My Hero Project Inc

My Hero Art Project Inc., has always serve us platform for showcasing our students' artistic skills and our goal to celebrate the heroes in their lives.
It is a pleasure to work with Laura, who is always prompt about notifying us for the My Hero Projects.

I can’t praise the MY HERO Project enough! MY HERO has promoted the good news of humanity for so many years. The website offers a place where children and adults can tell the stories of people doing good in this world, as well as create other kinds of artwork including films that promote peace and understanding. Free access to thousands of stories and other materials provides encouragement for everyone to look for the good and spread the word. I have the highest respect and gratitude for MY HERO for adding positive messages and maintaining such a powerful resource for all.

My Hero project has opened the world to students of all ages. One trip to myhero.org will make you return again and again. Every search leads to joy for knowing another human who followed their passion and did the project our world needs now and forever. Loving long after our lives are gone. Host: PeacePodcast.org

The My Hero Project is a wonderful organization dedicated to educating people about the positive things happening in our world. It's multicultural, global, and inclusive, and incorporates a whole range of multimedia. Kids and adults alike can share stories about their heroes through art, film, stories, and much more. It's an uplifiting force, and a vital antidote that inspires us all to work for the best of all humanity.

In the last 20 years, my children, nieces and nephews, have all taken full advantage of what My Hero offers. From researching and writing about their personal heroes, participating in world forums w other children, to creating their own award-winning films that showcase heroic acts they captured with in their own family and community.
My Hero has provided a full professional environment to create in a homespun way.

I have served on the Board of the My Hero Project for over 25 years and watched it grow from a vision shared by Jeanne Meyers, Rita Stern Milch, and Karen Pritzker into a global presence promoting the courage and determination of true heroism to a world in desperate need of heroes. The mission has been unwavering from the start and remains steadfast in its efforts to provide inspiring role models to students of all ages. The quality of the work impresses me, and the scope of media offerings is enormous, but from a Board standpoint, the committed staff and program efficiency is very impressive. This lean, hard-working organization maximizes every dollar it gets.

MY HERO is an amazing project that elevates people who are making a positive difference in the world! Students get empowered through the recognition they receive for their hero stories, art and films. Teachers gain access to amazing free resources to elevate their classrooms with positive media. Filmmakers get an expanded global audience when they join the myhero community.

My hero is an extraordinary resourceful platform and a nonprofit organization showing the greatest of mankind within an array of spectacular media. the amazing variety of films ,documentaries , animations poems ,musical and all types of performances enable people from all continents , backgrounds and generations to create, share , watch and reflect on essential historical and contemporary themes while partaking in a sublime exploration of the layers of our intricate world . As a career teacher I love this platform that provides educators with a plethora of resources in multiple languages to implement authentic valuable and practical instruction in their classroom . In addition Jeanne and her team organize literary and artistic salons to participate in . I was the lucky organizer of a poetic salon Jeanne invited me too along with former colleagues and students, a moment of pure joy ! I am forever grateful to Jeanne Meyers who is a visionary , a constant inspiration for all of us bringing the best of our humanity in this magical place called " My Hero Project " she is indeed the True hero
here! Merci Jeanne and My Hero !

I am an educator with over 40 years classroom and consulation experience. Over the past 20 years I have worked with the My Hero team to support visual arts, writing, media arts and current events programming in the classroom. As a global collaboration specialist, I have experienced first hand how effective the My Hero Project is in bringing first rate, quality and relevant programming to classes around the world. The teacher resources are outstanding while the students can also experience independence in creating their own hero stories. The My Hero project encourages youth to look for heroes locally, examine local issues and relate how they too can take. action like their heroes to make a differne in the world. The team at My Hero provides a global platform for students to share, collaborate, discuss, showcase and view high quality work from all over the planet. Students are inspired and strive to to their best work to be shared on the site. I recommend the My Hero. Project with teachers all across Canada knowing that the students will be supported every step along the writing, art or video creation process. The impact of My Hero can be witnessed globally as students from every corner of the planet share their heroes so that others can be inspired by the kindness and humanity in the global community.

MY HERO's free multimedia lesson plans and resources enrich learning for students of all ages. Students are introduced to and inspired by heroes who work on topics such as social justice, human rights, the environment, climate activists, and civil rights. Students are invited to share their stories, short films, artwork, spoken word, and music on the MY HERO website. Contests are held each year for students to showcase their art, poetry, short films, and stories with the MY HERO global audience.

My Hero is an exceptional initiative that has made kids like us to think more about how ordinary people can turn out to be valiant and inspirational. I was fortunate to participate twice in their competitions where we small kids painted what we though bravery looked like in our daily life. I was bowled over by the wonderful ideas my fellow kids had drawn. I plan to participate again in their contest end of this year.
In case my review makes any difference, I would be very happy. My Hero deserves to live to help us kids expand our view about the world and its beauty and bravery. Thank you.

The My Hero Project Inc is a wonderful non-profit organization whom I had the opportunity to meet with while attending the finalist panel to the My Hero Robert Shetterly Portrait Contest. Not only are they dedicated to bringing people from all over the world together through the arts, the team was very kind and encouraging to youth like me who participated in the My Hero contest. I got the chance to meet new people, observe and learn from new artworks, all thanks to the wonderful individuals behind the organization!

Thank you MyHero Project organizing so meaningful art and cultural contest for children, great experience and confidence gained by my child throughout the activity. Thank you for your encouragement and recognization to my child, it’s one of the most memorable experience to him.

Great experience participating in the MY HERO Portrait Contest! Extremely kind administration and so cool seeing and sharing art from around the world.

I can’t recommend enough the AMAZING films that won the MyHero.com 2022 Film Festival. MY HERO film submissions are entered from all over the world, by people of all ages, cultures and abilities. The content ranges from personal, individual heroes to larger scale, groups and tribes, who are working hard to save the planet. The website is an educational wonder-tool, providing inspiring platforms and curricula for teachers, educators and students of all ages and levels to participate and contribute to the ever-expanding data base of global citizens and personal heroes. as a teaching artist and educator in the field of performance art myself, it is an honor to have the opportunity to view this immense body of creativity and inspiration. Anyone can view the films from the winners of the 2022 Film Festival here:
https://myhero.com/films/winners2022

MyHero is unique in that it awards not only talent and creativity but real positive impact in the real world. It also uplifts individuals who follow an ethos that art can be a powerful tool for change. Please support this fantastic community!

It's so refreshing to see news and media focusing on positivity and role models, instead of the usual shocking headlines followed by depressing news. I've had the pleasure of exploring the MY HERO Project's online portal, attending their film festival, and meeting the wonderful people working behind the scenes to make this world a better place for everyone. They provide so much engaging content, and there's something for everyone to enjoy. I personally care a lot about environmental issues and there is no shortage of news and films to give me much needed hope about the direction we're heading in as a society.

So proud to have several of my short films recognized by the My Hero Project Inc. Jeanne and her team's mission and dedication to recognize filmmakers making social change is a noble one. My film about a Holocaust survivor and work done by volunteer immigration lawyers in Matamoros help raise the consciousness of the community and world and hopefully change lives

Sandi Bachom
Filmmaker/Journalist

I support My Hero because of it's consistent and long history of honoring, awarding, and supporting persons around the globe who address Climate Change, Human Rights, improvements in health, habitat and social environments, and promote political/social freedoms. My Hero recognizes those who struggle for the common good, often alone and isolated, giving these individuals encouragement, shining a light that can help develop wider recognition and support. My Hero is a non-profit that matters.

MyHero curates incredibly inspiring films and stories from around the world, and offers them up for free for teachers, students, and anyone wanting to explore ways to make the world a better place. It’s a remarkable service and I’ve been happy to follow their work for several years now.

The My Hero Project is an incredible organization that cares deeply about helping children reach their fullest potentials, sharing the best of humanity and using stories to build community and help change the world. Its people are tirelessly dedicated to their work and are true visionaries. I urge everyone to watch some of the stories on the My Hero website; you'll be moved, you'll be inspired, and you'll possibly shed a tear or two. The My Hero Project's work is wonderfully important and truly impactful!!

It is a pleasure working with The MY HERO Project and their talented team, sharing stories of the heroes who inspire us to reach toward our own fullest potential. Our heroes are our teachers. They take a stand against injustice and offer a path for us to follow. They urge us to look beneath the surface of our many differences and discover what we can learn from each other. They remind us that, even in the most stressful of times, we do have agency in the world.

My hero shared my story and it won the Ron Kovic peace prize. Here are the links

1) http://myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=Azim_Khamisa_2012
2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=813IRQoOlBY

I have been a donor and supporter of My Hero Project for many years. I have recommended that filmmaker friends enter their film projects into the annual international film festival. I have referred work colleagues to become mentors. I have used some of their content to educate others about important global heroes.

In our world today, we need organizations that help educators by providing content they might otherwise not be able to access for their students. Many places in our world are in turmoil - books being banned, critical thinking being suppressed, forms of art being vilified. My Hero Project gives hope to children all over the world and supports the communities that are nurturing them.

I had a great time interning for the My Hero Film Festival remotely! I learned so much about the ins and outs of how a festival works in a truly positive and uplifting environment. The documentaries this festival spotlights are poignant and relevant. This non profit organization is making a huge impact and I’m so grateful for my experience here!

My Hero have an incredible team, highlighting some truly amazing people across the globe. If you are a teacher, I would strongly recommend having a look at their resources. They have such a huge archive of information in several different mediums, and it's all definitely worth having a look at!

My Hero Project recounts inspiring and empowering stories that are great for use by teachers, parents, and the public. Love working with them

I approached My Hero Project to present at a symposium that I organized in March 2022. the symposium was about the representations of heroic behaviour, heroism and iconization in print media, and I thereby sought to bring practical institutions that utilize the concept of heroism in their work aiming to create positive impacts in the world together with academics and scholar who study what can be referred to as the "Heroism Studies" - attempting to understand the nature of hero building and maintaining, the ideologies associated with heroism, and the psychologicah, social and cultural effects of heroes in general. The combination of scholarly research and the work of My Hero Project proved to be incredibly fruitful. We were joined by Jeanne and Abigail who shared the vision and the purpose of MHP, and the we in fact saw that their work reflects and dedicatedly confirms amny of the scholarly findings on the nature and purpose of heroes. Their integration of art, film, education and many more distinct areas into their vision is especially fascinating for the contemporary shapes and concepts around heroism, and their endevours to spread the heroic spirits through positivity is definitely worth recognizing and supporting. I am very happy that I had a chance to collaborate with MHP, and I sincerely hope their work continues to succceed and grow!

After I survived Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, MY HERO gave me the resources to create a Video Poem about my experience during the hurricane and what helped me get through it. They then gave me the opportunity to perform the poem at their annual festival as well as for a high school class. I feel forever grateful for this organization. I love their mission of spreading positive news throughout the world to counter all the negativity. There are many heroes among us. MY HERO not only shares their messages, but the organization is also comprised of heroes.

I first came across this non profit over 10 years ago. After seeing the great work they were doing I started to get involved making my own content and then helping out with events. I've enjoyed creating art with a purpose and the positivity of the content. I look forward to another 10 years.

The MY HERO Project empowers people to realize their potential and create positive change in the world. The project’s rich media library highlights humanity’s best role models, offering inspired stories of perseverance, courage, kindness and compassion. As the Director of Education Cannot Wait, the UN’s global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, I was honored to receive the 2020 Global Educator Award and look forward to continued collaboration with MY HERO to highlight the many unsung heroes that make it possible for the most marginalized girls and boys to receive a safe, inclusive and holistic education.

-Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait

The My Hero Project is an inspiring program that highlights the great work of our world's Heroes. Some of which you would never hear about were it not for this project. I am a recipient of the My Hero Award. Their filmmakers did an award winning job on the film portraying my work. I regularly get emails from people who comment on how good the film is. Not only am I recipient but I follow the project and look for inspiration from it. Especially now, we need more programs like this to show the good in the world and the people who are doing it.

My Hero Project has set the standard for using storytelling and media to celebrate and encourage the "better angels" of our human nature. Probably one of my favorite My Hero Film Festival nights was when two of my all-time heroes, Mohamed Sidibay and Erin Gruwell, were speakers - they lit up the sky for miles around.

Cleveland Charter High School has made good use of the My Hero curriculum and our film students have made their own enlightened movies. I have been so touched by their stories - especially when our students profile their parents or grandparents as their heroes.

My Hero - a simple and very accessible concept, with profound and world-changing impact - teaching everyone they too, can be a hero and change the world.

With today's media focus on separation, hostility, hate and dystopia, it is hard to find articles on human caring, compassionate people healing through kindness and aligned with our highest moral principles. My Hero Project is one of those. You are deeply appreciated.

MY HEROs ever growing curated library of art, films and essays by professionals and students make this website a rich destination to learn about diverse heroes from around the globe. MY HERO has resources for teachers, students and parents and is used by millions around the world

The My Hero Project astounds me with all that they do on behalf of teachers and students. We all need role models to inspire and show us all that we can be. My Hero introduces those role models to people of all ages through the power of media. My Hero curates a beautiful collection of films about true heroes –individuals who make the world better in a variety of fields and settings, heroes who are historic and contemporary. These films inform and inspire. The My Hero staff makes their films available internationally. They create projects for teachers to engage in the materials and use them with their students. I have been fortunate to be honored with their Eva Haller Women Transforming Media Award, as well as have my students in The Righteous Conversations Project be honored for their films that tell the stories of Holocaust survivors. (Photo depicts Holocaust survivor Michele Rodri, RCP student filmmaker Trey Carlisle, and Cheri Gaulke, filmmaker, educator and Artistic Director of The Righteous Conversations Project)

I've volunteered with the My Hero Project for over a year now and I have loved every single second of it! Everybody who is involved is so kind, caring, and so helpful towards supporting young filmmakers. If I could rate above a 5/5 I would, I wouldn't trade this experience for the world and I am so excited to continue supporting My Hero in the future.

The MYHERO Project is having a tremendous impact with positive media in education.

Teachers and students from around the world benefit from the uplifting content on the website.

Artists and activist are given a global platform to share their work. The International Film festival features films about heroes all across the globe who are working hard to make the world a better place!

I am personally uplifted by working with the short film submissions and seeing how much good there is in this world. Thank you MY HERO!

I’ve used MY HERO resources countless times in my classroom. It’s my go to site for inspiring films, stories, and artwork from people around the world. It was especially helpful as we had to do remote learning. There are so many ways to use all the resources from this project including having students participate in their contests.

The MY HERO Project has opened up a plethora of opportunities for me and provided me with the most wonderful support whilst interning for them. The work that MY HERO does is so important and impacts people in 197 countries; they never cease working towards equality and education for all. I have enjoyed every minute of working with MY HERO and can confidently that they have changed my life for the better.

A wonderful organization, full of wonderful people. It was a tremendous pleasure to hear poetry at the particular event which the My Hero Project had organized: people of various backgrounds and nationalities reciting poetry on the general theme of international social justice. Such wonderful perspectives and stories. They foster a great community feeling.

My Hero is an amazing organization. It is all about acknowledging the accomplishments of others and celebrating exceptional humans. The women that run it are extraordinarily talented, inspirational and kind. The work they do is important, poignant and sustainable. Let’s all support the good that they do in the world.

My Hero has been an incredible partner both for our school and our students for many years. Not only is the process of learning rich but the products are often breathtaking.

We live at a historical moment in time that is hungry for heroes—heroes who help to save and improve the lives of people everywhere, heroes who crusade for social justice, heroes who work tirelessly to combat environmental threats and seek to make our world a safe and beautiful place to live for generations to come. The world needs more heroes and for more than a quarter century, My Hero has been dedicated to addressing that need. Not-for-profit digital media that celebrates heroes, made freely available on a non-commercial platform, enables people throughout the world to learn about and be inspired by heroes. When we have knowledge of heroes, and have come to be inspired by those heroes, we are enabled and empowered to act heroically ourselves.

My Hero gives us access to a diverse and powerful collection of stories about heroic people and their accomplishments. In doing so, it provides an alternative to the negative news we are inundated with on a daily basis and it enables us to imagine the good that could result if more people opted to modify their media diets—replacing stories centered on violence, fear, and hate with stories about peace, hope, and love. The My Hero library of videos and the annual My Hero Film Festival are full of positive and inspiring stories—and therein serve as a testament to humanity’s capacity for compassion, generosity, and resilience.

My Hero also provides a vast collection of educational resources that are designed to help educators highlight heroes and deeds of heroism as part of their classroom instruction—thus providing access to a diverse array of role models that students can be inspired by and ultimately emulate. My Hero has also provided technological resources and media-creation training to thousands of young people around the world. These engaging programs equip youth and their teachers with the skills they need to tell stories about the heroes in their communities and amplify their voice and viewpoints to audiences world-wide. Youth participants of My Hero programs have gone on to use their media and communication skills to further their educational and professional objectives. Many participants have also gone on to do heroic things, and therein become heroes in their own right.

We need more positive messages in our media diet, and we need more heroes in our world. My Hero is truly a great non-profit because it provides resources and experiences that help to create heroes by enabling everyone to see their heroic potential and see the good that can result when ordinary people take courageous steps to make the world a better place.

As a filmmaker focused on educating and promoting advocacy on behalf of the ocean and nature in general, I, on behalf of our film company, have sponsored a My Hero film site for the last 20 years. Only recently have I been moved to join the board of this inspirational nonprofit, originally founded in 1995 by its amazing creator, Jeanne Meyers, and her colleagues. Particularly, with the Covid 19 induced challenges to our in person learning environments, the extraordinarily creatively designed and multifaceted My Hero website provides important social and emotional learning opportunities for students of all ages while it focuses on celebrating diversity, honoring positive role models, championing social and conservation causes and promoting youth to create their own films honoring their local heroes. Since Covid 19 began, the traffic to MY Hero website has dramatically increased while funding has become more challenged. This is a nonprofit so worth contributing to in order to provide that special spark of inspiration and motivation for young and old particularly during these challenging, isolating times but as well as for any and all time.

To Whom this May Concern,

I am writing in support of The MY HERO Project. This nonprofit has been producing an online educational website serving educators and students around the world since 1995. I applaud the mission of MY HERO to use media, art and technology to celebrate the best of humanity. The website's inspiring and curated media library - of stories, art, short films and lesson plans - enriches learning for students of all ages as well, as life learners. Taking part in this global storytelling project helps students understand the many ways each one of us can make a difference in the world. As we face the COVID challenge of distance learning, MY HERO's FREE online library of media provides much needed stories of hope and positive role models to empower our youth - our future heroes.

Thank you for your consideration.

Michael Matsuda
Superintendent
Anaheim Union High School District

I began interning with the MY HERO Project two years ago and working for them has been a very positive experience. It has helped me improve my filmmaking and graphic design skills and has introduced me to hundreds of inspiring films, stories, and art. MY HERO has a very uplifting and powerful goal of "celebrating the best of humanity" and everyone at the company really strives to achieve this. MY HERO's website is a great resource for students, teachers, or anyone who appreciates art that makes a difference. I think that the hope and empowerment that MY HERO provides is much needed and I am very grateful to be part of this team of passionate individuals.

Everyone I have worked with and who attends the My Hero events are fully committed to maximizing the benefits of this nonprofit. Hearts and souls are poured into every aspect of My Hero. The most admired people of my community show up and put money and energy behind My Hero. The crowd always comes away inspired to give back more to the world because of this wonderful organization. I just wish CNN would give the credit and support Jeanne Meyers and staff deserve!

My Hero has been a great service to me. It has given me the opportunity to enhance my graphic design and film portfolio. It has given me an insight into journalism and young people that I thought I would never meet and I'm glad that I did.

MY HERO's mission to display content related to the themes of heroism and character development is unique. Their focus on providing 100% free resources to teachers around the world to incorporate themes of heroism in their curriculum is appreciated now more than ever.

I was fortunate enough to attend a My Hero Film Festival a few years back. This exposed me to a world of extraordinary people and deeply moving projects. Thank you My Hero for giving a megaphone to such inspiring people - we need it now more than ever.

-James Trotta-Bono

My Hero is an organization that not only recognizes historic individuals, but also the everyday person. It is an organization that is driven by the involvement of today’s youth sharing their voices to tell their own stories or to use their words to tell the stories of others. My Hero uses its media platform to allow people of all ages to express their gratitude and admiration for their hero in any way they wish. From film and music to writing and artwork, My Hero provides an outlet that allows someone to profess their admiration towards a person who has done great things. Not only do they recognize the historic people known by many, they give voice to those underrated, everyday people who are heroes in their own right. With the COVID-19 pandemic, they have given voice to those who want to recognize those risking their health everyday to help others. This organization helps shine a light on various topics as well, such as environmental awareness and how women transform media. Not only is it an organization that allows a creative outlet, it gives recognition and tells stories many may not have heard before, which also proves its educational value as well. It is a powerful organization that provides a voice to thousands of people in any way they wish to share it.

Especially during these continued difficult times, MY HERO continues to celebrate the best of humanity and provide platforms for filmmakers, humanitarians, students, and so many others to connect and promote heroism from all around the world. MY HERO has various resources, such as the Guestbook, contests, organizers, and many other tools to help educators and community members share stories and experiences. I love the MY HERO website, since it's a safe educational space that allows any voice to be heard.

Great engagement of young people with important global stories! True commitment. Important cause, particularly these days when heroes are in short supply and our focus is always outside our own window.

Last summer, I had an urgent need for a collaborative project that could be done completely online. And I needed it fast! Fortunately, I had just heard about the My Hero Project.

Normally, I teach a three-week "summer bridge" program for incoming freshmen at my high school. We introduce the students to our digital media program, take field trips, and create films with hands-on training.

This past summer, however, our entire program had to be taught in the virtual world because of the global pandemic.

Working with Laura and Jerrilyn at the My Hero Project was a godsend. They were able to help me create a high-quality My Hero digital video project and roll it out with my 35 students in a very short window of time.

The My Hero Project's extensive existing training materials, and staff support in creating a curriculum tailored for our program, helped make our summer bridge program a huge success. The students made 8 "My Hero" films in groups, all while being completely remote from one another.

I am so grateful for the help we received from My Hero Project, Inc.!

MY HERO has made me the subject of a documentary - it explores my life as a holocaust survivor, a refugee, a single parent and activist. The short film has helped me promote my work for social good and expanded the reach of many of the non profit organizations that I support. The film, "Eva Haller: A Work in Progress," has been screened at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Glasgow Caledonia University, The Rotary Club International Peace Conference and more. I have renewed connections with old friends and have been able to mentor others as a result of this documentary.

The work of MY HERO to showcase heroes of all ages from all walks of life makes it a unique destination of hope for students around the globe. I am so pleased to be a part of this organization and have joined its board so that I can help it further its important mission. I have also been been mentoring a young man whose life was changed by MY HERO. Mohamed Sidibay, a child soldier who witnessed the murder of his entire family. He was miraculously saved after 5 horrific years of war in Sierra Leone. Today he is a leading ambassador working with the United Nations to advocate for equal access to quality education for all. This is possible because of the support and encouragement of The MY HERO Project.

The project has changed his life, mine and millions of others by empowering people of all ages to use media, art and technology to share their inspiring stories.

Wonderful content, inspirational for all ages. Easy to navigate. Great for kids, educators, families, and so important and helpful to find ways to heal the world. My Hero is great!

MY HERO continues to provide inspiration to so many throughout the world. I am so happy to be a part of this global learning community. I have enjoyed attending the film festivals, the Laguna Hero Festival and meeting teachers and students from around the world because of my involvement with the project. I hope that others will continue to help support this important work so that MY HERO can continue to inspire others.

Great organization with a unique and important mission. They serve an important role in shining a light on other non-profits, causes and people.

A race of storytellers is what we are. Humanity is defined by the stories we pass down from generations, stories of courage and heroism fuse the best of storytelling with the best of humanity. My Hero Project is a non-profit that rises to the call and challenge of fostering storytelling as a connection to heritage, identity, aspiration & inspiration in young people across the globe in all the ways that technology allows for storytelling today.
My Hero Project provides active storytelling challenges, regular film festivals & a wealth of media arts education materials & resources to enable the enthusiast expressing themselves through art, music, film or multi-media and My Hero Project also supports educators looking to enhance their curriculum with lesson plans and other resources to connect students in a meaningful way with the heroes of history and the legends rising in their own communities.
Support of My Hero Project is an investment in the humanity of every community that values Story & Courage.

My Hero is an amazing organization highlighting the best stories and people humanity has to offer!

My Hero Project brings the best of humanity into the spotlight with love and creativity! This organization provides opportunities for students and teachers to make and share films, writing, art, songs and lessons that highlight the lives, work and achievements of people dedicated to positive causes. What a fantastic effort to inspire present and future generations! In our digital world, their work's presence online is essential so students in virtual classrooms can tap into the wealth of knowledge at their website, https://myhero.com/. Our charity, Guitars in the Classroom, has been an enthusiastic partner for many years.

I am Margaret Chen from Taiwan. Last semester, my class and I joined MY HERO project of the iEARN Learning Circles. At first, I planned to let my students make their own webpages for sharing the heroes in their lives with our foreign partners. But the plan couldn’t keep up with the changes. At that time, the COVID-19 outbreak started to affect the educational systems worldwide, causing the closures of schools. We change the project plan. Our Tunisia project partner had a great idea – creating a padlet and encouraging students to share their ideas on COVID-19. Through the sharings, students from Taiwan and Tunisia communicated the changes of everyday lives, reflections on the causes of COVID-19, thankfulness to COVID-19 heroes, and what everyone could do to stop the pandemic. The collaboration was authentic learning, helping students see the cross-cultural similarities and differences, realize the power to change the world, and inspire them to act in a positive way. The students were eager to learn about what their partners said, so most of the time they themselves would go on the padlet to send postings and comments. The project just buids a bridge to connect the current world and the classroom.

My Hero also provides a lot of resources for educators. Best of all, the project facilitator always provides quick supports for participants, which is the main reason that I can complete the project successfully. I really appreciate My Hero team for bringing teachers and students such meaningful learning opportunities. I will be happy to join again and recommend My Hero to more educators.

The world, now more than ever, needs positive role models that can nurture and guide us toward a more peaceful and hopeful future. The MY HERO project is an incredible nonprofit organization. They celebrate the very best of humanity one story at a time. They use media and technology to empower people of all ages, around the globe, to realize their own potential to affect positive change.

It has been a special honor to actually meet some of the people featured on the MY HERO website and to learn about other heroes that I, otherwise, never would have known about. It has also been quite amazing to realize the impact this nonprofit has had on the lives of so many around the world.

I have been privileged to know some of the people who are involved with and run this great organization. Their hard work and dedication to lift us all up is nothing short of awe inspiring.

I have supported MY HERO's efforts to help others affect positive change for many years, but in so doing it is my life that has truly been enriched.

The My Hero Project is not only a project where students experienced the core skills and all the learning benefits that come with it, but also it's a life changing experience as the students tried to change their vision to the notion of what a hero is. They looked for the hero's around them and they loved the idea of having heroes and they learned a lot of values that changed their behaviour, their way of dealing with things in life.

I love how MyHero spent so much time on creating stories to get heroes get noticed. There are many individuals who contributed to our world and everyone should be a hero. I love how MyHero is a one stop site where you can get information from how these individuals contributed to the world we are in today. I have learned so much by reading the stories and make me appreciate a lot more.

I worked as an intern at MyHero for a couple of months. I have never worked at a nonprofit before. But it was one of the greatest experience. People were super friendly and I am happy that I got to learn.

Positive role models -WEARING A MASK! - are needed now more than ever.

As a volunteer for The MY HERO Project ("MY HERO") I have not only experienced the deep impact that my volunteer work has had on my life but have also witnessed the powerful impact MY HERO has had on many thousands of other people. First, as to my own experience, I can say that MY HERO has carried out its mission of "empowering people of all ages to realize their own potential to create positive change in the world" by empowering me to pursue positive directions in my own life. In the course of contemplating and writing essays about three of my personal heroes I was able to touch the source of this deep empowerment. The life of one of my heroes embodies forgiveness in that this man was able to forgive, assist and make friends with the murderer of his son. The life of another one of my heroes is a testament to pure gratitude in that her life and works display an appreciation of others and of life itself despite the incredible hardships she withstood in her life. My third hero was an outspoken Japanese painter who survived the bombing of Tokyo and whose paintings depicted the horrors of war and the sanctity of peace. Studying her art and her life gave me a profound understanding of what it means to live a life dedicated to non-violence. And this same transformation that took place in me by the study of heroes has taken place in students in classrooms around the world who use MY HERO's commercial free interactive website to discover and honor heroes including people working for human rights, social justice and protection of our planet. This engagement helps students develop skills, including social and emotional intelligence and critical thinking. The MY HERO film festivals are powerful and fun, creating a deep sense of community in the participants and audience members. MY HERO is an amazing non-profit and speaking straight from the heart, I believe its greatest impact is to help students, teachers, seniors, and others around the world find meaning in life by creating positive change in the world.

MY HERO has an incredible collection of inspirational and educational content. I am a social worker and often use their tools to ignite imaginations and build valuable skills. When I am working with children, I love using this resource to help explore their favorite heroes and who they want to be like when they grow up. We can choose their favorite medium and create their own hero art, songs, and even short films. It is an incredible resources and the newly redesigned website is very user friendly. I can't say enough about this wonderful nonprofit.

I have never felt that people really understood the many ways in which The MY Hero Project
supports education in the digital age while promoting humanism and community.

The My Hero Project provides an AD FREE on line venue to share stories about heroes from all over the world. That alone would be a service. In the wake of the revelations of security breaches and fake news all over the internet, my appreciation of the MY Hero Project’s dedication to security and editorial control has grown enormously. Because the mission of The MY HERO Project is educational and users are often teachers, students and school age children, security has always been a priority.

My Hero is curated by an editorial staff to make sure all stories are appropriate for school age children. My Hero invites users to submit their stories of their heroes. The site offers help and support to teachers and students wanting to use use MY Hero in the classroom. We mentor students all over the world in learning how to make films that tell the stories of their heroes.

The mission of The My HERO Project is two fold: to teach the tools of communication in the digital age and to emphasize using those tools in identification and support of values based education.

What makes a hero? What values are embodied in acts of heroism? What do we as a society value?

How do we celebrate the “better angels of our nature” in a world inundated with stories of corruption and greed and racism. We do it by supporting the My Hero Project and listening to the stories (from all over the globe) of those working to make the world a better place.

I've been involved with The MY HERO Project for over 15 years. They are an amazing project ran by an amazing group of individuals who truly believe that heroism is the key to a bright, peaceful future. The many programs offered by MY HERO are a great way to involve people of all ages and walks of life. From the easy-to-use Create program, to the annual international film festival, to the art gallery, audio archive, and of course my favorite feature - the Calendar.

The MY HERO Project has a wonderful media arts education program-- I have seen so many incredible films, art works and audio tracks on their archive. Many were submitted as part of the media arts festival--I love to watch the short films and learn about inspiring heroes and great projects around the world! When I was working at a preschool, I shared some of the films for young people with my classes and the children just loved them!

Love all the events, always such a wonderful uplifting stories that put a new prospective of the world. I've attending multiple My Hero Project film events and I always leave there so inspired be everyone's story.

I was in my second year of college at the University of California, Irvine when I applied for an internship program that would give us a one-year internship at different companies throughout Orange County. I was lucky enough to get chosen by MY HERO and when I finished that year, I was fortunate enough to stay in the organization. Until this day, I stay in touch with the people I met at MY HERO because everyone there is so positive and friendly, and always willing to put themselves before others. MY HERO is not only a great organization because of the work they do, they are comprised of amazing people that work extremely hard to shine a light on positive role models across the world. During my time at MY HERO, I was able to meet heroes from many places and be a part of so many amazing events that bring so much joy to people. I can remember how after every film festival, attendees and honored heroes walk out of the theater with huge smiles and wanting to help others. Thanks to MY HERO, I was able to be a part of iEARN Argentina in 2014 where I got to meet a lot of teachers from different places around the world and connect with them about helping students be better people. It was an amazing experience filled with countless memories that I will never forget. Nowadays, when I'm having a rough day, I go to MY HERO and read some of my favorite stories or watch some inspiring films such as Biblioburro. MY HERO is about sharing your story of people helping others. Anybody that participates in MY HERO or has been a part of MY HERO, has nothing but good things to say. I'm grateful and glad that I have been able to be a part of MY HERO for so many years and am thankful for the opportunities Jeanne Meyers and Stephanie Cole have granted me. I will always feel that I am part of MY HERO and will continue to participate whether it be by promoting their website and events, or simply visiting the site. MY HERO, and their staff, is like a second family to me and I can't wait to see what the future holds for this awesome organization.

MY HERO Project has helped many independent filmmakers and artists, especially those within the youth community, have their voices heard through their films and artworks that shine a light on local and global heroes. Moreover, MY HERO Project offers the winning stories, arts, music, and films to be streamed for free on the MY HERO's website, which ultimately becomes a great tool for teachers whose passion is to spread the significance of positive heroism via different platforms of media in their classrooms.

Incredible non-profit that encourages heroism and positive social change in the world! By rewarding filmmakers for their work that aligns with the overview of the festival, we are raising awareness to the fact that film has the power to influence the world.

I love the way MyHero.com combines inspiration, altruism, and creativity with media, including social media. Its Facebook posts always bring a smile and a moment of gratitude for this world, the creatures in it (including us). MyHero.com reminds me joyfully of the need to contribute to our world's well-being.

I also love the work they do to support individuals around the world doing this work. MyHero.com makes this big, wide world a village.

With everything going on in the world right now, The MY HERO Project is like a calm, inspiring place to go, to remember that there really is great stuff going on in the world! There are so many people and organizations to celebrate, that we would never know about without this great global online project. I am so grateful to have been able to work with the MY HERO TEAM and teachers and students all around the world through facilitating the MY HERO Global Learning Circles. (www.myhero.com/learningcircles) We bring the world into your classroom and your class into the world.
Thank you MY HERO for your mentorship as well as keeping our team up to date with cutting edge multi-media tools that we share with our global educational community... for free.

The MY HERO Project chose me for an AAUW grant for a minority woman to work on a website dedicated to women transforming media and the world. The grant has positively impacted me and other minority women in their media skills while bringing the story of these unsung heroes to light. The director of the MY HERO Project and the Media Director Wendy Milette have been wonderful mentors. They have invested in and mentored many other women storytellers who have participated in The MY HERO Project and gone on to succeed in their fields. The MY HERO Project's mission to celebrate the best of humanity is a much-needed and worthy one.

I have been involved with The My Hero Project for over 20 years; I have watched it grow from an idea some mothers had about the power of media to provide inspirational stories of people changing the world for the better to one of the largest online archives of hero stories and films. The MY Hero Projects works with filmmakers and students all over the world providing lesson plans and mentorships.

What the MY HERO PROJECT has bee able to accomplished since its inception is a little shy of extraordinary. As a kid growing up in Sierra Leone, I saw first hand its impact in enabling young people to use media and technology to powerful and heroic stories. If you are one of the few people who have yet to check this organization out, I implore you to do so soon. Great things await you.

It is a good opportunity for my students to work on my hero project .Though it was a little bit difficult to manage their time since they have exams and the term was short .They have chosen t wo persons from ther the algerian culture and history.i

I am an elementary school teacher in Taiwan. We joined this project this year and got inspired very much. At the beginning, my students didn't quite understand the meanings of hero. They might name some celebrities on TV and movies or people who are very nice to them. Later after discussion, they came to know more about how to define a great person by his or her influential deeds. Students also know more about other foreign heroes from reading them on My Hero webpages. We cherish and enjoy this wonderful experience!

It was a great experience both for me and MY STUDENTS. AS MY STUDENTS WERE TO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE in the world, they did not first realized what their action should be. At the end of this project they became very responsible kids for their actions towards others and gained the skills of writing and retelling their stories. It was a wonderful experience for me as well. I contacted with the colleagues around the world, shared their thoughts and ideas and could gain more knowledge and skills about how successfully we could organize a project.

Amazing nonprofit with whom my kids had a great learning experience and as a teacher, I connected with great people from other schools. This experience broadened my and my pupils' horizons.

This school year I participated twice in My Hero project. It is a project that helped my pupils discover the heroes from their country,they also learnt a lot about heroes from other countries. It is a project which helped my pupils realize some important things in their life. They understood that the world can be changed by their help too. Only if you do something you can receive something. I am going to continue participating with my students in this project because it is a good way to make this world better.

The MY HERO Project changed my life for the better in so many ways! I am so grateful for the mentorship they not only gave me but my daughter Slater as well. Her path as a filmmaker started when they put a camera in her hands at 6 and then mentored her through a series of short films about heroes. I have met so many amazing teachers and students from around the world leading the MY HERO Learnings Circles... Who teach me the meaning of empathy, love and community. A nurturing place to go online!

My Hero changes lives by celebrating the best of humanity. The website is my favorite place to go if I want some positive news, story or media, and I'm never disappointed. You come away uplifted, inspired, and hopeful for the future of a peaceful global community that can work individually and together to tackle and solve whatever problems arise. That's why I, as a high school teacher, use the My Hero project every year in multiple ways with my students. They do research with the stories and films, then they write and film their own. It is a capstone for students learning how to explore and create positive change in the world, and a powerful site for their empowerment. Good for all ages, for many purposes, and really illustrates how a website can be a powerful global resource.

It is important for our society to provide role models for all ages and cultures, with as much vigor and reach as the most assertive commercial brand campaign. The majority of the web panders to base needs, including and especially to the searching adolescent with raging hormones. MyHero.com, which exposes the best of humanity to its young target audiences, serves a crucial purpose. MyHero.com provides content and curriculum with intelligence, appeal, graphics, entertainment and most importantly purely higher values. The spotlighted heroes are crowd-sourced, an inherently democratic selection, and without espousing a particular single ideology. This non-profit does not exploit the commercial aspects of the generic symbol of hero, as opposed to CNN and other profit-driven media conglomerates. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, the My Hero Project, a great non-profit, deserves to be recognized and supported for its impressive contributions, which are easily observed by clicking on the link http://www. MyHero.com. I can select most of the Your Roles listed and have been enthusiastic about working with Jeanne and her motivated staff for decades.

My Hero is MY HERO. This is one of the very best educational on line projects that emulates the POSITIVE things in life at a time when so much disastrous and destructive acts seem to permeate our environment. By having such a great CREATIVE project that affords people the opportunity to share the good there is on this earth through personal stories, videos, music and other interactive event, we can feel the joy and hope that our world can be rescued and healed whether it be caused by natural and/or human disasters. The staff of My Hero walk the talk and collaborate with true talent and goodness and always have a kind and helpful word/gesture to support those of us who hunger for and work for a Culture of Peace. I LOVE MY HERO and all they do. The results are truly meaningful and I have been witness to their success of "an act of peace creates peace". The networking that takes place is beyond awesome and lifelong friends have come from this project, because it works wonders in so many fabulous ways!

2015 My Hero Media Access Salon: Celebrating Deaf Talent in Music, Arts & Media!
Jo-Ann Dean, Arts & Entertainment Producer/Deaf Talent Guild

The event was an amazing bridge between two cultures separated by language not disability. American Sign Language (ASL) and stellar talent in the performing arts broke barriers with their clips of work shown to a mixed audience of 100+ entertainment professionals. Candid panel discussion and dialogue opened regarding Hollywood and Independent Films nontraditional casting. It was historical. Audience and panel were engaged as seldom heard voices were given the space and platform for expression. The effect was profound.

The My Hero Project was truly embraced as everyone in the audience learned something about each other. Deaf culture and talent were explored and shared by and amongst those in the audience and on the panel. Hosts one Hearing and one Deaf shared the intimate cultural experience bestowing identity through an ASL name sign. The exchange of ABC’s in ASL was an icebreaker followed by ABC cultural storytelling led to communal place of learning and sharing through the performing arts and media.

An emerging genre of ASL Music Videos by Deaf Rapper Sean Forbes opened the event followed by panelist’s clips of work in TV, Film and Theater including Deaf West Theatre’s Spring Awakening at The Wallis and “No Ordinary Hero” feature film starring Marlee Matlin directed by panelist Troy Kotsur and documentary Jules by WIGS showing behind the scenes making of Adele’s music video Rolling in the Deep.

Bernard Bragg Co-Founder of National Theatre of the Deaf who is an 87 year-old entertainment veteran summed up his experience being honored and a panelist at My Hero Media Access Salon. “I have been waiting my whole life for this discussion to take place.” Host Alan “Spo” Schwartz and actress Katharine “Kat” Kramer both exemplified the fact “We are all heroes.”

Kudos My Hero Project for hosting this event. Greater Los Angeles Association for the Deaf (GLAD) representative Elizabeth Luttrell and California Association of the Deaf (CAD) in Entertainment’s Maria Monte Rey shared resources with the audience. The outreach stimulated much interest in The My Hero Project International Film Festival from the community. Five panelists included Music Video/Film/TV Director Jules Dameron, Actor/Director Troy Kotsur, Actress/Writer Kalen Feeney, Actress/Author Antoinette Abbamonte, ASL Performance Artist/Siren TL Forsberg and Her Deaf BoyZ rocked her original song “Darkside” to an awestruck audience.

Jo-Ann Dean, producer of event congratulate the My Hero Project for hosting the Media Access Salon at the Capshaw-Spielberg Center for Educational Justice and Arts to Celebrate Deaf Talent, Culture and American Sign Language in Media.

Being a part of My hero project has helped my students on different levels. On the personal level they made new friends. They learned about each other preferences, cultures, interests, hobbies. Mainly they had a chance to appreciate their fellow friends and to respect their customs and traditions. On the academic level I also recognized that the new information was transforming into new knowledge mainly on several language skills; reading, writing, use of English and listening. They all had been reinforced, practiced or learned. We have taken part on other fun projects related to cooking and world wide cuisine.

One of my students' dad passed away right after we had completed one of several participations on the My Hero project. Jaime told me that being a part of this project helped him not only to talk about his beloved father interests, hobbies and human traits but to cope with pain of such a lost; "sharing with other teenagers the importance of treasuring your family every second, of every day, for the rest of you lives, because you never know when you'll need to say goodbye ".

This project has enriched our lives in many ways both students and teachers. Long live the MY HERO project!

Participating in "My hero" project gave my students chance to think about a hero around them. It made them think what a hero is, why is the person hero for them, what abilities did/does the hero have and what personalities or activities made them most interested.This project helped the students to develop their reading and writing skills. While working on the project the students became wore motivated and responsible. The project helped them to develop researching, creative, team and communicative skills. They developed independent studying skills, also analytical, creative and critical thinking skills. "My Hero" project helped my students to improve their English language skills, increase vocabulary, develop technological skills on working with different technologies. The students became more responsible, they studied how to plan, research materials, make assessment of their researching, and at last make a product as a story or a film. We made stories about heroes and the student also found out a lot about the heroes around the world. This project was very interesting and useful for the students of my school and I hope my students and I will participate in the project in the future.

"My Hero" project gave my students (9-12 grade) the chance to have a better understanding of what a hero means from different perspectives and to improve not only their knowledge about Romanian heroes from different fields, but also important personalities from other countries. The project work gave them the possibility to develop different skills: team work, reading and writing in English, research, express their opinions and bringing arguments, etc.
For me it was a great teaching resource, I could easily integrate it in curriculum at my English classes, adapting it to all levels, and also gave me the a good possibility to evaluate my students' work and make it visible for a large audience, which was very motivating and stimulating for students. I will certainly continue to work in "My Hero" project and will encourage my colleagues to get involved even younger students in the project work.
Prof. Cornelia Platon, Romania

My students and I participated in an iEARN project called My Hero, which has given us the chance to get in touch with so many amazing people around the world. Our experience with My Hero was wonderful because the facilitators were kind and helpful and the website is informative and encouraging. It seems to us that people on this website are enthusiastic and want to contribute their own effort to the world to make it a better place. Therefore, I could say from the bottom of my heart that My Hero is indeed a Great Nonprofit!

My Hero Project opened so many doors for both my students and myself. We not only learned about great people who have done great things for others. We were inspired to try to be great ourselves. We thought about whether things were fair or right. We realized decisions we made in our own families and communities were decisions heroes make - to look out for others, to show respect, to write letters to let people in power know when something is wrong. The most amazing part of this was that we were able to connect with other students and teachers and figure these things out together. We ended up Skyping regularly, sometimes talking class to class, and sometimes just a couple of students talking to another couple of students. Rural Ontario, Canada kids got to learn from downtown Chicago, USA kids and vice versa. When a student would share about their hero, our 'hero buddies' would stretch our thinking, asking, "Why do you think she's a hero?" or "How's that make you feel?" We learned about more than heroes. The 'My Hero Project' changes lives.

My first experience with the My Hero Project was with an elementary class in 2007-2008. Through the project, my class learned about the qualities of heroes in society and their interaction through the projects website and with it's volunteers were fantastic. It was a wonderful, project-based learning experience then and the people and resources at the My Hero project made it all happen. Since that year, I have helped to connect over 100 other students in various grade levels to the project. Everyone has had the same, rewarding experience. Thanks again to everyone at My Hero for helping to make a difference in the world.

My name is Vera Stoilov Spasova and I'm a primary school teacher from Slovenia, Europe. I have participated in 2 MY HERO projects and the experience is amazing. It's always nice to find out about the people who inspire our youth and therefore I believe it is only fair to honour them by telling the world about these people. The students that have participated in the projects are all at secondary school now but they've told me that learning about different countries and meeting new friends is the best reward after hard work. They are also proud that they have had the chance to tell the world about the people who have had an important influence in their life. This year my students want to participate as well and they can't wait to join the project.

When returning students come to visit me, one of the first things they always want to know is if I am still having my class participate with other countries in the My Hero project. The rich experience of interacting with students of other cultures, as well as reflecting on the values emulated by thier heroes is one they carry with them into young adulthood. I am always encouraged to continue offering the involvement to my classes each year. My students see little beyond their own local community, and My Hero has opened up the world for them. Families come into our classroom to see the items sent by our international friends, and to see the photos and emails we display. The media arts experience in preparing their presentations is just the icing on the cake for the children. This is truly a once in a life experience for the community I serve.

The MY HERO Project and its media arts workshops give students of all ages the
resources to build their digital media skills and the means to share their ideas with a
global learning community. But more than that, the project gives people my age and
younger hope, inspiration, and motivation to believe in themselves, and their ability
to change the world. By bringing attention to the heroes in our midst, the ordinary
people who do extraordinary things, MY HERO makes us all realize what we’re
capable of. It did for me. Since I spoke with Jean-Michel Cousteau, I have chosen to
follow his footsteps and inspire others to protect our planet and build a sustainable,
green society. Thanks to the ongoing support of The MY HERO Project, I’m now producing a feature-length film on environmental youth activists worldwide, called An Inconvenient Youth.

It is very interesting to remember one awesome experience I had with my students engaging them in my Hero project. Whenever I meet one of the students I have worked with, he or she would not miss taking and reminding me about the timely and entertaining opportunity that they were endowed as an extracurricular educational activities.
I would recommend every proactive teacher to connect his or his students to offer them an outstanding chance for more practical aspects of language, locally, nationally, and more importantly globally.
Abdesalam Zouita
Morocco

I have been involved in My Hero a few times with different classes, primary and secondary and it has always been a thrilling experience for my students and me. The website is still used in my English classes because it provides such a wealth of authentic materials that just ring true for my pupils. I will definitely be involved in My Hero again next year.

Ikram Eseghir, Mohamed 5 High School,
Kenitra, Morocco
It is certain that The MY HERO Project experience
has been very enjoyable and enriching for my
students and me. As a teacher, I greatly benefited
from the resources and exchange of ideas the
website offers; it has also enabled me to know
more about my students: their heroes,
idols,aspirations; it has also been an opportunity
to discover many of their talents: writing, art,
technology, that would otherwise have remained
unknown!
For my students, this project has been an
innovative learning activity: they have been
responsible for their own learning (making
decisions and choosing heroes/ how to present
themes; it has offered them a secure and
motivating space to collaborate, exchange ideas
locally and globally as well as to freely express
themselves; they have been using technology for a
variety of purposes: connect, gather and organize
information. In brief, this project- based activity
has been a perfect model of 21st century learning
design that teachers all over the globe are aspiring
for! So, thanks a million!
On behalf of all my students, I would like to thank
all the MY HERO team members. Special thanks
are due to our facilitators Barry and Wendy for
making this journey comfortable and successful,
and of course, best wishes to all the teachers and
students who have participated in this learning
circle.
Last but not least, I would not miss the
opportunity to deeply thank my students/ "heroes"
who have produced excellent work despite time
and curriculum constraints. I am so proud of
them.

The My Hero website is a great place for young high school students to dream about the type of adults they would like to become. We have them each research a successful person in a career of interest who is not already on the site, consider his or her journey and societal contribution, and then create their own webpage, culminating in how they plan to follow in their role model’s footsteps. I appreciate the site’s simple navigation and commitment to celebrating those making a positive impact. My Hero helps us to steer students’ college and career plans beyond mere success and toward something really worthwhile.

Kent Baker
College & Career Planning Instructor
Capistrano Valley High School
Mission Viejo, CA

The My Hero Project is truly a great non-profit that I hope to be used in every school worldwide. It has created a wonderful network where we can share our stories, our victories, inspiring courage, strength and love while bringing us closer together as one humanity, all by celebrating our heroes. This organization deserves our highest regard in it’s achievement and in its future!

My Hero is an inspiring NGO that spreads hope by celebrating heroes across the globe but what makes it even more special is that every member serves with a heart!!!

I love being a part of my hero and everywhere I go I try to encourage others to be involved. My hero has been a part of me for the past 3 years and I definately will continue to help and be a part of the team as long as I can. My hero does so much to create awareness and is just an amazing way to keep everyone in the world connected. I enjoy reading and viewing stories of the many heros all over the world.

I am on the board of several nonprofits and this one is my favorite as it helps so many children connect with each other all over the world and share their dreams and heroes.

These days most educational institutions have cut the arts due to budget constraints so My Hero is greatly needed for our children's creative development. It also allows children to study the positive role models in life versus the all too many negative media figures at this time.

My Hero in Laguna Beach, CA focused their last awards on Women. I was honored for my work with Laguna Canyon Foundation and the effort over many years to preserve heritage southern California coastal canyons around Laguna Beach in Orange County. I was impressed with the professionalism and creativeness of everyone who worked on my video. They, including the students at our local Boys and Girls Club, told the preservation story in such an interesting and engaging way. Thank you to all who make the My Hero Project such a success.
Mary Fegraus

I am a California educator at a junior high school. I not only use My Hero Project Inc. for practical, academic reasons but also as an opportunity to promote and encourage character development. With regard to academics, I use the project as the vehicle to teach biographical writing, how to imbed research, how to cite sources correctly, and to exercise critical thinking skills in evaluating what a hero is. When it comes to character development, it is such a profound way to see all the positive influences surrounding us, all the incredible achievements then and now, all the inspirational examples we have to draw from. We use the website to counter all the criticisms of culture, and the negativity spotlighted in the news and social media. After using myhero.com for over 8 years, the support from staff has never let me down. They provide just enough personal attention, and really seek to support students in their work. I will use the My Hero Project every year that I can.

I am a grade 4 teacher who has used My Hero in my classroom for about 8 years. Students have the opportunity to become My Hero Reports and create amazing stories, podcasts, artwork and videos about ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. My students are engaged and feel they are contributing to a worldwide movement to share stories about heroes with the wider global community.
My Hero provides students with an opportunity to share stories about incredible people while being able to shine with different types of media.
We are so thankful for the My Hero project and all it provides for students in our classrooms and around the world.

I have enjoyed a connection with Jeanne Myers and her "My Hero Project" since its very beginning --- especially in connection with Mattie Stepanek who was one of my special heroes. I have watched My Hero Project grow and reach people all around the world. Jeanne has also promoted Children's Hospice international, another of my special charitable organizations. Jeanne is an important expression of love in this world and I am proud to honor her!

Jim Hawkins

As a teacher I've used the My Hero project with students to create websites, films, and artwork about people who are making a positive difference in the world. I love their tag line: "celebrating the best of humanity." There's so much press everywhere you turn about the bad things in life. That's why we need the stories My Hero shares to give us belief in the power of good and hope for the future.

I am presently a sixth grade teacher who has been involved with the My Hero Project for 5 years now. It has become such an important part of my curriculum. Today's youth need true heroes to look up to and today's media does not do a good job sharing those type of stories. The My Hero Project gives my students, and their families, the opportunity to discuss characteristics of a hero and explore heroes in their world. Although I integrate this project in my English Curriculum by having my students research and then write a 5 paragraph essay on their hero, the fact that students can also submit artwork and film appeals to different learning styles. In fact, 3 years ago my 4th grade class did a film and the student who was the cameraman had difficulty with writing, it was not his strength. However, he is extremely visual and having the opportunity to work as the cameraman on our Call to Action film built his confidence. The My Hero Project continues to be an integral part of my curriculum.

The MY HERO Project has long been committed to sharing stories featuring people who are making a positive difference in the world, and it's a vast and vital resource. I've personally seen MY HERO's impact on filmmakers, journalists, students and teachers throughout the world, and the organization's dedication to nurturing those who have powerful stories to tell is inspiring. This is a place to discover and share stories that you'd otherwise never have access to, from underrepresented countries and cultures. We all hear about celebrities and their charities, but what about the environmentalists who risk their lives in Ecuador to help preserve their land? Or the unsung hero teachers in impoverished areas in India who work tirelessly to educate their children? MY HERO reaches out to these populations and shares their stories while also empowering these heroes to continue their important work.

The My Hero Project is a critical international forum and resource for individuals and groups with powerful stories to tell. Throughout my long association with My Hero, I have witnessed countless celebrations of the accomplishments of the many many unsung heroes in the world and the individuals who choose to tell their stories, through films, art projects, essays and audio recordings. By celebrating heroes and those who showcase their achievements, My Hero inspires people of all ages to tackle tough challenges and simultaneously nurtures budding journalists worldwide. The My Hero website has become an archive of stories in all media that serve to inspire groups and individuals to bravely face hard situations. The site is also a great resource for teachers, students and others who will find a wealth of filmmaking, art and media production tools and tips to help them tell their stories more effectively. The awards competitions and ongoing programs and salons provide a great forum for storytellers and heroes to gather and support each other. The annual film festival is without a doubt the most inspiring and uplifting event I attend each year.
Mitch Aiken

Great ideas start small. In 1995, three moms responded to the lack of positive role models for kids in the media by starting the My Hero Project. It began as a website compiling stories of heroism from around the world and sharing them with people of all ages through classrooms, publications, workshops and community outreach. The Project engaged a lively discussion of what heroism is and invited participants to contribute their own stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The seed took and the idea grew from reaching fifty thousand people in the first few years to more than twenty million in the last five. It is an organization about to pop into broader awareness from its new home at the Capshaw-Spielberg Center for Educational Justice in Los Angeles. The My Hero Project remains true to its vision, its growth is exponential, the need that it serves is vital in our world and it's reach is global. I have been a board member for 15 years and I continue to be amazed by the power of this simple idea.

I have been a volunteer with the My Hero Project for a few months now and I cannot stress how much I have learned in such a short amount of time. Not only do they provide accessible media outlets on their website for students, teachers, and activists across the globe, they also provide them with the technology and equipment in order to do so. Their film festivals are educational and effectively bring everyone together to learn about art, people, and the community. I hope to work with them a lot more in the near future because they really do care about every aspect of their organization.

I learned about the work of My Hero through a colleague about ten years ago. At that time I responsible for the development and management of a cultural exchange program. We worked with My Hero to send U.S. media makers and artists to the Balkans, West Africa and the Middle East. They conducted media workshops with young people, and taught them how to best tell their own stories of the people they admire using a variety of media.

The impact of that program has been long-lasting. Although the grant ended some time ago, the relationships established through it have endured and continue to thrive. I can't speak more highly of My Hero and the great work they do.

I was introduced to my hero in 1999. Evern as a minister/teacher/counselor and gratefully recovering marketing man , I wasstill not comfortable using the web as a teaching tool. I did not trust that my students or parishioners or counselees wouldn't be iundated with commercial distractions and solicitations. My Hero provided me with an easily accessible, navitgatabe on line experiential teaching and learning resource. When I first used the site it was preety much for the written word. It's clear they've plowed any of teir donated monies back into improving the site. Today my students can upload written stories, art work, film and audio recordings about their heroes. Technically the site has become a treat in eye candy. With 200 contries represented it is the largest most diverse collection of hero stories in the world. In fact I liked My Hero so much, I became a member of its board.