When you hear the word “superhero” you usually think of Spiderman swinging into a battle, or Batman flying over a town in distress, right? Think again. Malala Yousafzai is an 18 year old girl from Pakistan, and the actions she has taken in the past few years to change women’s and girl’s access to an education are as outstanding as any superhero’s. With her autobiography being published and read widely around the world, and the newly released movie based on the novel “He Named Me Malala”, she is now world renowned.

This past summer I read the book “I Am Malala”, which is an autobiography novel written by Malala Yousafzai herself. In her writings she explains  her small hometown life, just a hundred miles from Afghanistan. During Malala’s childhood the Taliban was quickly rising, taking over their city and making life a living hell for women. Malala disagreed with the Taliban’s strict rules and demanded that girls should be able to receive an education.

It was a day just like any other, Malala was chatting and laughing with her friends in a school bus. When suddenly, the members of the Taliban hopped on the bus asking for Malala Yousafzai, and when she raised her hand she was shot in the face. Fortunately surviving, she lives to fight as an activist for female education.

People all around the world are able to donate and support Malala in her missions to endlessly fight for women’s education around the world, including GHS students. Any girl or boy looking to support may go to www.malala.org to get the full backstory on her mission, read about shocking female education statistics, and take action by donating to the foundation. However, you don’t need money to help the cause. Simply tweeting #withMalala or telling your friends and relatives a bit of her story and fund would make an immense difference in not only our school, but the world.  So next time someone asks who your favorite superhero is, while Superman and the Hulk are pretty cool, reconsider the underrated superheroes of our world. “When the whole world is silent, even one voice is powerful.” –Malala Yousafzai