Heros Deserve to be Recognized
By: Sarah N
Scott Norrick
My dad and I
St. Louis Cardinals
A Definition Better Than the Dictionary's
Spiderman, Captain Marvel, Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Luke Cage, Black Widow, Daredevil, Captain America, and Wolverine. These are who Marvel defines as heroes. But in real life these people can’t save anyone. The real life heros can't always be seen. The real life heros can't always be heard. But the real life heroes, they are always there. That’s what a hero is. Someone who doesn't need to make a presence, but will help you overcome any obstacle. A hero is someone who can be strong when you're weak and someone who puts themselves before others.
A hero is a firefighter who will carry people out of a burning building. Imagine A school catches on fire. The kids aren't able to get out on time. So many are injured and trapped inside the building. Consider the kids are stuck under the rubble. When a firefighter comes barreling through the clearing and scoops up the injured kid to retreat to safety. The firefighter must put others before himself and risk his life in order to save others. The firefighter must be strong for the children who are weak and cant move. The firefighter puts everything on the line to save these children and be a hero. A hero is someone who risks their safety to insure others, and will help others when they cant be strong, in hopes that they may help back one day, but they don't expect that or anything in return.
A hero is a crossing guard who stops traffic for children crossing the street. A group of younger kids flood out of the elementary school. They all funnel onto the sidewalk approaching the crosswalk. Stefan the crossing guard waits until the traffic slows down and walks to the center of the street to safely cross the children across the busy street. Without Stefan standing in the middle of the street, these kids would be in danger crossing the busy street by themselves. Stefan doesn't do his job on a regular basis for himself, but to help others like the children. Stefan helps people who can't help themselves with crossing the street, he puts the kids safety in front of his own when standing in front of busy traffic.
As shown, a firefighter saving lives and a crossing guard making sure children get across the street safely, can all demonstrate the qualities of a hero. Anyone who has the qualities of being strong for others, and putting others before themselves. Anyone can call themselves a hero, but that won't make them one. It doesn't take much to be a hero, but few people take the time to demonstrate the proper qualities, so if you know a hero in your life make sure to recognize them. It's not about having unhuman like powers that makes you a hero, but taking your human like qualities and making a power out of them.
Never Heard, but Always Felt
A hero is someone who can be strong when others are weak and someone who puts themselves before others. Harriet Tubman, in my mind, is a hero. She escaped slavery and became a union spy. She was later a conductor in the underground railroad rescuing hundreds of slaves. Harriet Tubman is a hero because of her bravery when putting others and their safety before herself.
Harriet Tubman is a hero because she cares for others, and risks her own safety for them. For example, according to Historic World Leaders, when Harriet was about 16, she followed a slave who was being chased by their master, into a general store. When the slave started to run, the master through a rock aiming for the running slave’s head, but Harriet shielded it, and instead got severely injured. Also, according to Historic World Leaders, Harriet made sure all the slaves were safe and went an extra distance to make sure of it. “Following the enactment of the Fugitive Slave Law, Tubman feared for the safety of her passengers in the United States and guided them instead all the way to Canada,”. This proved that Harriet is a person who cared for other people’s safety just as much, if not more, than her own. She always put herself second and helped others without hesitation.
Harriet and my dad both put other’s needs before their own. By 1856, Harriet was fully devoted to rescuing slaves and she would not stop until her whole family was free from slavery. Both Harriet and my dad but their lives on hold to help their families. My dad took 9 months off of Harvard Business school to care for his mom when his dad passed away. Similarly so, Harriet left her life of freedom to occupy all of her time saving her family and later on, strangers. Harriet and my dad are both heros because they’d both do anything for family and put them before themselves.
Harriet Tubman would most likely give people strong and powerful advice. She would probably say that it's more beneficial to help others than to not. She would say to start small with anything you can to help others. She wouldn't encourage people to put themselves in danger, like she did, but if there was something you could do to make someone else's life better, you should do it. I have learned from Harriet and my dad to put others (especially family) first. It is important to keep family close and help people who cannot help themselves. I have learned you have to sacrifice things for the ones you love. Historic World Leaders wrote about an escaping slave, “When Tubman informed him they’d crossed the border into Canada, Joe Bailey stood, tears streaming down his cheeks, and he began to sing: ‘Glory to God and Jesus, too/one more soul got safe.’”
Schools Not Over Yet
Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. Both are very successful, but only one of them has their college degree. Warren Buffett is worth a total of 58.5 billion dollars, while Bill Gates is worth seventy two billion dollars. The one who dropped out of Harvard was Bill Gates. According to this, college may not be worth it. College tuitions have skyrocketed in the past few years. According to CNBC.com, “The average cost of attending a four-year private university is now nearly $42,500 per year—triple the price tag in 1990 and the equivalent, after taxes are taken out, of almost a year's income for a median household today.” Some are debating whether it is worth it to even go to college or just jump into a career. The time and money spent of college is worth it.
People who graduate college are more likely to make more money than the people who don't go to college. According to ProCon.org, over a lifetime, college graduates make an average $500,00 more than high school graduates. Also, according to ProCon.org, the median income of a family headed by a bachelor's degree is more than double then headed by a high school diploma. People who graduate college make significantly more money.
Household with college graduates are better off with stabler lifestyle. Overall, after student loans are paid off, people with their college degree will be making more money throughout their lifetime. People who decide to proceed through college will have a rewarding experience that will pay off in the long run.
Along with the financial stability, that college can help supply later in life, college helps provide more job opportunities. Said by ProCon.org, jobs that need a college degree rose 187,000 from 2007 to 2010. Many jobs not need college degrees so the employers are sure they can complete the tasks. Along with increasing dependence of jobs needing a college education, unemployment is rising, so it is extra hard to find jobs. ProCon.org claims, “In Apr. 2013, the unemployment rate for college graduates aged 25 and over with a bachelor's degree was 3.6%, compared to 5.0% for associate's degree holders, 7.5% for high school graduates, and 11.4% for high school drop-outs.” This means that it is getting harder for people who didnt attend college to get a well paying job. People who graduate from college can be exposed to more jobs. In a tough job market, it can be helpful to have an extra education and degree. Overall, having gone to college makes your job opportunities greater.
Some may say that going to college cost too much money and the students will be up to their head in student loans, that they will never be able to pay off. According to ProCon.org, “10% of students graduate with over $40,000 in debt and about 1% have $100,000 in debt.” These students will have a hard time paying all this money off, and will make it harder to start a life after college. Some college graduates are left with so much debt after graduation that they are forced to move back in with their parents, according to ProCon.org. This may cause them to have a rocky start getting out into the real world. College debt can leave people broke and give them a very tough time starting out of college. However, in most cases, students are able to pay the loans off and excel in their high-paying jobs. Said by ProCon.org, “85% of Forbes' 2012 America's 400 Richest People list were college grads.” Many college graduates become more successful and end up being able to support themselves in the long run. Overall, student loans can be paid off, and much more money can be made on top of that.
College is a worthwhile experience. In the long run, four years is not that long, the four years spent in college will provide valuable experiences that can't be found anywhere and will pave the road for your future. According to ProCon.org, “Blogger Darrius Mind wrote that his graduation day at Wilberforce University was, ’probably the best day of my entire life. That was the day I finished my challenge to myself and also the day I made history in my family, it was the day I EARNED my college degree.’”