As a teenager, Malala Yousafzai began campaigning for girls’ education in Pakistan, but when she was just 15 years old, she was shot by terrorists trying to silence her. After recovering from her injuries, she continued her advocacy work and continued to spread her important message. In 2014, Malala became the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, due to her dedication and integrity – our Character Virtue for this half-term. 

Integrity is ‘the ability of having and following strong moral principles,’ which means standing up for what you believe, even if that sets you apart from the crowd. The pressures put on us by the society around us, friends and family expectations make integrity an important and highly respected trait. Ultimately, people want to be around people they know are honest, thoughtful and genuine. 

In our lives at school, there are many ways to demonstrate integrity. From being there for someone, even if others are being unkind, to setting high expectations for yourself. You should have faith in your own abilities, by working hard and making sure you always do your best in class and home learning. 

Integrity also means making your own decisions. Be careful not to be swayed by your friends, such as subject choices, clubs or post-school pathways. You need to live your life the way that is best for you. 

At work, employers love to see people that confidently demonstrate integrity. People do not want to be surrounded by people who simply say ‘yes’ to anything. If you see a flaw in a plan, you should have the strength of character to call it out. The most effective teams rely on honesty and being able to speak up – not simply allowing mistakes to happen because it is more comfortable.  

Malala teaches us that standing up for our beliefs is not always easy, but it is always the right thing to do. In a world increasingly filled with misinformation and fake news, it is more important than ever to prove you are trustworthy and your voice is one to listen to.