Over the years, we’ve seen Malia Obama, 15, grow into a dazzling young woman of style, grace and intelligence. And apparently, we weren’t the only folks watching President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle groom their daughters into roses.
This week, TIME released its list of the 16 most influential teens and of course, Malia, made the cut. Her profile says that the president credits both Malia and his youngest daughter, Sasha, for helping shape his views on gay marriage.
Not only that, the article points out that despite living in the public eye, she remains poised and leads a relatively normal life. If you ask us, Malia’s the leading example of young women everywhere. In just a few years, as her father concludes his second and final term in office, she’ll be preparing for college where she will certainly continue to grow and influence millions more.
New York City’s Mayor elect Bill de Blasio’s son, Dante, 16, also made the coveted list. Dante first caught everyone’s attention with his large afro during a campaign commercial for his father. The bold hairstyle even caught the eye of President Obama. “Dante has the same hairdo as I had in 1978,” he said. “Although I have to confess my afro was never that good. It was a little imbalanced.”
Other notable names on the list include pop stars Justin Bieber, Lorde and Pakistani teen Malala Yousafzai.