One day, the school announced a quiz, and every student was invited to participate. The halls were buzzing with excitement about the upcoming contest, as everyone wanted the title of winner. Zhenya, a quiet boy who usually avoided attention, was also interested. He had never participated in such events before, but he was eager to try.

However, despite his desire, Zhenya felt nervous. “What if I can’t do it?” he thought, feeling anxiety take hold. He thought he wasn’t as smart as many of his classmates and that he might not have enough knowledge. But his best friend Lena, noticing his hesitation, encouraged him:

— Zhenya, you can do it! The most important thing is to believe in yourself and give it a try. Even if you don’t win, you’ll have gained new experience.

Lena always knew how to inspire him, and her words gave him the courage he needed. Zhenya decided that he would try and do his best. In the days leading up to the quiz, he began preparing by reviewing his textbooks and refreshing important facts. He looked up interesting materials in the library, jotted them down in his notebook, and even practiced by explaining them to Lena to help him remember better.

The day of the quiz arrived. The classroom was festively decorated, and a banner on the board read, “Quiz: Welcome, Participants!” Despite his nervousness, Zhenya went to his seat, where a sheet of paper and a pencil were waiting for him. Other students sat nearby, some confidently chatting about the upcoming questions.

The first question came a few minutes after the start. The teacher asked a geography question: “Name the longest river in the world.” Zhenya paused, recalling the information he had read, and suddenly remembered the answer: “The Amazon!” He wrote down his answer and felt a bit more confident.

With each new question, Zhenya felt his nervousness gradually give way to confidence. He answered questions on history, literature, and even math. At one point, when a question came up that he didn’t know, he looked over at Lena, who gave him an encouraging look. Zhenya decided to take a guess, knowing that even if his answer was wrong, he shouldn’t give up.

When the quiz ended, the teacher began tallying up the results. Zhenya’s heart was racing; he had worked hard and put all his knowledge into each answer. Soon, the teacher announced the results, and it turned out that Zhenya had scored the highest points!

— The winner of today’s quiz is Zhenya! Congratulations! — the teacher said, smiling and handing him a certificate.

Zhenya couldn’t believe his ears. It felt like a dream; he had never imagined he could be the winner. Lena hugged him with joy, congratulating him, and his classmates shook his hand with smiles. He felt proud and happy, realizing that his efforts and belief in himself had brought him victory.

After the quiz, the teacher approached Zhenya and said:

— You showed true perseverance and determination to win. That’s very important, and I’m glad you didn’t give up.

Zhenya nodded gratefully, understanding that this experience had taught him to believe in his abilities and face challenges. He realized that the key was to try without fear and not to give up, even when success seemed unlikely.

From that day on, Zhenya became more confident and was no longer afraid to participate in school activities. He knew that with friends and support around him, he could overcome any challenge, and he looked back fondly on his first victory, which marked the beginning of many more successes.

This is how Zhenya’s story ended, as he learned to believe in himself. Now he looked forward to new challenges, knowing that he could always overcome his fears and achieve success as long as he kept trying and didn’t give up.