Story
Through 2010 Legacies Now's Heroes Live Here program, Connor discovered that a hero doesn't have to be famous or well-known. A hero can be a "regular" person making a difference in their community. An everyday hero. Someone just like him. "When I first thought of heroes I thought about people like Martin Luther King and Oprah, which was overwhelming because I can't imagine doing all the things that they've accomplished," says Connor, 16. "The Heroes Live Here workshop helped me recognize that we can all make a difference regardless of age, position or media influence, and celebrating my everyday hero taught me that I can make a difference with simple heroic actions like helping out a friend." Heroes Lives Here, created by 2010 Legacies Now with support from the Province of B.C., encourages children and youth to discover what makes a hero heroic, to celebrate the everyday heroes in their own lives, and to act heroically themselves through projects that reach out to their community. This past July, Connor and 57 of his fellow B.C. 4-H members from around the province were introduced to Heroes Live Here when they gathered in Kamloops for a Youth Action conference. Heroes Live Here is a model that can be used to enrich the school curriculum and youth leadership programs. It can help leaders and participants reach important objectives, such as building self-esteem, taking responsibility for one's actions, and nurturing both independence and compassion for others. "After the Heroes Live Here workshop, I helped to form a group with some friends at school that raises money to train teachers and help rebuild schools in Northern Uganda," explains Connor. "The Heroes Live Here workshop was really inspiring because it made me realize that if I don't like something, I have the ability to take action and make a positive difference instead of just waiting for the world to change on its own."
