| A four-page fact sheet, Ring of Valor and a program
guide was distrubuted to Kansas County Family and Consumer Sciences
agents for use a part of an educational
program on courage and heroism in their communities during 2002-2003.
Approximately 300 evaluations were returned. The results follow:
1. How do I rate this program in general?
Excellent-175; Good-113; Fair-1; Poor-?
2. Did the publication Ring of Valor increase your knowledge
about courage and heroism?
Yes-176; No-6
3. If your response to question #2 was “yes,” can
you describe what you learned? (selected responses)
•
That everyone makes a difference and that we never know what
impression we make on people.
•
Everyone makes a difference. I think a lot of people are heroes
and don’t realize it.
• That anyone and everyone can be a hero—they’re
everywhere
• That anybody can be a hero. (about 25 responses)
• That heroes are in our everyday lives.
• Everybody has someone who looks up to them.
• “Heroism” is all around us.
•
Heroes are everywhere, even in people who don’t think of
themselves as heroes.
• We each can be heroes to ourselves when we demonstrate courage.
• Makes me think about all of the people that have influenced my
life.
• Everyone shared their experience and happenings in years long
ago.
•
You don’t realize who is a hero till you take time to think
of all the people who helped you along the way.
• Heroes take risks and make sacrifices but may not be in headlines.
•The
5 criteria of what constitutes heroism are very helpful. Also, the information
reinforced what I already believed.
•That all heroes are not people in
the news. Most people are heroes in their own way.
• It is not a person that is well known that does wonderful things
but it can be an ordinary or one that is not in the limelight
that can do wonderful things without recognition.
• Realization that a hero does not have to be a great name to be
recognized, but the smaller kindnesses and helping other are
also heroes.
•
To encourage us to focus more on the heroes and less on movie
stars—sports people—politicians, etc. There are many
such as teachers, grandparents, etc. to remember.
• I learned
about the different resources on the web and was reminded of the
many ways we could share our values with others.
• It helped me evaluate heroic deeds and people.
• That there are many kinds of heroes and we must teach our children
how to respond to different situations.
•
What an “Everyday Hero” is.
• I really enjoyed learning more about heroism and the different
qualities of heroism.
• Heroes can be family members.
• That there is more to heroism than I thought.
• That each of us have our own perspective on heroism, but each
are equally as wonderful.
• That taking the smart way is not dodging from being a hero.
• Importance of remaining calm.
•
Increases ability to make decisions after making a decision—apply
strength and endurance to its achievement. Listening to others
and help them to project positive actions.
• That most heroic acts are spontaneous.
• Heroes are not necessarily prominent people or people in the
news.
• To look back on past experiences to realize how far we have come
in our personal life activities.
• Recalled incidents in my life where heroism was inspired.
•
Identify ways we’ve been heroes and how others have been
too.
• Heroes are very important to you. My dad and grandma helped me
a lot. To help everybody that need help and guidance.
• To see people as they are and see the best of everyone.
• The people among us who do special things for others are our
Ring of Valor as well as those we hear about in the public.
•
Sometimes we don’t consider things we do as heroic.
• To have a more realistic recognition of the abilities that I
have, for good or ill.
• It gave me a opportunity to think about people in my life who
have displayed heroic characteristics.
• There are many ways, times, and places when you can be a hero.
• Sometimes something as simple as a word of encouragement can
change a life.
• Will be more aware of everyone and everything around me.
• Learn to be more aware.
• To try to be aware of others if they are in trouble.
• How the smallest action can be the mark of a hero. A hero can
be anyone and anywhere. It made us all think about our past.
• There are heroes in everyday life from the firemen - police -
EMS to the people in care homes who take care of others.
• There are more heroes than just rescue people.
• Able to define leadership a little bit more and really think
of our Ring of Valor.
• Heroes are unselfish people. They go out of their way to help
others.
• I learned that courage uses fear, no in spite of fear.
• Manage fear and make good decisions in an emergency.
•
Don’t panic.
• We all need to be more assertive in situations where we can make
better choices.
•
Courage is facing your fear and making small decisions because
it’s the right thing to do.
• Sometimes it is best to take a risk to help someone.
• That heroes are sometimes someone that just has the courage to
face their fears.
• Each person has their own heroes. We do learn from heroes past.
• Reminded us of heroes that we have forgotten. Try to help our
grandchildren pick a hero to plan their lives.
4. As a result of participating
in this program, do you think you will do anything different in the future?
Yes-187; No-69
5. If your response to question #4 was “yes,” can
you describe what you will do differently? (selected
responses)
•
I have a very positive attitude. My philosophy is “attitude
is everything” and I will try to be tolerant of all persons.
•
Will try and find good in every person I meet.
•
Be a better person.
•
I’ll try to show more empathy for others.
•
See heroic actions in different way.
•
Pay more attention to actions.
•
Be more courageous!
•
Just to able sure I stand up for what I think and value. To be
considerate and thing of others more.
•
Maybe I can have a more positive attitude and do a better job
with my volunteer projects.
•
Always try to do the right thing even if it isn’t the popular
thing.
•
Bring out the good in the world—especially for children.
•
Count your blessings. Be thankful for ancestors of yesteryear!
•
I’ll try to help others more often.
• Make more of an effort in everyday life to be of help to others.
•
Try to do some things for other people and not expect knowledge
of it. Try to touch other people’s lives.
•
To help others that need things done and they can’t do
them. Be kind and forgiving to other people.
• Be more aware of what is going on and help some one in need.
• Be more aware of how I can affect others and what I can do for
others.
•
Be more alert to what’s going on around you.
• I will be able to distinguish those who are heroes in a quiet,
unassuming way.
•
I’ve given thought to those people in my life that were “heroes.” I
am in the process of writing about my “heroes” and
in so doing wonderful memories are returned.
• Feel better about myself.
•
To be an everyday hero—you must be alert, care, have intelligence
and the strength to take action to do whatever needs to be done.
•
Remember that one is important to someone. Plan to keep and go
over the “Ring of Valor” from time to time.
• Be more appreciative of those heroes.
• Try to keep a good example for our young people.
•
Write to several people—a granddaughter first, telling
them what true heroes are to me.
• Find books for young grandchildren.
• I realized that what I do and say may have an influence on young
people around me.
• Think of how reactions might be of help to someone else.
• Be more involved.
•
In emergency extend yourself as a hero to do what normally you
couldn’t do.
• To put the right things in the right focus.
• Face fear with a different idea.
• Think more quickly about serious situations.
• Try to stay calm and think of options.
•
Act—take a stand—speak up.
• Just do what needs to be done and make wise choices.
• I will try to let my children and the children at the school
make choices before I step in.
• Not hesitate to help in some emergency.
• There is always or should be someone ready to help.
•
As always—if someone is in need I will help.
•
I’d like to think I would speak up for others who are being
maligned. Stating my opinions publicly when it’s important
to do so would take courage for me.
• Overcome fear for prudent, caring action.
• Think rationally. Stand up for what is right.
• Taking more risks to live life to its fullest.
• Appreciate someone who faces their fears and complement them
and tell them they are heroes.
• Encourage others to think through their priorities and help to
establish standards to help them control their lives, as I develop
my own priorities.
• Volunteer to help with causes.
• Try to teach younger people about heroes other than sports heroes,
etc.
• Throw something to save a drowning person. Think to make decisions.
Think before you act.
•
Ask yourself “Are you someone’s hero?” Is someone
following in your footsteps?
•
I have cared for a number of terminally ill people. Doing what
I could to make them remainder of their lives easier. I never
considered myself a hero. I just cared and wanted to help. As
a Hospice Volunteer I’ve been there for the clients, making
them laugh, and we cried together. There are many of us who love
to help others, but we never consider ourselves as heroes. This
was a good lesson!
• This is a program that needs to be presented in all schools to
the younger age groups.
• I especially liked the sharing of personal stories of heroes.
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