My Hero is 6-Year-Old Amazing Aliyah

Everyone has a hero, someone they look up to and strive to become like them. Some heroes are fictional characters with super powers, while others are real people who live real lives right here in our community. 

My hero is Aliyah Garcia, a 6-year-old girl who just finished kindergarten in my class at Hillman Elementary School. Aliyah finished kindergarten despite a global pandemic, despite learning through an iPad, and despite having leukemia. While most kids go through kindergarten learning their ABC’s and 123’s, social skills, and laughter, Aliyah also went through a bone marrow transplant, a two-month hospital stay, and radiation and chemo treatments -- all with a smile on her face for her teachers and friends. 

Aliyah came to every Zoom session she could, and she watched videos of lessons on the days that she just couldn’t. Even though we were learning remotely, she and her classmates still managed to become friends. They told her jokes, they had separate zoom sessions with her, and they made her cards and gifts throughout the year. This class was amazing, and Aliyah is amazing, too.

But why is she my hero? Despite being very sick, many times she was thinking of others. When I had COVID-19, Aliyah made me cards and pictures. When another student had his tonsils out, she was making him cards and pictures. But there’s more about our sweet Aliyah.

In my kindergarten classroom each year we talk about leaders: Leaders in our classroom, our school and community. I help them see that they can be leaders and help their community even when they are little and young. As leaders, we talk about taking care of our Earth, our community, and the ones we love.

As part of this lesson, I invited Rockford Mayor McNamara to our Zoom session to let the kids ask him questions about our community so they can think of a problem and help find a solution. This was a magical experience for all of us, and my hero Aliyah even made an impact on Mayor McNamara. 

She asked the Mayor, “Why don’t we have a Children’s Hospital here in Rockford?” The question and discussion led to the Mayor scheduling time to talk with Aliyah about her experience, plus some letter correspondence. The exchange lit a fire under our sweet Aliyah. She feels that she now has a voice and wants to help others with cancer. She has questions, plans and ideas swirling around her brain about how she can help people in Rockford see the need for a Children’s hospital, the need to donate bone marrow, and the need to donate to places like St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Charities and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

As her teacher, I want to support this journey any way that I can. I have learned so much from Aliyah this year. I can’t wait to see what ideas come to fruition! Be on the lookout to watch this amazing girl be a voice for others. Aliyah is amazing, and she is my hero!

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Jaime Doubek

Jaime Doubek has been a kindergarten teacher for eight years at Hillman Elementary School. She is married to an RPS 205 teacher, and their children are students at Guilford High School.