Let's admit it: of all the ages of life, probably the hardest to get through are the middle school years. In a time when one is desperately trying to figure out who they are, one of the greatest fears for most middle schoolers is being a "nobody." Humiliation can be defined as being ridiculed for being different from the status quo, or perhaps worse, being invisible.

And the media doesn't help. From its portrayal, it seems that the epitome of being "someone" is being a tv or movie star or a sports celebrity. Glamor, glitz, chest thumping, and loud lives are depicted as normal and routine. All needed, the media likes to tell us, in order to be a "somebody."

As a teacher, there is nothing more frustrating than seeing impressionable, young minds being turned towards such shallowness. After teaching hundreds and hundreds of students, many who idolize such behavior, I find myself more and more drawn towards role models who are on the other end of the spectrum: people who are ordinary, simply going about their everyday lives, who suddenly decide to do something extraordinary--not for the fame that it eventually brings, but because they believe in a cause that is larger than themselves.

This blog is a compilation of books, websites, and films that celebrate those who I call Extraordinary People. Their stories are an inspiration--to put it mildly. Some of them are extraordinary because they endure hardship unlike anything any of us have ever known and yet refuse to lose their humanity and dignity. Others are extraordinary because they decide to follow their passions and ultimately display a genius that shines on for centuries. Still others are so because they find a cause worth fighting for and choose not to give up despite tremendous obstacles.

My hope is that in reading and listening to these stories and exploring these websites, middle schoolers will find role models who are truly worth emulating and discover within themselves the desire to become their best every single day.

Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis


Reading grade level: 6 - 9

Pages: 201 p.; chapter book

Book summary and analysis: At once a heart-wrenching story of survival and a thrilling account of a fight for justice, Left for Dead tells two stories perfectly intertwined: the true tale of the torpedoing of the U.S.S. Indianapolis at the end of World War II and the survival stories of the men who spent five days in the open water after her sinking, as well as the inspiring account of an extraordinary 11-year-old boy, Hunter Scott, who made discoveries for a history fair project about the Indianapolis' captain and crew that had never been told and led a fight in Congress to exonerate her captain, the only Navy officer court-martialed during the second World War. A fantastic book for whole class discussion, this book is as inspiring as it is educational for all readers.

Book includes: table of contents, preface by Hunter, photographs, acknowledgements, bibliography, and index

Additional curricular connections: World War II, the human spirit, the power of research, U.S. Navy history, survival

Links:
Author's website: http://www.ipetenelson.com/index.htm
Hunter's website: http://www.unc.edu/~hascott/hunter/hunter..html
USS Indianapolis organization's website: http://www.ussindianapolis.org/intro.htm
To review & purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Left-Dead-Search-Justice-Indianapolis/dp/0385730918
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