Contemporary Corner
Character is shown by the way people act, think, and feel in life. Our approach is to help young people recognise the strengths that they have inside and understand that all strengths can be grown and developed to help them become the best version of themselves, to flourish and thrive in the world.
Bring present-day role models into the classroom
Introduce inspiring, real-world stories into your school day with a growing library of diverse, contemporary role models. Each individual has been chosen for what they’ve achieved and for the character strengths they embody. Read each person's inspirational story and promote critical thinking in the classroom with the questions posed.
Use these stories to:
- Start the day with an uplifting story that sets a positive tone.
- Reinforce school values, linking character strengths to real people in action.
- Promote inclusion by exploring a wide range of lived experiences and voices.
Disclaimer: The featured individuals are for educational purposes only. No endorsement is implied.
© cover images Copyright unless otherwise stated, via Wikimedia. Alvaro Umana: Goldman Environmental Prize; Andy Murray: Brendan Dennis, CC BY-SA 4.0; Benjamin Zephaniah: Edwardx, CC BY-SA 4.0; Betty Boothroyd: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0; Billy Monger: @billymongerracing via Instagram; Cathy Freeman: Allstar Picture Library Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo; Chadwick Boseman: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0; Chris Packham: Andy Mabbett, CC BY-SA 3.0; David Attenborough: John Cairns, CC BY 4.0; Desmond Tutu: John Mathew Smith & http://www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Edward Enninful: @edward_enninful via Instagram; Elizabeth Wright: Australian Paralympic Committee, CC BY-SA 3.0; Elliot Page: REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo; Doreen Lawrence: Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0; Emi Mahmoud: Linda Nylind/The Guardian; George Webster: @george_webster_actor via Instagram; Greta Thunberg: Kushal Das, CC BY-SA 4.0; Gulwali Passarlay: Reproduced with his permission; Isatou Ceesay: © Leading Ladies Africa; Jake Daniels: News Images LTD / Alamy; Jamal Edwards: Doug Peters / Alamy; James Baldwin: Allan Warren, CC BY-SA 4.0; Jan Morris: Faber & Faber book cover; Jane Goodall: Avalon/Bruce Coleman Inc / Alamy; Jason Arday: University of Cambridge; Jessica Ennis-Hill: Adam Kerfoot-Roberts from Halifax, UKderivative work: César, CC BY-SA 2.0; John Lennon: Peter Fordham, Public domain; Julien Macdonald: Alamy; Kamala Harris: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Kath Koschel: @kathkoschel via Instagram; Katherine Johnson: NASA; Kevin Sinfield: Gerard Barrau, CC BY-SA 3.0; Lionel Messi: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0; Lisa McGee: Alamy; Lucien York: Reproduced with his permission; Maggie Aderin-Pocock: Imperial College; Malala Yousafzai: Southbank Centre, CC BY 2.0; Marcus Rashford: Oleg Bkhambri (Voltmetro), CC BY-SA 4.0;Mary Kom: JavaTpoint; Maya Angelou: John Mathew Smith & http://www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Megan Rapinoe: Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0;Mo Farah: See Li from London, UK, CC BY 2.0; MrBeast: Fidias, CC BY 3.0; Nelson Mandela: South Africa The Good News, CC BY 2.0; Ohood Al Roumi: World Government Summit; Oprah Winfrey: INTX: The Internet & Television Expo, CC BY 2.0; Pelé: John Mathew Smith from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Rigoberta Menchú: Cancillería Ecuador, CC BY-SA 2.0; Rob Burrow: Ian Hodgson via Express Digest; Rory McIlroy: @rorymcilroy via Instagram; Rose Ayling-Ellis: @rose.a.e via Instagram; Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Steve Petteway for Supreme Court of the United States, Public Domain; Stephen Hawking: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Stormzy: Alamy; Tom Daley: Jim Thurston, CC BY-SA 2.0; Tom Stoltman: EM2022, CC BY-SA 4.0; Wangari Maathai: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0; Yara Sayeh Shahidi: Condé Nast (through Vogue Taiwan), CC BY 3.0; Yusra Mardini: @yusramardini via Facebook.