How to Participate in MY HERO

Coronavirus Community Heroes

Give a shout out to people who are making a difference. Look around you to see how people are responding to the pandemic. Share the positive actions you witness in your community. What heroic actions do you observe from home, in people and by organizations?

During this pandemic, we have launched an essay contest in partnership with the Storytelling Association of California to honor first responders, health care workers, teachers, and all the other heroes who courageously help others during this challenging time. 

For a shorter way to honor a hero with a few sentences and a picture, sign our Coronavirus Community Hero Guestbook.

Sign the MY HERO Guestbook.

Share people and organizations who are making a difference, no matter how large or how small.

Tell the world about your hero.

Stories with Text and Audio for ESL: Students can listen as they read along.

Use MY HERO's online calendar every day of the year.

Students can learn about diverse heroes from stories, art and films curated from our growing media library. 

Multimedia thematic lesson resources have been curated from our calendar to use throughout the year. 

Forum: Dive into thoughts about heroism and share your own.

Nurture creativity and self expression by encouraging students to participate in MY HERO's numerous contests. Students can work offline at home on projects creating poems, art, essays, songs and short films about a hero to share with our global community. 

Click on the banners for details and deadlines. 

Ways to Strengthen Students Writing Skills Using MY HERO Resources

Discuss and explore heroic qualities and character traits.

Use these ideas to write a story, poem, song or describe a photo or work of art. 

Students choose stories to read from the MY HERO Story Collection

* After reading a story about a hero, students answer "So What?"

"Why does this hero mean something to me?” “How has the hero shaped my life in some way, or showed me some fundamental truth?” Students are encouraged to make a personal connection and write a paragraph.

* Students compare and contrast two stories from the MY HERO Story Collection.

What are similar characteristics about hero qualities? How can heroic actions be different? Use a Venn Diagram and write a paragraph about similarities and differences.

* After reading a story, students make a connection to their life.

How did the story make you feel? What would happen if more people acted this way? How does the story inspire you?

After reading a MY HERO story, use a Graphic Organizer to represent heroic characteristics of that person and then write a story.

How to Write an Essay and Submit to MY HERO Video Tutorials

Teachers assign one of the videos to their students to watch independently as they are guided through the writing process and submit their essay to the Coronavirus Community Hero Essay Contest. 

One Paragraph Video Tutorial Link

Three Paragraph Video Tutorial Link

Five Paragraph Video Tutorial Link

Use the MY HERO Short Film Library to explore a wide range of subjects.

Students can watch films about the Environment and Ocean Conservation organized by grade level. 

Watch the Film Festival Winning Film Words Have Power.

Then ask students to write a paragraph about other young people who have used their voice to make a difference. Another option: after watching the film, students can answer questions from Young Voices for the Planet Curriculum organized by grade level. 

Students can create original hero artwork and upload it to share in the MY HERO Gallery.

Students create their own artwork using the medium of their choosing. This work can be done digitally to submit to MY HERO. Students can also create their art on a piece of paper or canvas, then take a picture to submit to MY HERO. 

Studying MY HERO Portraits in the Classroom to Inspire New Student Art

This selection of artists' Hero portraits create an art lesson for middle and high schools students.

Explore MY HERO Teachers Room: Resources for Distance Learning and Classrooms organized by subject and grade level. 

Educator Account: By registering as a teacher on MY HERO, you will be given special tools to organize your students’ work, as well as thematic content, on MY HERO. You can connect with teachers around the world taking part in the project by placing yourself on the community map.

Students Accounts: Students are invited to become reporters, sharing their hero stories, using our online tools. Students are able to add to their digital portfolios of inspiration year after year. 

Lesson Plans: Explore media resources, activities and thematic lesson plans to use in your school, home and community arts center throughout the year. 

Media Arts Educational Resources: Resources to help your students make inspiring short films.

Heroes in the News: Explore current events with an emphasis on heroism, selections from AP, Christian Science Monitor and MY HERO.

Library: A virtual collection of thousands of books about heroes whose stories have been featured on the MY HERO website.

Tutorials:  Tutorials help you and your students use MY HERO's online digital storytelling tools.

Downloadable Resources: Downloadable flyers help you use MY HERO's online digital storytelling tools.

Distance Learning Resource: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies and ESL curated resources organized by subject and grade level to use with students during distance learning and home schooling. 

If you are interested in mentoring or have questions about using   MY HERO with your students, email: [email protected]