Haru, 10 years old
"So class, your homework is to make a poster about your personal hero. Next week, you should be able to tell us all about somebody you admire. Class dismissed!"
Haru stared out the window at the clouds above, disregarding the ringing bell indicating the end of the school day. My personal hero, huh?
Later that evening, as Haru was sitting down to dinner with her parents, her parents had become acutely aware of their daughter being lost in thought.
"What's got you thinking this time, munchkin?" Her father asked.
Haru put a finger to her chin, wondering how best to explain her thoughts. "Well, for homework we have to make a poster about our personal heroes... and I'm not sure who mine is."
Her father chuckled. "Well, you've always loved science. How about someone like Albert Einstein? Or maybe Isaac Newton? Oh, how about Charles Darwin!"
Haru's mother shot her father one of those looks , which Haru had begun to see happen more and more often. "You know what, Haru, dear? Once you finish eating, I'll come help you with your project. It's been a while since mommy's helped you with your homework, hasn't it!"
Haru and her mother stayed up hours past her bedtime that night, learning all about great women like Ada Lovelace, Marie Curie, and Katherine Johnson. In the end, Haru made a decision about her project. She thanked her mother for all the help, and declared that it was time to sleep.
The next week
"My hero" Haru announced, standing proudly in front of her pristine poster, "is Miura Mei, my mother. She is the one who introduced me to all my other new heroes, and showed me that I can be a great scientist one day just like them."