Thank you for doing this, it’s a great idea, and hope it continues and inspires more children and teens to read and/or keep reading.

Hero Academy was a fantastic, creative way to introduce my son to graphic novels he normally would have overlooked. From John Lewis’s March and the events of the Civil Rights movement to The Prince and the Dressmaker and it’s message of the importance of self expression and being yourself, these novels have really expanded his outlook. He has found the moderated Zoom discussions to be challenging and fun. He actually marks his calendar and tells me when the next one is coming up which is amazing because I usually can’t get him to do anything without having to remind him multiple times. Thank you very much for the time, effort, and thoughtfulness you have put into this. A perfect activity for homebound kids during the pandemic or really any other time for that matter. We look forward to the next one.

Mia is a strong reader but really had not connected to reading in a recreational way. I was always looking for ways to harvest a joy in reading for her. When the Hero Academy was recommended I was hopeful this would be just the thing to help her find the love of reading and that is exactly what it did. Not all of the books were her favorite but the exposure to different types of books helped her figure out what she does like! We have even started checking out books from the library now that she knows what she likes. She will now opt to read instead of other activities. She will share the plot lines of stories with us or funny scenes! She enjoyed the conversations during the book club meetings and the ability to interact and share her thoughts and hear what others were thinking. We are grateful for all of the thought and time that went into developing the Hero Academy!

Student Teacher

Engaging with children and their love of stories was the highlights of my weekends. Being able to be a part of a positive impact, that encourages children’s interest in reading and broadening their understanding through the stories we’ve read, will always be what I remember from Hero Academy.

Librarian, California Middle School

I found the Hero Academy a beacon during COVID for students to engage and explore new genres of books while connecting with a diverse group of peers from similar grade levels but different campuses and neighborhoods.

Teacher, David Lubin Elementary

The Hero Academy’s books and format created a space for students to engage in dialogue with each other in a small group setting about underrepresented figures in literature. Using the format of graphic novel created engagement and accessibility for all readers that also prompted students to talk about representation, empathy and compassion.

Principal, Leataata Floyd Elementary

We truly appreciated partnering with you this year! Providing the opportunity for our students to participate in your comic book club was a perfect way to sneak in those reading skills, especially during a pandemic. It was especially great that you chose books with diverse characters that represent our students.

We look forward to continuing this partnership in the future!