The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXI
Award-winning essays on courage written by sixth-eight grade students participating in The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum.
Award-winning essays on courage written by sixth-eight grade students participating in The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum.
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the<br />
<strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Award-winning essays on courage written<br />
by sixth grade students participating<br />
in <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>:<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
2022<br />
Award-winning essays on courage<br />
written by sixth grade students participating in<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum
<strong>The</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees <strong>and</strong> staff <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum, Inc.<br />
would like to express their sincere gratitude <strong>and</strong> appreciation to those<br />
individuals <strong>and</strong> organizations who have given so generously <strong>of</strong> their time,<br />
talent, <strong>and</strong> energy to THE COURAGE OF CHILDREN: BOSTON AND BEYOND,<br />
VOLUME <strong>XXXI</strong>.<br />
Editing<br />
Liz Watson<br />
Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao<br />
David Russell<br />
Alex<strong>and</strong>ra Marshall<br />
Veronica Lundgren<br />
Carrie Coughlin<br />
Photos<br />
Due to Covid-19 <strong>and</strong> the need for social distancing, all photographs were<br />
kindly submitted by each student’s school or family.<br />
Credit for Max’s photo: Condée N. Russo<br />
Northeastern University Reprographics<br />
Marina Flessas <strong>and</strong> Andrew Boucek, Cover Design, Book Layout,<br />
Pre-press <strong>and</strong> Production<br />
Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university<br />
located in the heart <strong>of</strong> <strong>Boston</strong>. Northeastern is a leader in experiential<br />
learning, interdisciplinary scholarship, urban engagement, <strong>and</strong> research<br />
that meets global <strong>and</strong> societal needs.<br />
www.northeastern.edu<br />
Table <strong>of</strong> Contents<br />
Dedication<br />
Champion <strong>of</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> Award<br />
Elsie Wilmerding Award for Excellence in Teaching<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum, Inc.<br />
Participating Schools<br />
Participating Teachers<br />
2022 Essay Judges xiii<br />
Preface by Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao<br />
Max’s Story by Stephanie Warburg <strong>and</strong> Charlotte Harris<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> Greater <strong>Boston</strong> 1<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> in My Life 2<br />
Jessyka Alvarez — Jane Kelly, Teacher 4<br />
Washington Irving Middle School, Roslindale, MA<br />
Marissa Lalanne — Aneilay Wisseh, Teacher 6<br />
New Heights Charter School, Brockton, MA<br />
Oisin Guthrie — Merrill Hawkins, Teacher 8<br />
<strong>The</strong> Park School, Brookline, MA<br />
Naaysha Lerick — Hanna Shibles, Teacher 10<br />
Mother Caroline Academy, Dorchester, MA<br />
Duston Do — Melanie Smith, Teacher 12<br />
Josiah Quincy Upper School, <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
viii<br />
ix<br />
ix<br />
x<br />
xi<br />
xii<br />
xv<br />
xvi<br />
Lilliana Telesford — Jeanine Stansfield, Teacher 14<br />
Warren Prescott K-8 School, Charlestown, MA<br />
Liam Long — Faith Smith, Teacher 16<br />
South <strong>Boston</strong> Catholic Academy, South <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
Ngolela Kamanampata — Aaron Kesler, Alison Spade, Teachers 18<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Renaissance Charter School, Hyde Park, MA<br />
THE COURAGE OF CHILDREN: BOSTON AND BEYOND, VOLUME <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
is a publication <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum, Inc.<br />
© 2022 <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum, Inc.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
ii<br />
Marvin Romero Moreta — Kathleen McGonigle, Teacher 20<br />
Thomas Edison K-8 School, Brighton, MA<br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
iii
Vanessa De Los Santos — Hanna Shibles, Teacher 22<br />
Mother Caroline Academy, Dorchester, MA<br />
Kai Geraghty-Sari — Mary Budrose, Teacher 24<br />
Proctor School, Topsfield, MA<br />
Tyler Rogers — Jaclyn Poremski, Teacher 26<br />
St. Agatha School, Milton, MA<br />
Josmil Binet — Alex Veloz, Teacher 28<br />
Bellisini Academy, Lawrence, MA<br />
Priscilla Cyprien — Erin Hannon-Foley, Teacher 30<br />
Roosevelt K-8 School, Hyde Park, MA<br />
Kamilanys Concepcion — Dan Cesario, Teacher 32<br />
Joseph Tynan Elementary School, South <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
Eric-Llyod Perryman — Aaron Cohen, Teacher 34<br />
Jackson Mann K-8 School, Allston, MA<br />
Shems Hafiani — Sr. Sawsan Mezyan, Teacher 36<br />
Al-Noor Academy, Mansfield, MA<br />
Arwen Elliot — Sara DeOreo, Teacher 38<br />
Proctor School, Topsfield, MA<br />
Naheemah Mustapha — Sr. Sawsan Mezyan, Teacher 40<br />
Al-Noor Academy, Mansfield, MA<br />
Stefanie Perez Berganza — Kathleen McGonigle, Teacher 42<br />
Thomas Edison K-8 School, Brighton, MA<br />
Alana McNamara — Faith Smith, Teacher 44<br />
South <strong>Boston</strong> Catholic Academy, South <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
Esther Kalejaiye — Aaron Kesler, Alison Spade, Teachers 46<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Renaissance Charter School, Hyde Park, MA<br />
Perla Gomez — Alex Veloz, Teacher 48<br />
Bellisini Academy, Lawrence, MA<br />
Jenseen Johnson — Erin Hannon-Foley, Teacher 50<br />
Roosevelt K-8 School, Hyde Park, MA<br />
Lyra Dvorin — Alice Lucey, Teacher 52<br />
<strong>The</strong> Park School, Brookline, MA<br />
Elle Sullivan — Helen Sullivan, Teacher 54<br />
Hurley K-8 School, <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
Sean Bourke — Scott Larivee, Teacher 56<br />
Mary Lyon K-8 School, Brighton, MA<br />
Hailey Alex<strong>and</strong>er — Mariya Timkovsky, Teacher 58<br />
Lesley Ellis School, Arlington, MA<br />
Cian Quigley — Scott Larivee, Teacher 60<br />
Mary Lyon K-8 School, Brighton, MA<br />
Leo Le — Melissa Ma, Teacher 62<br />
Salemwood School, Malden, MA<br />
Emily Ryan — Jaclyn Poremski, Teacher 64<br />
St. Agatha School, Milton, MA<br />
Helen Chen — Thu-Hang Tran-Peou, M<strong>and</strong>y Lam, Teachers 66<br />
Josiah Quincy Upper School, <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
Aya Bihi — Melissa Ma, Teacher 68<br />
Salemwood School, Malden, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong> <strong>Boston</strong> 71<br />
National<br />
Aleena Sattar — Sara Coyle, Teacher 74<br />
Beverly Hills Academy, Beverly Hills, MI<br />
Emilly Braga — Mary Wall, Teacher 76<br />
Barnstable Intermediate School, Barnstable, MA<br />
Olive Harron — Michael Andrews, Teacher 78<br />
Barnstable Intermediate School, Barnstable, MA<br />
Kendall Henriksen — Stefanie Machado, Teacher 80<br />
Keith Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
Aliana Paquette — Sabina Kozak, Teacher 82<br />
Our Sisters’ School, New Bedford, MA<br />
Jenifer Garcia Jimon — Alexias Soares, Teacher 84<br />
Roosevelt Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
Jeremiah Arruda — Valerie Carvalho, Teacher 86<br />
Keith Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
Kaylin LaLond — Lindsay Worstell, Mark Moreau, Teachers 88<br />
Norm<strong>and</strong>in Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
John Maric-Sam — Ryan Kaplan, Jason Cornaglia, Teachers 90<br />
Norm<strong>and</strong>in Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
Devyn Costa — Kate Lynch, Teacher 92<br />
Roosevelt Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
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Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
v
International<br />
Yemen<br />
Amal Sadeq — Haifa Al-Jaboobi, Teacher 96<br />
Sawda Bent Sam’ah, Sana’a, Yemen<br />
Bashar Ali — Abdullah Al-Makramani, 98<br />
Abdel Abu-Osba’a, Teachers<br />
Salman Al-Farsi, Sana’a, Yemen<br />
Ibrahim Ameen — Abdullah Al-Makramani, Teacher 100<br />
Salman Al-Farsi, Sana’a, Yemen<br />
Bashar Saleh — Ahmed Al-Khzan, Mohammed Al-Assadi,<br />
Ali Al-Hammami, Teachers 102<br />
Dar Al-Aytam (Orphans House), Sana’a, Yemen<br />
Mongolia<br />
Nomin-Erdene Tumennast — Odkhuu Khurelbaatar, Teacher 120<br />
Od Complex School, Darkhan Province, Mongolia<br />
Jigmedsuren Enkhjin — Selenge Enkhbold, Teacher 122<br />
Sant Soum Secondary School, Sant Soum, Selenge Province, Mongolia<br />
Khaliun Nomuundari — Odkhuu Khurelbaatar, Teacher 124<br />
Od Complex School, Darkhan Province, Mongolia<br />
Selengesaikhan Enkhbayar — Ariuntuya Baatar, Teacher 126<br />
Saikhan Soum Secondary School, Saikhan Soum, Selenge Province, Mongolia<br />
Azjargal Bayarbaatar — Odkhuu Khurelbaatar, Teacher 128<br />
Od Complex School, Darkhan Province, Mongolia<br />
Omar Abdullah Ibrahim — Hana Al-Eryani, Ania Jamil, Teachers 104<br />
Abjad, Sana’a, Yemen<br />
Cambodia<br />
Sokleap Brak — Phalla Ol, Teacher 106<br />
<strong>The</strong> Cambridge Cambodia School, Cambodia<br />
Ritha Ny — Phalla Ol, Teacher 108<br />
<strong>The</strong> Cambridge Cambodia School, Cambodia<br />
Turkey<br />
Şeyma Elif Çelik — Bahar Onal, Teacher 110<br />
ide Okullari, Istanbul, Turkey<br />
Naz Akyol — Sedef Seker, Teacher 112<br />
ide Okullari, Istanbul, Turkey<br />
Spain<br />
Valentina Pratginestós Valcárcel — Lis Van Meer, 114<br />
Dawn Austin, Teachers<br />
American School <strong>of</strong> Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain<br />
Belize<br />
Leanne Gordon — Selmita Russell, Teacher 116<br />
Raymond Sheppard Nazarene Primary School, Roaring Creek Village, Belize<br />
Lyniah Requena — Kristen Westby, Teacher 118<br />
United Evergreen Primary School, Belmopan, Belize<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
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Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
vii
THE COURAGE OF CHILDREN: BOSTON AND BEYOND<br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
is dedicated to the incredible educators<br />
who teach this program in their classes <strong>and</strong> make<br />
it possible for the stories in this book to be shared.<br />
We are truly grateful for the countless ways<br />
they show compassion, promote safety,<br />
<strong>and</strong> provide encouragement for their students –<br />
especially during a time <strong>of</strong> deep uncertainty<br />
<strong>and</strong> change. Thank you, teachers.<br />
Champion <strong>of</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> Award<br />
<strong>The</strong> Champion <strong>of</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> Award is given annually in recognition for<br />
outst<strong>and</strong>ing volunteerism at MAX<strong>Courage</strong>. Past recipients have been board<br />
members <strong>and</strong> long-time volunteers who have given their time, treasure, <strong>and</strong><br />
talent to the organization. Awardees go above <strong>and</strong> beyond the call <strong>of</strong> duty<br />
<strong>and</strong> we could not do the work we do without them.<br />
We honor DR. MARCIA HARRIS as the 2022 recipient <strong>of</strong> the Champion <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Courage</strong> Award, for her long-time dedication to the curriculum, <strong>and</strong> her<br />
coordination <strong>of</strong> the program in Belize.<br />
Elsie Wilmerding Award for<br />
Excellence in Teaching<br />
<strong>The</strong> MAX<strong>Courage</strong> Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees is honored to present the Elsie Wilmerding<br />
Award for Excellence in Teaching. Named in honor <strong>of</strong> our late <strong>and</strong> long-time<br />
board member, this award celebrates Elsie’s talent <strong>and</strong> passion for teaching,<br />
<strong>and</strong> the tremendous impact teachers can have in the lives <strong>of</strong> young people.<br />
After spending 13 years as a learning specialist at the Fenn School, she<br />
authored writing workbooks <strong>and</strong> the young adult historical novel, This L<strong>and</strong> is<br />
Mine!. This L<strong>and</strong> is Mine! is a beautiful book detailing Crazy Horse <strong>and</strong> General<br />
Custer <strong>and</strong> the contested expansion <strong>of</strong> the Western United States through the<br />
perspective <strong>of</strong> the two important historical figures. Elsie was known for her<br />
patience, kindness <strong>and</strong> creativity with her students.<br />
This year’s Elsie Wilmerding Award for Excellence in Teaching is being<br />
presented to JEANINE STANSFIELD <strong>of</strong> Warren Prescott K-8 School for<br />
serving as a tireless champion for her students <strong>and</strong> the field <strong>of</strong> education.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
viii<br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
ix
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum, Inc.<br />
Participating<br />
Schools<br />
Board <strong>of</strong> Trustees<br />
Stephanie Warburg, President<br />
Frederick Warburg, Vice President<br />
Barbara Hawkins, Treasurer<br />
Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao, Secretary<br />
Members<br />
Brant Binder<br />
Amy d’Abelmont Burnes<br />
Astrid Burns<br />
Sally Fay Cottingham<br />
CJ Hacker<br />
Jill Lenhardt<br />
Kate Lubin<br />
Ann Ogilvie Macdonald<br />
Marsha Yamaykina MacLean<br />
Kristen Sullivan McEntyre<br />
Ryan Naples<br />
Julia Norman<br />
Samuel Plimpton<br />
Diane Schmalensee<br />
Clayton Schuller<br />
Jane Skelton<br />
Board Emerita<br />
Carrie Minot Bell<br />
Suzanne Fisher Bloomberg<br />
Pamela Humphrey<br />
Joan Bennett Kennedy<br />
Staff<br />
Carrie Coughlin, Executive Director<br />
Liz Watson, Program Director<br />
Advisory Board<br />
Craig Bailey<br />
Carrie Minot Bell<br />
Katie Schuller Bleakie<br />
Lisa Clark<br />
Janet Coleman<br />
Merry Conway<br />
Kit Cunningham<br />
Heather Faris<br />
Carmen Fields<br />
Robert Gittens, Esq.<br />
Elizabeth Goodenough<br />
Ann Gund<br />
Katherine McManmon Hoyt<br />
Felicity Hoyt<br />
Julie Joyal<br />
Kasey Kaufman<br />
Rona Kiley<br />
Gil Leaf<br />
Karen Leopold<br />
Lois Lowry<br />
Rachel Maltz<br />
Alex<strong>and</strong>ra Marshall<br />
Martha Pierce<br />
Diana Rowan Rockefeller<br />
Alex Saltonstall<br />
Gary Smith<br />
Donna Storer<br />
Rev. Liz Walker<br />
Lisa Walker<br />
Jonathan Warburg<br />
Janet Wu<br />
Joyce Yaffee<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Public<br />
Schools<br />
Curley K-8 School<br />
Dennis C. Haley Pilot<br />
School<br />
Franklin D. Roosevelt K-8<br />
School<br />
George Conley<br />
Elementary<br />
Jackson Mann K-8 School<br />
James P. Timilty Middle<br />
School<br />
Joseph Hurley K-8 School<br />
Joseph Lee K-8 School<br />
Joseph Tynan School<br />
Josiah Quincy Upper<br />
School<br />
Mary Lyon K-8 School<br />
Maurice J. Tobin K-8<br />
School<br />
Oliver Hazard Perry<br />
School K-8<br />
Rafael Hernández K-8<br />
School<br />
Thomas Edison K-8<br />
Warren-Prescott School<br />
Washington Irving<br />
Middle School<br />
William Henderson<br />
Inclusion School<br />
Local Schools<br />
Al Noor Academy<br />
Alhuda Academy<br />
Barnstable Intermediate<br />
School<br />
Beebe School<br />
Beeman Elementary<br />
Bellisini Academy<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Renaissance<br />
Charter Public School<br />
Brimmer <strong>and</strong> May School<br />
Buckingham Browne<br />
<strong>and</strong> Nichols School<br />
Christa McAuliffe<br />
Charter School<br />
Dearborn STEM<br />
Academy<br />
Esperanza Academy<br />
Linden STEAM Academy<br />
Malik Academy<br />
Mother Caroline<br />
Academy<br />
Proctor Elementary<br />
School<br />
Saint Patrick School<br />
Salemwood School<br />
Sarah Greenwood School<br />
South <strong>Boston</strong> Catholic<br />
Academy<br />
St John Paul II Catholic<br />
Academy<br />
St. Agatha School<br />
St. John School<br />
St. Paul Choir School<br />
Taunton Family<br />
Rescource Center<br />
<strong>The</strong> Advent School<br />
<strong>The</strong> Park School<br />
National Schools<br />
Benzie Central Middle<br />
School<br />
Carl W. Goetz Middle<br />
School<br />
De La Salle Academy<br />
Fillmore Central Middle<br />
School<br />
Harmony Hill School<br />
Heritage Middle School<br />
Keith Middle School<br />
New Oxford Middle<br />
School<br />
Norm<strong>and</strong>in Middle<br />
School<br />
Our Sisters’ School<br />
Somerset Jefferson K-12<br />
South Central Middle<br />
School<br />
Zephyrhills Correctional<br />
Institute<br />
International<br />
Partners<br />
Garden City Primary<br />
School, Belize<br />
Our Lady <strong>of</strong> Guadalupe,<br />
Belize<br />
Raymond Sheppard<br />
Nazarene Primary<br />
School, Belize<br />
Cambridge School <strong>of</strong><br />
Cambodia, Cambodia<br />
First Secondary School<br />
<strong>of</strong> Bulgan Soum,<br />
Mongolia<br />
American School <strong>of</strong><br />
Barcelona, Spain<br />
ide Okullari, Turkey<br />
Abi Dhar Al-Ghafari,<br />
Yemen<br />
Abjad Schools, Yemen<br />
Al-Ahrar, Yemen<br />
Al-Amal Mute <strong>and</strong> Deaf<br />
School, Yemen<br />
Al-Kifah, Yemen<br />
Al-Mokhtar, Yemen<br />
Al-Nibrass, Yemen<br />
Al-Qairawan, Yemen<br />
Al-Rasheed, Yemen<br />
Al-Samawi, Yemen<br />
Al-Thawrah, Yemen<br />
Al-Zubair, Yemen<br />
Ali Abdul Moghni,<br />
Yemen<br />
Dar Al-Aytam<br />
(Orphange), Yemen<br />
Dhafar, Yemen<br />
Ibn Zaidon, Yemen<br />
Khawlah, Yemen<br />
Rabe’a Al-Adawe’ah,<br />
Yemen<br />
Sawdah Bint Zam’ah,<br />
Yemen<br />
Somai Girls School,<br />
Yemen<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
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Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
xi
Participating Teachers<br />
2022 Essay Judges<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Public<br />
Teachers<br />
Melanie Allen<br />
Daniel Cesario<br />
Aaron Cohen<br />
Kailyn Corrado<br />
Alisha Crebbin<br />
Brenda Crowley<br />
Janna Cunnion<br />
Karen Douglas<br />
Sonie Felix<br />
Amy Higginbotham<br />
Jane Kelly<br />
M<strong>and</strong>y Lam<br />
Jen Lambert<br />
Scott Larivee<br />
Am<strong>and</strong>a Mari<br />
Emily Marshall<br />
Yol<strong>and</strong>a McCollum<br />
Kathleen McGonigle<br />
Carolyn Miller<br />
Melanie Smith<br />
Jeanine Stansfield<br />
Helen Sullivan<br />
Thu-Hang Tran-Peou<br />
Local Teachers<br />
Michael Andrews<br />
Belkys Angeles<br />
Joyce Baio<br />
Kate Boswell<br />
Christine Boulette<br />
Scott Brann<br />
Jessica Bruso<br />
Mary Budrose<br />
Annette Carter<br />
Colleen Clifford<br />
Kathy Coen<br />
Sara DeOreo<br />
Kristina Dolce<br />
Chris Donaher<br />
Cari-Ann Dufresne<br />
<strong>The</strong>rese Evans<br />
Sonie Felix<br />
Karlei Fura<br />
Jennifer Gayda<br />
Sarah Harrison<br />
Deborah Hart<br />
Merrill Hawkins<br />
Leila Huff<br />
Mona Ives<br />
Alex Jones<br />
Rachel Joseph<br />
Aaron Kesler<br />
Julie Leo<br />
Alice Lucey<br />
Melissa Ma<br />
Elizabeth Marc-Aurele<br />
Sharice Moore<br />
Patrick Moran<br />
Tyler Murphy<br />
Gus Polstein<br />
Nila Pope<br />
Dan Poremba<br />
Jaclyn Poremski<br />
Christina Rish<br />
Linda Roach<br />
Alicia Roth<br />
Thomas Savas<br />
Julie Scott<br />
Hanna Shibles<br />
Sophia Sirage<br />
Faith Smith<br />
Barbara Smith<br />
Melissa Stampfl<br />
William V<strong>and</strong>all<br />
Alex Veloz<br />
Mary Wall<br />
Jane Wright<br />
National Teachers<br />
Denise Ashworth<br />
Dominique Branco<br />
Veronica Cabral<br />
Heather Callahan<br />
Catherine Casey-Paull<br />
Julie Cochran<br />
Lindsey Daigle<br />
Teri Desrosiers<br />
Kate Fuoroli<br />
Amy Jass<br />
Cathy Kimbrough<br />
Sabina Kozak<br />
William Levasseur<br />
Julia Lewis<br />
Gina Lord<br />
Cynthia McDermott<br />
Debra Mendes<br />
Deirdre Murphy<br />
Valerie Parent<br />
Jessica Preciado<br />
Joyce Sioch<br />
Deborah Slik<br />
Alexias Soares<br />
Colin Southgate<br />
Crystal Tomecek<br />
Rene Vazquez<br />
Carolyn Westgate<br />
Lindsay Worstell<br />
Abbey Yohe<br />
Adra Young<br />
International<br />
Partners<br />
Kais Al-Iriani<br />
Dawn Austin<br />
Erdene Chimeg<br />
Heather Faris<br />
Dr. Marcia Harris<br />
Phalla Ol<br />
Sedef Seker<br />
Liga Aldins<br />
Blakeman Hazzard<br />
Allen<br />
Diana Baldarelli<br />
Anne Benning<br />
Joan Berndt<br />
Karen Britton<br />
Amy D’Ablemont<br />
Burnes<br />
Marty Childs<br />
Lisa Clark<br />
Margery Cobb<br />
David Cody<br />
Donna Cohen<br />
Merry Conway<br />
Caroline Conzatti<br />
Christina Costello<br />
Kit Cunningham<br />
Beverley Daniel<br />
Ann Deveney<br />
Jennifer Donaldson<br />
Anne Doremus<br />
Mimi Eger<br />
Elizabeth Evans<br />
D’Ascensao<br />
Cecelia Gaffney<br />
Charlene Gilmore<br />
Elizabeth Goodenough<br />
JB Greenway<br />
Amy Grossman<br />
C.J. Hacker<br />
Trevania Henderson<br />
Robin Horgan<br />
Michael Horwitz<br />
Felicity Hoyt<br />
Robin Hunnewell<br />
Judy Kamm<br />
Althea Kearney<br />
Virginia Khuri<br />
Barbara Kratovil<br />
Rob Ladd<br />
Carol Lasky<br />
Jill Lenhardt<br />
Karen Leopold<br />
Moying Li<br />
Joyce Linehan<br />
Julie Lovell<br />
Melissa Ludtke<br />
Karin Mahdavi<br />
Susan Mann<br />
Patricia Meaney<br />
Aubrey Mixon<br />
Kyra Montagu<br />
Ryan Naples<br />
Jane O’Neil<br />
Mimi Olson<br />
Mary Jane Patrone<br />
Debbie Perry<br />
Susan Richardson<br />
Elizabeth Robbins<br />
Elizabeth Rogers<br />
Suzanne Rothschild<br />
Condée N. Russo<br />
Marjorie Sarzana<br />
Martin Schad<br />
Diana Schmalensee<br />
Richard Schmalensee<br />
Margot Schmid<br />
Maria Sheehan<br />
Jane Skelton<br />
Gary Smith<br />
Lynne Smith<br />
Marthe Soden<br />
David Stevenson<br />
Meg Tallon<br />
Marta Valiente<br />
Gay Vervaet<br />
Jonathan Warburg<br />
Frederick Warburg<br />
Kathleen Wattles<br />
Amy Wertheim<br />
Lynn Winans<br />
Carol Wintle<br />
Lynda Wood<br />
Peter Zuraw<br />
Christina Zwart<br />
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Preface<br />
by Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao<br />
In an ever complex world, today we are given a rare <strong>and</strong> precious opportunity<br />
to learn from the children in our communities– to know firsth<strong>and</strong> their<br />
feelings, their experiences, their challenges, <strong>and</strong> their hopes. What an<br />
incredible gift. That gift is born <strong>of</strong> the work, effort, <strong>and</strong> attention <strong>of</strong> so many:<br />
families who foster courage at home, teachers who provide the tools <strong>and</strong> safety<br />
for expressing that courage in the classroom, <strong>and</strong> our readers who honor the<br />
courage <strong>of</strong> so many children by spending time with <strong>and</strong> trusting their words.<br />
After passing so much <strong>of</strong> the last two years in isolation <strong>and</strong> fear, we recognize<br />
the power <strong>of</strong> community <strong>and</strong> hope more than ever. We were meant to live,<br />
learn, <strong>and</strong> grow in community. This collection <strong>of</strong> essays on courage can be<br />
considered a community unto itself– one that spans the globe, from <strong>Boston</strong><br />
to Barcelona, <strong>and</strong> Michigan to Mongolia. <strong>The</strong>se incredible children <strong>and</strong> their<br />
stories represent the pr<strong>of</strong>ound courage <strong>of</strong> their classrooms <strong>and</strong> schools, <strong>and</strong><br />
remind us that courage <strong>and</strong> adversity are universal, <strong>and</strong> that working together<br />
to heal our communities, for all the many ways they are hurting, is critical.<br />
We are up against so much, <strong>and</strong> yet, we hope. We take courage from the<br />
hopeful voices <strong>of</strong> children, knowing that even the seemingly insurmountable<br />
challenges <strong>of</strong> our time can be addressed in small, careful steps, <strong>and</strong> with the<br />
support <strong>of</strong> our local <strong>and</strong> global communities. In writing about her family’s<br />
experience during the COVID-19 p<strong>and</strong>emic, Helen Chen shared, “<strong>The</strong> world<br />
shuts down because the virus is overtaking us. However, there is hope. <strong>The</strong><br />
hope is that we can survive this p<strong>and</strong>emic with faith in each other, care for one<br />
another, love for our community–that we are all in this together.” Alongside<br />
Helen’s story are countless other stories <strong>of</strong> hope – in the face <strong>of</strong> mental health<br />
challenges, gender identity, racism, family challenges, bullying, <strong>and</strong> fear.<br />
Hope takes courage. Asking for help takes courage. Trusting others takes<br />
courage. Caring for your community takes courage.<br />
Thank you for being part <strong>of</strong> our courageous <strong>and</strong> hopeful community.<br />
Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao is a Board Member <strong>and</strong> former Executive Director for <strong>The</strong> Max<br />
Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum. She currently works as a content creator <strong>and</strong> consultant.<br />
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Max’s Story<br />
By Stephanie Warburg <strong>and</strong> Charlotte Harris<br />
Max Warburg was born <strong>and</strong> brought up in <strong>Boston</strong>, Massachusetts. Not long<br />
ago, Max lived in an apartment near the center <strong>of</strong> the city with his parents <strong>and</strong><br />
his brother, Fred. Max was two <strong>and</strong> a half years older than Fred. Max had wavy<br />
light brown hair <strong>and</strong> bright brown eyes, <strong>and</strong> Fred had straight black hair <strong>and</strong><br />
hazel eyes, but when they smiled, they looked a lot alike even though Max<br />
was much bigger.<br />
<strong>The</strong> boys liked sports. <strong>The</strong>y liked to swim in the summer, ski in the winter, <strong>and</strong><br />
sail whenever they got a chance. Mostly, their father, who is an architect, had<br />
to work, but as <strong>of</strong>ten as he could he took the boys sailing, teaching them to tie<br />
lines, trim sails, <strong>and</strong> steer a course.<br />
“Here,” he would say, “Max, you take the wheel. Fred, you hold this line tight<br />
<strong>and</strong> Max will sail us out <strong>of</strong> the harbor.”<br />
And Max would. He’d st<strong>and</strong> at the helm the way he thought his father stood.<br />
Eyes on the sail to be sure it didn’t spill its wind, both h<strong>and</strong>s on the big wheel,<br />
<strong>and</strong> feet spread apart, wind blowing his hair <strong>and</strong> puffing out his jacket, Max<br />
would play the part <strong>of</strong> the captain, dreaming <strong>of</strong> the day he would have his own<br />
boat. He knew exactly what he wanted: a sixteen-foot, drop-centerboard boat<br />
called a 420, just the right size for a twelve-year-old, which he figured he would<br />
be before he would ever get his 420. <strong>The</strong>n he could take Fred on some great<br />
sails, even on the days his dad was too busy. Better yet, then he could race<br />
<strong>and</strong> maybe win.<br />
He knew what he’d call his boat, too. Take It To <strong>The</strong> Max, he’d call it, not just<br />
because it had his name in it, but because it sounded like the sky was the limit<br />
<strong>and</strong> that’s how Max felt.<br />
Max had other dreams. Ever since he was little, Max had been good at<br />
imitating people. His mom would talk to someone on the phone, <strong>and</strong> when<br />
she hung up, Max could imitate her ‘talking to a stranger’ voice or ‘talking to<br />
her best friend’ voice perfectly. He could hear an accent once <strong>and</strong> reproduce<br />
it exactly. He could mimic actors <strong>and</strong> other kids, making his friends laugh <strong>and</strong><br />
fascinating everyone with this ability.<br />
“You ought to be an actor when you grow up,” people would tell him. So he<br />
started looking at the actors on TV with his mind on learning acting skills<br />
<strong>and</strong> camera angles.<br />
“Mom,” Max said one day, “do you think I could ever be on TV?”<br />
“Well, I don’t see why not if you work at it,” she told him. Max’s mom was an<br />
artist, <strong>and</strong> it pleased her to see her son interested in growing up to be in one <strong>of</strong><br />
the arts. Max joined a children’s theater group <strong>and</strong> went for acting lessons. He<br />
started to gain the confidence an actor needs, <strong>and</strong> signed up with an agency<br />
that looks for children to act <strong>and</strong> model. One day a call came.<br />
“Max, do you think you’re ready to act in a television commercial?” the<br />
agency representative asked. “Sure I am. Will my friends be able to see me?”<br />
he replied.<br />
“Not this time. This commercial is going to run in New Jersey, but maybe next<br />
time. Will you do it anyway? Right away?”<br />
“Oh, yes! This is my first chance!” Max ran to get his mom, <strong>and</strong>, alive with<br />
anticipation, Max, Fred, <strong>and</strong> their mom drove to the studio. <strong>The</strong>y spent a day<br />
taping <strong>and</strong> re-taping. Max watched the pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, followed directions<br />
intently, <strong>and</strong> caught on quickly to what was expected <strong>of</strong> him. When the long<br />
day was done, Max tried to guess when the next time would be that he would<br />
get a chance in front <strong>of</strong> the cameras. He couldn’t have guessed then that six<br />
short months later he would be a frequent talk show guest, but not for a<br />
reason anyone would want.<br />
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For Max, acting was fun <strong>and</strong> easy, <strong>and</strong> so was schoolwork. He loved to be with<br />
his friends in school, <strong>and</strong> he loved to read <strong>and</strong> figure things out. He loved to<br />
laugh <strong>and</strong> play jokes. At school, they called Max the peacemaker. Kids would<br />
argue or get to fighting, but Max would get into the middle <strong>and</strong> try to calm<br />
things down. Being a good sport <strong>and</strong> thinking <strong>of</strong> the other guy were Max’s<br />
way. In tense situations, Max would be the one to lighten things up with a joke.<br />
Not everything came easy. Living in the city surrounded by buildings <strong>and</strong><br />
pavement, Max didn’t have much chance to play ball, but he wanted to. As<br />
soon as he was old enough, Max joined a baseball league. <strong>The</strong>y played on the<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Common. Max was the youngest player <strong>and</strong> afraid <strong>of</strong> the fastballs<br />
coming straight at him. A couple <strong>of</strong> times he didn’t get out <strong>of</strong> the way <strong>of</strong> the<br />
ball <strong>and</strong> it hit him, but he didn’t let it get him down. For one thing, he knew<br />
Fred was watching <strong>and</strong> he knew as the big brother he’d better get right back<br />
up. Max was philosophical about his shortcomings. “I’ll be better next time,”<br />
he would say, <strong>and</strong> then he’d work at it. He never missed a practice. Even<br />
though he never got to be the best player on his team, by his third season his<br />
teammates knew they could count on him for a solid performance.<br />
During the summers, Max <strong>and</strong> his family left the city for the seashore.<br />
One morning in July 1990, when Max was eleven, Max’s mom needed<br />
something at the hardware store, <strong>and</strong> Max was looking for something to do.<br />
“I’ll go. Let me do it,” he said, <strong>and</strong> he got on his bike <strong>and</strong> pedaled <strong>of</strong>f toward<br />
town. About a mile from the house his front tire hit a pocket <strong>of</strong> s<strong>and</strong> the<br />
wrong way. <strong>The</strong> wheel skewed around sideways <strong>and</strong> Max fell. He l<strong>and</strong>ed on his<br />
shoulder, the breath knocked out <strong>of</strong> him. Hot burning pain filled his stomach<br />
<strong>and</strong> chest, making him curl in a ball <strong>and</strong> squeeze his eyes shut.<br />
Max knew something was wrong, more wrong than just a fall from his bike.<br />
Max’s mother knew something was really wrong as soon as she saw him<br />
walking beside his bike, steps slow <strong>and</strong> head down. Before he could get in<br />
the house she had him in the car <strong>and</strong> on the way to the local hospital<br />
emergency room.<br />
“Max fell <strong>of</strong>f his bike <strong>and</strong> he doesn’t feel right,” Max’s mom told the doctor.<br />
<strong>The</strong> doctor felt Max’s back <strong>and</strong> side <strong>and</strong> the smile left her face. “What’s this here?<br />
His side is all swollen. I think he’s ruptured his spleen. Max is in trouble.”<br />
“What kind <strong>of</strong> trouble?” Max <strong>and</strong> his mom said, almost at the same time.<br />
“I’m not sure, but we need to find out fast,” said the doctor, frowning<br />
with concern.<br />
She called an ambulance to take Max to <strong>Children</strong>’s Hospital back in the city.<br />
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Siren <strong>and</strong> lights clearing a path, the ambulance rushed up the highway to<br />
<strong>Boston</strong>, barely slowing down for the tight corners near the entrance to the<br />
hospital. Max was wheeled straight into the emergency room.<br />
“This doesn’t look good,” the emergency room doctor said.<br />
“If my spleen is split, why don’t you operate on me <strong>and</strong> sew it up?” Max<br />
wanted to know.<br />
“Can you sew Jell-O? That’s what a spleen looks like. Not much to look at, but<br />
good to have because that’s what your body uses to clean your blood. Mrs.<br />
Warburg, this boy is going to be here for at least ten days.”<br />
Sad <strong>and</strong> frightened, Mr. <strong>and</strong> Mrs. Warburg made their plans. Max’s mom<br />
would stay with him, <strong>and</strong> his dad would take Fred back to the shore to keep<br />
things as normal as possible for him. <strong>The</strong> news from the hospital wasn’t good.<br />
It looked as if Max had leukemia, a dangerous cancer in his bone marrow, but<br />
the doctors weren’t sure which kind <strong>of</strong> leukemia he had. Some kinds were less<br />
difficult to cure, <strong>and</strong> some were easier to bear than others. Hoping their son<br />
had the commonest kind that could be cured, the Warburgs started to learn<br />
about leukemia.<br />
<strong>The</strong> results <strong>of</strong> the blood tests came back. Max had a rare form <strong>of</strong> leukemia,<br />
found in one in a million children. <strong>The</strong> lab doctor told Max’s parents, “Now<br />
that we’ve seen these results, I wonder how Max ever got himself <strong>of</strong>f the<br />
ground <strong>and</strong> back to the house the day he fell <strong>of</strong>f his bike. He must be a very<br />
determined boy.”<br />
“Yes, he is,” Max’s father said. “He is going to need to be.”<br />
It was Dr. Susan Parsons who told Max what he had. “Leukemia is hard to<br />
beat. You’ll have to have chemotherapy <strong>and</strong> radiation stronger than one<br />
hundred thous<strong>and</strong> X-rays. In order to test your blood <strong>and</strong> feed you, we’re<br />
going to have to make an incision near your heart <strong>and</strong> insert a tube. You can’t<br />
play ball <strong>and</strong> you can’t play soccer or ride your bike. If your spleen gets hit<br />
again, it will kill you.”<br />
Max thought a bit. “Tell me what is going to happen.”<br />
“You have to have a bone marrow transplant. Do you know what that is, Max?<br />
That means taking the fluid out <strong>of</strong> the middle <strong>of</strong> all your bones <strong>and</strong> then<br />
putting in the fluid from someone else’s bones in its place. We can’t do it<br />
unless we can find the right donor -- someone whose bone <strong>and</strong> blood type<br />
match yours almost exactly. Often, not even members <strong>of</strong> your own family are<br />
a close enough match. Right now, there are about six thous<strong>and</strong> people out<br />
there looking for the one perfect match to save their lives. You’ll be joining<br />
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them, Max. Your chance <strong>of</strong> finding a match is about one in twenty thous<strong>and</strong>.”<br />
Again, Max thought a minute. “So, there are six thous<strong>and</strong> others. Okay, I’ll be<br />
six thous<strong>and</strong> plus one. I’ll be one <strong>of</strong> the lucky ones.”<br />
“You already have been. Because you fell <strong>of</strong>f your bike, we were able to catch<br />
your disease early, before there were other symptoms. If we get a donor fast,<br />
time will be on your side.”<br />
After ten days <strong>of</strong> testing, they let Max come home to the apartment in <strong>Boston</strong>.<br />
Every week, in order to adjust his medicine, he had to go to the hospital for<br />
blood tests, which meant a little needle, <strong>and</strong> for blood samples, which meant a<br />
big needle <strong>and</strong> a tube. Max hated needles. His mother knew he hated needles<br />
<strong>and</strong> wondered when she didn’t see him flinch each week as the nurse aimed<br />
the needle toward his arm. Even the nurse, who had seen so many different<br />
kinds <strong>of</strong> reactions to needles over the years, was surprised by Max’s calm.<br />
“What are you thinking about, young man?” she said to him on one <strong>of</strong> his<br />
visits to the blood lab, not really expecting a reply.<br />
Max answered very seriously, “First, I wait <strong>and</strong> prepare myself. <strong>The</strong>n I put all<br />
my energy where the needle is going to go, then I make fun <strong>of</strong> the needle.”<br />
On his own, Max had found a way to conquer a fear that, if he did not get the<br />
best <strong>of</strong> it, could make it harder for him to get well.<br />
No sports for at least six months, he’d been told, so he found a calendar,<br />
tacked it up, <strong>and</strong> drew a smiling face on the date six months away. Max had a<br />
goal. He knew he’d be sick for a while but he knew when it would be over. On<br />
the space for February 6, 1991, beside the smile he wrote, “Cured” <strong>and</strong><br />
underlined it in red.<br />
In September, Max went back to school. When he told Nurse Hoolihan at the<br />
hospital that the kids didn’t seem to underst<strong>and</strong> what was wrong with him, she<br />
said she’d come to his school <strong>and</strong> explain. <strong>The</strong> kids listened carefully to Nurse<br />
Hoolihan, but it was Max they wanted to hear from.<br />
“How did you catch leukemia?” asked someone, saying out loud the big<br />
question in everyone’s mind.<br />
“I didn’t just catch it,” Max said matter-<strong>of</strong>-factly. “First, I had to have inherited a<br />
particular gene <strong>and</strong> then I had to have what my doctor said was an accident in<br />
my blood cells. One cell went crazy. It started making the other cells produce<br />
too many white cells <strong>and</strong> platelets. My white cells are crowding out my red cells,<br />
<strong>and</strong> that’s not good for me. But, listen; no one can catch this from me.”<br />
You could see the kids were relieved. <strong>The</strong>y stopped sitting so stiffly <strong>and</strong> acting<br />
so polite. Even Max’s teacher <strong>and</strong> the other grownups in the room seemed<br />
to relax a little.<br />
“What can we do for you?” Max’s best friend wanted to know.<br />
“Don’t treat me funny. I’m not supposed to bump my spleen but I’m the<br />
same old Max.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>re were reminders at home, too, that his life had changed. Max had to<br />
choose whether to give up his kitten, Fantasy, or have her claws out so that she<br />
couldn’t scratch him <strong>and</strong> start an infection. Max couldn’t bring himself to hurt<br />
Fantasy that way, so he found her another home. He missed his kitten. “Be<br />
careful, Max. Be careful,” it seemed to him his mother kept saying. He missed<br />
hearing her say, “Off you go <strong>and</strong> have a good time,” without a worried look.<br />
<strong>The</strong> hospital did what it could to find a donor for Max so he could have the<br />
transplant that could save his life. His parents were tested <strong>and</strong> Fred was tested,<br />
but no perfect match was found. Close relatives were tested <strong>and</strong> then friends<br />
<strong>of</strong> the family, <strong>and</strong> still no match. Wait, the hospital told them, a match might<br />
be found in the new national marrow donor registry.<br />
His parents were troubled by waiting. <strong>The</strong> registry had too few matches <strong>and</strong><br />
too many other people who were counting on the registry but hadn’t been<br />
helped. “We can help. We can learn how to do donor drives.” It was going to<br />
be hard, but they knew they had to try. What they didn’t realize at first was that<br />
Max would make the donor drive succeed. At first, only the family worked on<br />
the drives. <strong>The</strong>n they were joined by many <strong>of</strong> their friends, <strong>and</strong> soon, old<br />
friends were joined by the hundreds <strong>of</strong> new friends Max found through<br />
television <strong>and</strong> radio.<br />
Max’s campaign for a donor was called the “Max + 6,000.” Always, Max wanted<br />
people to remember that this wasn’t just for him. It was for Max <strong>and</strong> all the<br />
others in America who needed the one perfect donor. Many people didn’t<br />
really know what leukemia was all about or about bone marrow transplants, or<br />
how to help even if they wanted to help. One morning, figuring he had<br />
nothing to lose <strong>and</strong> plenty to gain, Max called a radio station to see if he could<br />
make his appeal on the air. He spoke on local radio shows. He was invited to<br />
talk on Channel 4 <strong>and</strong> then Channel 7 <strong>and</strong> then Channel 2. Smiling into the<br />
camera, Max would say, “Leukemia is a blood disease that starts in the marrow<br />
<strong>of</strong> bones. I need new bone marrow in order to get better. Come have a simple<br />
blood test <strong>and</strong> see if you can be my donor. Perhaps you will be my MUD, my<br />
matched unrelated donor.”<br />
Tom Bergeron, one talk show host, said to Max, “You’re good at this. You look<br />
as if you’re enjoying yourself.”<br />
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“I am, sir. I wanted to be on TV <strong>and</strong> here I am. Maybe this is what I was getting<br />
ready for. Even if no donor turns up for me, I can help someone else.”<br />
For the people watching Max, it wasn’t pity that moved them; it was Max’s<br />
cheerful way <strong>of</strong> thinking <strong>of</strong> others before himself. <strong>The</strong> stations asked him back<br />
again <strong>and</strong> again. Hundreds <strong>and</strong> eventually thous<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> people came to give a<br />
sample <strong>of</strong> their blood <strong>and</strong> promised to be a bone marrow donor if their type<br />
matched the type <strong>of</strong> anyone in need.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Boston</strong> Globe <strong>and</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Boston</strong> Herald picked up Max’s story. “Max waits for<br />
his rescue,” said one headline. “Max leads charge against disease.” <strong>The</strong><br />
reporters who met him liked Max <strong>and</strong> wanted to help him. <strong>The</strong>ir stories<br />
reassured people <strong>and</strong> gave them practical information about when <strong>and</strong> how to<br />
become a bone marrow donor.<br />
At every donor meeting, there was Max wearing a “Max + 6,000” button <strong>and</strong> a<br />
red carnation. Red for blood, he said, <strong>and</strong> laughed when people asked how he<br />
could joke about something so serious. Max would shake each donor’s h<strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> say thank you. “You may not help me but you probably will help<br />
somebody,” he’d say.<br />
Every week, Max’s white cell count got higher. Every week, the need to find a<br />
donor got more acute. “It may be getting too late,” Dr. Parsons worried. “We<br />
have to find a donor soon.”<br />
Days slipped by. Weeks slipped by. Leaves on the trees outside Max’s window<br />
turned red <strong>and</strong> orange <strong>and</strong> then brown <strong>and</strong> fell away in the winds <strong>of</strong> early<br />
winter. Max, Fred, <strong>and</strong> their mom <strong>and</strong> dad talked about the little events <strong>of</strong><br />
each day <strong>and</strong> about the distant future but not <strong>of</strong>ten about the immediate<br />
future. <strong>The</strong>y talked about missing the rest <strong>of</strong> the summer at the shore <strong>and</strong><br />
about Take It To <strong>The</strong> Max, the dreamboat. <strong>The</strong> boat came to mean so much.<br />
It meant another summer growing up. It meant having a future. By mid-<br />
October, nearly three months after Max’s leukemia was discovered, there still<br />
was no donor. “I’m going to order the 420 for Max,” his father said. “It will<br />
mean a lot to him knowing the boat is started.” He called the boat builder,<br />
who said yes, he could have the boat ready by spring. By the time Max was well;<br />
his 420 would be ready to put into the water.<br />
With no donor found, surgery went forward to improve Max’s chances later<br />
on, just in case a donor could be found. On November 15, Max’s spleen was<br />
removed. He recovered for a week in the hospital <strong>and</strong> for six days at home.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n, on November 28, the hospital called. <strong>The</strong> lab had found the miracle<br />
match among the last batch <strong>of</strong> samples.<br />
“We don’t know, but it’s a perfect match!” the nurse said. Later, during long<br />
December days in the hospital, Max <strong>and</strong> his dad sent the anonymous<br />
benefactor a picture <strong>of</strong> the intravenous bag that held the life-giving bone<br />
marrow with a letter that said, “This is all we know <strong>of</strong> you but we want to thank<br />
you!” Much later, Mr. <strong>and</strong> Mrs. Warburg learned that the donor was a doctor<br />
in Seattle, Washington, whose great-, great-, great-, great-gr<strong>and</strong>father all the<br />
way back to the 1800s in Europe was the same as Max’s.<br />
Now, with marrow from the donor, treatment could begin to pave the way for<br />
the transplant that might save Max. Chemotherapy would be the worst part.<br />
“Your hair is going to fall out, Max,” Dr. Parsons told him. Max could see that<br />
other kids in the cancer ward had little or no hair. “It’s part <strong>of</strong> getting better,”<br />
he told Fred. But he wasn’t sure he would be brave enough. He had seen<br />
others going for their treatment <strong>and</strong> returning exhausted <strong>and</strong> in tears. He was<br />
determined he wouldn’t let the treatment sink his spirits.<br />
First Max had a tube implanted in his chest, as the doctor told him would<br />
happen, for giving medicine, taking blood samples, <strong>and</strong> for feeding him<br />
because he wouldn’t be able to eat normally. He would have to be almost in<br />
isolation in a special environment called the Laminar Flow Room. In the<br />
sealed room, ducts brought a steady, moving stream <strong>of</strong> oxygen down <strong>and</strong> away<br />
from the bed, blowing foreign substances away from Max as his system tried to<br />
accept the strange marrow <strong>and</strong> begin making its own blood.<br />
Except for daily trips to the Total Body Irradiation room--the hospital<br />
people called it the TBI--Max had to stay in the isolated room <strong>and</strong> could<br />
see few visitors. When his mom <strong>and</strong> Fred visited each day <strong>and</strong> his dad came<br />
in the evening, they had to scrub like doctors <strong>and</strong> wear cover-up coats <strong>and</strong><br />
hairnets. Even a touch could harm, so there could be no hugs to give comfort<br />
<strong>and</strong> love. Each morning the halls were cleared <strong>of</strong> contaminating strangers<br />
so Max, inside a tent, could be wheeled through the empty halls to the<br />
treatment room.<br />
Knowing he’d be lonely <strong>and</strong> expecting he’d be scared, Dr. Parsons had given<br />
Max a tape recorder so he could make a record <strong>of</strong> what was happening to him.<br />
Max told his tape recorder, “Going to TBI is really cool, like being in a space<br />
ship. <strong>The</strong> air coming in from the top <strong>of</strong> my oxygen tent is exhilarating. I feel<br />
like a great explorer from the next century gliding in on his chair.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> experience in the room wasn’t exhilarating. <strong>The</strong> drugs made Max sick.<br />
He had to stay on a metal table, head on blocks, neck stiff <strong>and</strong> body sore, for a<br />
long time. When finally he sat up, he threw up. <strong>The</strong> vomiting meant he was<br />
“Who is it?” Max asked.<br />
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done for the day. On his tape Max said, “<strong>The</strong> table is real hard <strong>and</strong> it makes<br />
my head so stiff, but it’s fun because I can blast my music as loud as I want so it<br />
reminds me <strong>of</strong> home.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> first seven treatment days were chemotherapy <strong>and</strong> irradiation. <strong>The</strong> eighth<br />
day, the transplant itself, wasn’t at all what Max expected. Instead <strong>of</strong> an<br />
operation with doctors cutting him open, Max lay on his bed all alone while the<br />
new marrow flowed into his body from a transparent bag <strong>of</strong> clear fluid<br />
suspended over his head <strong>and</strong> connected to him by a clear slender tube.<br />
“How is that going to get into my bones?” he wondered while he watched,<br />
then later heard the doctors themselves marveling that the marrow sought its<br />
way to the right places once it was safely in his system.<br />
<strong>The</strong> blood count was critical. After the transplant, Max’s white cell count was<br />
zero. <strong>The</strong>y wouldn’t let him out <strong>of</strong> the Laminar Flow Room until his count was<br />
3,000. One day after the transplant, his count was 20. <strong>The</strong> next day it was 100,<br />
then 150, then 300. Max had a long way to go, but he was making it. His body<br />
was rebuilding. Slowly the days passed.<br />
Max knew these days would be hard. <strong>The</strong> pains doctors had warned about<br />
became the pains he felt. Max didn’t complain. Instead, he tried to cheer up<br />
other patients stuck, as he was, in the hospital for Christmas. He got his<br />
parents to help. Max’s mom <strong>and</strong> dad brought in a whole Christmas dinner for<br />
all the kids <strong>and</strong> their families in the Jimmy Fund wing, the part <strong>of</strong> the hospital<br />
where Max <strong>and</strong> the other children with cancer were staying. Teddy Kennedy,<br />
Jr., who had cancer when he was thirteen <strong>and</strong> was now all grown up, brought<br />
presents for the kids, along with living pro<strong>of</strong> that they could get better.<br />
Max yearned for breakout day, the day the doctors would let him go out <strong>of</strong> his<br />
room. Finally, early in the New Year, on January 2, Max woke to see balloons<br />
on the isolation room door <strong>and</strong> crepe-paper streamers overhead. <strong>The</strong> nurses,<br />
especially Nurse Rohan, his favorite, were celebrating for him. This was it; he<br />
was out! He went by wheelchair to the hospital door, then into the fresh air for<br />
the first time in 35 days, <strong>and</strong> then home. He loved the smell, he loved the<br />
look, <strong>and</strong> he loved the feel <strong>of</strong> home! Everyone in the hospital had been great<br />
to Max <strong>and</strong> he was grateful, but home was where he wanted to be. Back in his<br />
own room, Max saw again the calendar with the smile marking February 6. It<br />
was still almost a month away. “Not quite cured,” thought Max. “But maybe I’ll<br />
be better by then. February 6 will be a happy day.”<br />
But it wasn’t. Before long Max was back in the hospital with a high fever. Dr.<br />
Parsons sent him home again, uncertain what was wrong. Back he went again<br />
for ten days <strong>and</strong> again he came home no better. Still he had a fever <strong>and</strong> still he<br />
threw up. On February 6, he went back to the hospital again. <strong>The</strong> smile he was<br />
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now famous for was still there, but it seemed to waver at the corners <strong>of</strong> his<br />
mouth. Max went back to his isolation room <strong>and</strong> this time he would have an<br />
oxygen mask, the sign <strong>of</strong> mortal struggle.<br />
Max’s mom <strong>and</strong> dad <strong>and</strong> Fred were at the hospital every day, staying with<br />
him until the evening when Max, heavy with drugs, fell asleep. <strong>The</strong> long<br />
days in the hospital were hard on Fred. He played with Max, but it wasn’t<br />
like the last time Max was in the hospital. One day, sick <strong>and</strong> exhausted after<br />
a treatment, Max was being pushed back to his room in the wheelchair.<br />
Fred had had it. Right on the edge <strong>of</strong> crying, he pulled hard on his mother’s<br />
arm, making it difficult for her to push Max’s chair. “Come on, Fred. Max<br />
needs you to help out,” she said.<br />
Max was used to being the helper himself. Knowing he was needed, he said,<br />
“I can cheer Fred up. Put him here in my lap.”<br />
Fred went into his older brother’s lap, glad to be riding the long corridor <strong>and</strong><br />
glad to have Max acting like his old self. <strong>The</strong> two rolled along, Max’s head<br />
hidden <strong>and</strong> arms waving out from under Fred’s armpits, a four-armed,<br />
laughing pair all the way from Pulmonary to the Transplant floor. Hearing<br />
them, the nurses couldn’t tell that one <strong>of</strong> the laughing boys was perilously ill<br />
until, rounding the corner, they recognized Max <strong>and</strong> his family.<br />
“That’s like Max,” they told his mother. “At night on the transplant floor, the<br />
younger kids cry. <strong>The</strong>y’re in pain <strong>and</strong> they miss their families. I hear Max call<br />
to them, ‘Don’t cry. I’m here. You’ve got a friend!’ You have an unusually<br />
brave son, Mrs. Warburg.”<br />
“I’m not sure he realizes,” his mother said. “He says to me, ‘Mommy, do you<br />
think I’m brave?’ I don’t know why he doubts.”<br />
“How does he keep his laughter? How can he keep on smiling?”<br />
“That’s Max,” said his mom. “That’s the way Max is.”<br />
On March first Dr. Parsons told Max his life was threatened. <strong>The</strong> blood<br />
transfusions <strong>and</strong> medicines pumped into him weren’t working well enough.<br />
<strong>The</strong> doctors’ skills <strong>and</strong> the hospitals’ resources <strong>and</strong> Max’s own incredible will<br />
were losing against the disease. Max saw the solemn faces around him. His<br />
body swollen in places, emaciated in places, spotted with sores in places, Max<br />
looked Dr. Parsons straight in the eyes <strong>and</strong> said, “Well, okay, so what’s the<br />
plan? How are you going to get me well?” <strong>The</strong>y looked at Max in disbelief, to<br />
see his conviction so strong despite his ordeal, <strong>and</strong> took heart themselves.<br />
“Come here to the window, Max, come look,” said his father.<br />
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<strong>The</strong>re in the hospital driveway below, high on a truck <strong>and</strong> with mainsail<br />
flying, was Take It To <strong>The</strong> Max. Max’s eyes widened in pleasure, his delight<br />
was evident in every gesture <strong>of</strong> his excitement. He glowed, knowing the<br />
care <strong>and</strong> love that brought his boat to him at this place at this time.<br />
Nurses <strong>and</strong> doctors all came to exclaim about Max’s treasure <strong>and</strong> enjoy<br />
his infectious happiness.<br />
That night, Max stayed up until close to midnight working on a project with<br />
his dad. When he was ready to put out the light, Max <strong>and</strong> his mom <strong>and</strong> dad<br />
prayed together <strong>and</strong> thanked God for all the help He had given <strong>and</strong> all the<br />
people who had been so kind to him. <strong>The</strong>n Max went to sleep.<br />
Max died in his mother’s arms, holding his father’s h<strong>and</strong>, at 6:55 a.m.<br />
on March 5, 1991.<br />
In the days that followed there was a terrible silence. <strong>The</strong> silence swelled<br />
<strong>and</strong> roared, because silences can do that if what you want to hear isn’t there<br />
<strong>and</strong> what you don’t want to hear is everywhere. <strong>The</strong>n stories started to fill<br />
the empty spaces, stories about Max.<br />
Many stories ended with a shake <strong>of</strong> the head, a glance away, <strong>and</strong> the simple<br />
statement, “Max amazed me then. He was so brave. <strong>Children</strong> amaze me.<br />
I am amazed by the courage <strong>of</strong> children.”<br />
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<strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> Greater <strong>Boston</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
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<strong>Courage</strong> in My Life<br />
<strong>The</strong> mission <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum, Inc. is to strengthen the<br />
literacy skills <strong>of</strong> participating students. Our nonpr<strong>of</strong>it program, provided free <strong>of</strong> charge,<br />
invites educators <strong>and</strong> students to explore the idea <strong>of</strong> courage in literature, their own<br />
lives, <strong>and</strong> within the broader community.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum is a year-long language arts program,<br />
founded to honor the life <strong>of</strong> Max Warburg, a courageous sixth grader whose<br />
steadfast determination <strong>and</strong> heartfelt hope in the face <strong>of</strong> his battle with<br />
leukemia continue to inspire our work.<br />
Since the program’s inception in 1991, the <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum has positively<br />
impacted the academic performance <strong>and</strong> increased the essential knowledge <strong>of</strong><br />
over 250,000 sixth grade students in <strong>Boston</strong> Public Schools <strong>and</strong> surrounding<br />
public <strong>and</strong> private schools. By connecting with Max’s story <strong>and</strong> with awardwinning<br />
literature featuring courageous young people, students come to<br />
recognize <strong>and</strong> celebrate the role that courage plays in their own lives. Our<br />
work with talented classroom teachers allows us to empower young people<br />
to continue to act courageously, to the benefit <strong>of</strong> their classmates, families,<br />
communities, <strong>and</strong> themselves.<br />
Our sixth grade program, <strong>Courage</strong> in My Life, is a social-emotional learning<br />
tool used in the classroom to help children underst<strong>and</strong>, process, <strong>and</strong> manage<br />
emotions through the reading <strong>and</strong> discussion <strong>of</strong> courage. <strong>The</strong> courage essay<br />
works as an opportunity for students to gain an underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>of</strong> empathy<br />
through their self-discovery <strong>of</strong> courage <strong>and</strong> the exposure to the stories <strong>of</strong> their<br />
fellow students. Using the <strong>Courage</strong> in My Life curriculum as a social-emotional<br />
learning tool helps students establish positive relationships, evaluate their<br />
actions in new lights, <strong>and</strong> make more responsible decisions.<br />
This year, due to Covid-19 we worked remotely with our teachers to bring our<br />
curriculum to over 100 classrooms in the United States, <strong>and</strong> six countries<br />
worldwide. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum program is growing on a local, national<br />
<strong>and</strong> global scale. Max Warburg’s legacy continues to inspire young people to<br />
recognize <strong>and</strong> celebrate the courage in their lives.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum, <strong>Courage</strong> in My Life, works to improve<br />
the reading, writing <strong>and</strong> critical thinking skills <strong>of</strong> students. We inspire<br />
participants to celebrate acts <strong>of</strong> courage in their own lives <strong>and</strong> the lives <strong>of</strong><br />
others. We train <strong>and</strong> support teachers in the use <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum<br />
to improve their own instruction <strong>and</strong> to engage <strong>and</strong> inspire their students to<br />
make meaningful connections to literature. <strong>The</strong> success <strong>of</strong> the program is<br />
evidenced by the resulting quality <strong>of</strong> students’ writing <strong>and</strong> individual pride<br />
in their work. This is accomplished through a direct correlation between its<br />
emphasis on literature content <strong>and</strong> writing competency.<br />
Although it is intensely focused on classroom practice <strong>and</strong> teacher instruction,<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum also disseminates this work on its<br />
website, in this annual publication <strong>of</strong> essays, <strong>and</strong> at an annual awards<br />
luncheon for Max Warburg Fellows. <strong>The</strong> luncheon draws students <strong>and</strong> their<br />
families <strong>and</strong> teachers together for a culminating event, to celebrate the<br />
outcomes <strong>of</strong> the program <strong>and</strong> the students’ efforts. <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum has been featured in academic journals <strong>and</strong> other<br />
publications, positioning the program as a national model for excellent school<br />
<strong>and</strong> community partnerships.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
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Jessyka Alvarez<br />
Jane Kelly, Teacher<br />
Washington Irving Middle School, Roslindale, MA<br />
At the age <strong>of</strong> ten, the global p<strong>and</strong>emic started. I was in school when they<br />
decided to close schools down. Everyone was excited but me. I wasn’t excited<br />
because I would not be able to see my friends. Everyone thought it was only<br />
for two weeks. <strong>The</strong>y had us stay in the house, <strong>and</strong> I was not allowed to go<br />
outside. That’s when my anxiety got worse <strong>and</strong> worse over time. <strong>The</strong> only<br />
people I was around were my mom <strong>and</strong> brother. It was scary <strong>and</strong> confusing,<br />
<strong>and</strong> I had an anxiety attack at such a young age. I was new to the whole social<br />
distancing thing <strong>and</strong> keeping my mask on. It was so hard to breathe with a<br />
cloth mask, <strong>and</strong> hard to keep it up. I was not used to doing online school.<br />
“I don’t find anxiety<br />
as something that<br />
stops me anymore.<br />
I may have my<br />
moments, but I can<br />
take care <strong>of</strong> myself.”<br />
I showed courage by trying to overcome my fear <strong>of</strong> people <strong>and</strong> the public.<br />
I was in the grocery store with my mom <strong>and</strong> brother having the worst anxiety<br />
attack. I felt so sweaty <strong>and</strong> felt like I was going to black out. <strong>The</strong> store felt<br />
like the walls were closing in <strong>and</strong> everyone was surrounding me. I was out <strong>of</strong><br />
breath <strong>and</strong> light-headed. I went outside <strong>and</strong> drank water, took deep breaths,<br />
<strong>and</strong> did the blowing the c<strong>and</strong>les out trick, to calm down. I took a short mask<br />
break <strong>and</strong> went back into the store even though I was scared <strong>of</strong> having that<br />
moment again. I took my time, <strong>and</strong> I sipped water <strong>and</strong> went to an aisle where<br />
there were not many people. I took my time, <strong>and</strong> when I felt like I couldn’t<br />
breathe I took deep breaths <strong>and</strong> sipped the water. Even if my anxiety is to a<br />
point where I can’t control, I just fidget with things <strong>and</strong> do things I like to<br />
do. For example, I went outside <strong>and</strong> got some fresh air, took my time, <strong>and</strong><br />
fidgeted with my hoodie strings. I also used to go on my phone <strong>and</strong> listen to<br />
calm music, or go lay down on my bed <strong>and</strong> calm down. Or I will play with<br />
a stress ball.<br />
Now twelve years old–almost thirteen–I am better at controlling my anxiety<br />
<strong>and</strong> know when I feel like I have to take a moment. It’s now 2022 <strong>and</strong> I feel<br />
like I am better at expressing myself <strong>and</strong> my anxiety. I don’t usually have<br />
these attacks anymore. I only feel anxious when I’m worried about someone<br />
or when I have an upcoming test or when I feel overwhelmed. I don’t find<br />
anxiety as something that stops me anymore. I may have my moments, but<br />
I can take care <strong>of</strong> myself. I learned how to do things that will not trigger my<br />
anxiety <strong>and</strong> now I feel better.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
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Marissa Lalanne<br />
Aneilay Wisseh, Teacher<br />
New Heights Charter School, Brockton, MA<br />
Some common examples <strong>of</strong> courage are going on a roller coaster or public<br />
speaking. <strong>Courage</strong> is defined differently depending on who you talk to. Some<br />
people wish they had the same amount <strong>of</strong> courage as others. To me, courage<br />
is expressing yourself freely despite what others might think <strong>of</strong> you.<br />
When I was much younger, my parents were strict because they wanted me to<br />
have a good education <strong>and</strong> a good life. It was good to be one <strong>of</strong> the top kids<br />
in the class <strong>and</strong> get good grades every time. My teachers loved me because I<br />
always met the expectations <strong>and</strong> completed my work. I received compliments<br />
on my h<strong>and</strong>writing <strong>and</strong> on my math <strong>and</strong> reading skills. Kids would say, “You’re<br />
so lucky you’re so smart,” or, “I wish I was as smart as you.” On my birthdays,<br />
I would get encyclopedias, books, science kits, math books, <strong>and</strong> so on. All my<br />
birthday presents were school stuff. Although I didn’t mind getting school<br />
supplies as gifts, I sometimes wanted some fun things that would allow me<br />
to be a kid.<br />
“I am living through<br />
my courage <strong>of</strong><br />
expressing myself<br />
every day. I am a<br />
much freer <strong>and</strong><br />
happier person.”<br />
to express myself to both my parents <strong>and</strong> teachers without worrying about<br />
negative consequences. I am living through my courage <strong>of</strong> expressing myself<br />
every day. I am a much freer <strong>and</strong> happier person.<br />
This year, my life as the perfect child <strong>and</strong> student got even more difficult.<br />
My parents started giving me extra assignments to do at home <strong>and</strong> my<br />
teachers started asking me to create <strong>and</strong> present PowerPoints about s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />
we need to use in class. <strong>The</strong>y would tell me that I have been chosen to write<br />
an essay. <strong>The</strong>se are very good things but can also be very overwhelming. I<br />
soon realized that I had too much weight on my shoulders. I wanted to see<br />
my school counselor, but I convinced myself not to because I thought no one<br />
could help me.<br />
My stress <strong>and</strong> anxiety level increased. I felt like I was about to explode! I felt<br />
myself shaking <strong>and</strong> breathing heavily. <strong>The</strong>n I thought about the counselor<br />
again, <strong>and</strong> this time, I went to see her. When I walked into her <strong>of</strong>fice, I was<br />
breathing very heavily. <strong>The</strong> first thing I said to her was, “I need to talk to you<br />
<strong>and</strong> I need some advice.” She said, “Okay, you can sit down.” I sat down, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
told her what was going on in my life, about what was going on at home <strong>and</strong> at<br />
school. I was hesitant <strong>and</strong> afraid <strong>of</strong> telling her all <strong>of</strong> the things that were going<br />
on because I didn’t think she would underst<strong>and</strong>. However, based on how I<br />
was feeling I just couldn’t hold back, so I told her everything. When I told her<br />
about all <strong>of</strong> the things going on, she was very underst<strong>and</strong>ing. She told me that<br />
there’s nothing wrong with seeking help, <strong>and</strong> she provided me with the tools<br />
<strong>and</strong> skills needed to manage my situation. After talking to her, I realized that<br />
seeking help is not a weakness, it is a strength. From that day, I have learned<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
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Oisin Guthrie<br />
Merrill Hawkins, Teacher<br />
<strong>The</strong> Park School, Brookline, MA<br />
It was a Saturday, a beautiful day. I felt good <strong>and</strong> excited for my hockey game<br />
that afternoon. <strong>The</strong> day was going perfectly fine until I was getting ready to<br />
go to my hockey game. I was in a rush. I filled up my water bottle, my bag was<br />
ready, <strong>and</strong> all I needed was my hockey stick. I looked all over the house for<br />
it, <strong>and</strong> I couldn’t find it. I was getting really anxious that I couldn’t find my<br />
hockey stick. I had no hockey stick for my game! I started feeling really badly,<br />
like I was going to throw up. My mom said, “Guess you can’t play.’’ My step dad<br />
said, “One <strong>of</strong> his teammates will have an extra stick.” So I went to the game<br />
with my dad. While my dad was driving me to the game, I felt really sick. I<br />
saw that there was a plastic bag in the back seat, so I grabbed it just in case I<br />
threw up. When my dad <strong>and</strong> I were in the parking lot, I couldn’t go to the rink<br />
because <strong>of</strong> my anxiety, so my dad said I could skip the game <strong>and</strong> just watch my<br />
team play. I watched my team play <strong>and</strong> felt really bad about not playing. I also<br />
felt like I was letting my parents down for not playing in the game. After the<br />
game was over we returned home. I didn’t feel sick once I returned home<br />
for some reason.<br />
<strong>The</strong> week went on. I didn’t feel like I did the previous weekend. I had two<br />
hockey games the next weekend, one on Saturday <strong>and</strong> one on Sunday. On<br />
Saturday, my hockey game was at 4:30. I was fine all day until thirty minutes<br />
before–I felt the same thing that I had last weekend. My step dad told me to<br />
lay down, so I did. I didn’t feel any better. He told me, “We can skip it today.<br />
We’ll go tomorrow.” I felt really guilty that I didn’t play. On Sunday, I woke<br />
up early for my game. I didn’t feel good again, but my step dad pushed me to<br />
play, so I did. In the car, I still didn’t feel good. I walked into the rink. Once<br />
I saw my team, I immediately felt better. I got on the ice, <strong>and</strong> I was fine.<br />
“If you have anxiety<br />
or something else<br />
that is bothering<br />
you, it’s always good<br />
to tell someone<br />
<strong>and</strong> they might<br />
just help you.”<br />
came down with the school counselor. <strong>The</strong>y talked with me <strong>and</strong> my mom for a<br />
minute before bringing me upstairs. We set a goal to stay at school for the first<br />
period. My mom promised not to go far. Once I got upstairs I saw all <strong>of</strong> my<br />
friends saying, “What’s up?” I felt fine for the rest <strong>of</strong> the day. <strong>The</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> the<br />
week I felt fine too.<br />
When I look back at that time, I think it was just opening that door that was<br />
holding me back from things I love to do. I love hockey <strong>and</strong> seeing my friends<br />
at school. My definition <strong>of</strong> courage is not being afraid <strong>of</strong> something that’s<br />
holding you back, like how my anxiety was holding me back from things I love<br />
to do. I learned that I have support all around me, <strong>and</strong> so you do. I still have<br />
the feeling that I’m going to throw up sometimes, but I just brush it <strong>of</strong>f. If you<br />
have anxiety or something else that is bothering you, it’s always good to tell<br />
someone <strong>and</strong> they might just help you.<br />
That Monday I woke up to go to school. For some reason, I had that feeling<br />
again, like at my hockey games. I told my mom, <strong>and</strong> she said, “You can take<br />
the day <strong>of</strong>f.” So that’s what I did. On Tuesday, I woke early because I had my<br />
tutor before school. Once I got in the building I didn’t feel well. I was having<br />
another panic attack. After trying to calm me down <strong>and</strong> taking a walk outside,<br />
my tutor texted my mom to pick me up. That day we figured that my anxiety<br />
was really bad, so my mom got an appointment to see my doctor. I told the<br />
doctor about my anxiety, <strong>and</strong> he gave me this pill that would help. He also<br />
encouraged me to go to school the next day. On Thursday my mom brought<br />
me to school. I didn’t want to leave her side, but she wasn’t allowed inside<br />
the school because <strong>of</strong> COVID. So the front desk called my teacher, <strong>and</strong> she<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
8 9
Naaysha Lerick<br />
Hanna Shibles, Teacher<br />
Mother Caroline Academy, Dorchester, MA<br />
Have you ever felt angry because <strong>of</strong> the relationship you have with a family<br />
member? Well I have, <strong>and</strong> I’m going to explain how I was courageous when<br />
I saw my father at church the day that I sang, after not seeing him for three<br />
years <strong>and</strong> four weeks before that! This story is important to me because it<br />
was a time where I was struggling with my emotions about being around my<br />
father. I was courageous because although he was there, I didn’t let that affect<br />
how I sang or how I felt at that time. This event happened on a Saturday<br />
afternoon. I was wearing a yellow dress <strong>and</strong> beige shoes with a cut out design<br />
in them. It felt like walking on stilts. I smelled like my favorite champagne<br />
toast scented perfume.<br />
That afternoon my cousins Isabelle, Yolephan, <strong>and</strong> I planned on singing at our<br />
church. Hours before we were scheduled to sing I was already there with my<br />
family when my sister told me that she saw our biological dad there. Mind you,<br />
my mother <strong>and</strong> father are divorced, meaning I don’t see my father because I<br />
live with my mother. It has always been a fear <strong>of</strong> mine to sing in front <strong>of</strong> him<br />
because I never have. Since I didn’t know he was there, I didn’t get to mentally<br />
prepare myself. I really wanted to sing, so I felt as if I had no choice but to stay.<br />
I sat in my seat, <strong>and</strong> I could feel him staring at me, even though he was with<br />
his new wife. He just kept looking at me, <strong>and</strong> I was confused by it.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> lesson here<br />
is that when<br />
something that can<br />
drastically affect<br />
you shows up, you<br />
control how you<br />
respond. This was<br />
my story <strong>of</strong> how I<br />
showed courage.”<br />
My story is important to me because I didn’t have a dad growing up, but<br />
ended up as a good kid with the help <strong>of</strong> my mom who raised me to be who<br />
I am today. I learned that I control how I react when he’s around, <strong>and</strong> that I<br />
am happy <strong>and</strong> should show that. <strong>The</strong> lesson here is that when something that<br />
can drastically affect you shows up, you control how you respond. This was<br />
my story <strong>of</strong> how I showed courage.<br />
Once we were called up to sing, I was really nervous <strong>and</strong> my heart skipped a<br />
beat. Although I don’t care about his opinion <strong>of</strong> me, I still don’t like being<br />
around him. <strong>The</strong> piano started to play, <strong>and</strong> since I had to sing the highest<br />
note <strong>and</strong> start the song, I got even more nervous. I started to sing <strong>and</strong> looked<br />
into the crowd, <strong>and</strong> once I saw my mom I was able to calm down enough to<br />
start singing. While I was singing, it felt like someone was staring at me with<br />
laser vision. For one second I stopped looking at my mom <strong>and</strong> looked to my<br />
right. I saw my father. I looked back at my mom <strong>and</strong> didn’t take my eyes <strong>of</strong>f<br />
her for the rest <strong>of</strong> the song. I started to sing with no limits on myself. I realized<br />
that it’s my father’s loss that he’s not the one that raised the girl up there,<br />
actually having fun. After singing, I was proud <strong>of</strong> myself for getting up there.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
10 11
Duston Do<br />
Melanie Smith, Teacher<br />
Josiah Quincy Upper School, <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> has many meanings, but my definition is helping people even if you<br />
don’t know them.<br />
After a long day <strong>of</strong> school I was going home on the train. Suddenly a man<br />
walked in. I was st<strong>and</strong>ing near him, <strong>and</strong> he was dirty <strong>and</strong> smelled bad. He<br />
seemed to be homeless.<br />
Later the train still hadn’t arrived, so I waited <strong>and</strong> got hungry. I pulled out a<br />
tiny bag <strong>of</strong> chips <strong>and</strong> ate it. It didn’t make me full, but I could manage to wait<br />
for dinner which was pork <strong>and</strong> soup. I had two tiny bags, one for school <strong>and</strong><br />
the other I ate. While I was eating, I started thinking about the homeless man.<br />
I looked back, <strong>and</strong> he was holding up a cup. I thought that he was asking for<br />
change, but people were all ignoring him. After I saw this I thought, he’s not<br />
going to eat tonight <strong>and</strong> that’s very bad. He only had coins.<br />
“<strong>Courage</strong> has many<br />
meanings, but my<br />
definition is helping<br />
people even if you<br />
don’t know them.”<br />
As I was searching for something, I noticed that I had one more tiny bag <strong>of</strong><br />
chips, <strong>and</strong> I thought about giving it to him. I thought that it wasn’t enough.<br />
What if he rejected my <strong>of</strong>fer? I was in a tough situation as the train was about<br />
to arrive, <strong>and</strong> I had barely any time.<br />
I finally got the strength to do it. I walked over <strong>and</strong> although everyone<br />
was looking, I h<strong>and</strong>ed it to him. He seemed so joyful even though it was<br />
not enough. He still got something to eat, <strong>and</strong> he said, “God bless you.”<br />
Afterwards, I got very embarrassed, but at the same time I was happy for<br />
him. Even though the embarrassment came, it didn’t stop me from helping<br />
someone that doesn’t have anything.<br />
I want to share a quote with you from Wayne Muller: “Be not afraid. A kind<br />
life, a life <strong>of</strong> spirit, is fundamentally a life <strong>of</strong> courage - the courage simply to<br />
bring what you have, to bring who you are.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
12 13
Lilliana Telesford<br />
Jeanine Stansfield, Teacher<br />
Warren-Prescott K-8 School, Charlestown, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> to me means overcoming things you never thought you could<br />
overcome. Becoming a better you.<br />
I am writing about myself. I’ve shown courage because I had to go through a<br />
really hard thing that I thought I couldn’t overcome. At the age <strong>of</strong> four I was<br />
separated from my mother because <strong>of</strong> the bad choices she made. She had a<br />
drug addiction <strong>and</strong> ended up in jail. It took me a long time to adjust, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
always had to say Nana <strong>and</strong> Gr<strong>and</strong>pa instead <strong>of</strong> Mom <strong>and</strong> Dad. My dad left<br />
before I was born. I was attached to my mom, <strong>and</strong> I loved her so much. I was<br />
a momma’s girl so it was really hard for me.<br />
When I got taken away from my mother, I was put into foster care. I was in<br />
foster care for one week. It was scary, <strong>and</strong> I was all alone. I was only four years<br />
old when this happened. Good thing my nana <strong>and</strong> gr<strong>and</strong>pa were able to get<br />
me; I have to thank them for it. When I was six or seven years old I always<br />
thought my mother had left because <strong>of</strong> me, so I cried every night saying,<br />
“I miss my mummy.” Being so young I never understood why I couldn’t<br />
go back to her.<br />
“I’m not going to let<br />
my mom stop me from<br />
living my best life,<br />
because courage is<br />
also determination<br />
<strong>and</strong> that’s what<br />
I’m going to do.”<br />
Now I am in the sixth grade <strong>and</strong> have learned to live without her. I was scared,<br />
depressed, upset, angry <strong>and</strong> many other emotions for so long, but now I am<br />
able to move forward. I <strong>of</strong>ten think about one Christmas wish that has never<br />
come true, wanting my mom to come back. It has been really hard. I miss her<br />
so much. I still cry about her sometimes, but now she is in the past <strong>and</strong> I’m<br />
in the present. I’m not going to let my mom stop me from living my best life,<br />
because courage is also determination <strong>and</strong> that’s what I’m going to do.<br />
When my mother got out <strong>of</strong> jail, she visited me a few times <strong>and</strong> then she<br />
was gone again. I didn’t know what happened to her. I fell back into a dark<br />
hole. I was alone. I didn’t talk a lot–all I did was cry. I never talked to anyone<br />
except my family. I thought she would never come back, <strong>and</strong> I wouldn’t have<br />
a mom. I was worried. My nana <strong>and</strong> gr<strong>and</strong>pa hid the truth from me to make<br />
me feel better. <strong>The</strong>y said she was sick <strong>and</strong> that she would come when she was<br />
better. <strong>The</strong>y said she would get better soon. She was sick for one week, which<br />
then turned into two weeks, then three, then one month. During that time<br />
I started to bloom <strong>and</strong> make friends. I found my best friend when I started<br />
kindergarten <strong>and</strong> started new things.<br />
That one month turned into five years, before she finally made a phone call.<br />
I was in tears. I missed her so much. Turns out she was doing drugs again<br />
<strong>and</strong> she had fallen back into a dark hole. But my love for her grew into<br />
disappointment, <strong>and</strong> my disappointment remains. She made that call around<br />
June <strong>of</strong> 2021. Every day I think, “Why did you leave me? Why do you do drugs?<br />
Why can’t you come back?’’ Every day I feel more <strong>and</strong> more worried about<br />
why she hasn’t called.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
14 15
Liam Long<br />
Faith Smith, Teacher<br />
South <strong>Boston</strong> Catholic Academy, South <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> to me is helping out a family member who is not capable <strong>of</strong> helping<br />
themselves <strong>and</strong> stepping out <strong>of</strong> your comfort zone to help people out. When<br />
I was eight years old my mom had another baby <strong>and</strong> named him Killian.<br />
When Killian was a year old he was not talking or getting words out correctly.<br />
Eventually, Killian was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism can<br />
affect someone’s speech, not allowing them to process words correctly, <strong>and</strong><br />
their words come out like noises. When I found out that Killian had Autism<br />
I knew that I had to be courageous for him, so he could be courageous too.<br />
I would show him an object like a ball <strong>and</strong> repeat the word “ball” to him a<br />
bunch <strong>of</strong> times. I also learned sign language, so I could communicate with<br />
Killian without talking.<br />
It not only took courage to learn new things, but it also took Killian a lot <strong>of</strong><br />
courage too. Killian is now three years old, <strong>and</strong> he is in school. At first I was<br />
scared for him because he has never been around a lot <strong>of</strong> people except for<br />
his family, but after the first day <strong>of</strong> school his teacher said he loved it. When<br />
Killian gets home from school I show him letters <strong>and</strong> say them. I also show<br />
him animals, <strong>and</strong> then he makes their noises. Killian shows courage because<br />
he steps out <strong>of</strong> his comfort zone to try to pronounce words correctly even<br />
when it is tough for him.<br />
“Having courage <strong>and</strong><br />
overcoming fear<br />
was hard, but in the<br />
end it paid <strong>of</strong>f.”<br />
Having courage <strong>and</strong> overcoming fear was hard, but in the end it paid <strong>of</strong>f. Even<br />
though my family <strong>and</strong> I went through some tough times, we got through it <strong>and</strong><br />
overcame that fear together. I am glad I did everything I could to help. <strong>The</strong><br />
experience <strong>of</strong> showing courage will always be with me <strong>and</strong> my family.<br />
When Killian <strong>and</strong> I get together <strong>and</strong> are just playing around, he has so much<br />
fun because he does not play with other people a lot. He only plays with<br />
family because he is used to us. It takes a lot <strong>of</strong> courage because I am his only<br />
brother, <strong>and</strong> that means that I am a big part <strong>of</strong> his life. I had to take extra care<br />
<strong>of</strong> him when my mom got sick because she was not able to do a lot <strong>of</strong> things.<br />
It was cancer.<br />
When my mom got cancer I was scared, <strong>and</strong> I knew it would be a challenge.<br />
I knew that if I did not show courage, I could not help Killian learn. I took<br />
that fear <strong>and</strong> said, I’m not scared anymore. I knew that my mom wanted<br />
me to help out with Killian. I did it for my mom because she was sick <strong>and</strong> it<br />
would make her happier. If I did not help Killian he would have been running<br />
around the house, <strong>and</strong> my mom couldn’t do anything about it. When I was in<br />
school I was worried about him. Even though my mom was sick, I helped take<br />
care <strong>of</strong> Killian.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
16 17
Ngolela Kamanampata<br />
Aaron Kesler <strong>and</strong> Alison Spade, Teachers<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Renaissance Charter Public School, Hyde Park, MA<br />
It’s funny how different the same event can seem if we’re in a different<br />
place. Like, for example, no matter how many times you take a practice test,<br />
you always get a few wrong on the real test. Or, no matter how many times<br />
you practiced the speech to convince your parents to let you sleep over at a<br />
friend’s house, when you’re actually in front <strong>of</strong> them, it comes out sounding<br />
awkward <strong>and</strong> sloppy. However, even though we may not have believed we did<br />
well, it took something to give us enough strength to take that practice test<br />
or speak up to our parents in the first place.<br />
Maybe it was bravery or perseverance.<br />
Maybe even courage.<br />
Well, I have one <strong>of</strong> those stories. We’ll decide afterwards whether or not it<br />
truly was an act <strong>of</strong> courage.<br />
A few months ago, after a few weeks <strong>of</strong> begging, my parents finally signed me<br />
up for the winter production <strong>of</strong> Elf: <strong>The</strong> Musical. I was so excited, <strong>and</strong> with<br />
auditions only a few days away, I decided to jump right into practicing.<br />
After listening to <strong>and</strong> memorizing the auditioning tracks, I spent almost an<br />
hour singing along <strong>and</strong> even trying to sing the songs on my own from memory.<br />
In my ears, it sounded great! Not perfect, but great. And it was even better<br />
when I got to display it to the small audience <strong>of</strong> my mom <strong>and</strong> my brother.<br />
When I entered that audition room a few days later, I suddenly realized I was<br />
doomed as soon as they asked me to sing. You see, I was never really a singer.<br />
I have always been more <strong>of</strong> a dancer <strong>and</strong> actress. So when I had to sing in<br />
front <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essionals? My legs <strong>and</strong> arms went cold. My heart was pumping<br />
so loud that I was surprised they couldn’t hear it. It suddenly made sense why<br />
it felt like the walls were closing in on me. At that moment, I wished I was<br />
invisible. Instead, I was transparent. You could see right through whatever<br />
“calm” act that might have been there.<br />
And as it turned out, I got a role. Not a big singing role, but a role where I<br />
could do more acting <strong>and</strong> dancing. Something that I was more comfortable<br />
at doing <strong>and</strong> which enabled me to be me. How? Because I tried. I tried my<br />
hardest. I aimed for the sky even if it felt like I was buried deep into the<br />
ground. I was able to do it even with the huge weights <strong>of</strong> discouragement<br />
<strong>and</strong> regret weighing me down.<br />
After my experience, I would like to add to that definition. <strong>Courage</strong> is not<br />
just showing bravery. <strong>Courage</strong> is being brave for a reason. A reason that<br />
deep down, buried under all that negativity <strong>and</strong> worry, you know is right.<br />
Because before you even show courage, you have to know what you are<br />
doing it for. Before I go, I’ll leave you with one <strong>of</strong> my favorite sayings that I<br />
think sums this up perfectly:<br />
“If you aim for nothing, you hit nothing.”<br />
“I aimed for the sky<br />
even if it felt like<br />
I was buried deep<br />
into the ground.”<br />
However, you want the miraculous part <strong>of</strong> this close-to-disaster experience?<br />
I sang. I actually sang!<br />
I sang even though I thought it was horrible <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>f key <strong>and</strong> pitchy. I sang<br />
even though I thought it was garbage <strong>and</strong> that my parents wasted their money<br />
<strong>and</strong> I should have been anywhere else. I sang even though I thought my life<br />
would basically be over.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
18 19
Marvin Romero Moreta<br />
Kathleen McGonigle, Teacher<br />
Thomas Edison K-8 School, Brighton, MA<br />
My definition <strong>of</strong> courage is to be brave, conquer your fears, inspire people,<br />
or do the right thing. I was a troublemaker in third <strong>and</strong> fourth grade. I didn’t<br />
think before acting <strong>and</strong> didn’t use the strategies my counselor gave me. I was<br />
also getting upset quickly. At the time, I didn’t believe in myself. I was letting<br />
other people tell me what to do.<br />
I wanted to change one day. When I got mad, I’d talk to someone or go to<br />
my favorite teacher’s <strong>of</strong>fice, Ms. Shea. She calmed me down <strong>and</strong> gave me<br />
strategies on what to do next time. I started to listen to her approach when<br />
I was mad. All those strategies were helping me calm down faster <strong>and</strong> better.<br />
When I don’t underst<strong>and</strong> something, I’ll try <strong>and</strong> use those strategies she gave<br />
me. I started to improve with my classwork. I was also listening to my gr<strong>and</strong>ma<br />
who was helping me out. She wanted me to be successful too.<br />
“I may be silly, but<br />
I won’t make any<br />
more bad choices.”<br />
I was still struggling with letting my friends talk me into bad stuff. <strong>The</strong>y kept<br />
telling me what to do, so I was the one getting in trouble. I didn’t want to be<br />
left out <strong>of</strong> my friend group or called names. I did it to look cool, but it is not<br />
cool in reality. One time, I was at the West End House, <strong>and</strong> I got in trouble.<br />
I was with my friends, <strong>and</strong> one told me to pull the fire alarm. I got caught <strong>and</strong><br />
suspended from the afterschool program for a few days.<br />
I realized I wasn’t doing well in school, <strong>and</strong> I wasn’t doing the right thing.<br />
I was brave enough to have courage <strong>and</strong> tell them no. Now, when I hang out<br />
with my friends <strong>and</strong> they ask me to do something that is a wrong choice, I tell<br />
them no. That’s when I realized I had made the right choice <strong>and</strong> was brave<br />
enough to take charge. Now I’m in sixth grade with good grades <strong>and</strong> haven’t<br />
made any bad choices. I may be silly, but I won’t make any more bad choices.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
20 21
Vanessa De Los Santos<br />
Hanna Shibles, Teacher<br />
Mother Caroline Academy, Dorchester, MA<br />
Showing courage is not as easy as you think, but it’s possible. Have you ever<br />
felt like you wanted to do something but couldn’t find the courage to do it?<br />
Well, you’re not alone.<br />
This all started when my sister came up to me <strong>and</strong> asked if I wanted to try out<br />
a sport. It wasn’t basketball season so she asked if I wanted to play soccer. I<br />
said no because I had never played, <strong>and</strong> I knew I was going to be bad at it. She<br />
signed me up anyway, <strong>and</strong> when she told me that we had to get my soccer gear,<br />
I was really upset because I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I didn’t know how<br />
to play the sport, <strong>and</strong> I didn’t want to look like I didn’t know what I was doing.<br />
“Have you ever felt<br />
like you wanted<br />
to do something<br />
but couldn’t find<br />
the courage to do<br />
it? Well, you’re<br />
not alone.”<br />
My sister had a different attitude than me. She told me, “Don’t be scared to try<br />
something new. Even if you’re bad at soccer, work hard <strong>and</strong> try.” That made<br />
me feel better about playing. <strong>The</strong> first day <strong>of</strong> soccer I stepped onto the field,<br />
<strong>and</strong> instantly I felt the breeze coming from the trees. <strong>The</strong> closer we got to the<br />
team, the more nervous I felt. I had all these questions in my head: Am I going<br />
to make new friends, or will I cause my team to lose the game because I didn’t<br />
know what I was doing?<br />
I was so nervous that I had to tell my sister to come with me to introduce<br />
myself to the coach. When I got to my team, my coach welcomed me, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
felt much better about being in soccer. We started to practice, <strong>and</strong> I felt like<br />
everyone could see how bad I was. My soccer ball was going everywhere, <strong>and</strong><br />
the other kids would lose their ball or balance because I didn’t know how<br />
to control my kicks. Every time I went to practice, I wanted to quit.<br />
When I got home that day I was so tired I couldn’t feel my feet. I wanted to<br />
learn some soccer techniques, so I went on YouTube <strong>and</strong> grabbed my soccer<br />
ball <strong>and</strong> got to work. Even though I was tired, I started to love the game. I was<br />
afraid, but I decided I would not let fear keep me from learning something<br />
new. To me, being courageous is not giving up even when you are scared.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
22 23
Kai Geraghty-Sari<br />
Mary Budrose, Teacher<br />
Proctor School, Topsfield, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> will always be something that is not acquired easily, struggling to<br />
speak out against others <strong>and</strong> attempting things other people wouldn’t even<br />
dare to think <strong>of</strong>. In all honesty, I can’t think <strong>of</strong> myself as courageous, but I<br />
do think I was able to do something a lot <strong>of</strong> people my age, or anyone at all,<br />
couldn’t admit.<br />
Last summer I had started falling deeper into social media, <strong>and</strong> I began to<br />
learn <strong>and</strong> find out about more <strong>and</strong> more things that I had never seen or<br />
even heard <strong>of</strong> before. I enjoyed being able to look more into other people’s<br />
thoughts <strong>and</strong> worries. As I kept venturing through I discovered something<br />
called the LGBTQIA+ Community. I hadn’t heard <strong>of</strong> it before, so it made<br />
me wonder. Over time, I gradually got more <strong>and</strong> more interested in learning<br />
all about the different sexualities <strong>and</strong> genders that the community had held<br />
within them, acknowledging <strong>and</strong> noticing the differences between everything.<br />
At first it was confusing <strong>and</strong> felt impossible to comprehend, but I eventually<br />
became used to the idea. I hadn’t worried about it until I learned the word<br />
“transgender.” This is someone who did not identify with their gender given to<br />
them at birth that corresponded with their sex. That word was nothing to me<br />
when I first learned the definition, but soon I felt even more connected <strong>and</strong><br />
stuck on that single phrase.<br />
I was born with female body parts, <strong>and</strong> for ten years I was seen as a girl. I<br />
felt entirely incapable <strong>of</strong> being transgender, but something just told me<br />
I wasn’t a girl. I couldn’t st<strong>and</strong> the eager feeling to figure it all out. Since<br />
I knew most <strong>of</strong> the genders already I had thought I might be outside the<br />
binary genders, non-binary. Non-binary is typically someone who only uses<br />
they/them pronouns, but there are other pronouns under the non-binary<br />
umbrella as well. I decided that’s what my “gender” was, <strong>and</strong> told my two or<br />
three friends about it. At some point I did everything in my ability to deny<br />
that I was a boy. I didn’t want to have to change everything, I will admit. I’ve<br />
always been terrified <strong>of</strong> what others would think <strong>of</strong> me. I denied it for a while.<br />
I went with they/them pronouns even though I was constantly misgendered<br />
without others even realizing. My mom already knew at this point, <strong>and</strong> I was<br />
fully prepared to stay as I was so that I wouldn’t feel embarrassed or nervous<br />
anymore, but it kept coming back. It kept making me stress continuously over<br />
my name. Everyone knew me as my deadname, <strong>and</strong> it was unbearable. Even if<br />
I hadn’t chosen my name, it bothered me so much. Of course everyone called<br />
me that, yet it still hurt hearing it. When my mom brought me to get my hair<br />
“To them I had a new<br />
name. To me I had finally<br />
found my real name.”<br />
cut shorter than it had ever been before, I was excited. Unfortunately I soon<br />
came to realize that no matter what I looked like, I couldn’t help but only<br />
ever feel feminine. All I could say is that I was fed up at that point, waiting<br />
for myself to catch up with the fact that I was a boy. So I came to a conclusion<br />
that I shouldn’t have or ever will care about others opinions, <strong>and</strong> I didn’t<br />
need to. Luckily enough my oblivious self finally realized that if I’m going<br />
to be stuck with myself my entire life, I’d rather not spend it all worrying<br />
about others. Soon I came out to the same friends I had before, <strong>and</strong> they<br />
reacted respectfully. That’s all I needed. Some time later my mom eventually<br />
knew, <strong>and</strong> so did everyone at my school when we finally came back from<br />
summer break. To them I had a new name. To me I had finally found my real<br />
name. Honestly I still don’t think I have courage, but I know I was able to be<br />
courageous that one time. If someone ever makes you feel uncomfortable for<br />
being you, then they are a million times further from finding themselves than<br />
you are.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
24 25
Tyler Rogers<br />
Jaclyn Poremski, Teacher<br />
St. Agatha School, Milton, MA<br />
In my life, at eleven years old, I have had the courage to get through both<br />
difficult <strong>and</strong> creative challenges. I know that I have faced difficult times in my<br />
life <strong>and</strong> that I had to use courage. I am going to tell you about what type <strong>of</strong><br />
courage I needed <strong>and</strong> why I needed it.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the first times I had to use courage in my life was when I began to<br />
discover my creativity <strong>and</strong> really liked being outdoors, so I started to pick up<br />
the hobby <strong>of</strong> whittling. I used physical courage, which means I was willing to<br />
face physical hardship, pain, death, or threat <strong>of</strong> death. <strong>The</strong> physical courage<br />
I needed in doing this was when I cut my fingers deeply while whittling. That’s<br />
when I had the courage to keep on going <strong>and</strong> working on the wood even if<br />
there was a chance I could get cut again. If you don’t know what I mean by<br />
this, then think about yourself doing something you like—riding a bike, for<br />
example. Over time, you get really experienced, but sometimes you fall <strong>and</strong><br />
get injured badly. <strong>The</strong>n when you avoid that activity for a long time <strong>and</strong> heal,<br />
you finally find the courage to try it again.<br />
“<strong>Courage</strong> is facing<br />
your fears <strong>and</strong><br />
overcoming them.”<br />
All in all, these examples I’ve written about show how I’ve had to use courage<br />
<strong>and</strong> the different types <strong>of</strong> courage I’ve used: physical, creative, <strong>and</strong> moral<br />
examples <strong>of</strong> courage. Every day, I see examples <strong>of</strong> courage. Police on the<br />
news, our military troops protecting our country, <strong>and</strong> everyday heroes helping<br />
others. <strong>Courage</strong> is facing your fears <strong>and</strong> overcoming them.<br />
<strong>The</strong> second time I used courage in my life was when I joined the school drama<br />
club. I used creative courage during drama, which means I had the willingness<br />
to change the established perceptions, was willing to fail, <strong>and</strong> kept trying to act<br />
on new knowledge. I have to use courage to get through a creative situation<br />
in order to participate. In drama, I am using this courage because we are<br />
doing the junior play <strong>of</strong> Beauty <strong>and</strong> the Beast. I need this courage because I was<br />
chosen to be the Beast. I believe I will need this courage to memorize my lines<br />
<strong>and</strong> to perform in front <strong>of</strong> a lot <strong>of</strong> people.<br />
Another time I had to use courage in my life was when I wore a face mask<br />
because <strong>of</strong> the contagiousness <strong>of</strong> COVID-19, but no one else I was with was<br />
wearing one. I used moral courage, held on to my belief in wearing a mask,<br />
<strong>and</strong> stood up to peer pressure when no one else was wearing one. Whether<br />
I am vaccinated or not, I believe wearing a mask is the right thing to do to<br />
protect yourself <strong>and</strong> others.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
26 27
Josmil Binet<br />
Alex Veloz, Teacher<br />
Bellesini Academy, Lawrence, MA<br />
We all have times when bad things happen to us, <strong>and</strong> we have to do things that<br />
we do not like to do. This happened to me when my house burned down. It<br />
was very hard to get over, but I had to do it. I was very scared in this period <strong>of</strong><br />
my life because I felt very vulnerable <strong>and</strong> constantly felt like something was<br />
going to hurt me. Many things were going on in my life during this time. This<br />
is the story <strong>of</strong> how my house burned down <strong>and</strong> how I overcame it.<br />
I was asleep when my dad woke me up. I heard a very loud knocking on the<br />
door <strong>and</strong> saw blue <strong>and</strong> red lights outside on the street. I was frightened. I<br />
followed my dad <strong>and</strong> watched him wake up everyone. When we went outside,<br />
I saw a big fire in the attic. <strong>The</strong>n, I saw the woman who lived in the attic on<br />
top <strong>of</strong> the second floor porch, <strong>and</strong> I saw the fright in her eyes, just like I was<br />
feeling. She was right next to the fire, <strong>and</strong> the firefighters got her out. I was<br />
worried because I did not know what to do. That night, I went to my aunt’s<br />
house, <strong>and</strong> my parents went to our second house that we rented to people.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n, the next day, we came to get our things, <strong>and</strong> I saw a lot <strong>of</strong> water on the<br />
wall. We went back <strong>and</strong> forth for a while between houses. We kept moving<br />
from a hotel to an apartment.<br />
“Because <strong>of</strong> the<br />
courage I had, I was<br />
able to overcome<br />
this hard time<br />
in my life.”<br />
I learned many things after this experience, <strong>and</strong> the most important is to<br />
appreciate the small things in life. After losing it all, you wish you had at least<br />
the small things left. This was very important to me because I would not be<br />
the person I am today if it weren’t for that fire. Because <strong>of</strong> the courage I had,<br />
I was able to overcome this hard time in my life. Because <strong>of</strong> this experience,<br />
I learned to be grateful. I hope that if you read this story, you will learn<br />
something as well. I hope that after hearing this, you will also have more<br />
gratitude for the small things in life.<br />
<strong>The</strong> apartment we were staying in was small, but we all fit in. We had to get an<br />
exterminator for the bugs, <strong>and</strong> I was excited to go back to school. I was very<br />
uncomfortable because <strong>of</strong> the change <strong>of</strong> environment. I was also very worried,<br />
because many things could happen while we were working on the house.<br />
After school, I would have to go home <strong>and</strong> help fix things. It was hard, but I<br />
did it because I was able to help my parents so that we could go back home.<br />
My dad also got some help from the company he works with. Because <strong>of</strong> my<br />
dad’s injury, it was even harder to manage, but he worked very hard. We also<br />
got help from friends <strong>and</strong> family members to help us to rebuild our house.<br />
Overall, it was a very hard time, but we had to overcome this challenge to<br />
continue our regular lives. When we finished our house, I was glad.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
28 29
Priscilla Cyprien<br />
Erin Hannon-Foley, Teacher<br />
Roosevelt K-8 School, Hyde Park, MA<br />
Have you ever felt scared when you were swimming in a pool? Well, let me tell<br />
you my story.<br />
One day, I was going to go to the YMCA for swimming lessons, <strong>and</strong> I was there<br />
with my dad. I was so excited about what I was going to learn that day. It wasn’t<br />
my first time swimming at the YMCA. I had passed stage one <strong>and</strong> was on to<br />
stage two! My dad told me to change into my bathing suit, <strong>and</strong> he said he<br />
would wait outside for me.<br />
Once I was done changing, I was going to meet my new swim teacher for stage<br />
two. I was very excited. <strong>The</strong> scariest part was that I was going to learn how<br />
to swim in the DEEP END!! I was very nervous, <strong>and</strong> the swim teacher said,<br />
“Hey...it’s okay...we are all scared once in our lives.” I sighed <strong>and</strong> acted like<br />
I understood.<br />
My teacher told us, “Kids, are you ready to start swimming in the deep end?”<br />
I was freaking out once I started to swim. I went slow so everyone could go<br />
ahead <strong>of</strong> me. I knew I would take forever to swim to the deep end because it<br />
was going to be my first time. Everyone started racing to the deep end. I stayed<br />
there looking at the other kids while I was kicking to the middle <strong>of</strong> the pool<br />
slowly. I got a bit scared but took a few deep breaths.<br />
I saw my cousins cheering for me on the other lane near me. I grabbed a<br />
board <strong>and</strong> started kicking my way to the deep end. I was halfway there, excited<br />
that I really did it until I noticed the water started to get too deep for me. I<br />
started to sink <strong>and</strong> tried to swim back up, but I couldn’t. I let go <strong>of</strong> my board<br />
because it started to get slippery, <strong>and</strong> I started to sink <strong>and</strong> closed my eyes. I<br />
heard yelling. I touched the deep end floor, <strong>and</strong> I opened my eyes again.<br />
I heard people yelling that they needed to help me get back up. I felt a sharp<br />
pain in my back. I started to lose my breath. I put all my courage <strong>and</strong> strength<br />
in my arms as I was kicking as hard as I could to swim back up. I got to the<br />
top <strong>and</strong> took a big gasp. A life guard took me into the shallow water <strong>and</strong> told<br />
someone to call 911.<br />
I closed my eyes <strong>and</strong> when I opened them, I was in the hospital. I saw no one<br />
in the room. I looked around <strong>and</strong> waited for someone to come in. I saw the<br />
door knob move, <strong>and</strong> it was the doctor who said, “Oh! You’re awake now. I<br />
need you to try to st<strong>and</strong> up <strong>and</strong> try to walk.” I tried to st<strong>and</strong> up, but I felt too<br />
weak <strong>and</strong> sat back down.<br />
“A lesson that I<br />
learned is never<br />
be afraid to do<br />
something that you<br />
might not complete,<br />
still try your best.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> doctor said I wouldn’t be able to walk for six days, so I had to use a<br />
wheelchair. I couldn’t go back to swim class until the next year, because <strong>of</strong><br />
the risk for more drowning accidents. I was sad I couldn’t go back swimming,<br />
but the only thing I was happy about is having the courage to save myself<br />
from drowning.<br />
I came back into the YMCA, <strong>and</strong> now I’m eleven. It’s been a year since I<br />
almost drowned. I moved on to stage four, <strong>and</strong> I still didn’t know how to swim<br />
to the deep end. This time we were going to go straight into the deep end with<br />
nobody helping each other.<br />
I got scared, so I told my dad, “Will I drown like last year?”<br />
My dad answered, “No, why do you think that?”<br />
I told him, “I feel like I’ll drown <strong>and</strong> fail again like last year.”<br />
After I got ready <strong>and</strong> put my bathing suit on I got into the water. As I started<br />
to warm up my new swimming teacher said to us, “Swim to the deep end,<br />
then back.”<br />
I got a bit nervous <strong>and</strong> started shaking. I said, “Do I really have to do this?”<br />
My swimming teacher didn’t say anything but looked at me strangely. I<br />
believed I could, <strong>and</strong> I started to kick my legs.<br />
I was almost at the end, when the other people started to kick water in my<br />
face. I yelled for them to stop. I finally reached the deep end. I was happy that<br />
I finally got to the deep end. I felt like I could do this forever.<br />
A lesson that I learned is never be afraid to do something that you might not<br />
complete, still try your best. My definition <strong>of</strong> courage is to never give up on<br />
something you think you can’t do <strong>and</strong> to never be afraid.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
30 31
Kamilanys Nicole Concepcion<br />
Daniel Cesario, Teacher<br />
Joseph Tynan Elementary School, South <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
I frowned as I looked at the phone in my h<strong>and</strong>. I wasn’t feeling well despite<br />
being on vacation. I opened my phone <strong>and</strong> started calling my mom to check<br />
on how my dog was doing, yet I was met with bad news. “Hola Mami, how’s<br />
Bella?” I asked looking out the garage door that was currently open letting in<br />
the sunlight <strong>and</strong> ocean breeze. “She ran away,” my mom stated sadly. I paused,<br />
feeling my heart breaking. Bella was one <strong>of</strong> the first dogs my mom had ever let<br />
me keep, <strong>and</strong> she had been my only friend who comforted me throughout my<br />
dark times. “What?” I asked, sinking into the garage chair feeling awful.<br />
“But some guy found her, <strong>and</strong> as a thank you I let him keep Bella! You could<br />
still visit her when you come back.”<br />
I felt myself being separated from everything. I hung up <strong>and</strong> started crying.<br />
After calming myself, I walked back out to my uncle’s backyard to speak with<br />
my dad. I wanted to tell my dad everything my mom had done, which wasn’t<br />
just selling my dog. My mother was an irresponsible person who would always<br />
leave me <strong>and</strong> my little brother alone. She also tends to talk bad about me. It<br />
was one <strong>of</strong> the things that made me lose confidence in myself <strong>and</strong> be scared to<br />
tell anyone about her.<br />
“Leaving my mother<br />
was courage that<br />
took me lots <strong>of</strong><br />
years to gain.”<br />
During my time living with my mother it was as though she never truly cared<br />
for me. I wanted to build courage <strong>and</strong> tell someone, but I was speechless <strong>and</strong><br />
in disbelief since I grew up thinking mothers loved their children no matter<br />
what. I wanted to speak with my father <strong>and</strong> seek help, but I never did because<br />
I was scared.<br />
Leaving my mother was courage that took me lots <strong>of</strong> years to gain. Now, my<br />
father has full custody <strong>of</strong> me <strong>and</strong> takes good care <strong>of</strong> me. If I never had this<br />
courage I wouldn’t be here with my new family. I’m grateful for a family that<br />
shows respect <strong>and</strong> loves me. <strong>Courage</strong> got me to where I am today.<br />
I was scared <strong>of</strong> what would happen, but I knew now was the time to speak up.<br />
“I want to stay with you,” I said to my father in a flash.<br />
“What do you mean? Did something happen?” my dad asked, shifting his full<br />
attention to me. I couldn’t take it anymore. I felt a rush <strong>of</strong> pressure to tell my<br />
dad everything, knowing that this was my only chance for a call for help.<br />
“Mami doesn’t treat me <strong>and</strong> my little brother fairly, <strong>and</strong> I’ve started to pick up<br />
on some toxic behaviors she has been showing,” I said. “I haven’t been treated<br />
nicely in her household.” My dad listened to me. “I don’t want to live with her<br />
anymore,” I repeated. I was so fueled with determination to tell him how my<br />
mom was treating me, so through the pressure I spoke with him <strong>and</strong> told him<br />
everything that I could. My father understood <strong>and</strong> took things slowly with me.<br />
I finally relaxed, sitting down with my aunt <strong>and</strong> letting my body finally calm<br />
down after being so tense.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
32 33
Eric-Lloyd Perryman<br />
Aaron Cohen, Teacher<br />
Jackson Mann K-8 School, Allston, MA<br />
Being peer pressured is the scariest thing ever, especially from a friend that<br />
you knew for a while.<br />
I really enjoy buying things from the convenience store. To me it’s fun <strong>and</strong> it<br />
makes me feel grown up. However, I truly hate going to the store <strong>and</strong> getting<br />
something you want then realizing that you don’t have enough money. It<br />
makes me feel dumb.<br />
In fourth grade I had a friend who had the same bus stop as me. One day I<br />
had $4 <strong>and</strong> there was a convenience store next to our bus stop, so my friend<br />
<strong>and</strong> I went to the store. I went to get my stuff which cost $2. <strong>The</strong>n I went to see<br />
what my friend was doing, <strong>and</strong> he had three things which totalled $3. I told<br />
him I didn’t have enough money for all five things, but he really wanted the<br />
snacks, so he suggested stealing them.<br />
“That’s why to me<br />
courage means doing<br />
the right thing<br />
even if it means<br />
losing a friend.”<br />
I was surprised. Never before had I thought <strong>of</strong> stealing. I told him we<br />
shouldn’t steal, yet he insisted that we should. He said to put it in my backpack<br />
because he didn’t have enough space in his. Again I told him no, <strong>and</strong> he<br />
called me a scaredy-cat. He said I’m not a good friend if I don’t help him.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n I really became scared, not scared <strong>of</strong> stealing but <strong>of</strong> losing a friend<br />
because I didn’t want to steal. Still, I stood my ground <strong>and</strong> said not to steal<br />
even though I didn’t want to lose a friend over something so simple.<br />
He put one thing back, <strong>and</strong> we went to the counter. I was happy he listened<br />
because I didn’t want him stealing. I paid for the stuff, got my change back,<br />
<strong>and</strong> left. I didn’t even say goodbye. I was angry because my friend threatened<br />
our friendship if I didn’t help him steal. While walking home the only thing<br />
on my mind was, “Should I still be friends with him?” because he wanted me<br />
to shoplift <strong>and</strong> didn’t even seem sorry. After that we rarely talked, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
next year he didn’t come to school so I don’t know where or how he is. This<br />
was probably the most courage I’ve ever had. That’s why to me courage means<br />
doing the right thing even if it means losing a friend.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
34 35
Shems Hafiani<br />
Sr. Sawsan Mezyan, Teacher<br />
Al-Noor Academy, Mansfield, MA<br />
<strong>The</strong> definition <strong>of</strong> courage varies from person to person based on their<br />
experiences. This can include bravery, helping others that are getting bullied,<br />
or going against stronger opponents even when the odds are against you. To<br />
me, courage has a different meaning: courage means doing what’s morally<br />
correct, even when no one agrees with you. Such an incident happened<br />
when I was ten.<br />
In September <strong>of</strong> 2020, when school started online for many, my school was<br />
also fully online. Most <strong>of</strong> the students had very limited interactions with each<br />
other, so many students made group chats. It seemed like a good idea until<br />
it took a vexatious turn. Several students started to use swears casually <strong>and</strong><br />
nonchalantly, <strong>and</strong> it was uncomfortable. Although this alone was bad, other<br />
group chats that included adult content arose.<br />
“To me, courage<br />
has a different<br />
meaning: courage<br />
means doing what’s<br />
morally correct,<br />
even when no one<br />
agrees with you.”<br />
I got in touch with one <strong>of</strong> these servers, <strong>and</strong> a lot <strong>of</strong> the students started to add<br />
people outside <strong>of</strong> school, such as strangers from the internet, several <strong>of</strong> which<br />
had pr<strong>of</strong>ane names. I knew that the right thing to do was to get a person <strong>of</strong><br />
authority involved, but with the brutality <strong>and</strong> cruelty <strong>of</strong> the students, I was<br />
nervous to do so. I sent it to the principal anyway.<br />
Many <strong>of</strong> the students were aggravated, sending death threats to the principal,<br />
<strong>and</strong> using extreme pr<strong>of</strong>anity against her. Eventually, the principal made<br />
announcements in the school regarding the topic, <strong>and</strong> the majority <strong>of</strong> the<br />
group chats got reported <strong>and</strong> eventually faded away.<br />
Looking back after around one year, I can only imagine what would have<br />
happened if the subject wasn’t brought into the principal’s concern. Would<br />
the students stop with time <strong>and</strong> mature? Would other students get exposed?<br />
Regardless <strong>of</strong> the other possibilities, I’m glad that I told the principal <strong>and</strong> got<br />
the problem fixed.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
36 37
Arwen Elliot<br />
Sara DeOreo, Teacher<br />
Proctor School, Topsfield, MA<br />
I feel like I can’t escape, like I’m suffocating under a pile <strong>of</strong> sadness <strong>and</strong><br />
loneliness. Have you ever felt this way? Trapped <strong>and</strong> alone <strong>and</strong> sorrowful.<br />
I have. I still do.<br />
When I was four, my parents got divorced, separating my life into two. I wasn’t<br />
changed by the divorce then, but I would be soon. It all changed on a trip to<br />
Hawaii, the vacation that changed me forever.<br />
I was having a good time <strong>and</strong> had no reason to suspect something was amiss.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n my sibling, two teenagers (soon to be my step siblings), my dad, <strong>and</strong><br />
someone my dad knew (who would become my step mom), piled into a fancy<br />
limousine, <strong>and</strong> drove to where the wedding would take place. I hadn’t known<br />
at the time my dad was getting married, nor did my sibling. He didn’t tell us.<br />
I still have no idea why.<br />
That day scarred me for life, an open wound still trying to heal. And from that<br />
day on, I put up a wall stronger than anything on Earth to protect myself from<br />
being hurt again.<br />
Weekend after weekend, I would hide in my room with my own sadness, a hole<br />
in my stomach. I felt like I couldn’t do anything to make myself happy, so I did<br />
nothing, <strong>and</strong> no one did anything about it.<br />
I would grab my phone <strong>and</strong> put on music that I would sing along to, bobbing my<br />
head to the song with my headphones on. For a long time, I didn’t play music or<br />
anything that could be described as loud, even with headphones. My step mom<br />
would come to the room <strong>and</strong> say, “Door,” <strong>and</strong> close my white door if I was talking<br />
with too much volume to my friends on a call. It made my blood boil with anger.<br />
I was having a tough time at my dad’s, <strong>and</strong> I’d had enough. I wanted to go<br />
home, to my mom, to my caring pets, to a place where I could be myself,<br />
where I could let down my shield.<br />
I had been on a call with my mom, me venting to her, when she suggested<br />
I could come home if I wanted to. I was old enough to make the decision, <strong>and</strong><br />
I said yes in a heartbeat.<br />
“I will find a way to<br />
be happy, be myself,<br />
anywhere I go.”<br />
after some more chatting my dad went downstairs with an expressionless face.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n I heard footsteps on the stairs <strong>and</strong> my step mom’s voice. Soon I was<br />
having the most awkward conversation <strong>of</strong> my life.<br />
This was all going downhill, <strong>and</strong> at this point I was wondering if I should drop<br />
the whole thing <strong>and</strong> try <strong>and</strong> brave through yet another weekend. But my mom<br />
said that if I wanted to come home, I should be allowed, <strong>and</strong> after a lot more<br />
persuading <strong>and</strong> explaining <strong>and</strong> me trying just to go back to my mom’s, my dad<br />
finally said yes. I almost jumped up <strong>and</strong> yelled, “FINALLY!” but I held myself<br />
together as I packed up the few things I had brought with me <strong>and</strong> sat in the<br />
backseat <strong>of</strong> Dad’s car as we drove to Mom’s house. My feet were bouncing on<br />
the floor <strong>of</strong> the car, <strong>and</strong> I had to sit on my h<strong>and</strong>s to keep them from shaking,<br />
but I could barely hide my smile.<br />
I finally did it. I thought to myself, I’m going home.<br />
I got more comfortable with asking to go back to Mom’s, but it still takes a lot<br />
out <strong>of</strong> me when I do. Sometimes I don’t say anything, even during my hardest<br />
moments. I’ve learned how to survive. I’ve got to keep this all inside me, right?<br />
No, because my last act <strong>of</strong> courage, my last st<strong>and</strong>, is writing this very essay. I’ve<br />
never been able to put these words down on paper before, but now I can. I<br />
summoned all the courage inside <strong>of</strong> me <strong>and</strong> wrote, word by word. I don’t want<br />
to hide how I feel anymore. I don’t want to be the morose girl I was, letting all<br />
the despair crush me. I will change what happens with my life, even if it’s out<br />
<strong>of</strong> my control. I will find a way to be happy, be myself, anywhere I go.<br />
First, she tried to text my dad that I wanted to go home. He didn’t answer.<br />
Instead, he came to my room <strong>and</strong> asked about it, <strong>and</strong> I said, my voice almost a<br />
whisper, “Ummm… I– just–I need to talk about some girl stuff.” He nodded, <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
38 39
Naheemah Mustapha<br />
Sr. Sawsan Mezyan, Teacher<br />
Al-Noor Academy, Mansfield, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> to me is when you find it in yourself to do something you want,<br />
something that makes you feel brave. It might not be as easy as you think.<br />
Finding courage was the most difficult thing for me to do, but I learned if I<br />
didn’t st<strong>and</strong> up for myself it would stay the same <strong>and</strong> not get better.<br />
I was the one who motivated myself to have the courage to st<strong>and</strong> up for myself<br />
<strong>and</strong> not be scared. I am a gymnast. I was the only dark-skinned girl in the<br />
course. A lot <strong>of</strong> the other girls would make fun <strong>of</strong> me because <strong>of</strong> my dark skin.<br />
While I just sat there <strong>and</strong> let them call me names, it would make me feel selfconscious<br />
about how I looked. I would go home <strong>and</strong> cry after every practice.<br />
I would ask myself why I let them call me names. Why did I not st<strong>and</strong> up for<br />
myself? I am still a human being, I am no different from them.<br />
“Finding courage was<br />
the most difficult<br />
thing for me to do,<br />
but I learned if I<br />
didn’t st<strong>and</strong> up for<br />
myself it would<br />
stay the same <strong>and</strong><br />
not get better.”<br />
It was then that I told myself I needed to be brave <strong>and</strong> have courage. I am a<br />
good gymnast, <strong>and</strong> that won’t change because <strong>of</strong> my skin color. <strong>The</strong> next time<br />
another girl called me a mean name, I told her, “I don’t appreciate that you<br />
are calling me that just because <strong>of</strong> my skin tone. I’m just as good a gymnast as<br />
you, <strong>and</strong> I am a human being too. <strong>The</strong> racism that happened in my past won’t<br />
affect who I am today.”<br />
This is what courage means to me. You should not let other people change<br />
who you are just based on how you look. I realized I had it in myself, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
don’t need anybody to tell me what to do based on my skin color. I just hope<br />
other dark skinned people know that they are not lower than anyone just<br />
because <strong>of</strong> their complexion.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
40 41
Stefanie Perez Berganza<br />
Kathleen McGonigle, Teacher<br />
Thomas Edison K-8 School, Brighton, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> can mean many different things in many different ways. <strong>Courage</strong> to<br />
me means you keep going even when it is difficult <strong>and</strong> stressful. <strong>The</strong>se couple<br />
<strong>of</strong> years have been hard. I had online school in my living room, on my couch<br />
most <strong>of</strong> the time, filled with noise. I would log into Zoom every day at 9:00 AM<br />
<strong>and</strong> end at 4:30 PM. <strong>The</strong>n at the end <strong>of</strong> the school year, I moved schools to the<br />
Edison because my old school only went up to fifth grade. When I transferred<br />
schools, I did not have a lot <strong>of</strong> friends, but I worked hard every day, <strong>and</strong> tried<br />
being nice to everyone. School became more manageable after I changed<br />
schools. I learned from my mistakes, made new friends, <strong>and</strong> moved on.<br />
I live in an apartment that is not too big, but not too small. It has two<br />
bedrooms <strong>and</strong> a big living room. Well, at least I think it’s big. I was about to<br />
join my Zoom class again. I knew I didn’t want to log back in, but I did so<br />
anyway because I needed to focus on school, <strong>and</strong> if I did not join back in, I<br />
would get in trouble. I tried to pay attention, but it was so hard. <strong>The</strong>re were<br />
so many ways that I could get distracted.<br />
I had my phone in front <strong>of</strong> me, <strong>and</strong> I was tempted to use it. And my seven<br />
year-old brother wouldn’t stop kicking the soccer ball directly at me instead<br />
<strong>of</strong> doing his school work. My WiFi was not the best either, so I was constantly<br />
getting logged out <strong>of</strong> Zoom. This situation would go on for hours, <strong>and</strong> before<br />
I knew it, it was already the end <strong>of</strong> the day. I would get a lot <strong>of</strong> homework<br />
which stressed me out. I would think, I am home all day doing work in my<br />
head. Why am I getting more homework? Nobody could answer that. Plus,<br />
I would constantly get distracted, so I could barely finish my homework in<br />
time. I knew I got distracted, but I kept trying anyway.<br />
When school would finish, I always looked at my assignments, <strong>and</strong> I would try<br />
doing them, but sometimes I did not underst<strong>and</strong> the assignment. I would ask<br />
my teacher, but she was not always online, so it was hard to get my support.<br />
As the days went on, I would try <strong>and</strong> finish my missing assignments, but I<br />
had no motivation or confidence. I felt as if I was the only one with missing<br />
assignments <strong>and</strong> the only one that had no clue what we were doing. I would<br />
open my Google Classroom each morning <strong>and</strong> look at my missing assignments<br />
build up. I was very disappointed in myself, which made me less motivated.<br />
“Finding courage was<br />
the most difficult<br />
thing for me to do,<br />
but I learned if I<br />
didn’t st<strong>and</strong> up for<br />
myself it would<br />
stay the same <strong>and</strong><br />
not get better.”<br />
I woke up one morning, <strong>and</strong> my mom told me that I would go back to school<br />
in person in a couple <strong>of</strong> days. I was thrilled, but I felt embarrassed. I thought<br />
that the whole class would notice my missing assignments <strong>and</strong> make fun <strong>of</strong> me<br />
or say rude things.<br />
Although some days would be virtual <strong>and</strong> some days in person, I was pretty<br />
excited because I knew I would finally be able to get my work done. I was still<br />
slightly nervous because I was afraid <strong>of</strong> people finding out about my missing<br />
assignments. I thought that it was super embarrassing. One morning at<br />
school, I felt curious <strong>and</strong> decided to look at my missing assignments. I started<br />
counting my assignments, looked at the final big number eleven, <strong>and</strong> wanted<br />
to cry. I thought to myself, I wish all <strong>of</strong> these could just disappear. I decided<br />
that I would try <strong>and</strong> do every single one <strong>of</strong> those assignments. I started with<br />
the most important one, <strong>and</strong> I finished it before I knew it. I then did the ones<br />
I could <strong>and</strong> finished. My missing assignments went down, <strong>and</strong> I was pretty<br />
happy with it. I worked hard each day <strong>and</strong> never gave up, even if I wanted<br />
to quit. I had my friends supporting me each day, <strong>and</strong> now that I’m older, I<br />
realized that I showed courage even when it was difficult <strong>and</strong> stressful because<br />
I knew that it would not be an accomplishment if I did not.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
42 43
Alana McNamara<br />
Faith Smith, Teacher<br />
South <strong>Boston</strong> Catholic Academy, South <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> has many definitions, many different names, <strong>and</strong> shows itself in many<br />
ways. It may not always be physical, like st<strong>and</strong>ing up to a bully or going in the<br />
ocean for the first time. It doesn’t mean others have to see you show courage.<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> to me is facing your fears <strong>and</strong> your worries so you know you are above<br />
them. I have had to show courage in school for a long time. I do not tend to<br />
talk about my anxiety. For a long time, I tried to hold in my emotions, which<br />
led to me having big meltdowns at home. I used to feel my house was the only<br />
place I could take <strong>of</strong>f the mask I held on all day. Over the years I had to show<br />
courage by taking <strong>of</strong>f the mask to show I was not alright at times. This is a time<br />
I showed courage.<br />
BOOM! My heart pounds, I feel everything in slow motion. BOOM! My h<strong>and</strong>s<br />
are trembling, my breath is shaky. BOOM! What is wrong with me? I am going<br />
to do fine. BOOM! My heart stops, time is paused. I just sit there staring, <strong>and</strong><br />
then nothing, no reaction. I got a 100, as expected. I don’t know what causes<br />
me to have this perfectionist anxiety, but one thing I do know is that I can’t<br />
turn it <strong>of</strong>f. Every time I show the slightest bit <strong>of</strong> emotion people say things<br />
like, “That’s a good grade. You have no right to be upset.” “You’re kidding<br />
me. Look, your grade is better than mine.” But the worst is, “Just stop. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
is nothing to be upset about.” That one hits me the most because I wish, more<br />
than anyone, that I could stop. I am a perfectionist, <strong>and</strong> this is what causes<br />
my anxiety. Over the years this has morphed into the idea that perfect is the<br />
average or is the expected, anything <strong>and</strong> everything under is unacceptable.<br />
“I still get anxiety,<br />
but because <strong>of</strong><br />
courage I now know<br />
it is alright to let<br />
your emotions show.”<br />
meet with her <strong>and</strong> to talk to my teacher. Talking to my sixth grade teacher,<br />
Ms. Hoisl, broke down my walls. I now see the school counselor every other<br />
week. Just going <strong>and</strong> talking has given me the view <strong>of</strong> being able to take <strong>of</strong>f<br />
that invisible mask. I still get anxiety, but because <strong>of</strong> courage I now know it is<br />
alright to let your emotions show. Even if not everyone underst<strong>and</strong>s, I know<br />
I can talk to someone who does.<br />
I can st<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> talk in front <strong>of</strong> a crowd <strong>of</strong> people. This comes naturally.<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is something you learn to have, something that is not natural, not<br />
easy to find or use. When you finally do show courage you feel that you did<br />
the best you could, even if it was not perfect. I longed to find this feeling <strong>of</strong><br />
showing courage, <strong>and</strong> I have finally found it.<br />
I started sixth grade <strong>and</strong> I assumed everything was going to be the same as<br />
years past. I had a meltdown <strong>and</strong> started crying right when I saw my test.<br />
It was a 96. I got one question wrong. I got comments, <strong>and</strong> I tried to laugh<br />
them <strong>of</strong>f. I felt that no one understood, so I built up the courage to tell my<br />
parents <strong>and</strong> ask to go to the school counselor. <strong>The</strong>y scheduled for me to<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
44 45
Esther Kalejaiye<br />
Aaron Kesler <strong>and</strong> Alison Spade, Teachers<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Renaissance Charter Public School, Hyde Park, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is the ability to step outside <strong>of</strong> your comfort zone <strong>and</strong> to overcome<br />
your fear. <strong>Courage</strong> allows you to attempt challenging things. I was in my<br />
classroom, <strong>and</strong> the flyers for choir had just been published. I was very<br />
excited to go back into the choir. My friend <strong>and</strong> I were going to run for the<br />
presidency, but we were so nervous that we wouldn’t get picked. <strong>The</strong>n the day<br />
came, the election. <strong>The</strong> choir director said, “And the new Vice President is<br />
Esther!” I was shocked that my friend got the President role <strong>and</strong> that I got<br />
the Vice President. I was filled with joy.<br />
“I learned that<br />
sometimes you<br />
might have to step<br />
up <strong>and</strong> challenges<br />
will come, but you<br />
keep your head up<br />
<strong>and</strong> face them.”<br />
Days later, I was waiting for my friend so we could walk together from the<br />
classroom to the choir, but she was nowhere to be found. I was scared<br />
because if my friend wasn’t there I would have to lead. I didn’t think I would<br />
be able to lead the afternoon routine. But I had other friends that could help<br />
me, <strong>and</strong> they did. <strong>The</strong>y said to me, “It’s going to be fine.” So I got up to the<br />
center <strong>of</strong> the circle <strong>and</strong> did the afternoon routine. I led the group for a week<br />
while she was out, <strong>and</strong> I’m proud <strong>of</strong> myself. I learned that sometimes you<br />
might have to step up <strong>and</strong> challenges will come, but you keep your head up<br />
<strong>and</strong> face them. Families <strong>and</strong> friends will be there to comfort you <strong>and</strong> help<br />
you. This life lesson helped me <strong>and</strong> can help others move forward. It could<br />
help by preparing people for the unexpected.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
46 47
Perla Gomez<br />
Alex Veloz, Teacher<br />
Bellesini Academy, Lawrence, MA<br />
It all happened on a pouring, early morning, on May first. You can hear the<br />
baby sounds <strong>of</strong> me being brought into this world. I was born a healthy baby,<br />
but the doctors later knew something was going on with me. Have you ever<br />
heard about hearing loss? It’s when people do not tolerate very loud sounds,<br />
their ears are sensitive, <strong>and</strong> they cannot hear that well. It happens mostly at<br />
an old age, but people like me get it at a young age. Special people like these<br />
have to wear hearing aids to help them hear. It can be hereditary, passed<br />
down through generations. But what makes this show my courage? <strong>The</strong>re are<br />
many days I had to show courage, <strong>and</strong> many years to get people to accept me<br />
because I’m different. This is where my story starts <strong>of</strong> how I show courage<br />
going through hearing loss. Just so you know, courage can be shown <strong>and</strong><br />
brought up in many ways. Welcome to MY world!<br />
Even though I was healthy, my mama <strong>and</strong> the doctors knew I had hearing loss.<br />
I still lived a joyful, normal baby life, but it had some minor issues. Not only<br />
did I have hearing loss, but I also had a speech delay. I could not speak, while<br />
others started talking. <strong>The</strong> teachers did not even know. How was I supposed to<br />
talk to them? I started getting ringing in my ears. When there is a loud ringing<br />
in one <strong>of</strong> my ears, I can’t hear at all until it stops. But I dared to persevere<br />
in life <strong>and</strong> make friends. Even though they didn’t know it, my friends<br />
helped me a lot. Finally, I gained my voice when I was six, <strong>and</strong> it helped me<br />
to communicate better. I knew I was supported by friends <strong>and</strong> family, <strong>and</strong><br />
because <strong>of</strong> them, I kept going. I moved schools, which was hard because I had<br />
to explain it to everyone who did not underst<strong>and</strong>. But they got used to me, so<br />
I kept going with my determination, courage, <strong>and</strong> perseverance to go on in<br />
life. My courage as a toddler built up to the courage I have now.<br />
My courage showed even more later in my life. I was still struggling with<br />
classes, but I was hanging on. My mama promised to get me hearing aids,<br />
which were expensive at the time. Once I got my hearing aids, my life<br />
changed. It was near third grade going to fourth grade, on a sunny day in<br />
June. I was licking my melting ice cream when my mama called me because I<br />
had to go to an appointment. I do not remember much, but I got a mysterious<br />
box with something inside. <strong>The</strong>y were hearing aids. My mind did not know<br />
how to react to it, but my heart leaped higher than a kangaroo. <strong>The</strong> first time<br />
“When there are<br />
complex challenges<br />
in life, you fall.<br />
However, you always<br />
have to get back up<br />
<strong>and</strong> keep going.”<br />
I tried them on, I felt like I was in a whole new world! Sure, my ears were extra<br />
sensitive with them on, but I could hear everything! I knew this might be the<br />
end <strong>of</strong> my problem, <strong>and</strong> I thought I would stop showing courage, but that<br />
didn’t happen. I had to move to a new school again, <strong>and</strong> that changed my<br />
life. It took time for new people to underst<strong>and</strong>. Plus, I stopped wearing the<br />
hearing aids, because <strong>of</strong> the new loud noises there. <strong>The</strong> ringing continued<br />
more constantly, <strong>and</strong> my hearing got even worse. Even though my classmates<br />
started to underst<strong>and</strong>, I felt like they sometimes whispered behind my back.<br />
Nevertheless, I had my family to support me through tough times. I had to<br />
show courage. At the end <strong>of</strong> every day, I could muster up my courage <strong>and</strong><br />
believe they would learn to accept me later on.<br />
When there are complex challenges in life, you fall. However, you always have<br />
to get back up <strong>and</strong> keep going. Life always throws difficult challenges at you.<br />
Sometimes, you can never escape from it. This obstacle is something I will face<br />
every day, but every day I will have the courage to face it. Everyone is different,<br />
<strong>and</strong> that is alright. Being different makes you special, <strong>and</strong> you can be more<br />
courageous than others. <strong>Courage</strong> can help you overcome many obstacles in<br />
life, <strong>and</strong> even if it seems hopeless, you should never give up. If you give up<br />
now, you will never try <strong>and</strong> know it worked. We should all have the courage to<br />
st<strong>and</strong> up for ourselves <strong>and</strong> others so that they can have courage too. We are<br />
all people, <strong>and</strong> we help each other with courage <strong>and</strong> problems. You can do<br />
this <strong>and</strong> overcome many fights! Just like me, with hearing loss, you can show<br />
courage to overcome anything.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
48 49
Jenseen Johnson<br />
Erin Hannon-Foley, Teacher<br />
Roosevelt K-8 School, Hyde Park, MA<br />
Have you ever felt so nervous about something that you wanted to “skip” that<br />
part? That’s how I felt when I had to sing in front <strong>of</strong> a lot <strong>of</strong> people.<br />
We were assigned a project for Sunday School. <strong>The</strong>re were special<br />
performances going on because it was the Sunday School Anniversary. I was<br />
ten at the time. You could choose whatever talent you wanted to do. Everyone<br />
had to do something. At first, I felt pretty excited about it. I chose to sing a<br />
song because I thought it’d be easier for me. I love singing. It’s something<br />
I’ve been doing for a long time.<br />
I told my parents, chose my song, <strong>and</strong> practiced a lot in front <strong>of</strong> them.<br />
I decided to play piano with the song too. I ended up becoming pretty<br />
confident after all the practicing. I kept thinking about the number <strong>of</strong> people<br />
coming that day. I started getting anxious because I had never sung or said<br />
something out loud in public before. “Will they think it’s good? Am I as good<br />
as the others? What if I mess up?”<br />
<strong>The</strong> program was about a week away so I thought I had enough time to stop<br />
worrying about it. <strong>The</strong> worry, the anxiousness, <strong>and</strong> the fright never stopped,<br />
so it wasn’t enough time. It was a never ending flood <strong>of</strong> all these emotions<br />
after the realization that many people would be watching <strong>and</strong> listening.<br />
I couldn’t go back <strong>and</strong> change what I was doing because the director was<br />
already notified about it. I couldn’t move forward either because I was frozen<br />
with all these overwhelming feelings inside me, holding me back.<br />
Finally, the day came. Backstage I started to feel more <strong>and</strong> more nervous when<br />
I saw more people walk in. Each time I saw a new person, I prayed there’d be<br />
no more. <strong>The</strong> amount <strong>of</strong> people grew <strong>and</strong> grew, <strong>and</strong> so did the amount <strong>of</strong> my<br />
nervousness. I wasn’t thinking about the song, or me. I was too busy thinking<br />
about what others were going to think about me.<br />
“Jenseen will now be performing a song for us!” exclaimed the Sunday School<br />
director. I came up, <strong>and</strong> sat at the piano. I slowly <strong>and</strong> steadily played the<br />
piano intro <strong>and</strong> started singing. <strong>The</strong> first song lyrics came out in a nervous,<br />
shaky voice, <strong>and</strong> it sounded like I was about to cry. I don’t think anyone could<br />
underst<strong>and</strong> the lyrics, that’s how shaky my voice was. <strong>The</strong> lights shining down<br />
on me were so bright that they made my eyes water. I quickly looked down at<br />
the piano, at the shiny, glistening keys, so no one would see.<br />
“I showed courage<br />
by setting other<br />
people aside, <strong>and</strong><br />
not making their<br />
thoughts my focus.”<br />
I was still thinking about what everyone else was thinking <strong>of</strong> me. I made<br />
the decision that whatever happens, happens, <strong>and</strong> other people’s opinions<br />
shouldn’t matter to me if they don’t make me content. I remember thinking,<br />
“God, help me out here.” I just wanted to get this over with, <strong>and</strong> wished that<br />
time would go by faster, <strong>and</strong> that I’d be done with the whole song by now.<br />
Everything was going by so slowly. All I wanted to do was get out <strong>of</strong> there.<br />
I was pretty embarrassed <strong>and</strong> mad at myself that I messed up. I blinked fast a<br />
couple <strong>of</strong> times to dry my eyes, looked back up, took a deep breath, <strong>and</strong> tried<br />
again. It felt like an eternity from the time I messed up to when I started over,<br />
but it all happened in a matter <strong>of</strong> seconds. This time, it came out better. I sang<br />
the whole song with a clear voice, while starting over with a new mindset. It<br />
was difficult to tone down my self-consciousness, but I did it. I was confident<br />
<strong>and</strong> pleased with what I sang, <strong>and</strong> that’s all that mattered.<br />
I showed courage by setting other people aside, <strong>and</strong> not making their<br />
thoughts my focus. I sang the song not worrying about what others may have<br />
to say about it even though I was scared. I learned to not focus on what others<br />
think about me while I’m doing what I’m supposed to. I stopped looking at<br />
myself from other people’s point <strong>of</strong> view <strong>and</strong> decided to actually look at myself<br />
from my perspective. If other people’s thoughts are what you’re focused on,<br />
that will affect you, <strong>and</strong> how well you do on your own job. Being self-conscious<br />
may seem like a small matter, but it takes a lot <strong>of</strong> strength to overcome.<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is knowing that other people’s thoughts don’t have to be your main<br />
focus because your job <strong>and</strong> your *positive* thoughts are your main focus, even<br />
though there may be distractions all around that try to put you down.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
50 51
Lyra Dvorin<br />
Alice Lucey, Teacher<br />
<strong>The</strong> Park School, Brookline, MA<br />
It was my first day at a new camp, <strong>and</strong> I was terrified.<br />
I glanced down at my schedule, making sure I was in the right place. 1:00 --<br />
Junior Musical. <strong>The</strong> clock on the theater wall read 12:57.<br />
A girl sat down next to me, smiling brightly. She kept her eyes locked on the<br />
stage, where the adults stood. <strong>The</strong> girl didn’t look one bit nervous. I, on the<br />
other h<strong>and</strong>, was shaking with fear.<br />
Finally, the theater fell silent at the director’s signal.<br />
“My name is Mary,” she began, “<strong>and</strong> I have exciting news: the musical we are<br />
performing is <strong>The</strong> Lion King!”<br />
“Who wants to go first?”<br />
My heartbeat quickened. Several h<strong>and</strong>s shot into the air, <strong>and</strong> Mary called a<br />
name: Ingrid.<br />
Ingrid walked onto the stage <strong>and</strong> began her monologue. I wasn’t paying<br />
attention. I was lost in the battle being fought inside my head.<br />
I didn’t have to go through with this. At this camp, we chose what classes we<br />
would take. I had chosen this one, but the camp director said that until Friday<br />
we could switch what we were taking. I didn’t have to be in the Junior Musical.<br />
I didn’t have to audition.<br />
Ingrid then began to sing, interrupting my thoughts. Her voice echoed<br />
through the theater, incredibly beautiful.<br />
Why perform in front <strong>of</strong> all these people, when the worst <strong>of</strong> them was<br />
probably a better singer than me?<br />
I had never been in a play before, but I had wanted to be in one for a very<br />
long time. At that moment, staring up at the girl on stage, I didn’t want to act<br />
anymore. All I wanted to do was run from the theater, because I thought I<br />
wasn’t good enough. Because I thought I didn’t have enough courage.<br />
Some people think that an act <strong>of</strong> courage always has to be enormous like<br />
saving a life. Others say having courage is st<strong>and</strong>ing up for someone else. Yes,<br />
these are examples <strong>of</strong> courage, but they are not the only ones.<br />
An overlooked example <strong>of</strong> courage is believing in yourself <strong>and</strong> going forward<br />
with something, even when you know that you might not be the best.<br />
“An overlooked<br />
example <strong>of</strong> courage<br />
is believing in<br />
yourself <strong>and</strong> going<br />
forward with<br />
something, even<br />
when you know<br />
that you might<br />
not be the best.”<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is not being unafraid. <strong>Courage</strong> is when you let your fear power you,<br />
not ruin you. When you have courage, you always have a choice. A choice to<br />
do the easy thing or the courageous thing.<br />
I had always told myself that I didn’t need to be the best, I just didn’t want to<br />
be the worst. During these auditions, however, something clicked in my brain.<br />
I realized that someone always has to be the worst. What’s important is to have<br />
the courage to try. At that moment, I realized that I had the chance to have<br />
that courage, even though what I wanted most was to turn away.<br />
I had to try. Even if I was the worst, it didn’t really matter, did it?<br />
Without courage, people would not risk things for each other. Without<br />
courage, many more people would be sad <strong>and</strong> lonely. Without courage, the<br />
world would be a lot darker. Without courage, I never would have raised my<br />
h<strong>and</strong> to go next in that audition.<br />
“Who wants to go next?”<br />
Shaking slightly, I raised my h<strong>and</strong>.<br />
Mary picked me. My heart raced. I stumbled up to the stage. My legs felt as if<br />
they were made <strong>of</strong> lead. My mouth was clamped shut.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n a voice in my head spoke,“You can do this, Lyra.”<br />
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, <strong>and</strong> began my monologue.<br />
I finally understood Am<strong>and</strong>a Gorman’s words when I wrote this essay. She<br />
meant that there is always a way to make a difference, if only we have the<br />
courage to see what needs to be done <strong>and</strong> do it.<br />
I didn’t get a single line in <strong>The</strong> Lion King. My audition may have been horrible.<br />
But I did it. I made the decision to go forward, to have courage. I didn’t regret<br />
it. I don’t think I ever will regret having courage.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
52 53
Elle Sullivan<br />
Helen Sullivan, Teacher<br />
Joseph J. Hurley K-8 School, <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
What’s courage? For me, courage means to get back up when meaningful<br />
things are taken away from you. That’s what I did <strong>and</strong> have done ever since<br />
I got the test results back that fateful day.<br />
I will never forget being in the sticky, confining doctor’s <strong>of</strong>fice. <strong>The</strong><br />
uncomfortable silence when the nurse pricked my finger. Seeing my blood<br />
in the test samples. Dreadful. I remember squeezing my mom’s h<strong>and</strong> so hard<br />
it almost turned purple, like a bruise. <strong>The</strong>n the waiting, four whole weeks <strong>of</strong><br />
painful hope. Hoping that the results would come back in the clear.<br />
When the day finally came, I was sitting in my parents’ room, on their bed.<br />
My mom <strong>and</strong> I listened attentively to the call that was giving us the results<br />
<strong>of</strong> my test. All <strong>of</strong> the sudden, my doctor’s voice faltered as she told me that<br />
I was allergic to eight foods, <strong>and</strong> sensitive to forty-five more. All <strong>of</strong> a sudden<br />
my parents’ bed was not so comfortable. I could not swallow, my throat<br />
dry as a desert. <strong>The</strong>n my ears blocked out the rest, the medications, the<br />
treatment plan. I did not care. All that mattered was that I was allergic to<br />
my favorite foods.<br />
I am a very avid baker <strong>and</strong> chef, <strong>and</strong> I have always loved cooking <strong>and</strong> baking,<br />
as well as all other aspects <strong>of</strong> food. When I heard these results–that I was<br />
allergic to gluten, dairy, egg, <strong>and</strong> lots <strong>of</strong> other things– it slowed me from<br />
baking at first. Later on, I started to get gluten free flour, almond milk, <strong>and</strong><br />
other things to replace the foods that I could no longer eat. I made many<br />
interesting desserts <strong>and</strong> cooked some foods that were also quite delicious.<br />
After the first couple weeks, which were quite hard, everything became just<br />
a little easier. I adjusted to everything, except the feeling <strong>of</strong> missing out. I<br />
remember everyone eating chocolate cakes for birthdays, or ice cream cones<br />
on really hot days.<br />
“Having to show<br />
courage proves<br />
there is beauty in<br />
the struggle. It<br />
might be hard, but<br />
in the end we will<br />
get over it <strong>and</strong><br />
come out <strong>of</strong> the<br />
experience stronger<br />
than before.”<br />
Now I am used to it. Annoyed, but accustomed to the “I am allergic to gluten,<br />
dairy <strong>and</strong> egg” every time we eat somewhere else. Explaining to people the<br />
severity <strong>of</strong> the situation. But I am not only looking at the situation as a curse,<br />
but also as a blessing. I have been able to grow as a chef <strong>and</strong> baker, as well as<br />
being pushed to my mental boundaries. But overall I realize it could be worse,<br />
<strong>and</strong> I am thankful I am not in that situation. This is how my courage has stood<br />
out the most, by remaining optimistic in tough times.<br />
No one likes being pushed to their limits, or being out <strong>of</strong> their comfort<br />
zone. Having to show courage proves there is beauty in the struggle. It might<br />
be hard, but in the end we will get over it <strong>and</strong> come out <strong>of</strong> the experience<br />
stronger than before. Even though it might feel hard, we all actually benefit<br />
from showing our courage. I know that even though showing my courage was<br />
not enjoyable, I actually am stronger now because <strong>of</strong> this experience.<br />
I believe each <strong>and</strong> every one <strong>of</strong> us has courage inside. It just takes the right<br />
moment for ours to shine. That’s why, in these moments, I showed courage<br />
<strong>and</strong> have continued to show courage, when everyone is partaking in activities<br />
<strong>and</strong> I know it’s not good for me. <strong>Courage</strong> is when you stay true to yourself<br />
when you don’t want to. <strong>Courage</strong> needs to be found, not created. It already<br />
exists, it just takes a tough time for it to show.<br />
All the “I’m sorry Elle” from many people. I did not really care. I was so left<br />
out, everyone doing things that I could not participate in. I have been trying<br />
the entire time to look at things differently, to see the glass half full rather<br />
than fully empty. This is when I feel like I showed the most courage. When I<br />
stood back up after what felt like everything had been taken away.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
54 55
Sean Michael Bourke<br />
Scott Larivee, Teacher<br />
Mary Lyon K-8 School, Brighton, MA<br />
My courageous moment started on December 6, 2021. My friends <strong>and</strong> I<br />
were at the park playing basketball. I was so happy. We decided to leave<br />
<strong>and</strong> come to my house. We were playing on my trampoline, <strong>and</strong> we were<br />
all having fun. <strong>The</strong> next day I had a pain in my chest <strong>and</strong> went to the<br />
nurse. I tried to rest, but suddenly I woke up <strong>and</strong> had to vomit. After that<br />
I went home <strong>and</strong> was vomiting a lot. <strong>The</strong> next day I was still vomiting. My<br />
mom called the doctor, <strong>and</strong> the doctor said it was probably a stomach bug<br />
because one was going around.<br />
Later that day I was still feeling awful <strong>and</strong> my dad hated to see me like that,<br />
so he brought me to Urgent Care. I walked into Urgent Care hunched<br />
over. As soon as the doctor saw me he told my dad that I probably have<br />
appendicitis, <strong>and</strong> I have to go to the hospital immediately. Confused, I left<br />
Urgent Care, <strong>and</strong> I was on my way to the hospital.<br />
When I got to the Tufts Medical Center, I waited for three hours. <strong>The</strong>n I felt<br />
the worst pain I have ever felt. It felt like fire was in my stomach. Thankfully,<br />
a room opened up, <strong>and</strong> I went straight in. <strong>The</strong>y gave me a lot <strong>of</strong> pain killers.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y did an ultrasound <strong>and</strong> CAT scan <strong>of</strong> my stomach. <strong>The</strong>y saw that I did<br />
have appendicitis, <strong>and</strong> I needed to have surgery first thing in the morning.<br />
I was very scared: I had never had surgery before. I had so many questions,<br />
<strong>and</strong> I was freaking out! However my dad told me not to be scared <strong>and</strong> that I<br />
was doing a good job so far. This gave me courage to not be scared.<br />
<strong>The</strong> next day when it was time for surgery, the doctor <strong>and</strong> nurse wheeled<br />
me to the O.R. I was so scared, but I tried to calm myself down by taking<br />
deep breaths. When the doctors were bringing me to the O.R. all I heard<br />
was the CLINK, CLINK, CLINK <strong>of</strong> the wheels on the bed. <strong>The</strong> doctors<br />
tried to make me feel calm by giving me squishy toys to squeeze. I do not<br />
remember anything else after that because they gave me anesthesia. When<br />
I woke up my mom was sitting next to me. I didn’t even know the surgery<br />
was over until my mom told me. My mom said she had bad news. Scared,<br />
I listened <strong>and</strong> felt like my stomach turned. She said that when the doctors<br />
were removing my appendix it had ruptured, <strong>and</strong> I had to stay in the<br />
hospital for the rest <strong>of</strong> the week!<br />
“I have learned to<br />
not be so fearful<br />
<strong>of</strong> something you<br />
have not been<br />
through yet.”<br />
On the first couple days I couldn’t even walk by myself. Every hour, doctors<br />
came in, checked my vitals, <strong>and</strong> gave me antibiotics because when my<br />
appendix ruptured a ton <strong>of</strong> bacteria entered my body. <strong>The</strong> thing I hated the<br />
most was when the doctors took my blood. I hate needles so much, <strong>and</strong> I hate<br />
when I see my own blood. <strong>The</strong>y did that every day.<br />
My family came every day to check on me. On Friday I started to take my<br />
first steps confidently. <strong>The</strong> next day I was taking my last antibiotics. I was so<br />
happy because I had an IV, <strong>and</strong> it is a pain having to walk around everywhere<br />
pushing it. Finally, December 12 was my last day. I watched movies, <strong>and</strong> then<br />
my dad came to get me <strong>and</strong> my mom after being in the hospital for six days.<br />
I was super happy after leaving the hospital because I could see my dog, my<br />
family, <strong>and</strong> friends.<br />
Today I am back to my normal life by hanging out with friends, playing sports<br />
<strong>and</strong> being in school. I have learned to not be so fearful <strong>of</strong> something you have<br />
not been through yet. I am more confident about surgery, although I hope I<br />
do not have to go through it again. I suggest if you are going through surgery<br />
to stay calm <strong>and</strong> do not freak out because when it is over you will feel better.<br />
My experience changed me because, although I remember the bad things that<br />
happened at the hospital like taking blood, needles, the bad taste <strong>of</strong> medicine,<br />
the smell <strong>of</strong> the robe I had to wear, <strong>and</strong> not being able to leave my bed for<br />
days, I am now more confident.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
56 57
Hailey Alex<strong>and</strong>er<br />
Mariya Timkovsky, Teacher<br />
Lesley Ellis School, Arlington, MA<br />
What courage means to me is being brave <strong>and</strong> having the ability to do<br />
something even if you’re really scared or even terrified <strong>of</strong> it. It doesn’t matter<br />
how big or how small the courageous act is, it still matters. During the month<br />
<strong>of</strong> April, Lesley Ellis hosts afterschool rock climbing. In my first session, I saw<br />
an enormous rock wall. <strong>The</strong> instructor said that anyone who wanted to climb<br />
it could. I was completely terrified <strong>of</strong> this wall <strong>and</strong> never wanted to try it. I<br />
avoided the rock wall for the next couple <strong>of</strong> sessions, until one week I thought<br />
I was brave enough to try it.<br />
“It also allowed me<br />
to have a little<br />
bit more courage<br />
<strong>and</strong> faith in myself<br />
when something<br />
scary comes up.”<br />
I went to the large rock climbing wall, looked up, <strong>and</strong> then walked away,<br />
heading directly towards the walls I normally climb. <strong>The</strong> following week I<br />
decided to try the large wall again. I was super scared when I arrived, so<br />
I decided to do a warm-up wall before I attempted the one that scared me.<br />
I finished the warm-up, <strong>and</strong> waited in the short line to climb it.<br />
Once I got to the front <strong>of</strong> the line, I clipped myself in <strong>and</strong> started to reach<br />
for the first rock. I was absolutely terrified while climbing up the rock wall. I<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten looked down to find myself a few feet higher than when I last checked.<br />
I was extremely frightened <strong>of</strong> falling once I reached the top, but I was also<br />
very excited <strong>and</strong> pleased with myself.<br />
If I had never climbed that rock wall, I might not have moved on from smaller<br />
walls. If I hadn’t put my fear aside for this one session, I wouldn’t have as<br />
much fun as I do now climbing the bigger walls with fewer rocks to climb on<br />
<strong>and</strong> bigger spaces between them. It also allowed me to have a little bit more<br />
courage <strong>and</strong> faith in myself when something scary comes up.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
58 59
Cian Quigley<br />
Scott Larivee, Teacher<br />
Mary Lyon K-8 School, Brighton, MA<br />
Have you ever had a courageous moment in your life? What was it? Yes, I did<br />
have a courageous moment in my life. My courageous moment was starting<br />
to play hockey. Roy T. Bennett once said, “Believe in yourself. You are braver<br />
than you think, more talented than you know, <strong>and</strong> capable <strong>of</strong> more than<br />
you imagine.” That means to believe in yourself, to be courageous, <strong>and</strong> you<br />
have more talent than you think you do. To me, courage means to believe in<br />
yourself <strong>and</strong> be brave even if you think you can’t do it.<br />
My courageous moment started when I wanted to play hockey in 2020. I was<br />
scared <strong>and</strong> nervous. I thought I was going to get hurt. I really did want to<br />
play, <strong>and</strong> all my friends were playing, but in my head I was saying what if you<br />
are bad, or get hurt? I was nervous because I thought I was going to get made<br />
fun <strong>of</strong> or be known for being bad at hockey. I made up my mind that I was<br />
going to play.<br />
When I told my mom <strong>and</strong> friend I wanted to sign up I was like AAGH, “I<br />
want to sign-up,” AAGH. My friends said, “Let’s go.” <strong>The</strong>y told me there were<br />
tryouts in four weeks. One week later I started to get my stuff that I needed to<br />
play hockey. I was really nervous. In three weeks I would have a hockey tryout.<br />
I was so nervous I thought I was going to get made fun <strong>of</strong>.<br />
“I learned that I<br />
can be really good<br />
at stuff if I try<br />
<strong>and</strong> I’m brave.”<br />
My dream is to be in the NHL, <strong>and</strong> that’s why I wanted to play hockey. I was<br />
really excited for next year because I got to go with my friends. I learned that<br />
I can be really good at stuff if I try <strong>and</strong> I’m brave. I hope I can get even better,<br />
but I have to go to a lot <strong>of</strong> games <strong>and</strong> practice to get better. Now it is 2022,<br />
<strong>and</strong> I’m with all <strong>of</strong> my friends <strong>and</strong> I go to all the games <strong>and</strong> practice. I’m<br />
getting really fast, but I need some work on getting better with my stick. My<br />
recommendation is to be brave <strong>and</strong> to try it even if you are scared.<br />
Week after week came <strong>and</strong> then it was the day <strong>of</strong> tryouts. I was so scared <strong>and</strong><br />
nervous, I put my stuff on, but not my skates, <strong>and</strong> I was ready. Twenty minutes<br />
later my mom drove me to the tryout. When I got there I got my skates on<br />
<strong>and</strong> was ready to go on the ice. I got on the ice <strong>and</strong> started to play. I thought<br />
I was doing really well for the first time ever playing. After the tryouts my<br />
coach came over to me <strong>and</strong> said I did really well. I was pretty happy about that.<br />
Quietly he told me I have to go down to Mites. I was pretty sad that I couldn’t<br />
make it to the older team with all my friends, but my coach said I could go<br />
right up with all my friends next year, which I was pretty happy about.<br />
I played hockey that year, <strong>and</strong> I was the best on my team. I had a lot <strong>of</strong> goals,<br />
<strong>and</strong> we did really well. We lost one tournament, but won the Matt Davis<br />
Tournament. We took pictures with the trophy, <strong>and</strong> we all got medals. My<br />
team <strong>and</strong> I were so happy that we won. <strong>The</strong> hockey season was over, <strong>and</strong> I had<br />
to wait until next year. I was so happy to go up with the older kids <strong>and</strong> all my<br />
friends next year. I was very scared <strong>and</strong> nervous, but I overcame my fear <strong>and</strong><br />
started to play hockey.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
60 61
Leo Le<br />
Melissa Ma, Teacher<br />
Salemwood School, Malden, MA<br />
Currently it is 2022, <strong>and</strong> opinions mean everything. Opinions about race,<br />
sexuality, gender identity, <strong>and</strong> much more. Along with opinions come<br />
judgment. Do you know anyone that is transgender? Are you? If so, you might<br />
relate to me, but we all have our own stories. Imagine the courage it would<br />
take to come out to others, fearing what they say might not be what you<br />
wanted to hear, especially when they are people close to you. I was exactly<br />
in that situation.<br />
It was mid-August in 2021 when I thoroughly questioned myself about who<br />
I was. “Am I really comfortable with who I am at the moment? Do I really<br />
want to be seen as a girl?” Those questions replayed in my head for hours.<br />
<strong>The</strong> answer to those questions always came out as a “No.” Later that day, I<br />
realized that I did not want to be a girl. I was transgender. I was happy that<br />
I had finally found out who I really wanted to be. I was joyful, but it did not<br />
last long, as I remembered I would also have to come out to my family <strong>and</strong><br />
friends. I brushed it <strong>of</strong>f, still in joy, but over time, fear <strong>and</strong> anxiety started<br />
tugging on my sleeve. I knew I had to tell them, but I was not prepared for<br />
the outcomes I may face from telling them.<br />
“In case you need<br />
to hear this, you<br />
are loved. Even if<br />
it does not seem<br />
like it at times,<br />
it will be okay.”<br />
2021 was rough for me, but I did not let it get to me. I am very happy now, <strong>and</strong><br />
I feel very comfortable with being who I want to be. In case you need to hear<br />
this, you are loved. Even if it does not seem like it at times, it will be okay. You<br />
have to fight through the thick <strong>and</strong> thin, no matter how hard life can get, <strong>and</strong><br />
that is what it means to be courageous.<br />
It was in September <strong>of</strong> 2021 when I felt like I had to come out to my friends<br />
<strong>and</strong> family. One night after dinner, I spoke up <strong>and</strong> told my parents that I was<br />
transgender. I wanted to be a boy. At first, my parents thought it was all satire<br />
<strong>and</strong> that I was making a funny joke, but their funny faces both turned into<br />
angry frowns when they realized it was not a joke. My dad left without a word.<br />
My mother commented harshly. “You’ll never be a boy. You’re a girl. What are<br />
you thinking?” She told me that I was too young to be “brainwashed by the<br />
internet.” Those were the most hurtful times <strong>of</strong> my life. I ran back to my room<br />
on the verge <strong>of</strong> tears.<br />
<strong>The</strong> following morning, I told my friends about my situation over text.<br />
Thankfully, they comforted me <strong>and</strong> drowned me in support. <strong>The</strong>y were my<br />
heroes who helped me cope with what I was going through. My parents<br />
have been treating me the same. <strong>The</strong>y ignore the fact that I am transgender<br />
<strong>and</strong> still call me a girl. Sometimes, I felt extremely unhappy, but I always<br />
persevered through it. I am doing a lot better now. I constantly remind myself<br />
<strong>of</strong> how proud I should be for being brave enough to come out.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
62 63
Emily Ryan<br />
Jaclyn Poremski, Teacher<br />
St. Agatha School, Milton, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is when people conquer their fears <strong>and</strong> struggles. I think that<br />
courage is an amazing thing to have because it makes people feel good when<br />
they overcome their fears or struggles. In this essay, I will explain about how I<br />
have courage at times when I am struggling with my anxiety.<br />
I have been struggling with anxiety for about three <strong>and</strong> a half years now, <strong>and</strong><br />
sometimes it is hard because I don’t know why I am nervous to begin with. I<br />
always try to do things that help with my anxiety, such as yoga. I also try to do<br />
things that will distract me from it, like hanging out with my friends, hanging<br />
out with my family, playing basketball, playing s<strong>of</strong>tball, <strong>and</strong> more. Yet my<br />
anxiety still makes me scared or makes me not want to do the things that I<br />
love. Sometimes the distractions that I use don’t help; it is just too much. That<br />
is when I have to find the courage <strong>and</strong> strength to overcome whatever I am<br />
afraid <strong>of</strong>, or whatever is making me nervous <strong>and</strong> stressed out.<br />
“I always try to have<br />
courage when I have<br />
anxiety because I<br />
know I am bigger <strong>and</strong><br />
better than this...”<br />
Most <strong>of</strong> the time I have to realize that I am bigger <strong>and</strong> better than the anxiety,<br />
<strong>and</strong> that I can’t let it get in the way <strong>of</strong> doing the things that I love to do. I want<br />
to hang out with my friends <strong>and</strong> family, <strong>and</strong> I want to play basketball, s<strong>of</strong>tball,<br />
<strong>and</strong> the other sports that I play. Those things make me happy <strong>and</strong> joyful, <strong>and</strong><br />
I don’t like it when my anxiety gets in the way <strong>of</strong> doing the things that I love.<br />
When my anxiety happens, like when I’m in a large crowd <strong>of</strong> people, or if I<br />
am nervous about literally anything else that my mind could possibly make<br />
me nervous about, I have to overcome it. I have to have the courage to follow<br />
through with everything that I like to do, have to do, or that I don’t want to<br />
do. I can’t let this get in the way <strong>of</strong> the things that I have made commitments<br />
to: school, sports, <strong>and</strong> after school activities. I also love to help people <strong>and</strong><br />
make them happy, but I can’t do this if I don’t feel like I can. That’s just<br />
another thing that happens when I get anxiety; I doubt myself <strong>and</strong> question<br />
whether or not I can do things. So when I am trying to help people, make<br />
people happy, playing sports, or doing an assignment in school, I question<br />
if I can do these things that I have done before. I always try to have courage<br />
when I have anxiety because I know I am bigger <strong>and</strong> better than this <strong>and</strong> that<br />
I need to always have the courage to help me through it. In conclusion, I have<br />
courage when I overcome my anxiety.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
64 65
Helen Chen<br />
M<strong>and</strong>y Lam <strong>and</strong> Thu-Hang Tran-Peou, Teachers<br />
Josiah Quincy Upper School, <strong>Boston</strong>, MA<br />
Have you ever experienced a global p<strong>and</strong>emic, not knowing what will come<br />
next, or how to be there for your loved ones? <strong>Courage</strong> is what helped us face<br />
this unprecedented time with love <strong>and</strong> care. <strong>Courage</strong> teaches us not to be<br />
afraid but to be brave when times look dark. My parents taught me courage<br />
during a time when we were all trying our best in the unknown.<br />
COVID-19 has been a wild roller coaster ride in a dark tunnel that no one<br />
could have predicted or managed. Everyone is fighting against the invisible<br />
enemy, the COVID virus. Hospitals are overwhelmed. Many are dying. <strong>The</strong><br />
world shuts down because the virus is overtaking us. However, there is hope.<br />
<strong>The</strong> hope is that we can survive this p<strong>and</strong>emic with faith in each other, care<br />
for one another, love for our community–that we are all in this together.<br />
When the p<strong>and</strong>emic hit, my family had a lot <strong>of</strong> risks. <strong>The</strong>re were many news<br />
stories about violence against Asians due to misinformation on the news.<br />
Many people wrongly accused Asian people, claiming the virus was started by<br />
Chinese people <strong>and</strong> that all Asians were the source <strong>of</strong> it. My mom feared for<br />
the safety <strong>of</strong> my elderly gr<strong>and</strong>mother. My family, at the time, had no protective<br />
equipment (masks, h<strong>and</strong> sanitizer, etc), when things were running out <strong>of</strong><br />
stock. My family was panicking <strong>and</strong> worried. Things got worse when people<br />
yelled at us when we didn’t have any masks. <strong>The</strong>y hated us for not following<br />
what was required. We were constantly living with fear even though we were<br />
trying our best. My mom had to reassure people we encountered that we were<br />
not going to harm them.<br />
“<strong>Courage</strong> has helped<br />
me see that with<br />
love, care, <strong>and</strong> faith<br />
for each other, we<br />
can work through<br />
these challenges<br />
<strong>and</strong> overcome<br />
the darkest time<br />
<strong>of</strong> our lives.”<br />
At the near end <strong>of</strong> the COVID roller coaster tunnel today, we now have<br />
vaccines for adults <strong>and</strong> children. People started to be able to do their<br />
normal activities <strong>and</strong> work. My family is able to go back to school in person,<br />
my mom is able to go to work if she wants to, <strong>and</strong> my dad is still continuing<br />
his work at the post <strong>of</strong>fice. Everybody feels like a giant weight has been lifted<br />
<strong>of</strong>f our shoulders.<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> has helped me see that with love, care, <strong>and</strong> faith for each other, we<br />
can work through these challenges <strong>and</strong> overcome the darkest time <strong>of</strong> our lives.<br />
My parents showed that with courage we do not have to be afraid as long as<br />
we have faith <strong>and</strong> hope–we will survive together. I am stronger today because<br />
I know with hard work it will change the world to be a better place.<br />
Beside the risks my family had when the p<strong>and</strong>emic hit us, we also had to<br />
change <strong>and</strong> adapt to how we did things. At the beginning <strong>of</strong> the p<strong>and</strong>emic<br />
my mom changed from going to work, to working from home. My older<br />
sister <strong>and</strong> I had to stay home <strong>and</strong> do remote learning. My dad had the<br />
biggest risk <strong>of</strong> all, because he had to continue working in person at the<br />
postal <strong>of</strong>fice to keep the mail <strong>and</strong> packages delivered. He faced the risk<br />
<strong>of</strong> getting COVID since many people at his work had COVID when he was<br />
working in person. We experienced many challenges during the p<strong>and</strong>emic.<br />
My mom’s challenges were having to take care <strong>of</strong> my older sister <strong>and</strong> me,<br />
as well as doing her job. My older sister <strong>and</strong> I had to change our learning<br />
environment to something we had never done before–switching our<br />
learning in the classroom to on screen remotely. It was hard straining our<br />
eyes on the screen for hours, yet in isolation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
66 67
Aya Bihi<br />
Melissa Ma, Teacher<br />
Salemwood School, Malden, MA<br />
What is courage? <strong>Courage</strong> can be different for other people. Some say<br />
courage is bravery. Others say it’s endurance. My definition <strong>of</strong> courage is<br />
having confidence. When somebody is confident in themselves, they feel like<br />
they could rule the world! In the beginning <strong>of</strong> fifth grade I chose to start<br />
wearing a hijab, a religious scarf worn by Muslim women. My excitement was<br />
skyrocketing! I now felt I could be more like people I admire, like my mother.<br />
My smile spread from ear to ear, but that soon would all change.<br />
When I arrived on the first day <strong>of</strong> school I felt people’s eyes stuck onto me.<br />
I felt so self-conscious <strong>and</strong> thought there was something wrong with how I<br />
looked. People constantly whispered behind my back, <strong>and</strong> it really troubled<br />
me. My embarrassment rose while my confidence dropped.<br />
“Somebody who does<br />
not have confidence<br />
is just like a ghost.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y don’t recognize<br />
who they are until<br />
they just fade away.<br />
Having confidence<br />
allows you to be<br />
visible <strong>and</strong> advocate<br />
for others.”<br />
During a special month called Ramadan, we fast for 30 days. During the<br />
school day I wouldn’t eat or drink <strong>and</strong> people took advantage <strong>of</strong> that. Before<br />
lunch they’d talk loudly about food right in front <strong>of</strong> me, saying things like,<br />
“Mmm can’t wait to dig into all this sushi!” <strong>and</strong>, “Imagine eating at 12 AM.”<br />
It irritated me a lot since it had nothing to do with them if I fasted or not.<br />
Eventually some students started mocking words in Arabic, my native<br />
language. When the teacher heard them say these things, they told her it<br />
meant something different. Some <strong>of</strong> the things they did were saying, “I<br />
support Allah!” (<strong>The</strong> God Muslims believe in) while making the sign <strong>of</strong> the<br />
cross. Also, they were mocking the word Astaghfirullah which means, “Oh<br />
Allah, please forgive me.” I never told the teachers anything because I never<br />
wanted to be involved with all the drama.<br />
Some time during the year I met a girl who just moved <strong>and</strong> shared interests<br />
with me. Before I knew it, I was laughing with her. <strong>The</strong>re were two other girls<br />
too. <strong>The</strong>y said they really liked my style, <strong>and</strong> I inspired them to wear a hijab<br />
as well! I did not know what to make <strong>of</strong> it because nobody really says things<br />
like that about my hijab. Soon enough I started loving myself for who I was<br />
because my hijab is also part <strong>of</strong> me.<br />
Even to this day people still say rude things, but they never get through to me.<br />
I now know there will be people there for me during difficult times. Somebody<br />
who does not have confidence is just like a ghost. <strong>The</strong>y don’t recognize who<br />
they are until they just fade away. Having confidence allows you to be visible<br />
<strong>and</strong> advocate for others.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
68 69
<strong>Courage</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong> <strong>Boston</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
70 71
<strong>Courage</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong> <strong>Boston</strong><br />
A special supplement featuring essays<br />
from our national <strong>and</strong> international partners<br />
<strong>The</strong> essays featured in this section were written by students participating in our<br />
national <strong>and</strong> international programs. <strong>The</strong>y represent the universal nature <strong>of</strong> courage,<br />
<strong>and</strong> support our conviction that all people have the capacity to be courageous.<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> in My Life National Essay Contest<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum proudly hosts the <strong>Courage</strong> in My Life<br />
National Essay Contest, open to students in grades 5-8 in the United States.<br />
This program engages students in the reading <strong>and</strong> writing process, while<br />
encouraging young people to write about personal experiences with courage.<br />
We are proud to share inspiring essays written by courageous students from<br />
across the United States in the 31st volume <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong>, including our national essay contest winner, Aleena Sattar, from<br />
Beverly Hills academy in Beverly Hills, MI.<br />
All schools that participate in our national program are given access to<br />
teaching guides <strong>and</strong> online resources. We encourage participating schools<br />
to deepen their experience by exploring <strong>and</strong> implementing our sixth-grade<br />
curriculum, <strong>and</strong> we continue to <strong>of</strong>fer support <strong>and</strong> guidance to make<br />
this possible.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum’s Global Initiative<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum began working with international<br />
partners in 2007 in response to a growing interest in implementing an<br />
accessible, proven curriculum. To date, the program has been taught in 16<br />
countries, including El Salvador, Pakistan, India, Lebanon, Thail<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong><br />
China. This list continues to grow, as our organization forms partnerships with<br />
schools <strong>and</strong> learning communities across the globe to engage students in the<br />
reading <strong>and</strong> writing process, while empowering them to discover, recognize,<br />
<strong>and</strong> celebrate the courage in their lives.<br />
This year, we are honored to continue our partnerships with <strong>The</strong> Cambridge<br />
Cambodia School, Mawr Volunteers in Yemen, the Personal Development<br />
Institute <strong>of</strong> Mongolia, <strong>The</strong> American School in Barcelona, Dr. Marcia Harris<br />
with the schools in Belize, <strong>and</strong> our newest partner in Istanbul, Turkey, ide<br />
Okullari. We are grateful to each <strong>of</strong> these partners for their compassionate<br />
work with teachers <strong>and</strong> students in their respective countries <strong>and</strong> for sharing<br />
in the vision <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum.<br />
We welcome any organization wishing to work with <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong><br />
Curriculum. Recognizing that the stories <strong>of</strong> courage from children across the<br />
globe enrich the educational experience for all students, we seek to share our<br />
materials <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>fer educational opportunities for children outside <strong>of</strong> <strong>Boston</strong>.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
For more information about <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum<br />
<strong>and</strong> our programs, please visit www.maxcourage.org<br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
72 73
Aleena Sattar<br />
Sara Coyle, Teacher<br />
Beverly Hills Academy, Beverly Hills, MI<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> in My Life National Essay Contest Winner<br />
To me, courage is doing something you wouldn’t normally do or even saying<br />
something you wouldn’t normally say. Stepping out <strong>of</strong> your comfort zone is<br />
courageous. Acts <strong>of</strong> courage can be big or small, <strong>and</strong> can go up, down, or<br />
sideways. But, no matter what happens after your courageous act, you should<br />
still make sure you bring out the courage you have when it is needed. An<br />
example <strong>of</strong> this is an incident that happened my fourth grade year.<br />
One day during fourth grade, I was sitting at my desk <strong>and</strong> talking with my<br />
friends at dismissal. I couldn’t hear anyone else <strong>and</strong> didn’t realize that a<br />
couple feet away from me, someone had made quite an <strong>of</strong>fensive remark.<br />
Apparently, this boy had the audacity to say behind my back that all Chinese<br />
people are fat. Now, I am a Chinese person, <strong>and</strong> everyone in the class knows<br />
it. Saying that even in front <strong>of</strong> me would be very <strong>of</strong>fensive, but behind my back<br />
is even more messed up. One <strong>of</strong> the girls in my class overheard this comment<br />
<strong>and</strong> told me. When I heard what the boy said, I froze. I didn’t know what to<br />
do, <strong>and</strong> my heart started pounding. I had never dealt with bullies or mean<br />
comments before. Time stopped, <strong>and</strong> I just stood there, frozen. But soon,<br />
I snapped out <strong>of</strong> my shock <strong>and</strong> was thinking <strong>of</strong> what to do. It was like a fire<br />
<strong>of</strong> fury <strong>and</strong> sadness had lit, <strong>and</strong> I wasn’t going to let it die down. I thought<br />
about telling the teacher, but I was shy. I didn’t like getting people in trouble,<br />
so saying nothing seemed like the best option in my mind. But I felt leaving<br />
this matter at rest didn’t make it any better. So I took a risk <strong>and</strong> walked up to<br />
him. I asked, “Did you say all Chinese people are fat?” <strong>and</strong> he said, “NO.” I<br />
got even madder because I could tell he was lying, <strong>and</strong> I needed this solved.<br />
I brought him up to the teacher <strong>and</strong> told her about this comment. She told<br />
him that it wasn’t okay <strong>and</strong> that <strong>of</strong>fensive comments wouldn’t be tolerated. I<br />
felt good afterwards, but he wasn’t happy. You could tell that he was mad, but<br />
I didn’t care because he stopped saying nasty things about me <strong>and</strong> never said<br />
bad things about anyone else.<br />
“This small act <strong>of</strong><br />
courage made a<br />
big difference in<br />
my life, <strong>and</strong> it has<br />
revealed a new layer<br />
<strong>of</strong> me that I didn’t<br />
know existed.”<br />
This act was for me one <strong>of</strong> my most courageous. I never realized that I had<br />
courage in me because I never had to use it before, so it really taught me how<br />
to use courage. Also, this taught me to be more outspoken <strong>and</strong> to have the<br />
courage to st<strong>and</strong> up to someone when you know they are wrong. This small<br />
act <strong>of</strong> courage made a big difference in my life, <strong>and</strong> it has revealed a new<br />
layer <strong>of</strong> me that I didn’t know existed. One act <strong>of</strong> courage can literally change<br />
you, as it did for me.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
74 75
Emilly Braga<br />
Mary Wall, Teacher<br />
Barnstable Intermediate School, Barnstable, MA<br />
Bravery… What is Bravery? General Omar N. Bradley said “Bravery is the<br />
capacity to perform even when scared half to death.” Honestly, I think that<br />
bravery has a lot <strong>of</strong> meanings, but my story is a little different from what you<br />
would expect.<br />
I was an ordinary kid, but I didn’t get any exercise. I was really insecure about<br />
my body. One day at school, during recess, my heart started hurting. I thought<br />
I was just playing too much, <strong>and</strong> I took a break. After a while <strong>of</strong> sitting down<br />
my heart started hurting more <strong>and</strong> more. My skin turned pale, <strong>and</strong> I started<br />
taking short breaths. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. Everytime<br />
I breathed I felt a very sharp pain that I couldn’t bear anymore. <strong>The</strong> pain<br />
got worse <strong>and</strong> worse the quicker I breathed. So I held my breath. It hurt, but<br />
not as bad as it did before. When I was walking I started wondering… What’s<br />
wrong with me? Why do I feel this way? Am I… DYING? I quickly erased those<br />
thoughts from my head <strong>and</strong> kept going.<br />
“After this whole<br />
thing happened<br />
I learned to take<br />
care <strong>of</strong> myself.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> next year, I went to my doctor for my yearly check up. She was shocked<br />
at how much I had grown! She told me that she was so proud <strong>of</strong> me <strong>and</strong> my<br />
body, <strong>and</strong> that I’m in perfect health! It has been two <strong>and</strong> a half years now<br />
with no heart problems! After this whole thing happened I learned to take<br />
care <strong>of</strong> myself. I also learned that even when you are scared <strong>and</strong> nervous, it<br />
is important to keep going <strong>and</strong> not give up. To me, that’s real bravery.<br />
I went to the nurse’s <strong>of</strong>fice, <strong>and</strong> explained what happened. <strong>The</strong> nurse called<br />
my mother who immediately took me to the doctor. <strong>The</strong> doctor said that my<br />
heart could be hurting because <strong>of</strong> my body weight. At the time I was eight or<br />
nine years old <strong>and</strong> I was 92 pounds, which was a little overweight for my age.<br />
I had to go to the hospital, get an EKG, <strong>and</strong> meet with a cardiologist. <strong>The</strong><br />
doctor suggested that I start to get more active by joining a sport or getting<br />
outside each day to walk.<br />
I honestly didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to start. One day my<br />
mom saw an advertisement at my school for a swim team <strong>and</strong> pointed it out to<br />
me. I told her that I’d like to try it. I was a good swimmer, <strong>and</strong> this might be<br />
a way to get exercise. I got in!<br />
<strong>The</strong> first day <strong>of</strong> practice went HORRIBLY! I was missing all my times, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
was getting lapped. I wanted to quit right then <strong>and</strong> there, but I kept going.<br />
After a while I started doing great! Until my first swim meet. I had a 50 yard<br />
backstroke–that’s all I had to do. I was good at backstroke, but the problem<br />
was I didn’t know when to start! On the starting block, I was scared. I could<br />
hear my heart in my ears as the buzzer went <strong>of</strong>f, <strong>and</strong> I dove in. At first I<br />
didn’t move, but then I started kicking <strong>and</strong> started moving. I came in fourth<br />
place. I was so proud <strong>of</strong> myself!<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
76 77
Olive Harron<br />
Michael Andrews, Teacher<br />
Barnstable Intermediate School, Barnstable, MA<br />
Have you ever hurt yourself by accident <strong>and</strong> known you could not do anything<br />
to prevent it? This kind <strong>of</strong> event I’ve dealt with every day since I was three<br />
years old.<br />
I have been different all my life. I was born with a neurological disorder called<br />
Tourette Syndrome. This causes my brain to send the wrong signals down<br />
my spine causing uncontrollable movements or noises called tics. It’s kind<br />
<strong>of</strong> like someone is taking over your body. I show courage by living with<br />
Tourette Syndrome. To me, courage means persevering through the hard<br />
moments in life.<br />
My tics were not noticeable until I was three years old. My mom noticed I was<br />
scrunching up my face, but she thought I was squinting. She brought me to<br />
the eye doctor <strong>and</strong> the pediatrician to see if I needed glasses; both doctors<br />
told us it was normal. <strong>The</strong>y said I would grow out <strong>of</strong> it as I get older.<br />
A few years later, when I was about six, I started to get vocal tics. Vocal tics<br />
are when you make noises. We ignored it <strong>and</strong> thought it would go away,<br />
until second grade. I had an onset <strong>of</strong> tics <strong>and</strong> my mom thought I was<br />
having seizures. My mom searched for a neurologist <strong>and</strong> we found one in<br />
<strong>Boston</strong>. My neurologist said, “Right now it is an explosion <strong>of</strong> tics. This is a<br />
tic disorder.” If I didn’t overcome it by a year <strong>and</strong> a half, they would likely<br />
diagnose me with Tourette Syndrome. While it gets better as I get older, the<br />
doctors shared that it never really goes away.<br />
<strong>The</strong> summer before I went into third grade I finally was diagnosed with a tic<br />
disorder; it got in the way <strong>of</strong> everything, like sports, cooking, hanging out with<br />
friends, <strong>and</strong> a lot more. My tics became aggressive from third grade to fifth<br />
grade, <strong>and</strong> all <strong>of</strong> the painful tic attacks that I have gone through almost broke<br />
me down. I went through a phase where I was very sad all <strong>of</strong> the time, <strong>and</strong><br />
I did stupid things to myself to help the pain go away because <strong>of</strong> how many<br />
people at my school bullied me.<br />
“I hope as I get older,<br />
I can help other<br />
kids who’ve grown<br />
up like me to show<br />
<strong>and</strong> see their own<br />
courage <strong>and</strong> worth.”<br />
myself bruises because <strong>of</strong> the severity, but now most <strong>of</strong> my tics are in my arms,<br />
h<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> face; it’s mostly just flexing my arms every couple minutes or<br />
making a fist.<br />
Not many people have Tourette Syndrome, but we all have things in life to<br />
overcome. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you don’t want to talk to anybody<br />
about it because you are embarrassed, I promise you can talk to your parents<br />
or a trusted adult. <strong>The</strong>y can help by getting you the therapies <strong>and</strong> support you<br />
need. Something that I tried was Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for<br />
Tics (CBIT). It’s supposed to help your brain redirect your tics <strong>and</strong> to send the<br />
correct signals down your spine. It didn’t help me but it might help someone<br />
else. Everybody who has tics or Tourette Syndrome is different, so you have to<br />
do what you think is best for your body.<br />
My definition <strong>of</strong> courage is to never give up, no matter what obstacles life puts<br />
in your way. I know that courage will help me as I get older because I have<br />
gotten through a lot in my life, so I can get through a lot more. No matter<br />
how weak you feel, keep pushing. It gets worse before it gets better–trust me,<br />
I know. I hope as I get older, I can help other kids who’ve grown up like me to<br />
show <strong>and</strong> see their own courage <strong>and</strong> worth.<br />
After my tics got very bad for about a year, I got diagnosed with Tourette<br />
Syndrome in fourth grade. I started medication in fifth grade which helped a<br />
lot, <strong>and</strong> I learned how to suppress the physical manifestations <strong>of</strong> my Tourette.<br />
I conquered most symptoms <strong>of</strong> the disorder. I still tic a lot <strong>and</strong> I still have<br />
tic attacks, but a lot less than I used to. More importantly, my tics now aren’t<br />
nearly as painful as they used to be. I used to hit myself by accident <strong>and</strong> give<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
78 79
Kendall Henriksen<br />
Stefanie Machado, Teacher<br />
Keith Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
I have shown courage in my life by respecting myself <strong>and</strong> learning how to say,<br />
“No.” A year ago, I had to make a choice about what to do with my mother. I<br />
noticed that she stopped being a good person <strong>and</strong> that troubled me. My mom<br />
would emotionally manipulate me every time I went over to her house <strong>and</strong><br />
made me feel guilty for things that were caused by her. For instance, I would<br />
go to my gr<strong>and</strong>parent’s house on the weekends, which happens to be the same<br />
house that my mother was living in, <strong>and</strong> I was <strong>of</strong>ten forced to hang out with<br />
only her. This made things uncomfortable when I wanted to choose to be with<br />
my gr<strong>and</strong>parents instead. My mom would say things like, “Oh, do you just not<br />
like me?” or “<strong>The</strong>y did not even want you here. I invited you, yet all you want<br />
to do is hang out with them.” She would do this to make me feel really bad,<br />
which she accomplished.<br />
One day, I found the courage to tell her that this behavior was wrong. I also<br />
explained to her that her words made me dread going to my gr<strong>and</strong>parents’<br />
house on the weekends. Meanwhile, this was supposed to benefit everyone,<br />
to save our relationship, but it just wasn’t working. She <strong>of</strong> course put all<br />
the blame on me! I decided to tell my dad about my feelings <strong>and</strong> what was<br />
happening. He was able to share with me that my sister, with whom I share the<br />
same mother, stopped visiting her for that exact reason. He communicated to<br />
me that if that is how I felt, I would not be forced to go unless it was a family<br />
gathering or event that more people attended so I would not be alone with my<br />
mother. His response made me feel powerful. I finally found the courage to<br />
say, “NO!” when the weekend came. I stayed away for a while <strong>and</strong> that made<br />
me feel safe. Knowing that I made that choice, made me proud <strong>of</strong> myself.<br />
“Having courage to<br />
st<strong>and</strong> up for myself<br />
has left me feeling<br />
safe <strong>and</strong> happy.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> guilt trip that she put on me was so desperate on her part. After that<br />
moment, I really saw her for who she really is, <strong>and</strong> knowing that it may never<br />
change crushed any part <strong>of</strong> our bond that was left. What I really wanted at<br />
that moment was to cut <strong>of</strong>f my relationship with her permanently. I was at<br />
that point in my life with her.<br />
Things started to unravel when I was actually prohibited from visiting my<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>parents’ house. During this time, so many things happened in that<br />
house that my mother was actually forced to leave <strong>and</strong> find shelter elsewhere.<br />
I have not seen her since.<br />
Having courage to st<strong>and</strong> up for myself has left me feeling safe <strong>and</strong> happy. I<br />
now know that it is all taken care <strong>of</strong> <strong>and</strong> it is okay not to want to be around<br />
certain people in your life, even if they are your family. That’s how I showed<br />
courage, <strong>and</strong> I am proud <strong>of</strong> myself.<br />
My story <strong>of</strong> being courageous does not stop here.<br />
When I took a leap <strong>and</strong> did visit my gr<strong>and</strong>parents’ house after a much<br />
needed break from all <strong>of</strong> it, my mom was her usual self. She told me, “This<br />
whole thing is wrong, <strong>and</strong> I am the parent.” After her response, it struck me<br />
that she did not see what I saw. So, I did the most courageous thing, which<br />
took every ounce <strong>of</strong> energy I had at the moment, <strong>and</strong> told her that what<br />
she was doing was wrong. Wrong in so many ways <strong>and</strong> on so many levels.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
80 81
Aliana Paquette<br />
Sabina Kozak, Teacher<br />
Our Sisters’ School, New Bedford, MA<br />
What is courage? “I learned that courageousness was not the absence <strong>of</strong> fear,<br />
but the triumph over it. <strong>The</strong> brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but<br />
he who conquers that fear.” Nelson M<strong>and</strong>ela once said this. I can connect with<br />
this quote because it is true <strong>and</strong> inspirational.<br />
I was born with a mother. Just a mother. No father. My father left before I was<br />
even born. My mother raised me alone for about eight years. I love her for<br />
that. During those eight years, she was working <strong>and</strong> making money to take<br />
care <strong>of</strong> herself <strong>and</strong> me. My gr<strong>and</strong>mother had to take care <strong>of</strong> me a lot, but she<br />
didn’t mind. I was always a people pleaser, even as a baby! My mom barely<br />
got any time to herself due to having to work a lot <strong>and</strong> having a baby. She<br />
provided me with food, drinks, toys, a good education, activities to do after<br />
school, clothes, an apartment (now a house), love <strong>and</strong> life. I am so thankful<br />
for her. She did this all with only one income <strong>and</strong> rarely asked for help from<br />
her parents. My mother is the best thing that ever happened to me. My<br />
mother is courageous.<br />
Although I might not have been as courageous as my mother, I am still<br />
courageous. When I was eight years old I was scared <strong>of</strong> werewolves. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
absolutely freaked me out with their sharp teeth, massive bodies, long scruffy<br />
ears, big feet with even bigger claws on them, their yellow beady eyes <strong>and</strong> their<br />
want for flesh. My mother <strong>and</strong> I moved in with her boyfriend when I was eight.<br />
He only had three rooms for five people. So, it was easiest for me to share a<br />
room with her boyfriend’s youngest son, since his eldest son already had his<br />
own room. His youngest son <strong>and</strong> I shared a bunk bed. My stepbrother slept on<br />
the top, <strong>and</strong> I slept on the bottom. One night my stepbrother fell asleep on<br />
the couch <strong>and</strong> it was a full moon, so being me, I decided to sleep on the top<br />
because I thought it would be harder for the werewolf to get me. I woke up in<br />
the morning <strong>and</strong> heard yelling <strong>and</strong> doors slamming. I was scared. I faced the<br />
wall <strong>and</strong> put the blankets over my head.<br />
“I broke the mental<br />
walls that were<br />
keeping me from<br />
seeing that I was<br />
being my best<br />
self <strong>and</strong> that I<br />
was enough.”<br />
Ever since then, I thought that no one (besides my mom) wanted me to be<br />
successful or wanted me to be the best version <strong>of</strong> myself. I accepted that as my<br />
truth <strong>and</strong> went on with my life. A couple months later, I finally broke down. I<br />
broke the mental walls that were keeping me from seeing that I was being my<br />
best self <strong>and</strong> that I was enough. That day, I was courageous. That day, I figured<br />
out that I didn’t care what anyone else thought as long as I thought I was good<br />
enough. I am courageous for finally accepting myself <strong>and</strong> allowing myself to<br />
heal from that difficult moment in my life.<br />
Soon enough, I heard my mother screaming at me, telling me to pack my bags<br />
because we were getting thrown out. That night I thought to myself, “It wasn’t<br />
the werewolf coming to get me <strong>and</strong> gobble me up like I was a big, juicy piece<br />
<strong>of</strong> steak. It was someone real, someone I knew, someone who always wanted<br />
the best for me, <strong>and</strong> well, now they didn’t.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
82 83
Jenifer Garcia Jimon<br />
Alexias Soares, Teacher<br />
Roosevelt Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
Back then I was a seven year old girl, I was in Guatemala, coming to the<br />
United States. We barely had money for food <strong>and</strong> clothes. Also, it wasn’t easy<br />
going to school because it was far away from home. My dad moved to the<br />
United States first, <strong>and</strong> my mom decided she wanted us to be safe <strong>and</strong> live a<br />
good life. After two days my mom decided to come to the United States <strong>and</strong><br />
reunite with my dad.<br />
One experience when I showed courage was when I was seven. Me, my mom,<br />
<strong>and</strong> my brother were going to cross the angry river. <strong>The</strong> water moved very fast,<br />
so you had to use support. You couldn’t swim. We were scared that the river<br />
would flip us over <strong>and</strong> we would fall into the angry river. I took the risk <strong>and</strong><br />
went first. I sat in a girl’s lap. <strong>The</strong> water came faster <strong>and</strong> harder as we went,<br />
but we made it just in time. When it was my mom <strong>and</strong> brother’s turn, in the<br />
middle <strong>of</strong> the river, the tire they were on tipped over, <strong>and</strong> they fell in.<br />
“My mother always<br />
told me that it<br />
doesn’t matter what<br />
you have to do,<br />
you should always<br />
help others out,<br />
<strong>and</strong> have courage<br />
to be by them.”<br />
I was focused on what I should do because they were both in danger. <strong>The</strong><br />
water was really strong, <strong>and</strong> I was getting really nervous. My brother was crying<br />
<strong>and</strong> swallowing water, so I made up my mind that I was going to save him<br />
instead <strong>of</strong> leaving him to drown. He was really young <strong>and</strong> I cared a lot for him.<br />
I pulled my brother out while my mom was pulled out by other people, <strong>and</strong><br />
both survived.<br />
My emotions were getting in the way <strong>of</strong> my courage when I was pulling in my<br />
brother, because I was getting nervous that I might fall in the water too. I was<br />
scared <strong>of</strong> losing my brother <strong>and</strong> mom, but they both survived, <strong>and</strong> I’m proud<br />
<strong>of</strong> risking my life <strong>and</strong> managing to save my little brother.<br />
I had a lot <strong>of</strong> things running through my head when we crossed the angry<br />
river. We had to get to the United States for a better life, education, <strong>and</strong> future<br />
for my family. I risked a lot for my little brother while I was worried about my<br />
mom, but she survived.<br />
After going through this experience, I still show courage <strong>and</strong> help others by<br />
being there when they are having any problems, doing my best to keep them<br />
positive, <strong>and</strong> helping them on their feet when life gets hard. My mother always<br />
told me that it doesn’t matter what you have to do, you should always help<br />
others out, <strong>and</strong> have courage to be by them.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
84 85
Jeremiah Arruda<br />
Valerie Carvalho, Teacher<br />
Keith Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> means that you have to fight through your hardest struggles for<br />
the ones you love. My gr<strong>and</strong>mother <strong>and</strong> I both showed our courage to help<br />
each other.<br />
My gr<strong>and</strong>mother is 57 years old <strong>and</strong> about three years ago, she had to start<br />
fighting stage four lung cancer. <strong>The</strong>re have been lots <strong>of</strong> ups <strong>and</strong> downs <strong>and</strong><br />
so many emotions. It’s been tough. Without her, I wouldn’t be doing so well<br />
at the moment. She puts my family <strong>and</strong> me first, <strong>and</strong> that has made me feel so<br />
loved. When I first heard that she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer,<br />
I ran up to her crying, telling her that I was sorry for all the mistakes I had<br />
made. She obviously told me that was okay <strong>and</strong> that she loved me. She was<br />
doing well until a year later. <strong>The</strong> cancer started spreading throughout her<br />
whole body. When I found that out, I ran to my room crying <strong>and</strong> completely<br />
broke down. My gr<strong>and</strong>mother is my life. I always had to remind myself to try to<br />
be brave in front <strong>of</strong> her. I had long talks with other family members about how<br />
to deal with the situation. I also had to get used to doing a lot more around<br />
the house to help out. My gr<strong>and</strong>mother was still cooking even though her<br />
back <strong>and</strong> feet killed her. She never complained about how much she really<br />
hurt, but we could see her getting worse <strong>and</strong> worse. She kept apologizing to<br />
us for feeling like a big burden even though she couldn’t help it. She pushed<br />
herself mentally <strong>and</strong> physically to her limits to care for us.<br />
“I had to stay strong<br />
<strong>and</strong> use positive<br />
words <strong>and</strong> advice to<br />
make her feel better,<br />
when really my<br />
heart was breaking.”<br />
During these past three years, I learned a lot about what it means to be<br />
courageous from the heart <strong>and</strong> strength <strong>of</strong> my gr<strong>and</strong>mother. Every part <strong>of</strong> her<br />
fight is more for her family than herself.<br />
Fast forward. My family was doing fine for a while. <strong>The</strong>n one day out <strong>of</strong><br />
nowhere, I heard a huge bang. I looked over to see that my gr<strong>and</strong>mother had<br />
fainted <strong>and</strong> fallen to the floor. I screamed her name so loudly at the top <strong>of</strong> my<br />
lungs that my aunt ran from where she was in the house to help me. I tried to<br />
stay calm <strong>and</strong> not panic. She was feeling weak after her chemotherapy, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
could tell that she wasn’t right. We had no choice but to convince her to go to<br />
the hospital to get checked, which was one <strong>of</strong> her biggest fears. She put up a<br />
good fight, but eventually worked up her courage to go in.<br />
I had to stay strong <strong>and</strong> use positive words <strong>and</strong> advice to make her feel better,<br />
when really my heart was breaking. I was so proud <strong>of</strong> her for getting through<br />
the CAT scan because she really was terrified <strong>of</strong> them <strong>and</strong> the closed space.<br />
In these hard times with COVID, I was extra proud <strong>of</strong> her for building herself<br />
up on her own, because nobody was allowed with her at the hospital. After a<br />
week, she came home <strong>and</strong> I was happier than ever.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
86 87
Kaylin LaLond<br />
Lindsay Worstell, Teacher<br />
Norm<strong>and</strong>in Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
To have courage is not to be big, brave <strong>and</strong> strong. To me, courage is to have<br />
the nerve to underst<strong>and</strong> what is right <strong>and</strong> wrong, <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong> when you<br />
have to do something about a situation.<br />
I had a failed adoption. <strong>The</strong> date was October 24, 2021. That day started like<br />
any normal day, brushing teeth, getting dressed, the basic stuff. It was around<br />
12:30 PM when I noticed that something was wrong. I was eating lunch in the<br />
auditorium, when I saw the girl who was supposed to be my sister get up with a<br />
teacher to be dismissed. I thought, “That’s weird. I wonder if she’s okay.”<br />
I went to all <strong>of</strong> my classes for the day, <strong>and</strong> I was in my last class <strong>of</strong> the day when<br />
my supposed to still be teacher, Mrs. McLaude, came up to me <strong>and</strong> said that<br />
I was not taking the bus that day, that I was going to be picked up instead, by<br />
the woman who was supposed to be my mom. I thought, that’s strange, I only<br />
get picked up if something is wrong. Just then the bell rang, <strong>and</strong> so I packed<br />
up my things <strong>and</strong> headed for one <strong>of</strong> the school’s many exits. I got outside <strong>and</strong><br />
waited to be picked up, <strong>and</strong> when she arrived, I noticed that no one else was<br />
in the car, which was unusual because she <strong>and</strong> her husb<strong>and</strong>, the man who was<br />
supposed to be my father, had three other kids. So I got in the car <strong>and</strong> said<br />
hello, asked her how her day went, <strong>and</strong> she said not so good. I asked her why,<br />
<strong>and</strong> she said she’d rather not tell me. Little did I know I was about to find out<br />
in a little less than five minutes.<br />
As the minutes passed, we sat in silence. We started driving down our road,<br />
<strong>and</strong> as we got closer to the house, I looked out <strong>of</strong> the car window, <strong>and</strong> I saw my<br />
adoption worker, Rob.<br />
And so I said, “I’m leaving, aren’t I?” <strong>and</strong> she looked back at me, <strong>and</strong> she said,<br />
“Yes,” as she was holding back her tears. We pulled into the driveway, <strong>and</strong> she<br />
looked back at me again, this time crying, <strong>and</strong> she h<strong>and</strong>ed me a picture <strong>of</strong> me<br />
<strong>and</strong> the entire family. I turned the picture over, <strong>and</strong> it had a note written on<br />
the back, saying things like “We love you” <strong>and</strong>, “We wish all the best for you,”<br />
but the one that stuck the most <strong>of</strong> all was the last line that said, “We will see<br />
you again one day.”<br />
“...God would never<br />
give me anything<br />
I cannot h<strong>and</strong>le...<br />
Everyone goes<br />
through terrible<br />
moments in their<br />
life, <strong>and</strong> I’m just<br />
going through<br />
them a bit early.”<br />
You remember that, okay? And when you have thoughts otherwise, you take<br />
the stuffed animals we gave you, <strong>and</strong> you say to them that you’re wrong; that<br />
it’s not your fault, <strong>and</strong> that we didn’t do this because we don’t love you, but<br />
because we love you so much that we are letting you go, because we only want<br />
what’s best for you. It wouldn’t be fair to keep you here. We love you, <strong>and</strong> we<br />
hope you know that.”<br />
We hugged, <strong>and</strong> then I got into my adoption worker’s car, crying hysterically. I<br />
waved goodbye to them through my window, <strong>and</strong> then we drove <strong>of</strong>f. That was<br />
the last I saw <strong>of</strong> them.<br />
I know that one special day in the future, I will get to see them again. I have<br />
been through a lot <strong>of</strong> things in life that have been really, really, terrible. But<br />
without all that terrible stuff, I would not be who I am today. I would not be<br />
that strong, resilient, persistent girl that they wanted to give a second chance<br />
at life. I wouldn’t have ever been able to feel loved, safe, <strong>and</strong> most importantly,<br />
feel what an actual family felt like, instead <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong> that abuse, fear, <strong>and</strong><br />
neglect. It was the best year <strong>of</strong> my life, <strong>and</strong> I wouldn’t trade it for the world.<br />
Two things I like to remember when it seems like life is too much to h<strong>and</strong>le<br />
are that one, God would never give me anything I could not h<strong>and</strong>le, <strong>and</strong><br />
two, that everyone goes through terrible moments in life, <strong>and</strong> I’m just going<br />
through them a bit early.<br />
I got out <strong>of</strong> the car, <strong>and</strong> I said, “So today’s the day, huh?” <strong>and</strong> they all just<br />
nodded at me. We all exchanged hugs, crying, <strong>and</strong> never wanting to let<br />
go, until the kids were told to go inside. Once all the kids went inside, my<br />
would-have-been-parents looked at me <strong>and</strong> said, “We will always love you.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
88 89
John Maric-Sam<br />
Ryan Kaplan <strong>and</strong> Jason Cornaglia, Teachers<br />
Norm<strong>and</strong>in Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
When I was a young boy, I overcame my fear <strong>of</strong> talking to others. At the<br />
beginning <strong>of</strong> kindergarten, I was scared to talk to others because I went to<br />
a different school for preschool. I felt scared because I didn’t know anyone<br />
there, or if they wanted me there.<br />
After some time in the middle <strong>of</strong> the year, my teacher told us that later in the<br />
week we would be doing a project <strong>and</strong> that we needed partners. It was a three<br />
person group project, <strong>and</strong> I wanted to work alone. Since my teacher knew I<br />
didn’t want to talk to others, she did not assign me partners.<br />
“When I was a young<br />
boy, I overcame my<br />
fear <strong>of</strong> talking<br />
to others.”<br />
During the middle <strong>of</strong> the project, I was stuck on a question that was too hard<br />
for me because I was still little. I wanted to ask my teacher, but I was too afraid<br />
to talk. At the same time, I knew I needed to ask. I raised my h<strong>and</strong>, but put<br />
it down right away. I was worried people’s eyes would be on me <strong>and</strong> I would<br />
be too scared to go on. My teacher was doing paperwork <strong>and</strong> wasn’t paying<br />
attention to me. But after some time, she took a look <strong>and</strong> saw my h<strong>and</strong> raised.<br />
I was very nervous when I went up to her. I told her the problem I was stuck<br />
on. She was surprised at how good my English was. After I told her, she helped<br />
me. She told me that I had shown courage to talk to somebody.<br />
She asked me if I could help <strong>and</strong> join two students called Alex <strong>and</strong> Javier. I<br />
told her I would, <strong>and</strong> I helped them because I was ahead <strong>of</strong> them. I decided to<br />
be their friend. I finally felt confident enough to make new friends <strong>and</strong> talk.<br />
That was the first time I had ever made a friend. I made many more friends<br />
throughout my years in that school.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
90 91
Devyn Costa<br />
Kate Lynch, Teacher<br />
Roosevelt Middle School, New Bedford, MA<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is the feeling <strong>of</strong> bravery deep within. Sometimes, courage has to be<br />
used to get through times no one can explain. Times that might not be shown<br />
physically, but mentally. <strong>Courage</strong> is the opposite <strong>of</strong> fear <strong>and</strong> is used to combat<br />
fear; although, it’s not easy to not fear things.<br />
My dad was a part <strong>of</strong> my life for a long time. We did everything together. We<br />
danced along to the country music he put on the speaker. I’d help him cook<br />
on Sunday, where my family would all sit around the table <strong>and</strong> talk. I would<br />
run err<strong>and</strong>s with him, <strong>and</strong> we would always joke <strong>and</strong> laugh. I would also ride<br />
in his work van. Music would be blasted from the radio, <strong>and</strong> sometimes he<br />
would sing along. I remember going to his job sites too. He was a carpenter,<br />
so whenever he came home, I would treat his little wounds with soapy water<br />
<strong>and</strong> a b<strong>and</strong>-aid, hoping that made him feel better. Sometimes, we’d talk about<br />
what the future might be. He wasn’t what everyone thought was perfect, but<br />
that didn’t matter. Sometimes I wondered what I would do without him. I<br />
didn’t want to, but I never thought he would leave.<br />
He was never in a great, healthy condition <strong>and</strong> sometimes he would be sick, or<br />
super tired. I would worry, but he would always tell me, “I’m okay.” He always<br />
had bumps, bruises <strong>and</strong> scars everywhere. That didn’t matter to him though.<br />
He would do what he had to do. He could replace a window quickly. He was<br />
very strong. He would pick me or my brother up <strong>and</strong> turn us upside down,<br />
so that we would laugh. He once told me a story about when he was working,<br />
<strong>and</strong> a wall wasn’t stable enough, so then it fell on him. I thought that it was<br />
amazing that he got up again. He had plates in his legs from that incident, so<br />
sometimes the plates would cause him pain whenever it rained. I thought it<br />
was like a superpower he had, being able to tell when it’s going to rain. He was<br />
special <strong>and</strong> different.<br />
When COVID-19 hit, he was different but not in a good way. I could see that<br />
he tried to be happy, but something was bothering him. He was sick all the<br />
time, <strong>and</strong> he never went to the doctor. So <strong>of</strong> course, I worried. My mom <strong>and</strong> I<br />
always told him that he should go to the doctor, but he said he was fine. I knew<br />
he wasn’t, but it was hard to convince him to do something he didn’t want to.<br />
Eventually, I gave up <strong>and</strong> started to feel upset more <strong>of</strong>ten. I didn’t like what<br />
happened during quarantine. It was upsetting <strong>and</strong> boring. He had little work,<br />
so that meant he stayed at home with us. But I could see how ill he was.<br />
“I felt emotions I’ve<br />
never felt before.<br />
It was almost like<br />
the situation woke<br />
me up to what<br />
reality really is.”<br />
On March 24th, it was his birthday! I decorated <strong>and</strong> threw a little party for<br />
him. I didn’t really know what to add, except food, drawings <strong>and</strong> decorations.<br />
I was so excited for him to come home <strong>and</strong> to see what I did for him. I<br />
remember coloring a lion because lions were his favorite animal. It was such a<br />
happy moment when he got home <strong>and</strong> saw everything. I put on country music<br />
because he loved it. It was a small party because we didn’t invite anyone, but<br />
it was a family party, that’s what mattered. Later that night though, he started<br />
to act unusual. All I remember is him sitting in the hallway <strong>and</strong> screaming. I<br />
was so scared! I tried snapping him out <strong>of</strong> it, but I didn’t know how. I was only<br />
ten years old without any experience <strong>of</strong> dealing with difficult situations. He<br />
eventually went to sleep. He had to be picked up by the ambulance. He passed<br />
away at the hospital. I felt uneasy after his death.<br />
My mom was really attached to him. <strong>The</strong>y were perfect together. She was<br />
upset, <strong>and</strong> she would cry sometimes. She took some drugs to bear with the<br />
sadness <strong>of</strong> my dad’s death. I wish that she didn’t. I noticed that she’d been in<br />
her room for more than an hour. I went to check on her, <strong>and</strong> she was passed<br />
out on the floor. I tried waking her up, I called one <strong>of</strong> my sisters for advice too.<br />
My older brother even tried waking her up. But nothing worked. My oldest<br />
sister had to come to our house with her girlfriend so that mom could get in<br />
the ambulance. I had to pack some <strong>of</strong> my things <strong>and</strong> leave.<br />
I felt emotions I’ve never felt before. It was almost like the situation woke<br />
me up to what reality really is. I had never truly known what could happen<br />
in a person’s life until I experienced it. It was an upsetting experience, an<br />
experience I never want to go through ever again. I did save her life, though,<br />
<strong>and</strong> to be honest, it was only a matter <strong>of</strong> luck that I had done what I did.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
92 93
I went into a program <strong>and</strong> then through foster care for about a year. I had<br />
actually learned new things there, not facts as in learning new things, I mean<br />
learning new ways to adjust. This was my new life, <strong>and</strong> I had to get used to it<br />
whether I wanted to or not. I had to deal with changes <strong>and</strong> so did my brother.<br />
I felt uncomfortable with people knowing what happened. Some people in<br />
the program didn’t like me, so they called me names. He never told me, but I<br />
believe they picked on my brother too. He never showed much signs <strong>of</strong> being<br />
upset. I tried to st<strong>and</strong> up to them the best I could for myself <strong>and</strong> for the other<br />
kids too. But I felt weak. I didn’t know what to feel.<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is not what is depicted in fairy tales, when the knight goes to slay<br />
the dragon. <strong>Courage</strong> is facing a fear that you might’ve never been dealt with<br />
before. <strong>The</strong> feeling <strong>of</strong> courage is mental <strong>and</strong> physical strength. I believe that<br />
everyone can show courage, no matter what happens.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
94 95
Amal Sadeq<br />
Haifa Al-Jaboobi, Teacher<br />
Sawda Bent Sam’ah, Sana’a, Yemen<br />
I like to be brave in dealing with problems I face. One <strong>of</strong> the occasions I felt I<br />
was brave happened one year ago. I was walking to school with my friends. We<br />
were talking when I suddenly heard a loud noise <strong>and</strong> saw a car stopping. I was<br />
scared <strong>of</strong> the sound. I looked left <strong>and</strong> right to see what had happened. I saw<br />
a motorcycle laying in the middle <strong>of</strong> the street. It had fallen <strong>and</strong> caused other<br />
cars to stop. <strong>The</strong> motorcycle was very close to me.<br />
I approached the driver <strong>of</strong> the motorcycle. He was an old man. I turned<br />
around but there was nobody. <strong>The</strong> cars had left, <strong>and</strong> my friends had run<br />
to school. I was there by myself beside the motorcycle <strong>and</strong> its driver. <strong>The</strong><br />
motorcycle was on the leg <strong>of</strong> the old man. He was in pain.<br />
“I like to be brave<br />
in dealing with<br />
problems I face.”<br />
I got closer to the old man. I helped him raise the motorcycle until he was<br />
able to pull his leg out. He was shaking. I opened my backpack <strong>and</strong> took my<br />
bottle <strong>of</strong> water <strong>and</strong> gave it to him. I stayed with him until he started to talk.<br />
He was in good condition so I left him to go to school.<br />
I arrived late to school. My teacher asked me why I was late. I told her about<br />
the accident on the street <strong>and</strong> what I did with the motorcycle driver. <strong>The</strong><br />
teacher told me, “Excellent, Amal, what you did was great. You proved that<br />
you’re strong <strong>and</strong> brave.” After this incident I feel more comfortable helping<br />
other people.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
96 97
Bashar Ali<br />
Abdullah Al-Makramani, Abdel Abu-Osba’a, Teachers<br />
Salman Al-Farsi, Sana’a, Yemen<br />
I hesitated about writing a story about courage, but after I saw my friends<br />
writing their stories, heard them talking about it, <strong>and</strong> read many stories in<br />
the Max <strong>Courage</strong> book, I liked the idea <strong>and</strong> I knew that my story would be<br />
different. I would love to share it with you.<br />
My story began when I was in the sixth grade. <strong>The</strong> war in Yemen had begun,<br />
<strong>and</strong> the economic situation was not good. My family had financial difficulties.<br />
I decided to start a small business to help improve the income <strong>of</strong> the family<br />
<strong>and</strong> help my father. I decided to do that without leaving my school.<br />
“I feel proud that I<br />
am helping myself<br />
<strong>and</strong> my family.”<br />
I started to sell ice cream that I made at home. I was selling in areas nearby.<br />
Some people didn’t like the ice cream I sold. <strong>The</strong>y preferred the quality that<br />
is sold in big markets because it’s sweeter. <strong>The</strong> ice cream I made was less sweet<br />
but cheaper. Soon after that, I exp<strong>and</strong>ed by selling bottled water as well. My<br />
project was doing well. I was able to help my father pay for the rent. Things<br />
were improving. I was feeling happy <strong>and</strong> proud. I continued to go to school.<br />
After a while my family moved to another neighborhood. I felt sad <strong>and</strong><br />
thought that I would not be able to continue my project. I lost my clients in<br />
the neighborhood we moved from. I tried to sell ice cream <strong>and</strong> water in the<br />
new neighborhood, but it did not work well. <strong>The</strong> income was little. I started<br />
selling boiled eggs with spices. It went well. My income increased, especially<br />
during Ramadan when I also sold toys. I continued going to school. I was<br />
happy because I was doing well in school <strong>and</strong> my projects were successful, so<br />
I could help my family.<br />
One day, my gr<strong>and</strong>father decided to build a house for us on a small piece<br />
<strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong> he bought. I made a small contribution to building the house from<br />
the money I saved. I feel proud that I did that. I feel proud that I am helping<br />
myself <strong>and</strong> my family. I did not fear starting a new project, <strong>and</strong> I was not<br />
afraid <strong>of</strong> failing.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
98 99
Ibrahim Ameen<br />
Abdullah Al-Makramani, Teacher<br />
Salman Al-Farsi, Sana’a, Yemen<br />
Since my childhood, I have had a fear <strong>of</strong> public speaking. I was scared <strong>of</strong> even<br />
participating in class. Every time I was asked to speak in the morning assembly<br />
in school, I couldn’t say a word. I used to watch other students speaking in the<br />
assembly <strong>and</strong> wonder, “How could they do that?”<br />
One day, the teacher asked me to prepare a small speech about the teachers<br />
<strong>and</strong> read it in the morning assembly. I was scared <strong>and</strong> anxious. <strong>The</strong> following<br />
day I said that I was sick to excuse myself from going to school. I stayed home.<br />
At home I was upset. I thought about the problem that made me skip school<br />
for a whole day. I thought <strong>of</strong> ways to overcome this problem. I realized that<br />
the only way is to try to speak in public, in front <strong>of</strong> students, even for one time.<br />
This would allow me to do it again without fear.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>re are no<br />
words to describe<br />
my feelings. I was<br />
very happy <strong>and</strong><br />
proud <strong>of</strong> myself.”<br />
I finally went back to school. I stood in the last row during the assembly. I<br />
observed students speaking on the stage. I thought to myself, I could do this,<br />
one time.<br />
I was encouraged, <strong>and</strong> I decided to do it. It was the most difficult experience<br />
in my life. I stood on the stage. I felt my body shaking. I bumbled, but at the<br />
end I did it. <strong>The</strong>re are no words to describe my feelings. I was very happy <strong>and</strong><br />
proud <strong>of</strong> myself. I learned from my friends who were good at public speaking.<br />
I had the courage to try. I tried, <strong>and</strong> I succeeded. One time after another, I<br />
improved, <strong>and</strong> I have completely overcome this fear. I now like to speak in<br />
school assembly, <strong>and</strong> I am keen to be part <strong>of</strong> it.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
100 101
Bashar Saleh<br />
Ahmed Al-Khzan, Mohammed Al-Assadi,<br />
Ali Al-Hammami, Teachers<br />
Dar Al-Aytam (Orphans House), Sana’a, Yemen<br />
This is the first time I have told my story about what I have been through. I<br />
never imagined that a day would come to share this story. I only did it because<br />
I was inspired by the Max <strong>Courage</strong> program.<br />
Two years ago, I was a person who liked to stay alone. I hated being around<br />
other people. I liked to spend long periods <strong>of</strong> time on the internet. I was so<br />
crazy about it that my eyes would start hurting. Every time I was alone, I would<br />
be on the net. I didn’t like to talk to anyone. I spent all my money on internet<br />
cards. <strong>The</strong> internet was my closest friend <strong>and</strong> teacher. I spent all my time<br />
going from a movie, to a show, to social media. I always felt in a rush to leave<br />
my family <strong>and</strong> friends to do my best hobby, being on the net.<br />
After a while, I realized that I no longer liked to talk to other people or<br />
discuss anything with them. When my friends wanted to talk to me, especially<br />
about how I used the internet, I would stop the discussion <strong>and</strong> run away. I<br />
was not able to laugh with my friends. I felt anxiety <strong>and</strong> sadness inside me. I<br />
didn’t like sitting with others. Being alone on the internet had become my<br />
favorite thing. I felt myself becoming different from other children. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
participated in class discussions, <strong>and</strong> I was always quiet. During discussions<br />
outside the class, my classmates were talking about things I had no knowledge<br />
<strong>of</strong>. I started to realize that something was wrong with my life. I asked myself,<br />
“Is the internet the reason?”<br />
“I advise my friends<br />
not to overuse the<br />
internet <strong>and</strong> focus<br />
on their education<br />
<strong>and</strong> school.”<br />
One day I was <strong>of</strong>fered to join the Orphans House (Dar Al-Aytam), <strong>and</strong> I did.<br />
Here, I found nice friends <strong>and</strong> teachers. <strong>The</strong> principal is like a father to me. I<br />
started to live a different life. I participate in many activities. With the help <strong>of</strong><br />
my friends, I overcame my obsession with the internet. I realized how much<br />
time I lost watching movies <strong>and</strong> shows that were not useful. Now I only go<br />
online whenever necessary. I advise my friends not to overuse the internet <strong>and</strong><br />
focus on their education <strong>and</strong> school.<br />
I felt lost. I felt that my future could be at risk. I thought about starting to<br />
reduce my usage <strong>of</strong> the internet. I had an idea: to learn about ways to reduce<br />
the use <strong>of</strong> the internet from the internet. I searched for videos that talked<br />
about the harms <strong>of</strong> overusing the internet. I was shocked to learn about the<br />
risks <strong>of</strong> the inappropriate use <strong>of</strong> the internet for children. I started to feel<br />
myself rejecting the internet. I started to hesitate to be online. I started to<br />
sit more with my friends <strong>and</strong> family. I could not stop using the internet all at<br />
once, but I reduced the time I spent on it.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
102 103
Omar Abdullah Ibrahim<br />
Hana Al-Eryani, Ania Jamil, Teachers<br />
Abjad School, Sana’a, Yemen<br />
I was in a rush running out <strong>of</strong> the building where I live, when a car hit me.<br />
That’s all I remember from the accident.<br />
When I was in the intensive care room in the hospital, I heard the voices<br />
around me. Sometimes I understood what they were talking about. I wished I<br />
could reply, but I couldn’t talk or move at all, even though I was trying hard.<br />
I was later told that I stayed in the hospital for a long time. I don’t remember<br />
that. <strong>The</strong> only thing I remember is hearing the noise <strong>of</strong> equipment <strong>and</strong><br />
voices <strong>of</strong> people.<br />
After I left the intensive care room, I was more aware <strong>of</strong> my surroundings, but<br />
I couldn’t move. I could hear the voices <strong>of</strong> my mom <strong>and</strong> dad, but I couldn’t<br />
talk to them. I was trying, <strong>and</strong> I had a belief that I would do it if I kept on<br />
trying, because I love life, I love playing, <strong>and</strong> I love my friends.<br />
I remember my friend, Joseph, whom I love very much, <strong>and</strong> he loves me. He<br />
came to the hospital <strong>and</strong> gave me a flower. I was very happy, <strong>and</strong> I expressed<br />
my happiness with a smile.<br />
After many days, with the help <strong>and</strong> love <strong>of</strong> my great mother <strong>and</strong> father, I<br />
started the physiotherapy treatment. I then started to realize things around<br />
me. Learning about one thing gave me incentive to learn more about others.<br />
Mom was there for me all the time, <strong>and</strong> Dad too. I used to hear her voice. I<br />
tried to talk to her, but it was difficult for me. I started to see, a little bit. I tried<br />
to identify the place. I was happy that I could see things around me.<br />
I remember how happy I felt when my uncle visited me. I laughed a lot<br />
because I love him very much. But I still could not move. I was told that I had<br />
lost much <strong>of</strong> my consciousness.<br />
In the hospital, loud voices were annoying to me, but I was not able to<br />
complain. With time passing, I started to hear more clearly. I really liked when<br />
my uncle used to visit me <strong>and</strong> tell me stories in my ears. <strong>The</strong> first word I said<br />
was eight months after the accident.<br />
I was so happy that I could talk, <strong>and</strong> every day I tried harder <strong>and</strong> harder to<br />
move. I was pushing myself to move, <strong>and</strong> I did it. Doctors were very happy<br />
for me. My family, mother, father, <strong>and</strong> uncles were the most excited. I was<br />
so happy because I was told that unless I have determination, I would be<br />
h<strong>and</strong>icapped for the rest <strong>of</strong> my life.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> first word I said<br />
was eight months<br />
after the accident.”<br />
I started trying to sit-up <strong>and</strong> to move, even though I heard the doctor talking<br />
about my disability. I was determined to recover. Mom too shared this belief<br />
with me.<br />
I started trying to st<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> to walk, even for one step. I felt that I was getting<br />
better. My mother was encouraging me. She was by my side all the time,<br />
helping me. I remember how happy I was when she helped me go to the yard<br />
<strong>of</strong> the building where we live. I was very slow, <strong>and</strong> I fell several times, but I<br />
kept on trying.<br />
When the school year started, I was very sad because I would not be able to go<br />
to school. But Mom found a solution. She used to read to me <strong>and</strong> repeat until<br />
I understood. She contacted my teachers at Abjad School, <strong>and</strong> they helped.<br />
When I started to talk, it was very difficult. Only my mother could underst<strong>and</strong><br />
me. I asked her if I could go to school because I missed it. I missed my friends,<br />
teachers, the playfield, <strong>and</strong> the cafeteria. I missed everything at school.<br />
Mom <strong>and</strong> Dad helped me go back to school. When I first entered through<br />
the school gate, I felt extremely happy. Everybody was there to welcome me,<br />
especially my friends. I thanked my mother for that.<br />
I started attending school for only three periods per day. I was happy for the<br />
attention I had from the teachers. <strong>The</strong>y were encouraging me a lot. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
were happy about my return. I started studying my lessons every day with<br />
the help <strong>of</strong> my mother. She was reading for me <strong>and</strong> writing as well, as it was<br />
difficult for me to write. After a while, I started attending half the classes. I<br />
was happy when the school moved the location <strong>of</strong> my class from the third<br />
floor to the first floor.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
104 105
Sokleap Brak<br />
Phalla Ol, Teacher<br />
<strong>The</strong> Cambridge Cambodia School,<br />
Kauk Rovieng Village, Cambodia<br />
To me the idea <strong>of</strong> having courage means to have the audacity <strong>and</strong> daring to<br />
face up to the facts <strong>of</strong> our lives, to agree to consider what is happening around<br />
us, <strong>and</strong> to think about others in our lives as we reach for our goals. <strong>Courage</strong><br />
has shown me something important: I underst<strong>and</strong> the value <strong>of</strong> each human’s<br />
struggle who has successfully faced <strong>and</strong> overcome the obstacles in their lives<br />
to reach success without becoming hopeless.<br />
“I needed to find<br />
my own courage in<br />
order to succeed.”<br />
I personally experienced courage in a way that I <strong>of</strong>ten remember. When<br />
I started elementary school in the first grade, I had a hard time because<br />
my parents were divorced <strong>and</strong> going to school was difficult. I felt very<br />
disappointed <strong>and</strong> depressed about my studies even though I loved studying.<br />
When I consider my situation deeply, I remind myself that each <strong>of</strong> us ought to<br />
endeavor to face up to our hardship by not giving up or becoming hopeless.<br />
I needed to find my own courage in order to succeed.<br />
Not only did I need to find that courage, once I did find it, it allowed me<br />
to reach for success without becoming frightened or full <strong>of</strong> despair. I have<br />
learned so much by finding courage because it helps each <strong>of</strong> us in our<br />
individual lives to be patient, industrious, <strong>and</strong> to overcome difficult situations.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
106 107
Ritha Ny<br />
Phalla Ol, Teacher<br />
<strong>The</strong> Cambridge Cambodia School,<br />
Kauk Rovieng Village, Cambodia<br />
I’ve learned that courage is the ability to do something that frightens you,<br />
or the ability to face pain or grief with strong determination. Because <strong>of</strong><br />
courage I now know that we must be very determined to do something until<br />
we reach success in our life. Without courage we might not reach our goals.<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> courage we are able to have the feeling <strong>of</strong> comfort as we strive to<br />
become successful.<br />
“Finally, I am very<br />
grateful to all my<br />
teachers who have<br />
tried their best to<br />
educate me to learn<br />
about courage <strong>and</strong><br />
face the world with<br />
a brave spirit.”<br />
For example, I would really like to become a good teacher. Because <strong>of</strong> that,<br />
I must try to study hard <strong>and</strong> face any difficulties until I graduate from twelfth<br />
grade. If I am able to become a teacher, I want to be an excellent teacher<br />
who has enough ability to inspire my students to be smart <strong>and</strong> brave. My aim<br />
is to do my best to teach kids to have the courage to realize their dreams <strong>of</strong><br />
becoming smart <strong>and</strong> well educated. I hope that my courage will inspire my<br />
students to be brave <strong>and</strong> successful in becoming good teachers for the next<br />
generation <strong>of</strong> children.<br />
In any case, I wish to pass the exams that will allow me to complete high<br />
school <strong>and</strong> become an inspiring teacher. I want to have courage <strong>and</strong><br />
determination to overcome all obstacles to my success without any bashfulness.<br />
Finally, I am very grateful to all my teachers who have tried their best to<br />
educate me to learn about courage <strong>and</strong> face the world with a brave spirit.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
108 109
Seyma Elif Celik<br />
Bahar Onal, Teacher<br />
ide Okullari, Istanbul, Turkey<br />
To me courage is being sure <strong>of</strong> yourself <strong>and</strong> believing in yourself to achieve<br />
something. I’m not a brave girl actually, but I’m learning. My favorite quote<br />
is, “Don’t be afraid <strong>of</strong> your fears. <strong>The</strong>y are not there to scare you. <strong>The</strong>y’re<br />
there to let you know that something is worth it,” by C. JoyBell C. I like this<br />
quote because fears must not be our h<strong>and</strong>icaps. H<strong>and</strong>icaps withhold us from<br />
something good or something bad. We know this but we must not forget:<br />
Good things are behind h<strong>and</strong>icaps. If we try to see the beauties behind<br />
h<strong>and</strong>icaps, our success will come for us.<br />
I want to talk about how I face my fears. My biggest fear is speaking in public,<br />
especially in front <strong>of</strong> my classmates. I’m always afraid <strong>of</strong> this. Speaking in front<br />
<strong>of</strong> a crowd or class grows fear in me because I feel all alone, with the eyes <strong>of</strong><br />
my friends on me <strong>and</strong> only me. It’s terrible. If I make a mistake, someone<br />
could laugh at me or jeer at me after finishing my speech. Two weeks ago, we<br />
had a project in our Language Skills lesson called the Public Speaking Project.<br />
In this project we had to give a speech in class using correct body language<br />
<strong>and</strong> gestures like look at the audience, don’t speak too loudly or too quietly,<br />
<strong>and</strong> sit or st<strong>and</strong> up straight.<br />
“Expressing<br />
yourself is such a<br />
beautiful thing.”<br />
After this project, I learned not to get stressed. Actually many things could<br />
be simpler <strong>and</strong> more fun than I feared them to be. Expressing yourself is<br />
such a beautiful thing. If I didn’t try to do it, try to be courageous, I wouldn’t<br />
overcome my fears <strong>and</strong> I would be a failure. And this event would stick with<br />
me for my lifetime. <strong>Courage</strong> is a step <strong>of</strong> success, <strong>and</strong> also believing in yourself<br />
is a step <strong>of</strong> courage. <strong>The</strong>y are siblings. And don’t forget: Believe you can <strong>and</strong><br />
you’re halfway there.<br />
My fingers were icy, <strong>and</strong> I was in a sweat before speaking. I was scared because<br />
I didn’t have enough courage to speak in front <strong>of</strong> the class. I didn’t know how<br />
to do it, but I had to do it. I came in front <strong>of</strong> class, <strong>and</strong> I started to speak. I<br />
looked at my friends’ eyes. I don’t speak fluently, so I decided I need courage.<br />
<strong>The</strong> only need. <strong>Courage</strong> must be my friend, <strong>and</strong> it must come within me. And<br />
the day came, <strong>and</strong> it was my turn to present.<br />
First <strong>of</strong> all, my heart was in my mouth. But while I was speaking, my<br />
heartbeat was not speedy. I spoke very well, <strong>and</strong> at the end <strong>of</strong> my speech,<br />
my friends applauded me. It gave me more courage <strong>and</strong> gave me a very<br />
good feeling. I achieved something that used to be my fear. <strong>The</strong> taste <strong>of</strong><br />
achievement is very proud.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
110 111
Naz Akyol<br />
Sedef Seker, Teacher<br />
ide Okullari, Istanbul, Turkey<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> to me is being honest, st<strong>and</strong>ing up for yourself, <strong>and</strong> thinking<br />
positively. For example, if you are excellent at something, a lot <strong>of</strong> people will<br />
be jealous <strong>of</strong> you. <strong>The</strong> most important things are supporting yourself, being<br />
self-confident, <strong>and</strong> asking for help <strong>and</strong> support when it’s difficult to face<br />
your problem. Please don’t be afraid to seek help from an adult. I learned if<br />
bullying is a glass <strong>of</strong> water, courage is rain.<br />
When I was in sixth grade, we had our lessons online because <strong>of</strong> coronavirus.<br />
In my class, there were some girls who were bullies. <strong>The</strong>y wanted to bully<br />
everyone because they were bored in online lessons. I think it was an awful<br />
idea because hurting someone mentally is a form <strong>of</strong> bullying. My best friend<br />
posted a video on her social media page. After that, the bully girls sent a video<br />
from their social media account about my best friend’s hairstyle. My friend felt<br />
awful, <strong>and</strong> we told these girls that what they did was unacceptable, <strong>and</strong> they<br />
should delete the video. However, they didn’t delete this video.<br />
“I learned if bullying<br />
is a glass <strong>of</strong> water,<br />
courage is rain.”<br />
When I started seventh grade, these bullies wanted to hurt me again, but<br />
in seventh grade I never gave them a chance to hurt me. I asked for help<br />
right away <strong>and</strong> consulted with my guidance teacher <strong>and</strong> principals. Now they<br />
can’t hurt me. I showed courage in this story; if I was afraid to explain what<br />
happened to my teachers in sixth grade, they would bully me more, <strong>and</strong> they<br />
could continue to hurt me.<br />
One day, when I was going shopping with my mother, these bully girls sent a<br />
message to my own phone number. <strong>The</strong>y asked me if I said something awful<br />
about them or if I gossiped about them. I replied “No” in a polite way. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
asked me weird questions, <strong>and</strong> they were impolite; they even shouted at me in<br />
one voice message. I showed these messages to my mom, <strong>and</strong> she told me not<br />
to respond <strong>and</strong> block them. After that, I blocked these girls.<br />
One day in a Language Skills lesson, I said one word wrong. After the lesson,<br />
these bully girls sent a post in their social media account about me, <strong>and</strong><br />
they wrote, “Naz please don’t speak English <strong>and</strong> don’t join English lessons.”<br />
When I saw this message, I felt awful because I am not a native speaker, <strong>and</strong><br />
my mother tongue is Turkish. I tried to learn a second language, but they<br />
made fun <strong>of</strong> my English. I wrote a message to my English teacher. I thought<br />
she could help me. She wrote to me that making a mistake was not a bad<br />
thing, <strong>and</strong> everyone could make mistakes. She told me that I can talk with my<br />
guidance teacher. I had an online meeting with my guidance teacher, <strong>and</strong> told<br />
her how I felt, <strong>and</strong> she said that she would talk to the bullies.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
112 113
Valentina Pratginestós Valcárcel<br />
Dawn Austin, Lis Van Meer, Teachers<br />
American School <strong>of</strong> Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain<br />
<strong>Courage</strong>. It’s an easy word to say, but a hard thing to do. <strong>Courage</strong> is being<br />
able to do something, not letting fear control you. Showing courage requires<br />
bravery <strong>and</strong> confidence. <strong>Courage</strong> is being motivated to do something from<br />
your heart, something you love, to do it with determination, <strong>and</strong> no regrets.<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is taking a step forward to the unknown.<br />
Dry leaves fell from the trees that cold autumn day, <strong>and</strong> with them, my<br />
confidence. As I walked out the door, my head was still hanging back wanting<br />
to stay, but my legs were pushing me forward, every step was a step closer to my<br />
dread, but there was no going back now. My head started spinning, <strong>and</strong> my eyes<br />
looked back with regret as I saw the stage, with the DJ controller on it, my family<br />
waiting, <strong>and</strong> my teacher looking straight at me. That’s when I realized with<br />
horror, I had to perform my DJ session, <strong>and</strong> even worse. In front <strong>of</strong> strangers.<br />
I looked over to my partner. He had a smile from ear to ear. His body was<br />
dancing to the music he played while looking over to the spectators, fearlessly,<br />
as if nothing was wrong. I started to ask myself, how can he have the courage<br />
to st<strong>and</strong> up <strong>and</strong> DJ like nothing, in front <strong>of</strong> probably two hundred people<br />
passing by?<br />
My teacher warned me that I had to perform in five minutes, but I couldn’t.<br />
I wasn’t ready to do this. I really wanted to go up there <strong>and</strong> show the world<br />
my talents, but I remembered what I once said when I was nine years old,<br />
You can’t be a DJ Valentina, you’re too young, <strong>and</strong> you’re a girl. DJs are boys,<br />
people would think you are just a dumb little girl pretending to be something<br />
you will never get to be. So don’t even try to do it, it’s not meant to be. My eyes<br />
watered just at the thought <strong>of</strong> my own words: You can’t be a DJ Valentina. It’s<br />
just not meant to be. My legs were trembling as I stepped forward.<br />
My body moved forward with decision, looking straight to the DJ table. I<br />
started to panic. What would they think <strong>of</strong> me? What if I do it wrong? What<br />
if… nobody likes it?<br />
“Valentina, change places with your partner.”<br />
“Already?!” I screamed, my voice was shaky, my eyes watered, <strong>and</strong> I was out<br />
<strong>of</strong> breath. Why should I be scared to do something I’m already good at? I<br />
asked myself. I was doing something I like, <strong>and</strong> my whole family was there to<br />
encourage me, but I couldn’t find a way to convince myself that I could do it.<br />
Facing that public meant I couldn’t. But just like before my feet uncontrollably<br />
“A smile ran across<br />
my face; I had done<br />
the impossible.”<br />
took a step <strong>and</strong> another. I closed my eyes. Hours <strong>of</strong> work <strong>and</strong> even more <strong>of</strong><br />
dreaming build up to this moment. My eyes looked back at my parents, who<br />
were moving their h<strong>and</strong>s, pointing to the DJ table, making me move forward<br />
in agreement. I shook my head as I went forward, but quickly ran back to<br />
them. “I can’t do this,” I said nervously.<br />
“Valentina,” said my dad, “don’t worry about these people, just concentrate on<br />
what you are doing. <strong>The</strong> fact that you had once said that you can’t DJ because<br />
you’re too young <strong>and</strong> a girl can’t stop you from actually doing it! Maybe no<br />
one has ever seen a twelve-year-old DJ, but that’s why they’ll like it! You like<br />
doing DJ right? Well, go up there <strong>and</strong> show all <strong>of</strong> these people who<br />
is DJ Valentina <strong>and</strong> what she’s capable <strong>of</strong>!”<br />
“I can do it!” I screamed with joy. I put my headphones on <strong>and</strong> started<br />
mixing songs, the feeling <strong>of</strong> every beat, <strong>of</strong> every melody, made me start<br />
dancing! Everyone was looking at me, but they weren’t judging me, they were<br />
smiling at me, <strong>and</strong> cheering me on! All <strong>of</strong> those bad thoughts disappeared<br />
as the music boomed louder <strong>and</strong> louder. A smile ran across my face; I had<br />
done the impossible. I had faced my fear, but not only that, I had the courage<br />
to DJ in front <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong> these people! In that moment I realized that if that<br />
nine-year-old me hadn’t said that I couldn’t DJ, I wouldn’t have had the guts<br />
to contradict myself. I looked back at my old self <strong>and</strong> said, “Don’t worry<br />
Valentina, you’re an awesome girl <strong>and</strong> nothing in the world will stop you<br />
from doing what you want. With courage, you can achieve anything in life!<br />
You’re totally wrong, Valentina! You are a DJ! And this won’t be your last time<br />
proving it!”<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
114 115
Leanne Gordon<br />
Selmita Russell, Teacher<br />
Raymond Sheppard Nazarene Primary School,<br />
Roaring Creek Village, Belize<br />
I am a very shy girl. I do not talk much, nor do I even play much. I also do not<br />
have many friends at school but really do love all the students.<br />
I have always wanted to stop a boy in my class from being a bully. No one ever<br />
tried to approach him, because he would beat them up. His name is Giovanni.<br />
At my school, most teachers do not even try to tell Giovanni anything because<br />
he is disrespectful to them as well.<br />
“I have always<br />
wanted to stop a<br />
boy in my class from<br />
being a bully.”<br />
I really do not know where the courage came from, but one day I approached<br />
him to see if he would try to beat me up. While st<strong>and</strong>ing up to him I was<br />
very nervous because I knew what he was capable <strong>of</strong> doing to kids like me.<br />
However, I had to face my fear that time because in my heart I knew I wanted<br />
the behavior to stop. I put on a straight face <strong>and</strong> was very strong in my voice,<br />
as if I was ready for anything. Before I knew it these words came popping out<br />
<strong>of</strong> my mouth, “Why do you keep beating us up?” Giovanni then replied, “Who<br />
do you think you are? No one talks to me like that!” I looked him straight in<br />
the face <strong>and</strong> said, “You can be a very nice person, you are strong, <strong>and</strong> Jesus<br />
loves you.” Giovanni was lost for words. I could see in his face that he was<br />
sorry. Since that day Giovanni <strong>and</strong> I became friends, <strong>and</strong> we started getting<br />
along much better.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
116 117
Lyniah Requena<br />
Kirsten Westby, Teacher<br />
United Evergreen Primary School, Belmopan, Belize<br />
<strong>Courage</strong>, for me, means facing my fears, despite being scared. It has been<br />
with me all <strong>of</strong> my young life. It is my best buddy, <strong>and</strong> it helped me overcome<br />
challenges. I know there is a powerful source <strong>of</strong> courage in my little heart,<br />
<strong>and</strong> when I open a narrow path, it rapidly comes out, <strong>and</strong> I feel courageous.<br />
For example: My loving family <strong>and</strong> I love to go to St. Herman’s Blue Hole<br />
National Park. It is located on the Hummingbird Highway, twelve miles<br />
southeast <strong>of</strong> Belmopan. It has a huge 120-foot sinkhole. We regularly go to<br />
take a refreshing swim when it is a flaming hot day. I always swim in the clear,<br />
shallow spot, but I continuously wonder, how would it feel to take a swim<br />
above the dark 120-foot sinkhole? Sometimes I felt like I had the guts to do it,<br />
but at every attempt to go above the sinkhole, I would freeze at the edge, fear<br />
appointing itself as CEO <strong>of</strong> my body at the thought <strong>of</strong> my next step. I would<br />
give in, <strong>and</strong> return to the crystal shallow which is my comfort zone. I was sad,<br />
I could not do it.<br />
“<strong>Courage</strong> is a bold<br />
feeling that sticks<br />
with me in hard,<br />
tough times.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>n boom! Lola came to mind. Just so that you are not baffled, Lola is my<br />
white, puffy <strong>and</strong> fluffy, bright-eyed poodle. A big smile came to my face as<br />
I remembered her act <strong>of</strong> true courage. Even though she is just ten inches<br />
in height, one day she attacked a tall, brown horse that had a height <strong>of</strong><br />
approximately 60 inches! <strong>The</strong> horse annoyingly kicked her using its hind<br />
legs. My super dog Lola did not give in to fear. She opened her small jaws<br />
<strong>and</strong> threatened the stubborn horse. She wanted to protect our big house<br />
<strong>and</strong> me. That vivid flashback immediately flung fear away! I briskly walked<br />
to the edge with my long, brown legs <strong>and</strong> plunged into the deep, dark blue,<br />
120-foot sinkhole! My long, brown, toned arms propelled me across the<br />
sinkhole. Finally, I was able to touch the sharp, pointy rocks that were located<br />
at the other side <strong>of</strong> the treacherous sinkhole! I swam back to the shallow side,<br />
accomplishing my challenging goal.<br />
Thanks to my tiny dog’s example, courage is now my best friend. It assured me<br />
not to be afraid. From now on I will never be afraid <strong>of</strong> the deep. <strong>Courage</strong> is a<br />
bold feeling that sticks with me in hard, tough times. <strong>Courage</strong> helped me with<br />
my fear, <strong>and</strong> after reading my true story, I hope courage becomes your best<br />
beautiful friend too!<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
118 119
Nomin-Erdene Tumennast<br />
Odkhuu Khurelbaatar, Teacher<br />
Od Complex School, Darkhan Province, Mongolia<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is not about not being afraid <strong>of</strong> anything. It is about processing<br />
those feelings <strong>of</strong> fear, going through the experience, <strong>and</strong> having been able<br />
to overcome those feelings. It’s natural to feel afraid when we face something<br />
that is beyond our control. My story <strong>of</strong> courage was about overcoming<br />
depression. I understood that depression was one <strong>of</strong> the hardest things that<br />
one can go through. It takes the same courage <strong>and</strong> strength to overcome<br />
depression as it does a physical illness. Depression among children is not well<br />
understood <strong>and</strong> not treated in Mongolia. As adults ignore those feelings <strong>of</strong><br />
depression in children, they suffer silently.<br />
“It takes courage<br />
to take care <strong>of</strong><br />
yourself <strong>and</strong> enjoy<br />
the present moment.”<br />
When the COVID-19 lockdown started in 2019, I went through feelings <strong>of</strong><br />
despair, anxiety, <strong>and</strong> depression. I felt unsafe, sad, <strong>and</strong> heavy all the time. I felt<br />
I was losing confidence in myself <strong>and</strong> in my future. This continued for a whole<br />
six months. It felt as if it was the longest nightmare I endured. Eventually, I<br />
started using some mental techniques to help myself feel better <strong>and</strong> doing<br />
things to love myself more. <strong>The</strong> more I took care <strong>of</strong> myself <strong>and</strong> started loving<br />
<strong>and</strong> being kind to myself, the more I started feeling changes.<br />
It is important to do things you like, to occupy your mind with things that<br />
excite you. I started listening to interesting podcasts <strong>and</strong> reading good books.<br />
It is important to be able to control your thoughts <strong>and</strong> develop your brain to<br />
think positively. I found out that the main reason leading people to depression<br />
is imagining horrible things <strong>and</strong> imagining a bad future. It is crucial that you<br />
need to start controlling how to think about your future. <strong>The</strong> main key is not<br />
to think so much about the future, but to enjoy the present moment. One <strong>of</strong><br />
the biggest lessons I have learned through this process was that it is crucial to<br />
underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> accept depression as an illness, <strong>and</strong> we must help <strong>and</strong> support<br />
the children who go through <strong>and</strong> overcome it.<br />
It took me courage to overcome my depression by making the right choices<br />
<strong>and</strong> learning to control my mind. It takes courage to take care <strong>of</strong> yourself <strong>and</strong><br />
enjoy the present moment.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
120 121
Jigmedsuren Enkhjin<br />
Selenge Enkhbold, Teacher<br />
Sant Soum Secondary School,<br />
Sant Soum, Selenge Province, Mongolia<br />
In this essay, I will tell you a little story that happened to me when I was seven<br />
years old. I remember this story very clearly, even though it happened when<br />
I was a little child.<br />
I was selected to perform a solo dance for the School Art Competition. I<br />
like to sing <strong>and</strong> dance, but I hadn’t participated in any dance competitions<br />
before. I was worried <strong>and</strong> felt anxious. Maybe for some people it is a joy, but<br />
for me it was a huge burden to be in competition. I had to learn new dance<br />
movements in five days.<br />
“...We have to be brave<br />
because everything<br />
depends on courage.”<br />
On the day <strong>of</strong> the art competition, the soum club was full <strong>of</strong> children who<br />
dressed up, put on makeup, <strong>and</strong> did special hairdos. It’s a lot <strong>of</strong> fun for them<br />
to run around like that, <strong>and</strong> the music teachers scolded them for being<br />
disruptive. <strong>The</strong> children were running around me. My mom helped me put<br />
on my dance clothes <strong>and</strong> makeup. My mom kept telling me that I must put<br />
a smile on my face <strong>and</strong> keep that smile until the end <strong>of</strong> my performance.<br />
She said, “Well, darling, good luck!” <strong>The</strong> moderator announced, “Enkhjin<br />
Jigmedsuren, a second grade student <strong>of</strong> Sant Soum Secondary School, is<br />
ready to perform on stage!” My legs didn’t really want to go on stage, but I<br />
had to overcome my fears <strong>and</strong> take a bold step. When my class teacher said,<br />
“Come out, girl,” I didn’t want to, but I straightened my head <strong>and</strong> walked<br />
forward. When I put on my green silk robe <strong>and</strong> stood in front <strong>of</strong> a crowd <strong>of</strong><br />
children waiting for the dance music to begin, all the fear, anxiety, worry,<br />
<strong>and</strong> panic were gone. I didn’t need to remember the movements, I just felt<br />
like my body was moving, <strong>and</strong> I felt like I was alone. Remembering my mom’s<br />
sweet advice, I smiled from the beginning to end <strong>and</strong> finished my dance.<br />
Not everyone applauded, only a h<strong>and</strong>ful appreciated me. For me it was a<br />
victory over fear. For me it was a story <strong>of</strong> courage. This little story instilled in<br />
me the idea that we don’t have the ability to do everything, but we have to be<br />
brave because everything depends on courage. As for me, I’m still nervous<br />
before I go on stage, but I always say to myself, be brave, <strong>and</strong> my legs move<br />
forward, <strong>and</strong> my eyes shine in the bright light <strong>of</strong> the stage.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
122 123
Khaliun Nomuundari<br />
Odkhuu Khurelbaatar, Teacher<br />
Od Complex School, Darkhan Province, Mongolia<br />
Everyone has a story <strong>of</strong> courage, <strong>and</strong> I have one as well. Perhaps most <strong>of</strong> the<br />
stories spoken by other children are positive <strong>and</strong> happy ones that are creating<br />
good memories, or perhaps they are the stories <strong>of</strong> heroic acts. I have many<br />
stories <strong>of</strong> courage that I can share with others that are heroic, like the acts <strong>of</strong><br />
defending someone <strong>and</strong> helping those in need etc. But the story I chose to tell<br />
here is a sad one.<br />
I had two best friends. We were so close that nothing could have separated us.<br />
We were happy together, always sharing everything with each other. But, one<br />
day, my two best friends did something behind my back that hurt my feelings<br />
deeply. This experience led me to think that there is no such thing as “friends<br />
forever,” <strong>and</strong> they can betray you for an exchange <strong>of</strong> something earthly. This<br />
experience showed me how humans can be extremely unreliable when it<br />
comes to valuing money over human relationships. This betrayal felt like I was<br />
being stoned. <strong>The</strong> stones thrown at me not only hit my heart, but they also<br />
hit my soul. It felt like these stones were not just regular stones, but ones with<br />
arrows in them.<br />
“Learning the lesson<br />
<strong>of</strong> forgiveness<br />
was my story<br />
<strong>of</strong> courage.”<br />
I didn’t want to lose my friends, even though they hurt me deeply. So, I<br />
decided to forgive them. If I didn’t forgive them, I would have suffered more.<br />
But I kept hearing the nasty, harsh words they had said replaying in my head.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y were torturing me mentally. From this experience I understood the<br />
power <strong>of</strong> words. <strong>The</strong>y are powerful enough either to kill someone or to heal<br />
someone. <strong>The</strong> words that come from an angry soul are just like the stones I<br />
described above. I decided that I needed to learn to forgive others quickly.<br />
Otherwise, life is going to be very hard. If the best <strong>of</strong> friends, the most trusted<br />
<strong>of</strong> friends, can do something that can hurt you, <strong>of</strong>fend you, even curse<br />
you with bad words, anybody can. <strong>The</strong>refore, it will be easier if we keep on<br />
forgiving people <strong>and</strong> just move on as fast as possible. Learning the lesson <strong>of</strong><br />
forgiveness was my story <strong>of</strong> courage.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
124 125
Selengesaikhan Enkhbayar<br />
Ariuntuya Baatar, Teacher<br />
Saikhan Soum Secondary School,<br />
Saikhan Soum, Selenge Province, Mongolia<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is the patience to overcome obstacles, no matter what someone says<br />
to you, what you do, or whether they are ignored or underestimated. When I<br />
was in elementary school, I wasn’t as talented as everyone else. Like everyone<br />
else, I didn’t compete for or win medals. I would go to school, go home, <strong>and</strong><br />
then go back to school. This was my everyday lifestyle. I was a little girl, not<br />
confident <strong>and</strong> not interested in competing with others.<br />
“With a little<br />
courage, I was<br />
able to try my<br />
best skills in every<br />
competition.”<br />
When it comes to competitions, our teacher always mentioned a few names<br />
<strong>of</strong> students in the class. I felt I would be left behind them, because they always<br />
compete. Suddenly, I became an older girl. My favorite subject was English<br />
at that time. One day, an English teacher said that we would participate in<br />
an English spelling competition at our school. For the first time in my life, I<br />
had the courage to express my desire to participate in the contest. When the<br />
teacher presented the competition guidelines, she said that the five children<br />
in our class would form a team. I vividly remember that the teacher told us the<br />
names <strong>of</strong> five children other than me in class <strong>and</strong> said that these five children<br />
would participate in the contest. I felt like I was disregarded again.<br />
Since then, I have become more <strong>and</strong> more anxious. So I went to middle<br />
school. Again, that boring life. But in middle school, my whole life changed.<br />
I didn’t want to be that weak girl. No matter if anyone told me that I couldn’t<br />
try, I would try, <strong>and</strong> now there are so many opportunities, dreams, <strong>and</strong><br />
futures ahead <strong>of</strong> me.<br />
A year later, I applied for an English spelling contest <strong>and</strong> participated<br />
successfully. I won third place in the English spelling competition. That was<br />
the greatest moment <strong>of</strong> courage in my life.<br />
Now I’m a confident girl who has gained the teacher’s trust with the bold<br />
decision <strong>of</strong> competing in the English spelling competition. Not only did I<br />
make many friends, but I also found a hobby, <strong>and</strong> had a busy <strong>and</strong> productive<br />
day from this time forward. With a little courage, I was able to try my best<br />
skills in every competition.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
126 127
Azjargal Bayarbaatar<br />
Odkhuu Khurelbaatar, Teacher<br />
Od Complex School, Darkhan Province, Mongolia<br />
<strong>Courage</strong> is not about being confident all the time. It is about winning over<br />
your weaknesses. Two years ago I was a person with no self-confidence.<br />
I did not value my own self-worth. I always valued others’ opinions more<br />
than my own.<br />
I would always do things to please others. It was never about me, it<br />
was always about others. I wanted to be liked by others, I wanted to be<br />
recognized by others. Other people’s opinions mattered. I did all these<br />
things because I was just afraid to be alone. I needed to make friends by<br />
pleasing them. That’s why I would say <strong>and</strong> do things that would earn me<br />
friendship. I had the need to not feel alone, but to feel like I belonged.<br />
“Being honest with<br />
yourself is courage.”<br />
Finally, I realized that I didn’t know my own self-value, worth, <strong>and</strong><br />
strength. I thought that the only way to feel worthy was by being with<br />
<strong>and</strong> surrounded by people. Underst<strong>and</strong>ing the difference between<br />
“being alone” <strong>and</strong> “feeling lonely” was an important step towards my<br />
development as a human being. <strong>The</strong>se are two totally different things.<br />
It’s okay to be alone, to feel the worth inside you. It took me courage to<br />
change my state <strong>of</strong> mind <strong>and</strong> to feel my own self-worth. It was a lesson<br />
<strong>of</strong> courage for me to be able to tell people my own opinion regardless<br />
if I agree or disagree with them without any fear <strong>of</strong> losing friendships<br />
or being left alone. It was my true lesson <strong>of</strong> courage. Being honest with<br />
yourself is courage.<br />
For me courage is to recognize your weakness, face your challenges, <strong>and</strong><br />
know your own self-worth <strong>and</strong> value. Finding, recognizing, <strong>and</strong> valuing<br />
your own true self is a path to true courage.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Courage</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Children</strong>: <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Beyond</strong><br />
Volume <strong>XXXI</strong><br />
128 129
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum is a yearlong<br />
language arts program dedicated to strengthening the socialemotional<br />
learning <strong>and</strong> literacy skills <strong>of</strong> students. Since the<br />
organization’s inception in 1991, the <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Courage</strong> in My Life National Essay Contest have enhanced the<br />
academic performance, critical thinking skills, <strong>and</strong> essential<br />
knowledge <strong>of</strong> more than 200,000 sixth grade students in the<br />
<strong>Boston</strong> Public Schools <strong>and</strong> in local parochial, charter, pilot,<br />
<strong>and</strong> private schools, as well as in schools in 28 states across<br />
the country <strong>and</strong> in 16 countries worldwide.<br />
the courage <strong>of</strong> children: boston <strong>and</strong> beyond<br />
This book shares the stories <strong>of</strong> 61 brave children from the city <strong>of</strong> <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
surrounding communities, <strong>and</strong> from schools across the country <strong>and</strong> around the<br />
globe. <strong>The</strong> first story is about Max Warburg, a sixth grader whose steadfast<br />
determination <strong>and</strong> heartfelt hope in the face <strong>of</strong> his battle with leukemia is the<br />
inspiration behind <strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum. <strong>The</strong> essays that follow<br />
are written by current middle school students who have discovered, recognized,<br />
<strong>and</strong> come to celebrate the courage in their lives.<br />
Northeastern University is proud to join with <strong>The</strong><br />
Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum in a partnership to<br />
strengthen the social-emotional learning <strong>and</strong> literacy<br />
skills <strong>of</strong> sixth grade students in <strong>Boston</strong> <strong>and</strong> beyond.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Max Warburg <strong>Courage</strong> Curriculum<br />
at Northeastern University<br />
263 Huntington Avenue, Box 366<br />
<strong>Boston</strong>, Massachusetts 02115<br />
617.373.7399 www.maxcourage.org
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