“The firefighters rushed bravely into the dilapidated, burning building, possibly to their deaths. They are true heroes.” Stories like this are everywhere, scattered throughout time. Stories about strong and brave firefighters and amazing superheroes, brave knights and valiant warriors. However, all of these people are strong and brave and fearless, and are physically capable of saving someone. But the truth is you don’t need to wear a flashy suit or be brave enough to run into a burning building to be a hero. The true thing that makes a hero is being able to sacrifice for someone else.

The stereotypical heroes, like Batman, sometimes can seem far away and distant, and so much more powerful and better than everyone else. It seems as though no one could be as brave or strong of a hero as them. “Anyone can be hero, if they do the right thing in the right circumstances,” said 7th grader Chloe Rech. People all over the world sacrifice meaningful things, sometimes even their lives, to do what is right. Sacrificing that much is what makes a true hero even better than Batman.

All over the world, from social media to local newspapers, there are reports of waitresses paying for a soldier’s meal, policemen buying new socks and boots for freezing homeless men, ice cream store managers saving blind customers from thieves, and many other simple yet touching stories. The people mentioned in these stories were just regular people who were given a situation in which they chose to do what was right, instead of just being bystanders. Anyone could have made the decisions they made, and anyone could have become the heroes they became. Their stories prove that you don’t have to be Superman to be a true hero.

Heroes are everywhere, and can be anyone. You can be a normal person, living in a normal world, just part of the crowd. But everyone is faced with decisions every day that can make them a hero. The choice to tell others to stop teasing the ‘nerd’ of the class. The choice to respect everyone for who they are, and not stereotype. The choice to smile, to say hello to someone besides your friends.

A hero at Canyon Vista - unheard of, right? But if one student were to smile a little more, or wasn’t afraid to talk to a complete stranger, and start to spread a bit more joy throughout the halls, students everywhere could be inspired. It only takes one person to make a difference in many people’s lives, and any student at Canyon Vista could accomplish that. It just takes the knowledge that anyone can be a hero, and, given the right circumstances, anyone could make the right choice and become a true hero.