and fight for what they believe is right.

For example, Malala Y. went on a TV show called Comedy Central. When Malala was 15, two Taliban soldiers shot her in the head because she tried to stand up for girls education. She explained how the Taliban came and started shutting down schools. She mentioned that her father was a great encouragement to her and was the reason she continued speaking. She explained that she tried to go to every media show she could find to spread the word. Another example is Alex Libby. He was a victim of bullying at his school. On the school bus, kids punched, stabbed and choked him just because he looked different. Alex just wanted some friends back then so he just put up with it. The principal of the school didn’t believe Alex’s mom when she said that Alex was being bullied on the bus. The filmmaker Lee Hirsch secretly filmed Alex being bullied on the bus and at school and made it into a documentary called Bully. The school was showed the film. A couple of months later, he switched schools, and became very popular as a result of the film. He was on ABC news so that he could talk about the film. He expressed how he felt being bullied on the bus, and life in a new school. Alex was a victim of bullying but he started standing up for himself, and now he helps others cope with