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North Shore’s Innovative Students - Teenpreneaurs continued...NAME: Jocelyn AbbottAGE/YEAR: 17 years old, Year 11 SCHOOL: Abbotsleigh“... The path will be easier if you surround yourself with people who build you up and have similar aspirations ...”HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES AT SCHOOL HELPED YOU? Learning at school has not just been subject-based, it’s beena moral and ethical education that’s really helped me discover who I am and what I value.TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR PROJECT/PROJECTS? Throughout the past year I’ve been leading a group at school that raises funds for people in need through World Vision. Rather strangely, we ended up creating an event called “Diving with the Staff”, where our teachers competed against each other to see who could do the most spectacular dive into the water from boards, and the students paid a gold coin entry fee to watch.WHERE HAS YOUR MOTIVATION COME FROM?I thought that I might be able to do something to help another person who needs something.There was a quote that really impacted me, I’ll paraphraseit: if you save someone’s life,you save a whole world – their whole world. For a girl of myage it seemed astronomically impossible that I could have any impact on a struggling person who lived an ocean away. I hada conversation with some of my friends about this feeling, and they felt just as passionate. Our school has many opportunities for service, with a little help from each other we stepped up to our corny-sounding goal: to change a world.WHAT MINDSETS HAVE HELPED YOUR SUCCESS AND TO CONQUER DOUBT/FEAR?I may not always be successful, but I try to tackle challenges with the idea that whatever the outcome, I can learn from it. It’s much easier to see failure as a positive thing, something you can learn from. Perspective is really important.WHO DO YOU ADMIRE?E.G. FRIENDS, FAMILY.Definitely my grandfather. He has a quiet, humble strength about him, he is incredibly intelligent, and he is capableof giving without ever taking, which astounds me. He’s always been there for the people that matter most to him, and his sense of humour is impeccable. Likewise, my friends. They don’t realise what a powerful influence they’ve had on me.ADVICE FOR OTHER STUDENTS?As a student, you are not powerless. There are always ways that you can achieve your goals. The path will be easier if you surround yourself with people who build you up and have similar aspirations, because you can support each other. Take every opportunity that is thrown at you. See them like doors that lead to more doors.36 LIVING LOCAL SPRING 2016“Dream, Inspire, Grow”www.livinglocalguide.com.au