From an Olympic gold medallist to a 12-year-old tackling homelessness, TIME’s first-ever Girls of the Year list spotlights ten extraordinary young women who are proving you don’t have to be an adult to make a big impact. Backed by LEGO’s She Built That campaign, it’s all about showing the next generation they can build anything, including a better future.
They’re scientists, athletes, inventors, and campaigners. They’re tackling everything from homelessness to climate change. And they’re all still in school.
TIME has just revealed its first-ever Girls of the Year list – ten young leaders from around the globe who are proving that leadership, innovation, and courage have no age limit. Each honouree, aged between 12 and 17, is making a tangible difference in their community and beyond, from breaking records on the Olympic stage to building life-saving tech.
The new annual list is backed by the LEGO Group’s She Built That campaign, which aims to smash outdated stereotypes and show girls everywhere that they can be builders. Of ideas, solutions… even a better world.
Among this year’s honourees is 12-year-old Rebecca Young from the UK, an engineer who’s come up with practical, innovative solutions to help tackle homelessness. Her work is a reminder that creativity isn’t just about making things look good, it can solve real-world problems too.
Over in Japan, Coco Yoshizawa, 15, has already achieved what every athlete dreams of, and that’s winning Olympic gold. That in itself has made her a role model for young sportswomen everywhere.
And from New Zealand, Rutendo Shadaya, 17, is championing the voices of young authors, making sure the next generation of storytellers is heard loud and clear. To see the complete list and read each of the honouree’s story, head to TIME’s Girls of the Year profiles.
The She Built That campaign came out of some eye-opening research by the LEGO Group. They found that the very idea of “building” has a perception problem. It doesn’t always click with girls – in fact, 70% of young women globally don’t see themselves as good at building things. Most parents (72%) also feel girls lack visible female role models who’ve literally built the world.
The study, which surveyed over 32,000 parents and children across 21 countries, revealed just how invisible women’s achievements can be. Kids are twice as likely to credit major inventions to men, with most believing Wi-Fi, fridges, and even the moon landing software were created by men, when in reality all were pioneered by women.
Julia Goldin from LEGO says that gap matters. “When girls don’t see it, they don’t believe it. And the world risks missing out on the next big breakthrough. There’s no stopping what girls can build. TIME’s Girls of the Year is a step in giving the next generation the role models they deserve, recognising young women globally who are not just imagining a better world but actively creating it.”
It’s something that sits at the heart of LEGO’s mission: to build confidence, imagination, and creativity through play… and to unlock the potential of every child. Partnering with TIME’s Girls of the Year is a way to challenge outdated stereotypes and put the spotlight on girls as the architects of change – not just in the future, but right now.
