Nearly one year ago, I welcomed my first daughter into the world. During the months leading up to her birth, I found myself jotting down the traits I hoped she might possess one day: bravery, intelligence, and kindness. I thought often about how important these characteristics are, especially in a world that desperately needs them.
Upon my return from leave, I set out to find these very traits in ten girls around the world for TIME’s first-ever Girls of the Year list. Girls who challenged stereotypes, tackled problems head-on, and sought to build solutions from the ground up.
From France came a singer channeling her talents into the fight against bullying. From the U.S., a young author who transformed her family’s hardships into powerful advocacy for organ donation. From the U.K., a 12-year-old innovator whose creativity is helping the unhoused. And from Turkey, a young pilot literally reaching new heights.
These girls are part of a generation that’s reshaping what leadership looks like today. Women now make up over half of all students enrolled in tertiary education worldwide, and these young women are pursuing careers in engineering, technology, and innovation at record rates. Their generation understands that change doesn’t require waiting for adulthood—it starts with seeing problems and refusing to accept them as permanent.
We all know how daunting it can feel to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, believing there’s nothing we can do to change it. But TIME’s Girls of the Year—who are all between the ages of 12 and 17—prove that changing your community and inspiring those around you can send ripple effects around the globe.
See the full TIME Girls of the Year list here.