A privately commissioned oil painting of Governor Deval Patrick, former U.S. Senator William “Mo” Cowan, and former Chief Justice Roderick Ireland was unveiled at the State House library on Monday, December 15. Two Baldwin 5th grade students, Zora Walton and Julia Vinagre, were selected to attend and to present their writing of 'what is means to be a role model.' (See their essays below.)
The portrait by Sharman Altshuler, based on a July 2013 photo of the three on the State House steps, memorializes the first time in state history that African Americans served as governor, chief justice, and U.S. senator at the same time.
Heroes and Role Models
by Zora Walton
Good Afternoon, My name is Zora Walton. A hero doesn't have to be someone that has superpowers. A hero can be anybody. Whether you saved a cat or helped a turtle get across the road. You are a hero. Role models are also heroes. To be a role model means a lot of different things. It can go from being quiet in line while you are passing some noisy 1st graders. You're teaching other people the right thing to do. That's being a role model, so is being a hero.
Heroes are everywhere and so are role models. Planting a tree is being a hero because you are making a new generation of trees by just planting one more. Trying to save endangered animals is being a hero too! You are saving animals. The people trying to save the Hoan Kiem turtle do a lot to keep it alive since it is the last one. That is being a big hero! Isn't that what Superman and Spiderman do? Trying to save lives. Parents are great role models because they teach their kids how to survive. They tell us to be quiet when we are in a important place or don't touch the paintings on the wall in a museum. Parents give kids the knowledge to live. Without parents kids wouldn't know how to talk, walk and do lots of other stuff.
So in the end being a hero and a role model means much more than you might think it does.
Role Models
by Julia Vinagre
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is Julia Vinagre. A role model to me, is someone you can look up to. When I say role models I do not mean artists, actors, or musicians. I mean real ones like Martin Luther King or The President Of the United States Of America. Those people stood tall and fought for what they believed in. I believe that is what a role model is.
I am sure that plenty of you have heard about the marathon bombing. Well, believe it or not, I was at the marathon that year. I am very lucky to be alive. I even met the famous cowboy hero. He gave me one of the flags that he had. Carlos Arredondo was this role model's name. Instead of running away to save himself from this terrorist act, Carlos rushed into the smoke to help the injured.
Another good role model was a man named Gandhi. He believed that the people of India should not have to buy salt from the British when they can get free salt from the bay. He got in trouble for voicing his opinions, but he was still a good role
model. No matter what people told Gandhi he stood for what he believed in. Gandhi even started the Salt March. This was a long journey where the people of India would walk straight to the bay and get all the salt they wanted.
I remember a time when I was a good role model. A teacher was telling her class not to talk in line. Of course none of them listened. In this class was a girl named Vivian. Vivian loves to say hi and hug whenever she sees me. Vivian was saying hi but I told her in a silent way to quiet down. She got what I was saying and waved. I was a good role model because Vivian learned not to talk in line anymore.
You see, anyone can be a role model. I still have some things to work on before I become a good role model. That is because no one, not even role models are perfect. Thank you.