Year 5

Heroes among Us

By Tristan, Gemma & Nana.

Who do you consider a hero? Over the last six weeks, the Year 5 students have explored this question through the transdisciplinary theme, ‘Where We Are in Place and Time’. The students examined how societies document and remember individuals who inspire or implement change and explored different opinions about important historical figures. We often hear the term ‘hero’ and think of one that is superhuman or one that has done something so beyond our imagination that we are in awe of their work when in fact, the definition of a hero is one that is just like us. During this pandemic it is easy to find heroes among us - average people putting someone they love or the larger community above their own needs and desires.

As part of our ongoing summative research project, we were given the opportunity to explore deeper into heroes and influencers from all over the world, people who were simply spurred on to change the world around them because of their own convictions to make the world a better place. We first chose to search for a hero or an influencer based on our choice and interest. We were challenged to find something new about this person, and find various perspectives about them from those who knew them best to the legacy they lived. We have all learned something new. Every hero or influencer has a story or background that can be read through many different lenses and perspectives. After all, heroes are still just people who make mistakes - like you and me. Every hero has a flaw, a chink in their armour, and our challenge was to find it. Take Mohammad Hatta for example. Before he became a Prime Minister, he was sentenced to jail for joining illegal parties in the Netherlands. This could have been his lasting legacy, but it wasn’t. He would later become the first Vice President of Indonesia and our national hero.

Our exploration into how societies remember significant breakthroughs and heroes among us has led us to look more closely at every-day heroes that are innovating and inventing new solutions during this pandemic. We would like to thank our first responders, teachers, and especially, our parents. Each hero has in some way made sacrifices for the betterment of their community and those they love. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded”. Thank you to the heroes among us!