A Bloom World Academy student wins Dubai Imagination Heroes, highlighting how creativity, storytelling, and digital design are shaping student success across the UAE. For parents, educators, and school leaders, this achievement reflects the value of encouraging students to explore ideas beyond the classroom.
Grade 8 student Ashray Jijikumar secured first place in the 13 to 18 Years General Category at the Dubai Culture Imagination Heroes Grand Final, held on 04 June 2026 during the Dubai Esports and Games Festival at Dubai World Trade Centre.
From concept to creation, student brings ‘Finn’ to life on a national platform
Ashray Jijikumar receiving first place award at Dubai Culture Imagination Heroes Grand Final 2026
Celebrating creativity and digital innovation at Bloom World Academy
A proud moment for Bloom World Academy at Dubai Culture competition
A National Platform for Student Creativity
Competing against students from schools across the UAE, Ashray first earned a place among the top three finalists. He was then crowned the category winner following a live presentation at GameExpo.
The challenge featured six age and category divisions. It brought together young creators to showcase original character concepts, storytelling, and design.
Meanwhile, the Grand Final formed part of the wider Dubai Esports and Games Festival. This event connected gaming enthusiasts, educators, and industry professionals through competitions and interactive experiences. As a result, students gained valuable exposure to real world creative and digital industries.
The Story Behind Finn
Ashray’s project introduced ‘Finn’, an honourable knight whose story explores friendship, sacrifice, love, and responsibility. Raised alongside his closest friend ‘Kai’, Finn dreams of becoming a warrior who protects others. However, as they grow older, their paths begin to diverge. While Finn remains committed to honour and justice, Kai becomes consumed by ambition and the pursuit of power.
Their friendship is ultimately tested when Finn is forced to choose between protecting innocent lives and saving the person he cares about most. The narrative explores themes of brotherhood beyond blood relations, the tension between power and responsibility, and the emotional cost of doing what is right. Through Finn’s character arc, Ashray sought to demonstrate that true strength is not measured by power, but by compassion, integrity, and the courage to make difficult decisions.
From Character Concept to Full Narrative
What distinguished Ashray’s submission was the depth of thought behind the character. Before designing Finn’s appearance, he developed the character’s personality, motivations, relationships, and emotional arc. As a result, every visual element was intentional. From armour and posture to expressions and visual identity, each detail reflected the character’s courage and inner conflict.
In addition, Ashray refined the concept using AI assisted creative tools. This allowed him to evaluate how effectively the design communicated emotion and narrative.
The result was a cohesive project combining creative writing, character development, visual design, and emerging technology. It also demonstrates how game design can support meaningful storytelling in education.
Student Perspective and Learning Journey
Creator Ashray Jijikumar shared,
“Creating Finn was a journey of bringing a story to life. I wanted to create a character who showed that real strength comes from making difficult choices and standing up for what is right. Winning the finals was an amazing experience and taught me a lot about creativity, perseverance, and storytelling. I am grateful for the encouragement and support I received from my teachers at Bloom World Academy throughout the process.”
His experience reflects how student voice, creativity, and perseverance are supported within school environments that value innovation.
A Wider Message for Schools
Bloom World Academy’s Executive Principal, Mr John Bell expressed,
“Ashray’s achievement reflects the depth of creativity, critical thinking, and imagination that can emerge when students are encouraged to pursue their ideas with confidence and purpose. At Bloom World Academy, students are encouraged to explore their interests, think independently, and apply their learning in innovative ways. This project demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of storytelling and character development, while also showcasing the ability to combine creativity with emerging technologies in meaningful ways. We are immensely proud of Ashray for representing the school with such distinction and for demonstrating how young people can use their creativity to communicate powerful ideas.”
The Dubai Culture Imagination Heroes challenge invited students to combine imagination, storytelling, and character creation to develop original ideas. Ashray’s project stood out for blending visual creativity with meaningful storytelling. It demonstrates skills across creative writing, design thinking, communication, and digital literacy.
Ashray’s achievement highlights the growing importance of creativity as a future ready skill. Moreover, it shows how schools can support students in using technology to express ideas and tell meaningful stories.
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Further Reading
- The Bloomington Academy Takes Learning Beyond Screens with Heartfelt Home Visits During Distance Learning
- Bloom World Academy Student Wins Silver at Thailand Kickboxing World Cup