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A celebration of creativity and possibility, TIME debuts first-ever Girls of the Year List recognizing 10 young leaders inspiring communities around the world
The list, made possible by the LEGO Group, aligns with their She Built That campaign, which challenges stereotypes and empowers girls to see themselves as builders
Today, TIME reveals its first-ever Girls of the Year list, recognizing 10 young leaders who are inspiring communities around the world. The list, curated by TIME’s award-winning editorial team, has been made possible by the LEGO Group and aims to celebrate and empower girls.
The 2025 TIME Girls of the Year list features 10 honorees, including: Rutendo Shadaya, 17, an advocate for young authors in New Zealand; Coco Yoshizawa, 15, an Olympic gold-medalist in Japan; Valerie Chiu, 15, a global science educator in China; Zoé Clauzure, 15, an anti-bullying crusader in France; Clara Proksch, 12, a scientist prioritizing child safety in Germany; Ivanna Richards, 17, a racing driver shattering stereotypes in Mexico; Kornelia Wieczorek, 17, a biotech innovator in Poland; Defne Özcan, 17, a trailblazing pilot in Turkey; Rebecca Young, 12, an engineer tackling homelessness in the United Kingdom; and Naomi S. DeBerry, 12, an organ donation advocate and children’s book author in the United States.
– See the complete list and read the TIME Girls of the Year profiles: here
“At TIME, we’ve long believed that leadership has no age requirement. This belief is reflected in the inspiring young women named to our first-ever TIME Girls of the Year list, who are shaping their communities with courage and purpose,” said TIME CEO Jessica Sibley. “Thanks to our partnership with the LEGO Group, we are proud to spotlight those who are turning imagination into real-world impact.”
Of the new list, TIME’s Senior Editor Dayana Sarkisova writes: “These girls are part of a generation that’s reshaping what leadership looks like today…Their generation understands that change doesn’t require waiting for adulthood—it starts with seeing problems and refusing to accept them as permanent. …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.” Read more here.
Additionally, the LEGO Group and TIME Studios, the award-winning branded content studio, created a limited-edition animated TIME cover, reimagining this year’s Girls of the Year as LEGO Minifigures. Each character captures the spirit of their achievements, with the animation set to the empowering new LEGO anthem, She Built That.
See the TIME Girls of the Year cover: here
In a recent study by the LEGO Group, it found that the term “Building” has a perception problem. It doesn’t resonate with girls. The majority of (70%) young women globally struggle to see themselves as someone who is good at building things. Equally, most parents (72%) feel girls lack visible female role models who build the world.
Women’s achievements remain largely invisible to children, according to a survey of 32,605 parents and children across 21 countries. Kids are twice as likely to credit major inventions to men – with most believing that Wi-Fi (69%), fridges (63%) and even the moon landing software (68%) were invented by men, when in fact, all were pioneered by women.
Julia Goldin, LEGO Group Chief Product & Marketing Officer, said: “When girls don’t see it, they don’t believe it – 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. Together with TIME we hope these stories will inspire a future generation of unstoppable female builders to dream big and continue making their mark on the world.”
It’s a sentiment that ties into the LEGO Group’s wider mission: to build confidence, imagination and creativity through play and to unlock the potential of every child. The collaboration is an extension of the LEGO Group’s She Built That campaign, which aims to challenge outdated societal stereotypes that can limit the potential of girls, and to empower them to see themselves as builders in every sense of the word. In collaboration with TIME’s Girls of the Year, the initiative honors young females who are building the future, turning imagination into impact. It’s a celebration of creativity, confidence, and possibility, recognizing girls not just as future builders, but as the architects of change today.
The TIME Girls of the Year list builds on the foundation of TIME Women of the Year, which recognizes extraordinary leaders working toward a more equal future. Consistent with TIME’s mission to spotlight the people and ideas that shape and improve the world, TIME has long highlighted women and girls making an impact across climate, science, sports, entertainment, and more—including scientist and inventor Gitanjali Rao, named TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year.
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