Naomi Tan Shi Xuan
Sec 2-8 (2023)
(Silver Award)
Dear Zuriel Oduwole,
I have a confession to make. I am utterly terrified. Going online these days, I am bombarded with headlines, hashtags, cries for help and calls to action.
Within two minutes of scrolling through my feed, I encounter videos about the reinstatement of laws stripping people of rights in Mississippi. In another four minutes, news of the catastrophic wildfires sweeping Canada reach me. Two more minutes pile on to my doom scrolling and I am made aware of the overturning of a law that protects indigenous people. Mere minutes gone and I am overwhelmed beyond belief.
I am at a total loss on what to do. As a teenager, I don’t have much money or a platform to truly make a tangible difference. The miniscule efforts I take to contribute to the remedying of global calamities seem futile, almost pathetic.
It feels as if my want to spark real and meaningful change is disproportionate to my ability to do that, and the prospect of my age limiting me weighs heavily on me everyday.
Navigating through the internet daily, I have to truly ask myself what power I possess in this sprawling world as a youth.
~~
It was in the pitch black of my room that I stumbled upon a beacon of light.
Call it destiny, or some miraculous happenstance that a video of a TedTalk popped up amongst the plethora of other videos on my YouTube homepage. One thing about the speaker immediately caught my eye.
Examining the thumbnail of the video, she looked younger than any TedTalk speaker I had seen before. My curiosity piqued, I clicked on it and watched through bleary eyes.
“My name is Zuriel Oduwole, I’m a 19 year old filmmaker and girl education advocate.”
You shared the story of your ten-year-old self and your sister amongst throngs of world leaders more than twice your age.
A child even younger than me, driven by pure fearlessness and passion to organise meetings with people at the top of entire nations. Armed with a camera in hand, using your voice which- however small or insignificant it may have seemed, echoed around the globe.
Images flashed on my screen alongside your words. Pictures of adults decked out in business wear, limbs folded comfortably as they sat, full attention devoted to you. You, whose hands emoted passionately as you spoke, seated in plush oversized armchairs.
You spoke of sitting down with the president of Mozambique, of raising the issue of his country having one of the highest rates of girl marriage in the world. Your impact was made simply by being there, being present as an example of an educated and powerful young woman.
You announced your presence the moment you spoke, gently, with a smile. “I am here. I speak for thousands of women in your country whose educations are being disrupted by marriage, whose futures are predetermined, and whose chances to pave their own way are stolen.”
Though these words were left unspoken, they were felt, hanging heavy in the air, bearing down on that room, pressing for change. And they were heard, for in a little more than a year, girl marriage was officially outlawed in Mozambique.
I exhaled in a mix of wonder and disbelief.
For months, it had felt like I was suspended between sea and shore. Anchored in place, feet planted at the cusp of a breakthrough. My arms grasped desperately at air while land swerved wildly from my reach, taunting me with the prospect of relief.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world.", had been the words I strived to live by since young. And yet, since then, I had only been grappling with how to do that at my age.
Your words felt like the lifting of a fog, like streams of daylight breaking through dawn. All at once, everything paused in a moment of pure catharsis.
You were an epiphany, living proof that my age could be my biggest advantage instead of obstacle. I wielded the power to connect with fellow individuals of Gen Z; those widely hailed as the most powerful youth in history.
When the world forsook us, we demanded better. We hollered at the top of our lungs, started internet campaigns and served as the catalyst for change. Every drop in the ocean counts. Every voice heard and hand raised matters in the constant fight for a better world.
Thank you, Zuriel, for teaching me to dream up, speak up, stand up.
Fung Yun Qing
Sec 4-6 (2023)
(Gold Finalist Award)
Prompt: Does age matter?
“Respect your elders”, “The young are the future” – these are common sayings presenting contrasting views on an age-old question. The dilemma on whether age is relevant has a multitude of viewpoints to take into consideration when coming to a verdict on this. Does being young or old truly have an impact?
First, in the eyes of the law and contracts, age certainly plays a part in the legislature and policies all over the world. Jurisprudence in many countries have established a limit that classifies individuals of a certain age as minors and have laws protecting these minors from harm. For instance, the law in Singapore demonstrates leniency towards minors and believes that they do not deserve to have their life ruined before it even started. Similarly, numerous internet websites also have an age limit, such as Twitter’s requirement that their users be aged 13 or older. Children and teenagers might not be aware of what they can find on the internet so the age restriction helps shield them from coming across inappropriate content. From my perspective as a young person, laws and policies are a necessary safeguard from harm online and in reality as children and teens may not be able to grasp the consequences of their actions or be prepared to face the repercussions.
Secondly, in the matter of achievements and one’s success, age might be a factor. For many people, success can be measured by how high they have climbed in the job ladder. No one is too old to change their career and pursue new aspirations. For instance, Colonel Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), a popular fast food chain, started the business at the age of 60. However, there is an age restriction in many countries, setting the age that young people are allowed to work. For the United Kingdom, that age is 13. Yet, there are child actors earning a living for their families all over the world. They might not be able to handle their fame, which comes with being stalked by the media. Selena Gomez embarked on her career at the age of 10. Growing up in the harsh and judgemental eye of the public at such a tender age, she wasn't able to live her childhood like the rest of her peers and has been criticised by so many since young. Consequently, the hate that grownup celebrities deal with were prematurely shoved upon a young child. Even with the best support system, they may still struggle.
The next point of discussion is on relationships and matters of intimacy. A large age gap between partners is something that is not a norm in society, as many people choose to be with others around their own age. However, relationships with large age differences do exist. Many wonder if these relationships should be accepted. People of different ages have distinct needs and desires. If a young adult, who wants to explore and go on adventures, and an older person, who's looking for stability and to start a family, may be incompatible due to their divergent goals. Neither party should have to be compelled to comprise their dreams for the other’s sake. Additionally, sexual intercourse is a facet of many relationships so it demands discussion. The age of consent varies from country to country, for example, 13 in Japan and 16 in the United Kingdom. This is to protect minors from making irreparable mistakes due to their naive innocence.
Additionally, age also shapes the type of lifestyle that people lead. Older people usually lead more sedentary lifestyles as they may have mobility issues or health issues that prevent them from being too active. Adults will tend to focus more on their career or their family, so their lifestyle and choices will revolve mainly around those aspects. Younger people will tend to be more active as it would be the time of their life to explore the limitless possibilities of the world and go on a path of self discovery. Nevertheless, this is not a one-size-fits-all situation so one cannot categorise different age groups’ lifestyles as individuals encounter diverse circumstances that cause their lifestyle to deviate from those in their age group.
Lastly, some other notable points of discussion might be the picking up of skills. Children have a propensity to pick up skills faster, prompting parents to enrol their kids for special classes, like piano or gymnastics, when they're younger. Scientific research has proved that it is true that children surpass adults in their learning abilities. Age also bears relevance in relation to health. The elderly are more susceptible to health issues like diabetes and chronic disorders. Mental health disorders are also more commonly diagnosed in children. However, it is important to note that illnesses of all kinds can affect anyone, some age groups might just be more prone to them then others.
To offer my own opinion on this complex issue of the significance of age, to put it simply, I believe that age does matter. Age has shaped policies around the world and critics cannot dispute that age does influence what a person does and how society may perceive a person. With that in mind, I also believe that someone’s age should not be a basis of discrimination or be the sole thing society should focus on. In order to progress harmoniously in this ever-evolving world, people of all ages, different walks of life and backgrounds should have a voice that is heard. No one age group can claim to be superior, and we can all achieve great things despite our age.
In summary, that will be my thoughts on the matter, complimented by some factual observation and research. I hope that this will be thought-provoking and that this essay could even inspire some change or ignite conversations on this topic.