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ADVOCACY AND CITIZENSHIP
Research Project: Student Handout
Imperfect Heroes
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Dr. Ruth Simmons
President, Smith College
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Video: Low High
Audio: audio
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One of the most important things to remember in life is that you will make
mistakes. That is certain. And you will do things that you think now you're not capable
of doing. That is certain. But the most important thing is whether or not you have
the values and the moral fortitude to overcome that, by admitting what you've done,
and making the determination that you won't do it again, because of what you owe
to the people around you.
One of the hardest things to do is to tell the truth and admit a mistake. But,
it is important to do the right thing even if it feels as frightening as climbing
without ropes. Throughout history, courageous people have been able to make difference
because they were willing to say and do the right thing.
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Research Challenge:
Survey friends, teachers, librarians, and family members to identify 3-5 people,
living or deceased, who are heroes because they admitted mistakes, told the truth,
and did the right thing. They may be famous individuals or known by only a few people.
But what they have in common is that people will always remember them for their honesty
and courage. Learn as much as you can about each person. Consider the following research
questions:
Research Questions
- Who are they and how would you describe their lives?
- What do they care about? What is important to them?
- What strengths and weaknesses do they have?
- What mistakes have they made?
- What acts of courage did they perform?
- How and why were they able to do the right thing?
- What happened as a result of their honesty and courage?
- How can their experiences and choices be a lesson to us?
Research Outcomes
When you have completed your research, select one hero to present to the class. Use
one of these formats to present your information in a creative way:
- Tribute
- Newspaper Interview
- Obituary
- Eyewitness Account
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