Beyond Trophies: The Inspiring Story of Simon Simoudis and His Persistence

I live near Victoria, Australia. The Simoudis family and I have been living as neighbors for more than two decades now. When they had shifted to our neighborhood, Simon Simoudis was a mere toddler. But he was not an ordinary child; he was different, more mature than his age. Just like his parents, he was always there for anyone who needed help. You could always bank upon the Simoudis wherever the community was in need.

Simon was good at studies, though he was playful too. And he always got good grades in school, and he always seemed very much interested in extracurricular activities also. About 10 years ago, when Simon must have been around 16, our community organized an inter-neighborhood science fair. Any school-going student from nearby areas could participate in the event. As expected, Simon didn’t waste a moment to sign up. After all, science was his favorite subject, and I always found him making some scientific device. 

I remember visiting his home one day. His father is a close friend. Out of curiosity, I asked him what Simon was making for the inter-neighborhood science fair. He told me, “Why don’t you find it yourself? He is in the garage.” I went there to find him totally engrossed in his model. He didn’t even notice I had come. His face was smudged with dust, his hair unkempt, as he was intensely looking at a half-assembled structure. What I saw was quite different from the sleek model you would usually find in school competitions. It was a wooden structure with wires all around it. When I asked him what he was trying to make, he told me that it was a wind-powered water pump that could be of use to small farmers.

It didn’t at all come as a surprise to me. I knew this lad would make something that could help others. That is how he was, always thinking about how he could be of some help to others. I kept checking in on him now and then, now I too was invested in his project. The project wasn’t going smoothly. He had limited material, he was still not confident about the design, and the deadlines were getting close. Yet, he didn’t lose hope, nor did he give up. I saw him working in the evenings, all by himself, under the dim light of the garage. Sometimes a friend would drop by to assist him. 

His parents told me that he had spent nights reading about wind mechanics and simple engineering principles. He reached out to a retired engineer from the next neighborhood for advice. 

The day of the science fair finally arrived. While some students displayed polished models, Simon stood beside his handmade structure. It looked rough and raw, but it was functional. When the judges tested it, the blades spun slowly, and to everyone’s surprise, the pump began drawing water. 

He didn’t win the first prize that day because his project was considered “too simple”. But that didn’t matter. His creativity and innovative brain didn’t go unnoticed. The local paper featured him in a small column titled “A Teen’s Simple Idea with a Big Heart.”

Later, I asked him if he was disappointed about not winning. He said, “Not really. I learned how to make something that works. That’s a win for me.”

Simon had shown once again that success isn’t always about trophies or recognition. Today, when I think of Simon Simoudis, I remember his intelligence, kindness, and persistence. He can stay steady in the face of setbacks. That is what truly defines him.