Carolina Marín turns her story of perseverance into a lesson for Fuerteventura students

Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marín headlined the first event in the ‘Role Models Who Inspire’ project on Monday 19 October. Held at the Auditorio Insular in Puerto del Rosario, it brought together students from schools across Fuerteventura. Organised by the Education Department of the Fuerteventura Island Council, the event gave students the chance to hear first-hand the story of one of Spanish sport’s leading figures and discover, through her experience, the value of perseverance, mental strength and the ability to face difficulties.

The initiative aims to introduce young people to role models whose personal and professional journeys demonstrate effort, leadership and resilience, offering experiences that go beyond sport and provide lessons applicable to everyday life.

Adargoma Hernández, the Island Councillor for Education and Youth, stressed the educational value of sharing real-life experiences with students. “We want our students to see that success does not always follow an easy path, that making mistakes or facing obstacles is part of learning, and that believing in your own abilities is essential to keep moving forward,” Hernández said. He added: “Having role models share these messages from their own experience makes it possible to connect with young people in a much more personal and meaningful way.”

During the event, Carolina Marín spoke about her sporting and personal journey, marked by historic successes but also by injuries and periods of great difficulty that tested her physical and emotional strength. Her experience provided an opportunity to discuss the importance of staying motivated, managing pressure, believing in yourself and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of challenges.

The athlete from Huelva was Olympic champion in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, a triple world champion and multiple European champion. She has changed the face of international badminton. Beyond her titles, however, her career has become an example of resilience, discipline and determination, particularly meaningful for younger generations.

Stories that educate beyond the classroom.

The ‘Role Models Who Inspire’ project is based on the belief that personal experiences can become powerful educational tools. Through meetings with prominent figures from sport and other fields, it aims to promote values such as a strong work ethic, equal opportunities, inclusion, leadership and emotional wellbeing.

This first event highlights the importance of offering students positive role models they can identify with—people who can show that reaching a goal takes perseverance, but also requires learning to manage frustration, adapt to change and find new opportunities in the face of difficulties.

Initiatives of this kind aim to extend learning beyond the classroom and support a well-rounded education that addresses not only academic knowledge but also students’ emotional, social and personal development.