Moziah Bridges, 13
Most Influential Teens 2015 Moziah Bridges
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The Memphis resident started his own bow tie business, Mo’s Bows, at age 9. Now—thanks in part to an appearance on the investment show Shark Tank—he’s running a $200,000-a-year apparel company touting licensing deals with Cole Haan and Neiman Marcus. Bridges’ latest accomplishment? Supplying bow ties to basketball players at the 2015 NBA draft. —Samantha Grossman
Maddie Ziegler, 13
Most Influential Teens 2015 Maddie Ziegler
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The star of Lifetime’s Dance Moms earned global fame dancing in Sia’s music videos for “Chandelier,” “Elastic Heart” and, most recently, “Big Girls Cry,” which have amassed more than 1.4 billion views on YouTube. (She also performed alongside Sia and Kristen Wiig at the 2015 Grammy Awards.) Now the Pittsburgh native is branching out into fashion; she made her runway debut at the Fall 2015 Polo Ralph Lauren Children’s Show, and recently collaborated with designer Betsy Johnson on a line of dance wear for Capezio. She has also been featured in several national magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Nylon. —Megan McCluskey
Rowan Blanchard, 14
Most Influential Teens 2015 Rowan Blanchard
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The actress scored her breakout role in 2014 as Riley Matthews on Disney’s “Girl Meets World,” but this year, Blanchard also made a name for herself as an outspoken activist and feminist. She penned an essay about the importance of intersectional feminism that went viral (racking up more than 97,000 likes on Instagram) and earned high praise from feminist blogs and fans like Emma Watson. She also spoke at the UN Women’s annual summit in June, where she explained how gender inequality affects youth. In her speech, she revealed that her biggest dream is to attend the Columbia School of Journalism. —Samantha Grossman
Ashima Shiraishi, 14
Most Influential Teens 2015 A
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Spain’s “Open Your Mind Direct” rock-climbing route is considered one of the most difficult courses in the world, thwarting all but the most skilled of adult, mostly male athletes. So when Shiraishi, at age 13, completed the challenge earlier this year—simultaneously becoming the youngest person and the first woman ever to do so—she was dubbed rock-climbing royalty, earning rave write-ups in Outside magazine, the New York Times and more. (Her reaction: a celebratory Instagram whose caption started with “OMG!!!”) The New York resident now says she hopes to compete in the 2020 Olympics in her parents’ native Japan—if climbing is added as a sport. —Sarah Begley
Ahmed Mohamed, 14
Most Influential Teens 2015 Ahmed Mohamed
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Not many people make national news by bringing a homemade clock to school. But the ninth grader’s arrest, after teachers and authorities mistook said clock for a bomb, kicked off a national debate over racial profiling—and a outpouring of support for Mohamed, who was personally invited to the White House by President Obama (who called his clock “cool”). In October, he accepted a full scholarship to a prestigious school in Qatar. —Daniel D’Addario
Jazz Jennings, 15
Most Influential Teens 2015 Jazz Jennings
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Jazz Jennings
Jennings, who has lived as a girl since age 5, has never been afraid to speak out, educating the likes of Barbara Walters and Oprah Winfrey (and their millions of viewers) about the transgender experience when she was still in middle school. But this year, Jennings emerged as a full-blown public figure, starring in an ad campaign for Clean & Clear (tagline: “See the real me”) and inviting cameras to film her everyday routine—shopping for bathing suits, going to soccer practice—for the TLC docu-series I Am Jazz, whose premiere lured more than 1.3 million viewers. “The main thing that really keeps me motivated in continuing to share my story,” Jennings told TIME in July, “is the fact that I know change is being created when I see people who tell me that I’ve really affected their lives. It’s just a beautiful thing.” —D.D.
Chloe Kim, 15
Most Influential Teens 2015 Chloe Kim
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The American snowboarder became the youngest person ever to win gold at the Winter X-Games after she took home first place in the Women’s SuperPipe event. Kim, who began competing at age 6, has been called “the future of snowboarding.” Too young to compete in Sochi, she’s got her sights set on the 2018 games in South Korea — which happens to be the country her parents emigrated from. —Samantha Grossman
Flynn McGarry, 16
The Food SaloMost Influential Teens 2015 Flynn McGarryn Presented By Questlove And Powered by Dell
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The New York Times Magazine cover boy has been a culinary sensation ever since he started a supper club at age 11 out of his California home. Now, however, he’s a full-fledged restaurateur, serving meals three days