Steve Frey
Where have all the heroes gone? There was a time when people looked up to notable successes like sports stars, leaders and historical figures. In a world permeated by disillusionment and cynicism, it seems harder to find someone who fits into the category of a “hero.”
Sometimes young people apply the label of hero to cartoon characters, professional wrestlers or singing sensations, but these aren’t real heroes.
There is someone who did perform a very heroic deed on this very day in 1918. He was a young man from Appalachia. No, he was not from anywhere nearby, but the mountains of Tennessee. His name was Alvin York—Sergeant York.
York was an expert shot, having grown up hunting to put food on the table. He was drafted and tried to get out of the army as a conscientious objector on religious grounds.
His small church sect interpreted the Bible literally, and to York, “thou shalt not kill” meant precisely what it said.
Eventually, after reading a history of the United States and the Bible, he determined that the quote: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s…” allowed him to serve his country and be faithful to the Bible.
Skipping ahead to Aug. 8, 1918, he and five other men found themselves surrounded by the enemy. His commanding officer was killed, so he was in charge.
He proceeded to shoot 20 Germans and capture 132 others. Overnight, he became an American hero.
After the war, he spent his life working to establish a school dedicated to teaching students a trade in a Christian environment. He remained the same modest man who grew up poor in his beloved mountains.
Like many “heroes,” York felt that he was just doing what he had to; he was only doing his job. That is what most people who perform so-called heroic deeds would say.
The dictionary defines a hero as “a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities.”
Perhaps we should put aside the label of hero and focus more on people’s deeds. There are many good people in the world who quietly change lives every day. When you look at the news around the world, they are easy to find.
For example, every time we see a line of men and women in heavy gear walking in a single file toward the backdrop of a rampaging wildfire, we are seeing people potentially sacrificing their lives for others. They aren’t looking for glory; they’re just trying to help people who need it.
Soldiers, police officers, firefighters, nurses, doctors, ministers and many others dedicate every day to helping (and sometimes saving) others.
And it’s not the size of the action; it’s a good heart and the willingness to assist others that sets them apart. Joseph Campbell said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself,” and that brings us to schools.
Teachers have returned to school, and many children will be joining them in the next week. Just imagine all of the small acts of kindness that will begin occurring in thousands of schools. Teachers, counselors, coaches, nurses, administrators—all school staff—will make the difference in so many lives every day. Students will, too.
Teachers will begin working those long hours filled with planning, instructing and reflecting. They have the incredible job of taking 25-125 or so students and finding a way to help each of them be successful regardless of background, reading level or disability.
They’ll integrate subjects and differentiate approaches to make sure every student learns. Just as importantly, probably more importantly, they’ll take the time to get to know each child and build this diverse class group into a kind and compassionate community. They will find a way to develop a caring relationship with every child.
Principals do the same thing with a school filled with different personalities, needs and dreams.
They have to juggle observations, getting down to the lunchroom, calls from parents, and a litany of other activities and still find time to reach the student who seems unreachable.
They realize that many children, especially the seemingly most incorrigible, have problems or needs that aren’t being met in some way, and they strive to support each of them. They never give up on a child.
Students, having been taught so many lessons about character and kindness, get to put them into action. They’ll invite the new student to join their table for lunch. They’ll sit next to the child alone on the bench at recess and get them involved. They’ll partner up with anyone and work together in a group.
All of these heroes will strive to make the school a place where love and caring are so evident one can sense it when first walking through the door. None think of themselves as heroes, but to the child who needs someone to care, they stand 10 feet tall.
Parents, you set the stage. Talk to your child about the importance of seeing other students who need someone to care. Teach your child that part of being a school family, just like a family at home, is to reach out and care about other people. You are, indeed, your child’s first teacher and best example.
Talk about that awkward child who might not get picked for kickball, the quiet child who needs to be invited to be part of a group, or the lonely child sitting by herself at lunch. Encourage your children to treat others as they would want to be treated and to walk a few miles in another child’s shoes.
The reality is that heroes haven’t gone anywhere. No, they are not all Alvin Yorks; however, you can find them in every classroom, playground, staff room and office in any school.
Every single person can be a hero to someone else—it comes down to being kind and thoughtful. In fact, you can easily find a hero right now. Just look in the nearest mirror.
Yes, it’s really up to you—to all of us—to make a difference in someone else’s life—in school or elsewhere. Mariah Carey said it simply in a song lyric: “and you’ll finally see the truth that a hero lies in you.”
Steve Frey is a writer and CEO of Ascendant Educational Services based in Radford.
