"It's you, perfected!"

It's hard not to laugh at this video poking fun at our obsession with perfection and youth, but... the sad truth is, that at some point we have to draw the line.  At some point we have to embrace all of our imperfections and appreciate them as expressions of our own individuality and that which makes us unique

16 year old Laura Dekker had a dream since she was 8 years old to circumnavigate the world in a sail boat. Along the way to accomplish her goal she faced Dutch authorities who put her into state custody after her first attempt to circle the globe, stormy seas, and cockroaches. After completing requirements set by a Dutch court, including sleep management and first aid courses, authorities permitted the 16 year old to pursue her dream. Her trip was a success and you can read all about her adventure on her blog.

A California high school student recently won the $100,000 grand prize in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology. At just 17 years old, Angela Zhang designed a gold-iron oxide nanoparticle to deliver chemotherapy. The discovery is intended to be used as an alternative to chemotherapy.  Where chemotherapy is injected into the body killing healthy cells as well as cancer cells and causing significant side effects in cancer patients, Zhang's approach uses nanotechnology to target and send a cancer-fighting drug directly to the tumor. She then used an infrared laser to track the nanoparticles and prove that the tumors diminished. 

Zhang was ecstatic about her win and described  it as "... a Cinderella moment for a science nerd like me." 

This piece was submitted by Gutsy reader, Marissa Roberson. If you have an inspiring story to tell, we want to hear it. Tell us here. 

Dons Net Café is a self-sustaining student run social entrepreneurial business located at Santa Barbara High School. Throughout the years, Dons Net Café has mastered the art of service learning and giving back to the community. The fact that this business is operated in a classroom has created many challenges, but school regulations and spatial restrictions have not stopped the Dons from creating opportunities from weaknesses. These determined entrepreneurs have evolved to meet the needs of their customers and community, all while abiding district policies.

Gutsy Girl, Blakely (aka “Blake”) Colvin, at age 14 teaches us that age is no obstacle when itcomes to big ambitions, like finding a cure for Cancer.

She designed a fundraiser called Cupcakes for Cancer, which is an organization that bakes and sells homemade cupcakes to support Cancer causes.

Her vision began with a desire to help fellow 8th grader, Kevin, treat his leukemia. Cupcakes for Cancer was born when Blake and her ‘cupcake crew’ sold homemade cupcakes for $1 a piece after school and at local events … when, in 6 weeks, they raised $5,000 for Kevin's family!

Cupcakes for Cancer recently raised $16,000 at an event (more than triple the estimate)… Do the math. How much will they raise in 10 years time? 20?

Moms, are your kids looking for worthwhile things to do? Well, Blake has a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) cupcake kit available! To learn more about Blake and Cupcakes for Cancer, or to get involved please visit her MySpace page. 

Did we forget to mention that Blake (pictured far right in the above photo) is a chemo survivor herself?