Violet Taylor
Year 13 · Saint Kentigern College · Auckland, New Zealand
From a young age, I’ve cared about questions of gender and equity, and why opportunity isn’t always shared evenly. As I progressed through my schooling, I noticed capable girls seeming to grow quieter about their own ability as they get older, especially in demanding programmes like the IB. It’s something I’d noticed in friends, and sometimes in myself.
That long-standing interest turned into action the day I saw a school photo celebrating its top IB scholars and all ten of them were boys. It wasn’t that the girls weren’t capable; it was that something in the culture around them was holding them back. I wanted to understand what, and to do something about it.
So I started No Small Ambition. What began as a school project grew into a proper research study, designed with expert advice, into why capable girls hold themselves back, and what schools can actually do to help them step forward. I built and tested the survey, and I’m now inviting students across New Zealand and internationally to take part.
Alongside the research, I’ve begun trialling the first support initiatives through my school’s CAS programme: a peer-mentoring scheme, workshops on confidence and academic identity, and transition resources for students entering the IB. I’m treating each as a small pilot, so that whatever the research uncovers can become something practical that lasts beyond my time at school.
Project timeline
The idea takes shape
Design refined with Prof. Sarah Hetrick
Built, tested and ethics-checked
NZ schools and international students
Analysis and published findings
Mentoring, workshops and the IB toolkit
