Teenagers aren’t broken adults-in-progress. They’re powerful creators of change in their own right. With the right support, their emotional intensity and curiosity can drive social innovation, artistic revolutions, and bold new ideas that reshape the world.
During adolescence, the brain undergoes massive restructuring. The prefrontal cortex, which governs decision-making and self-regulation, is still developing, while areas like the limbic system (emotion, reward, risk-taking) are highly active. This creates a powerful mix of emotional intensity and openness to novelty.
Potential for Revolution: Because teens are wired for creativity, risk, and change, they are uniquely equipped to challenge norms, disrupt outdated systems, and bring fresh solutions to society’s problems, if adults engage and mentor them rather than suppress their energy.
In creating the content of our courses and materials we took inspiration from the work of Dr. Daniel Siegel, just for that touch of scientific guidance. In his book Brainstorm, he challenges the stereotype that teenage behavior is just “crazy” or “out of control.” Instead, he presents adolescence (ages 12–24) as a critical and powerful period of brain development that, if understood and nurtured correctly, can lead to extraordinary creativity, passion, and innovation.
