My Real Life Hero
By Melissa
Heroes are most often seen as people who fight evildoers on cartoons like Batman or superheros. They are also seen as firefighters and doctors, people whom save lives daily. But sometimes, the most honorable heroes are people who get no recognition at all. They do incredible things for others, because they feel passionate about a cause. My real life hero isn’t a superhero. She isn’t a doctor or a firefighter. She’s a middle school teacher, who has done amazing things, and her name is Mrs. Katja Starkey.
Growing up, Mrs. Starkey was taught to always think of others. She was in her church’s youth group and participated in projects similar to those of Habitat for Humanity. Since then, she has always had the priority of giving back to the community. As an adult Mrs. Starkey continued to give back by doing relief work in Turkey following earthquakes. She completed jobs like distributing heaters and blankets, as well as assisting in building tents and running a children’s club. She has also gone to various war zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo to bring comfort and relief, Sierra Leone to assist widows and orphans, and Afghanistan to bring supplies to women and children. But not all of her work was easy. After being a first responder to an earthquake in Turkey, Mrs. Starkey witnessed life-changing sights, which resulted in post-traumatic stress counseling.
The most important thing she has done is what she has taught us. All the stories that Mrs. Starkey has told to me and others over the years have been extremely influential. She has taught us about doing things for others, peace, and about helping others that are not as fortunate as us. Even as a fifth grader, she opened my eyes to the world around me and showed me that the world isn’t perfect, but that we can help change it. She taught us this through lessons revolving around the orphanage she helped fund in Burundi by saving a third of her teacher’s salary for a whole year.
True, Mrs. Starkey isn’t a doctor. She doesn’t have superpowers and she doesn’t save the world every day, but to me she is a real life superhero. She helps others, but she does it passionately, while informing her students. She has devoted her life to helping others, and she is my hero.
