"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken" - Oscar Wilde
Whether you’re applying for university, auditioning for a play, or interviewing for a job, it’s important to take time to reflect on what makes you, YOU.
Here at InvestIN, we believe in cultivating experiences that make you stand out from the crowd. So, we invited participants to showcase their unique talents, achievements, and skills in a charity competition designed to celebrate individuality. Our students did just that!
The response was brilliant. Our team thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone’s entries, from incredible musical talents and artistic endeavours to pride in traditions and unique outlooks on the world. For each entry, we have donated to Unicef, a charity working to create a better world for children across the globe.
We want to thank all the students who took the time to reflect and share such special moments with us. Each and every photo demonstrated creativity, thoughtfulness, and of course, individuality. It was a real challenge to narrow it down to a shortlist, but we got there in the end.
Congratulations to our winner, Lucy from Haileybury College, who will receive an in-person place on an InvestIN one-day immersive career masterclass of their choice! We thought our shortlisted entries were too good to go unnoticed, so we have offered them all a place on one of our Live Online programmes!
You can find our panels favourite submissions below, all of which will be shared across our social media. Happy scrolling!
The Winner
Sunset
Lucy, Haileybury College
“This picture represents my desire to embrace the beauty of fleeting experiences. It is a photo of my cousin, highlighting the importance of family to me.”
Judges notes: Lucy took the theme and ran with it, quite literally. The photo itself is aesthetically beautiful, but what makes it even more impressive is Lucy’s ability to capture the joy and freedom of the moment. In a world that moves so fast, we loved how Lucy slows down and appreciates the beauty in the little things like quality time with family. Congratulations Lucy, we all hope to be a little more like you!
Runners up
Art of a Gymnast
Trisha, Dubai International Academy
“I was a gymnast in my youth, and when creating original artwork using charcoal, I wanted to give tribute to my past in gymnastics. This combination of art and gymnastics represents a core aspect of myself as a person, and my unique creative experiences growing up.”
Judges notes: Wow. Trisha’s charcoal drawing manages to capture both strength and fluidity of the sport that she grew up with. We love how Trisha embraces her past in gymnastics and it continues to shape her creative journey today. She is clearly a natural artistic talent – one to watch!
Diverse Roots and a Unique Perspective
Dara, St Bede’s College Manchester
“Here I am in Nigerian attire, giving the closing speech for my school's first Culture Week, as founder of a student-led diversity initiative. We raised £1,090 to build a nursery in Gambia. My diverse heritage and drive to create impact, offer a unique perspective, empowering others to also embrace their uniqueness.”
Judges notes: Alongside the amazing achievement of fundraising for the nursery, we really loved how Dara’s pride in her culture and experiences has boosted those around her, and we’re sure her work will have a lasting effect on her school community. Our favourite thing about this picture is the confidence and composure that radiates from Dara - inspirational!
Shortlist
Frame it
Alesha, Finham Park School
“The sea holds a place in my heart deeper than itself, frozen in nature the way it was intended. Time flies faster than you can say ‘that’s beautiful’, “you’re beautiful”, faster than ‘I love it’, “I love you”, faster than "I miss it’, “I missed you”. Frame it.”
Veils of tradition
Saanvi, Oberoi International School
“Embracing the ancient culture of Odissi, I have found a unique rhythm for the duality of my life - vibrant cosmopolitanism of Mumbai vs ancient traditions of my forefathers. Yet, I am just a teen, afraid of being judged! I hide the devotion of the Devdasi in me behind a veil.”
A Rising Arpeggio
Youssef, The British International School
“The patches of darkness, lowly level, far from light, all signs of difficulty. Yet I run the scale, note by note, following every golden chord as I spark my personality, painting a vibrant atmosphere as I challenge the dim parts of society, striving towards that star of outshining opportunity ahead.”
Thank you again to all our entrants, look out for our next competition in the autumn term!