Dear Friends,

We are searching for the next generation of Student Reporters, through both the MY HERO Essay Contest and the WOJ Youth Reporter Film Award, which is given annually at The MY HERO International Film Festival. Read on to learn how students can take advantage of this mentoring opportunity, while shining a light on their heroes.

The participation of teachers and students from around the world enhances our Global Learning Community. We are grateful for teachers like Bryan Peters, of Chicago's Mather High School. His diverse class includes students from Afghanistan, Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Nigeria, Somalia, and Venezuela.

"Our participation in the MY HERO Learning Circle has had a tremendous impact on everyone involved. Both my students and I relished the opportunity to collaborate with our international peers. It was very meaningful for students to be engaged in a sustainable development project with classes on the other side of the world. Fostering such connections helps students grow into global citizens by encouraging them to investigate the world, consider others' perspectives, and communicate their ideas effectively. Today's youth will ultimately be responsible for the sustainability of our planet, and their experience with the MY HERO Learning Circle has nurtured the knowledge, disposition, and skills that they will need to be true changemakers." - teacher Bryan Peters, Mather High School, Chicago

We need and value your support. Please enjoy this newsletter and pass it along to fellow parents, teachers and students.

Sincerely,

The MY HERO Team

View all the winning portraits on the MY HERO website.

Resilience -a portrait of Lee Ji-sun by Gamin Kim - Demarest Middle School, New Jersey

This year's overall winner is Resilience by Gamin Kim.

"Gamin's drawing is powerful and inspirational: a woman is in a terrible accident who is burned badly and refuses to give up on her dream of becoming a professor. I am impressed that Gamin did not flinch from looking at the disfiguring scarring but was able to demonstrate the beautiful spirit of Lee Ji-sun. - Bravo!" Robert Shetterly

Robert Shetterly is an activist, artist and founder of the nonprofit

Americans Who Tell the Truth

Submissions are being accepted for the 2025 Robert Shetterly Portrait Contest.

Middle and High School Students are invited to apply for MY HERO's Youth Journalists Mentor Program. Our team will help the students create videos of heroes who are a positive force in their communities. Selected videos will be included in the documentary project: The MY HERO Report - Youth Edition.

There are two ways to apply:

Write an Essay about your hero.

or

Make a short film about your hero.

The MY HERO Student Reporter Essay Contest is open to middle school and high school students who have a passion for storytelling and a desire to uplift those who embody the values of courage, kindness, and resilience. Essays can celebrate local and global heroes, who've had a a positive impact in their community. Deadline for essay submissions is September 1st.

For students choosing to submit a short film, entries may be up to 10 minutes in length. Videos created for this program will also be considered for the WOJ Youth Reporter Award in the MY HERO International Film Festival.

Educator and author Esther Wojcicki sponsors the annual 'WOJ' Youth Reporter Award, which comes with $2,000 in cash prizes. The award celebrates student reporters, whose short films showcase heroes making a positive difference in their communities and the world. Deadline September 1st.

Media arts educator Frank Guttler and MY HERO USC media intern Isabella Escalona mentor students at Ascot.

On June 4h, MY HERO celebrates a successful year of mentoring 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students and teachers at Ascot Avenue Elementary School. The program, directed by MY HERO Media Arts Educator Frank Guttler is supported by the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Max Factor Family Foundation. A culminating event will feature selected student videos and the presentation of award certificates. Award-winning films will be submitted to the MY HERO International Film Festival and shared on MY HERO.

View a selection of short films, art and essays celebrating ocean heroes. Here's a great classroom activity to explore ocean conservation through film: Watch selected, award-winning short hero films (16-minute run time) and Vote for your favorite.

On June 8th, MY HERO will announce the Sylvia Earle Ocean Conservation Award winners online.

Watch the finalist films here.

For those in Southern California, join us that evening for an in-person celebration at the Rivian South Coast Theater, in Laguna Beach. Admission is free but reservations are required. Learn more.

Join MY HERO Education Outreach Director Laura Nietzer's online presentation at this year’s ISTE Live Conference on Saturday, June 22 from 2:00 - 2:50 pm EDT. Learn how teachers and students use MY HERO’s free media resources to enrich learning. 

Learning Circle - Moldova

Learning Circle - Taiwan

Learning Circle - Tunisia

The spring session of the MY HERO iEARN Learning Circle brought together teachers and students from around the world, who collaborated and shared their thoughts about environmental heroes. The gathering focused on number 14 of the United Nations' Sustainable Developmental Goals — Life Below Water.

"The MY HERO PROJECT has provided our students with a wealth of knowledge. Each time I introduce the children to the project, the first year serves as an introduction, and in the second year, we can explore the topics more deeply. Next year, I will bring a new group of students to participate. Thank you!" - Fang Chen - Taiwan

Learn more about our Learning Circles on the MY HERO website.

Submit your film to the 20th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival. Prizes are awarded to elementary, middle school, high school, college and professionals in a variety of categories — documentary, narrative, music video, animation, experimental, and more. The final deadline for all festival films is September 1st.

The final submission deadline is September 1, 2024, via FilmFreeway.

The submission fee is waived for students through our Student Submission Form.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Inquire here

All winning films can be viewed online. Click here to learn about Special Awards.

MY HERO presents Special Awards, many with cash prizes to support the excellent work of the filmmakers. They include:

The Dan Eldon Activist Award

The Sylvia Earle Ocean Conservation Award

The Ron Kovic Peace Prize

The Eva Haller Women Transforming Media Award

The Sing for Hope Music Video Award

The WOJ Youth Reporter Award

The Immersive Storytelling Award

The Relationships First Award

The Mattie Stepanek Poetry Prize

and Student Filmmaker Awards

Learn more by clicking the links above or on the MY HERO website.

Check out MY HERO's free Media Arts Resources to help students create their own inspiring films.

JUNE

LGBTQ Pride Month

June 5 - World Environment Day

June 8 - World Ocean Day

June 19 - Juneteenth

June 20 - World Refugee Day

June 23 - Public Service Day

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We need and value your support for The MY HERO Project so we can continue to provide our free educational resources to millions of teachers, students and families around the world.