Referred to as my hero, Jack, my brother, held significance in my life. Since he did everything before me, he always guided me and shared with his experiences I would have never had otherwise. As a master of learning and sports, he always accompanied me to study and take exercise. And he even got me through difficulties in life.

My first steps into high school were exciting but nervous, and I believed my extracurricular grades would be seen and valued by colleges. However, this sudden shift was difficult for me. Luckily, my brother noticed it all.

During that time, Jack was beginning his senior year and was finished with all the stressful subjects from junior year while I was studying for my very first math exam. Rather than just break into my room and sit down next to me, he let me decide by myself. He didn’t want to bother me because having someone sit next to me and micromanage my every move made me feel uncomfortable, leading to more stress and a feeling of distrust. Knowing this, he would leave me chips and snacks by my door, so I could pick them up whenever I felt like taking a break. He was there to help whenever I needed. With his encouragement and company, I became more confident while doing my homework.

The workload was just a major struggle for me during high school. Homework from advanced classes began piling up, and I was often stressed about different projects and deadlines. Moreover, there was also a math competition that my parents valued a lot, which needed plenty of practice every single day.

Even though I liked the time my brother gave me to figure out things on my own, it was reassuring to always have somebody who was willing to help me when I was stuck on an unsolvable problem. He would help me memorize formulas, explain different terms to me, and point out traps in different questions. And with his reputation as the best math student in our school, he could make those topics and questions simple to understand.

I began to spend hours at my desk focusing on getting a good score in the math competition.

Later Jack and I went to the same college and joined the same sports club.

The prize may go to the fastest, but sometimes, the first one to cross the finish line isn’t the only winner. Nowhere was that more true than at a recent 5K invitational (邀请赛) in Shelbyville, Indiana.

There were two players in the match: Levi LaGrange and Axel Aleman, who hadn’t known each other before. Levi LaGrange, an 18-year-old student from Western Boone High School, has been expecting to be a professional sportsman for many years. Axel Aleman, who is from Sheridan High School, is a friendly and generous person and he is always more concerned about others than himself. Axel once said to his classmates, “When you are standing at a crossroad, you can choose the path of self-interest, or you can go the extra mile for someone in need. As a teen athlete, the choice is extremely clear.”

The game went very well at first. However, with less than half a mile to go, Levi LaGrange slipped, twisting his ankle. He said, “I was running up the little rolling hill and I hurt my ankle. I felt something was wrong with my ankle.”

Levi stopped and signed to Axel to pass him. Generally, winning a match should be the mission for a sportsman, But at that moment, the race became a secondary concern for Axel. “I was able to see he was in a lot of pain,” Axel recalled. “As I got closer to him, he narrowly fell down. I asked if he was all right. He said he felt like something broken in his leg.”

Rather than running ahead, in an extraordinary act of true sportsmen, Axel refused to leave Levi behind. “As soon as I saw him, I knew I had to do something,” Axel said. “It just seemed like the right thing to do. That mattered more than the race. I told him I wasn’t going to leave. I wanted to help him finish the match.”

Minutes later, Axel walked closer to Levi.

Axel gained a lot from the incident.

My name is Daniel. I was the new boy in the class. My father had been offered a better job in London, and our whole family had to move here. I was twelve and, having lost all my old friends, I felt shy and lonely at my new school. There were 33 students in my new class, and most people weren’t very interested in a shy new boy. Roy was one of the few people who were kind to me. He often invited me to join his particular group, and as a result, I started getting to know people. Roy and I became good friends. We trusted each other and we could talk about personal matters, things that were important to us.

Five years later, Roy and I are still in the same class. But just under a year ago, Roy’s father was knocked over by a car. He died a few days later. The family had to move to a much smaller house in order to manage financially. Roy, who had always been very close to his father, changed completely, becoming silent and moody. He had always been a clever, hard-working student but now he seemed to lose all interest in his work. I couldn’t stand seeing him like this, but I never got a chance to ask him. He just disappeared after school, returning in the morning looking tired. From time to time, he even fell asleep at his desk. Ms. Jones, our head teacher was worried about him as well. I decided to find out what was going on.

So, one day, having finished classes, I quickly put my books in my locker and grabbed my coat from the cloakroom (衣帽间). Roy was already on his way. I followed him. He moved fast along the towns streets. Having arrived at a small restaurant, he stopped. He turned around, looking sad and ashamed. Then he quickly swung the door open and ducked inside. I waited for a few moments, thinking what Roy was doing here.

Then I went in and saw him in a waiter’s uniform.

I didn’t want to break my promise but I needed help from an adult.