2025 Middle School Winners

Rukhshona Isakova, Ismatulloh Bakhtiyorov, and Yulduz Juliboyeva are students at the Presidential School in Jizzakh, Uzbekistan. The trio was aware of global topics like child wellbeing and population growth, so when they discovered the competition, they saw it as a great opportunity to channel their creativity and tackle an important challenge. While they were familiar with issues around child wellbeing, the contest gave them a deeper understanding, particularly of the inequitable access to resources in many parts of the world.

The idea for their video came from Yulduz, who suggested incorporating a creative “box” concept to make the script and visuals more engaging. The group divided the tasks, with Ismatulloh taking charge of filming and editing, Yulduz handling the scriptwriting, and Rukhshona playing the role of the actor. Ismatulloh has had years of experience making videos, releasing short films and editing content for his school’s social media channels. Rukhshona, having been in drama club, brought performance skills to the video. Yulduz’s background in creative writing added depth to the script and visuals.

The students have some advice for future participants: Ismatulloh suggests looking at the videos of past winners for inspiration, noting that simple yet creative approaches, such as using physical posters alongside animations, can make a big impact. Rukhshona advises choosing a topic that resonates with you personally, as passion for the subject will shine through in the final product. Yulduz emphasizes the importance of writing a solid script and making sure that the video stands out creatively.

The group plans to use the prize money for more equipment to continue working on multimedia projects. Outside of the video contest, each member has diverse hobbies and interests. Ismatulloh is a talented graphic and UX/UI designer, photographer, and musician who plays multiple instruments, including the guitar and rubab. He also has a passion for drawing, which he learned from his mother. Yulduz is a self-proclaimed daydreamer and writer, and aspires to write great historical fantasy works. She’s also passionate about biology and chemistry, and enjoys sports like volleyball and chess. Rukhshona, who loves music, dancing and singing, also dreams of working for NASA one day. She is particularly interested in physics and astronomy and is focused on developing the skills needed for a career in engineering.

The group’s involvement in the contest was a significant milestone in their academic and creative journeys. It allowed them the opportunity to explore a global topic, apply their diverse talents, and work collaboratively to produce a meaningful piece of content. Their shared ambition is to apply to Ivy League universities, and they believe that their win in this contest will help propel them towards their goals. The group looks forward to future opportunities to create more videos and continue contributing to important global conversations.