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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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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

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