My Everyday Hero

Simón Olave 3o Secundaria

An everyday hero is someone that is willing to help and perform acts of kindness when it’s needed. For me, heroes are everywhere. You never know what the people you walk next to on the street have gone through or what they have done during their lifetime. Everyone has their reasons to be considered a hero, from giving money to a homeless person to donating large amounts of money to a foundation. I think even giving a pen to a classmate when he needs it can still be considered an act of kindness, not necessarily a hero, but you start from somewhere.

For example, Nelson Mandela can be considered not only an everyday hero, but a hero led alone due to his acts. He worked hard for thirty years to pursue his dream and tear down a political constitution, and while being a small man with a big dream this can be really time consuming. He left everything behind to make his thoughts a reality: tear down the Apartheid. I think it is incredible what he did for being a simple man starting from scratch, being part of a minority group and then becoming a noticed all over the world! What I think was an important factor for him doing this is the fact that he has the strong personality and the great mentality to keep going until results are achieved. Even though he had really low chances to accomplish what he proposed himself to do, he turned the table around and made the impossible possible.

In conclusion, even though you think you can’t pursue your dreams, you can make them come true, but you need to keep persistence and keep your head up with a great mentality. Take a quick look at the people we all consider role models for their heroic acts nowadays: Mandela, Malala, Gandhi to mention some of them. All of them started from nowhere, all of them were small people with big dreams, but all of them, thanks to their dedication and persistence, were able to get to what they considered their finish line. Take all of these examples and reflect on what your chances are of accomplishing your dreams, are they low? Then take into consideration that hard work and dedication always turn around the probabilities.

Everyday Heroes: Percy Jackson

Regina García Rangel 3o Secundaria

Since we are little, the first thing that comes into our minds thinking about a hero is a big person with muscles, a cape, and a really tight suit who goes around the city saving people. But in reality, there are no such types of heroes. I believe that we can find heroes everywhere in our lives, and these heroes don't necessarily have to save people from dying; they just do things to help others without wanting something in return. Real life heroes don't have to be alive, famous, strong, with super powers, or any other qualities that a commercial hero represents.One of my heroes is a fictional character, and not because of the battles he fought in his world, but because of the values and inspiration that he gives to people who read his story.

Percy Jackson is one of the best written characters that I know; during his journey he has encountered lots of challenges that pushes him away from his objectives, but he keeps going, and going, and going until he finally is where he wants. At the beginning, you see him struggle with his dyslexia and ADHD, causing him problems at school and his life in general, making him think that is all his fault, and he would end up being a nobody in the world. ADHD and dyslexia is neither an illness nor a problem. The issue with these two conditions is that our society is not used to them, and having a role model who is successful and has these disorders makes people that suffer them more understood. As the story develops, you can easily identify with him, and seeing him completing his goals makes you want to keep trying and moving forward.

Heroes don't necessarily have to wear capes or contribute to our society in a big way. These people can help small groups of people in different ways, not necessarily in a physical support, but an emotional one. Heroes inspire and motivate people to reach their goals, and to keep going, and even though they can help in a temporary way, they can leave a mark.