Sally Ride
by Katelyn from Hillsborough
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| http://www.news10.net/news/local/article/202229/2/ (News 10) |
Introduction
The quote above means some people are careful and only see what could be problems for them then they do not focus on the goal, and that causes them to be unsuccessful in their journey. Others are only in it for the reward and because they fail to plan for the obstacles they too are unsuccessful. But the heroes see the problem, plan for them and do not let them get in their way, and they see the reward and know it is worth it to them and others. A hero is a person who is careful, sees the problems in society, finds a way to fix them, does not let anything get in their way, sees the reward and knows the struggle is worth it. Sally Ride is my hero because she saw that women needed to be more recognized as heroes, so she went to space. She knew there would be problems too, but did not let them keep her from going. She saw the great outcome and kept going for it even when it was hard, because she knew that it would be great for her and all women. Sally Ride saw the problems in education, but did not let them get in her way or take her full attention. She saw the things she could do for it and knew she could accomplish it, but she did not lose sight of the obstacles.Sally Ride Is Larger Than Life
Sally Ride's biggest accomplishments were Sally Ride Science (the organization she founded that does many things to promote science and math in schools) and being the first woman and youngest astronaut. She has many characteristics that made her accomplishments possible. Without these characteristics, she would not be as well known because she would not have accomplished anything. She was insightful, was careful, had leadership, was smart and was deceitful. Each of these traits helped her in her journey in some way. Her insight showed her the problems she would face. Because she was careful, she knew canceling the Challenger mission after the explosion was the best way to go. She was a leader, which drove her to show women to pursue careers they would otherwise give up on. If she hadn't been smart, no one would listen t her, she would not have a Ph. D and she would not have accomplished anything.
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| The Challenger blowing up during its test flight. (http://www.big13.net/Satellite%20Era%20Jim%20West/wtvt_satellite_news_9.htm (WTVT Satelite News 9)) |
Sally Ride Went on a Journey
Many events occurred during the course of her life that lead her to her beliefs and her actions. Three years before she was born, the first landmarks in women's rights occurred (beginning with Amelia Jenks Bloomer writing the first women's rights newspaper). Through the course of her life, more women's rights movements took place. These showed her that women were just as important and influential as men. She could see that she needed to help the cause, so she set out to do so.
She went to Graduated Westlake High School in Los Angeles. During her freshman year, the school admitted its first boy. Eventually, the school merged with the Harvard School, a military school for boys. This too, could have influenced her beliefs and actions for women's rights and education. Her life science teacher, Elizabeth Mommaerts, was the person who got her interested in science. Without her, Sally Ride might not have become all that she did.
When she was about twenty years old, Apollo 13 went into space. She was working on her multiple degrees at that time. The launch probably inspired her to go into spaceflight or NASA.
From all these experiences, she took something. A problem and possible ways to solve them. And because she was a hero, she found a way to link them all and fix them.
She also had many obstacles. She had to apply and be chosen for NASA's women's space plan and get in. After she did, she had to be the one chosen for the flight to space. Another obstacle she had was more personal. She was a lesbian and had to hide her life. Only her death let out the truth about her sexuality. Then, there was also the Challenger explosion. During it's test flight, it exploded and ended her career as an astronaut. If she did not have all the traits of being a hero, she would not have overcome these challenges.
Sally Ride Accomplished Many Things For Many People
Sally Ride achieved many things for society. The main things would be all the things she did for education, her help with women's rights, and changing society's perceptions of people. Without her, science and math careers would be more male dominated careers than they already are. She showed women they could do more through both her trips to space and Sally Ride Science. Schools also would not have enough science and math and children would not have enough motivation to aspire to be scientists or engineers or whatever else they wanted. Sally Ride believed the reason children were not already wanting this was because the world created too many stereotypes that control children's thinking. She said " If you ask an 11-year-old to draw a scientist, she's likely to draw a geeky guy with a pocket protector. That's just not an image an 11-year-old girl aspires to. As she looks on the Web, she sees men as scientists. That's not particularly appealing to tween girls. And if an 11-year old girl says she wants to be an engineer, she'll likely get a different reaction from peers than she would if a boy her age said the same thing, and maybe even different reactions from teachers and parents". She also changed how women and women's rights are perceived in society. Women can do things just as well or better than men. Many people already thought that was what women's rights were all about. She showed them that they also mean that women get to do the things men do and they can be just as effective in the science world, education, and society as men. These were and are all large values in the world.
All these things show different heroic traits about her. She was smart and a problem solver. We know this because she always found ways around problems. She was brave and confident. There were people who would doubt her abilities and judgments because she was a woman. She wouldn't care and would do things her way and they would work out in the end for her and everyone else. She was inspiring to women and children because they could look up to her. She was a hero for the things she did for others, not herself. Her most heroic actions were those that were most selfless.
Conclusion
Sally Ride was an amazing hero. She fit all the characteristics of a hero and exceeded most of them. She also did not only help one group of people, like most heroes, she helped many. And even though she is now deceased, she will still help people for years to come through Sally Ride Science and her accomplishments for women. Sally Ride technically will help everyone to come. Sally Ride Science changes schools, so everyone will be affected somehow. These are the reasons she inspires me. Not only her heroic actions, but the fact that even though she is now gone, her legacy will live on. She was a hero in all ways and will remain a hero. Sally Ride is a hero.
Page created on 6/2/2013 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 6/2/2013 12:00:00 AM
The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.
