Fabric of the Community / The My Hero Project
UPFRONT PLACES | PERSPECTIVES | HAPPENINGS
Shining a Light
LOCAL NONPROFIT THE MY HERO PROJECT HONORS GLOBAL CHANGEMAKERS TO HELP YOUTH REALIZE THEIR OWN POTENTIAL .
By TANYA A . YACINA
T hrough the various programs they sponsor , Laguna Beach nonprofit The My Hero Project shines a light on people making powerful , positive change in the world while simultaneously celebrating the best of humanity through media , art and technology .
“ Since 1995 , visitors have been invited to participate online , and share and discover stories , art , short films and music that honor diverse heroes from all walks of life ,” says Jeanne Meyers , who co-founded My Hero and now serves as the organization ’ s director . “… The heroes [ that are ] honored work to protect the environment , for social justice , peace , human rights , and [ to ] show their love for family , friends and community through their generosity and courage in the face of adversity .”
My Hero began as a TV pilot , but shifted into its current internet presence when the pilot wasn ’ t picked up . Motivated to provide children with positive role models in the media and to use the power of technology to share the good that people are doing worldwide , the founders launched online in the 1990s as a commercial-free , nonprofit educational project to celebrate the best of humanity , one story at a time .
“ We shine a light on positive role models to help students of all ages realize their own potential [ and ] find their own voice to make positive change in the world ,” Meyers explains . “ My Hero project is a virtual learning platform and multimedia library that promotes values , media arts education and digital literacy .”
Meyers also says My Hero plays a role in classrooms across the globe , drawing more than 20 million visitors from 197 countries to the website each year . The safe ,
Students around the world use the My Hero website to discover inspiring stories and media .
noncommercial online venue allows students to discover , create and share things like essays , artwork , audio and films about extraordinary people who are making a difference in the world .
Dedicated to closing the digital divide so that access to the project ’ s content and storytelling tools is accessible to students everywhere , My Hero operates with support from grants to provide media arts training and resources to teachers and
Jeanne Meyers , co-founder and director of The My Hero Project
students worldwide . The project has won several awards for its educational programming , including a five-star rating from Common Sense Media as well as honors at the Anthem Awards for education , art and culture in both 2023 and 2021 . My Hero also recently received a grant of more than $ 500,000 from the Scripps Family Impact Fund , which will help support its annual film festival and media arts education programs .
TOP : LIZ KELLY ; ALL OTHERS ON SPREAD : COURTESY OF THE MY HERO PROJECT
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