By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Second-grade students at Hilltop Elementary School recently had a very special visitor at their school when Caribou Firefighter Scott Susi came to speak to them on what it means to be a hero. Within the four individual second-grade classrooms students were learning about what a hero is, who it might be and what they do. This unit of learning Heroes Week is part of the grade-two curriculum and is taught in conjunction with the events of 9/11.
Firefighter Susi, fielding many questions, explained, “Heroes don’t have to wear a uniform, anyone can be a hero. It could be your mom or dad, a teacher, a bus driver, a train engineer or a garbage truck driver, an iron worker, or a dog; a hero is someone that helps another but doesn’t ask for anything in return. This is just the type of people they are.”
Susi related the story of a subway driver, who on the day of the 9/11 attacks, stopped the subway train under the South Tower, saving hundreds of people by keeping the doors open to let people into the subway cars — this took place four minutes before the tower collapsed.
Students shared stories with Firefighter Susi of things that happened to them and who their heroes were. Many asked what type of things he had to do as a fireman. “Being a firefighter, that’s our job,” said Susi, “we don’t look for hero treatment.” Accompanying Susi to the Hilltop School were his daughters Emily and Kimmy, who both agreed during the discussions that they considered their Dad to be a hero.
Reinforcing that anyone can be a hero, Susi told the students, “It could be your next door neighbor, it all depends on what’s going on around you. Heroes are also those who do things with you — heroes come from anywhere and they do what they do because they care; they give the greatest gift of all — they give of themselves.”
As the special visit came to an end, students were still sharing questions and stories with their guest, Firefighter Susi reminded them to “Find the hero in yourself.”
