What is a hero? A hero can be a lot of things. It doesn’t have to be someone with super speed, or insane strength. It just has to be someone who has impacted you. To me a hero is someone who is generous, kind, and devoted. My hero was a veterinarian I shadow named Dr. Cindy. I choose the, because she is kind to me, helps me along, and is always there for me.

The hero book project, was a project that my grade did. First, we had to choose a hero we wanted to write about. We would then write a small book about them. Then, with the help of the artist Peg Gignoux, we created our hero books. The books consisted of an outer scene of our hero, and you can open up the book and find a secret inner scene of our hero. Then on the next page, there was extra space for our written part of the book. We made all the illustrations with colored designed paper that we made before the book making.

Ms. Gunoux helping us with our books.

The most rewarding part of the process was staring with a bunch of paper, and then turning it into an illustrated picture made completely out of colored paper. It was just really nice to see everything come together and comparing the start and end result.

On the flip side, the most challenging part of this project was when you have to start the scene. It is really hard to figure out where to start. I have found myself just sitting over a blank page with paper in one hand and scissors in the other for a few minutes not knowing where to start. But once you start, it starts to get much easier.

I will be sharing my hero book with my hero, probably by going to her house and letting her read it. I will let her keep the book because she is the hero and she should get it.

Here is my hero book and some pictures of my book:

What makes a hero? Being devoted? Being generous? Being supportive? I think all of these traits make a hero, and that is why Dr. Cindy Eward is my hero. Dr. Eward was born on May 24, 1970, in Ottawa, Canada. She is the oldest of four siblings. As a child, she rode horses, swam, and did kayaking. She knew she wanted to be a veterinarian when she was four years old. For elementary and middle school, she went to Hopewell Glashan and her favorite subject was biology. Then, she went to Glebe High School and very much enjoyed chemistry and finished one year early in the 12th grade. When she was 18, she participated in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea as a kayaker. She went to Ontario College and went on to go to vet school. Dr. Eward graduated and later got certified as a veterinary surgeon. She loves helping animals and owners and is still working as a veterinarian today.

Heroes are devoted. They are always there for you and help you when you need it. Dr. Eward is always there for me and I strive to be like her. She always helps me answer my seemingly never-ending lists of questions about vet school and my future. But not only is she devoted to me to help me learn, she is also devoted to the animals. Dr. Eward does so much for the animals and owners she works with and will do anything to help an animal, even if it means helping the animal move on to a happier place. She will do so much to help an animal like performing intense and hard surgeries. Sometimes, she works with animals that could be potentially dangerous and with exotic animals. Once, Dr. Eward worked with a bear! She always strives to do everything she can for an animal. Dr. Eward is undoubtedly the most devoted person I know.

Heroes are generous. They are always looking for ways to give their time, their knowledge, and their experiences. They also are always looking for ways to help their community. Dr. Eward once worked with a therapy huskie that was helping two children with a neurological problem and the family had barely any money. The huskie was important to the family and especially the children. The dog had an orthopedic problem that would be expensive to heal. The children really loved the dog so Dr. Eward and the practice she worked with did the surgery for free. She is always helping the animals and people she works with and will do anything to positively impact their lives. Dr. Eward is also very generous with her time. When I ask to shadow, she always lets me shadow and is always there to help me. If this doesn’t make her one of the most generous people, I don’t know what would.

Finally, heroes are supportive. They are always there to support. They are uplifting and love to help. Dr. Eward is, without doubt, one of the most supportive people I know. Dr. Eward is supportive because she is a mentor to me and helps me with learning things about my career. Also, Dr. Eward always answers my questions and gives me advice. When kids have lost a pet, she is one of the people that supports them and helps them understand that their pet has moved on to a happier place. Dr. Eward will always support an animal and help them. She is always helpful and uplifting and she will always be a mentor to me.

Dr. Eward is devoted. She is generous. She is supportive, and she is a million other great things that I can’t put on here because there would be so many, this book would turn into a novel. Dr. Eward has had such a huge impact on my life and on so many others, and I will never forget the things she has done for me like encouraging me and helping me plan my future. I strive to be just like her and she is always a mentor to me. She is devoted, she is generous, she is supportive, she is encouraging, she is uplifting, and she is so much more. And that is why I call her my hero.

My hero book. Photos taken by me.