Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

• Optional: A copy of Story 1, "Giraffe Hero Stories," and/or printed-out or live web stories of individuals who have been recognized by the Giraffe Heroes Project
• Optional: A copy of Story 3, "Olympia Brown - A Voice and a Vote"
• Optional: One or more storybooks from the suggested list in Leader Resources, and post-its
• Optional: Computer with internet access

Preparation for Activity

• Visit the Giraffe Heroes Project website and browse stories of dozens of individuals of all ages who were nominated for recognition because they "stuck their necks out" and made a difference. Four Giraffe Hero stories are provided in Story 1, Giraffe Hero Stories. Read Story 3, Olympia Brown - A Voice and a Vote, about a 19th-century Universalist woman who persevered and persisted for women's rights and other issues. She was ordained a Universalist minister, the first woman to achieve full ministerial standing recognized by a denomination. And, explore the storybook choices about heroes and heroines who persevered provided in the Leader Resources section. Choose one or more of these resources to use in this activity.
• To use the Giraffe Heroes website in this activity, arrange for a computer with internet access. Set up the meeting space - or find another meeting space - where all the children can see the monitor when you go online. Before the session, identify the specific stories you plan to share and make a note of the exact URL for each one.
• If you have chosen a picture book to show the group, read it several times to become familiar with the contents. Use post-its to mark pages to share.

Description of Activity

Gather the children in close so that they can hear the stories you will share to inspire and guide them to act with courage and perseverance. Say, in your own words:

There are people of all ages, including Unitarian Universalists, who have worked really hard for something they believed in. Many, many people have at times acted just like the brave little parrot. These are people who do whatever it takes to change something that they are concerned about. Even though they are just one person, often their perseverance and persistence inspire other people to help. That is how change can happen in the world and in the hearts of the people involved.

Ask the children to try to picture the people and their stories in their imaginations as you tell about them. Share the stories you have chosen.

Including All Participants

If some children may have difficulty sitting still to listen to these stories, provide fidget objects. Described in Leader Resources, fidget objects can provide a non-disruptive outlet for children who learn kinesthetically or simply need to move.