The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXX
Ikra Abbasi Kathleen McGonigle, Teacher Thomas A. Edison School My definition of courage is having the heart to admit something you did wrong and learn from that mistake without anyone calling you out. In my life, there have been many times when I admitted I was wrong, and accepting that I was wrong wasn’t always easy, especially during those times where I thought I was 100% right. There’s a quote that I love by Benjamin Franklin. He says, “How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, resolutions enough to mend them.” My friend Chaneya and I were outside on the school playground talking about random things, and I brought up grades. As a fourth grader, I was pretty arrogant and thought of myself as the smartest in my whole grade. My friend Chaneya on the other hand was more quiet and shy, and never thought of herself as a big shot the way I did. I asked Chaneya, “What did you get in math class?” She said, “Oh, um, I think a one or two. I don’t remember.” “That honestly sucks. I got a four in each section. I guess not all of us can be like me.” I said that, and for some reason, at that time, I felt really proud. She started walking away sad, head drooping with each step. I thought what I said was cool, and thought being mean was the way of getting noticed by others. I didn’t have a lot of friends then. I saw her crying at lunch, but couldn’t care less at the time. I was laughing with classmates. After lunch, I started getting this rude awakening again from my stomach. I went to the bathroom because that was where I could actually think. I said to myself, “What’s going on? Why am I nervous, or is it something else?” I stuck my hand out, and I tried to keep it still, but it was shaking. It was normal for me to react this way when I did something awfully wrong. I knew what I had to do. I went straight back to my class, hesitated for a moment, but realized this was the only way for me to repair things and learn a lesson. I called the teacher and asked to speak in the hallway. My teacher said, “What’s going on, Ikra?” “I did something horribly wrong and didn’t realize until I took some time for myself and thought about it,” I answered. The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond 44
“I went straight back to my class, hesitated for a moment, but realized this was the only way for me to repair things and learn a lesson.” Then I told her the whole story, and she said, “I am really disappointed, and proud of you. You realized you did something wrong, and coming to tell me takes a lot of guts. At the same time, you know better and shouldn’t have done that. You know what? I’ll bring Chaneya, and you guys can talk. Alright?” “Yeah, sure….” Finally, Chaneya came out, and her lips started moving before I interrupted. “Before you say anything, I really am sorry for what I said. You don’t deserve that disrespect. I love you, and I hope you can forgive me. And if you can’t, I understand.” She said, “Okay. Honestly, I was just like you, trying to be mean so that I could feel better about myself. I was a big bully to everyone before this school, and I was rude. I thought it made me feel better, but it made me feel worse. I do forgive you, but don’t do it to anyone ever again, please.” “I won’t, I promise!” At the same time, I was bursting into tears because I felt so bad. I realized that I showed courage by telling my teacher and Chaneya how I felt. That day was when doing the right thing was key to repairing a relationship and learning a valuable lesson. Today I am a sixth grader, and to this day I feel terrible, but I learned an important lesson. As humans, we make mistakes that we regret but should also learn from. I think that I knew from the beginning, somewhere deep down in my heart and in the back of my mind, that this was wrong, but I realized it when I understood that being arrogant didn’t benefit me. After that, I stayed humble and true to myself. Being courageous means admitting when you are wrong without anyone having to tell you, and having the heart to say you’re wrong. Volume XXX 45
- Page 26 and 27: “I am, sir. I wanted to be on TV
- Page 28 and 29: done for the day. On his tape Max s
- Page 30 and 31: There in the hospital driveway belo
- Page 32 and 33: The Courage of Children: Boston and
- Page 34 and 35: Courage in My Life The mission of T
- Page 36 and 37: Noah Taveras Helen Sullivan, Teache
- Page 38 and 39: Yusuf Saad William Vandall, Teacher
- Page 40 and 41: Kora Kieta Scott Larivee, Teacher M
- Page 42 and 43: Sarah Olamokun Thomas Savas, Teache
- Page 44 and 45: Trace McFarland Mandy Lam & Thu-Han
- Page 46 and 47: Marion Mosman Scott Larivee, Teache
- Page 48 and 49: Olivia Doherty Jeanine Stansfield,
- Page 50 and 51: Sari London Goldberg Alice Lucey, T
- Page 52 and 53: Summer Santry Jane Kelly, Teacher W
- Page 54 and 55: John Patrick Jennings Sarah Hoisl,
- Page 56 and 57: Estelle Lawrence Merrill Hawkins, T
- Page 58 and 59: Nirvan Shrestha Kathleen McGonigle,
- Page 60 and 61: Nara Duarte Barbara Walsh-Smith, Te
- Page 62 and 63: Liam O’Connor Alanna Edstrom, Tea
- Page 64 and 65: Evan Horton Helen Sullivan, Teacher
- Page 66 and 67: Nathan Greene Aaron Cohen, Teacher
- Page 68 and 69: Anita Xue Mandy Lam & Thu-Hang Tran
- Page 70 and 71: Tavio Mares-Van Praag Kate Boswell
- Page 72 and 73: Vallerie Peguero Peter Laboy, Teach
- Page 74 and 75: Rushi Murrow Kate Boswell & Alex Jo
- Page 78 and 79: Rami Alasali William Vandall, Teach
- Page 80 and 81: Di’Jon Sanders Teresa Dawson Knoe
- Page 82 and 83: Huy Ngo Daniel Cesario, Teacher Jos
- Page 84 and 85: Julia VierIa Michael Andrews, Teach
- Page 86 and 87: Isla Frontinan Mary Budrose, Teache
- Page 88 and 89: Grendaliz Sabater Jane Kelly, Teach
- Page 90 and 91: Colin Kurtz Jeanine Stansfield, Tea
- Page 92 and 93: Catherine Tsiantoulas Joyce Baio, T
- Page 94 and 95: Sahra Kamara Hanna Shibles, Teacher
- Page 96 and 97: Weian Xue Aaron Cohen, Teacher Jack
- Page 98 and 99: Danny Ford Joyce Baio, Teacher Sain
- Page 100 and 101: Norah Young Mary Wall, Teacher Barn
- Page 102 and 103: Kailyn Willa Sara DeOreo, Teacher P
- Page 104 and 105: Nevaeh Gomes Daniel Cesario, Teache
- Page 106 and 107: Isabella Smedile Linda Roach, Teach
- Page 108 and 109: Shawn Eddy Linda Roach, Teacher St.
- Page 110 and 111: Keira Mccluskey Sarah Hoisl, Teache
- Page 112 and 113: Jaden Harper Teresa Dawson Knoess,
- Page 114 and 115: The Courage of Children: Boston and
- Page 116 and 117: Courage Beyond Boston A special sup
- Page 118 and 119: John Paul Morris Stefanie Machado,
- Page 120 and 121: Raquel Robson Eryn Allen, Teacher K
- Page 122 and 123: Derek Michaud Carolyn Westgate, Tea
- Page 124 and 125: Michael Little Carolyn Westgate, Te
“I went straight<br />
back to my class,<br />
hesitated for<br />
a moment, but<br />
realized this was<br />
the only way for<br />
me to repair things<br />
<strong>and</strong> learn a lesson.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>n I told her the whole story, <strong>and</strong> she said, “I am really disappointed, <strong>and</strong><br />
proud <strong>of</strong> you. You realized you did something wrong, <strong>and</strong> coming to tell me<br />
takes a lot <strong>of</strong> guts. At the same time, you know better <strong>and</strong> shouldn’t have done<br />
that. You know what? I’ll bring Chaneya, <strong>and</strong> you guys can talk. Alright?”<br />
“Yeah, sure….” Finally, Chaneya came out, <strong>and</strong> her lips started moving before<br />
I interrupted. “Before you say anything, I really am sorry for what I said. You<br />
don’t deserve that disrespect. I love you, <strong>and</strong> I hope you can forgive me. And if<br />
you can’t, I underst<strong>and</strong>.”<br />
She said, “Okay. Honestly, I was just like you, trying to be mean so that I could<br />
feel better about myself. I was a big bully to everyone before this school, <strong>and</strong><br />
I was rude. I thought it made me feel better, but it made me feel worse. I do<br />
forgive you, but don’t do it to anyone ever again, please.”<br />
“I won’t, I promise!” At the same time, I was bursting into tears because I felt<br />
so bad. I realized that I showed courage by telling my teacher <strong>and</strong> Chaneya<br />
how I felt. That day was when doing the right thing was key to repairing a<br />
relationship <strong>and</strong> learning a valuable lesson.<br />
Today I am a sixth grader, <strong>and</strong> to this day I feel terrible, but I learned an<br />
important lesson. As humans, we make mistakes that we regret but should also<br />
learn from. I think that I knew from the beginning, somewhere deep down in<br />
my heart <strong>and</strong> in the back <strong>of</strong> my mind, that this was wrong, but I realized it when<br />
I understood that being arrogant didn’t benefit me. After that, I stayed humble<br />
<strong>and</strong> true to myself. Being courageous means admitting when you are wrong<br />
without anyone having to tell you, <strong>and</strong> having the heart to say you’re wrong.<br />
Volume <strong>XXX</strong><br />
45
Change language