Once upon a time, in a town called Harmony Hills, lived a bright and kind girl named Lottie. 

Lottie loved wearing sparkly dresses, practising her singing for talent, and helping others. She dreamed of one day becoming a pageant queen, not just for the crown or the sash, but to inspire others to be their very best.

One sunny afternoon, Lottie competed in the International United Miss pageant after months of hard work! But before she could wear the crown, she had to show the world what it meant to be H.E.R.O.I.C.

At rehearsal, Lottie found a beautiful bracelet backstage. It sparkled just like the crown she hoped to win. She could’ve kept it, but she didn’t.

Lottie picked it up and brought it to Miss Riley, the pageant director. “It’s not mine,” Lottie said, “but I think someone must be missing it.”

Later, another contestant named Maja came running up in tears. “I lost my grandma’s bracelet!”

Miss Riley smiled. “Lottie found it and brought it to me!” Maja hugged her. “Thank you, Lottie! You’re so honest.”

Lottie beamed. She knew that honesty built trust and trust made her a true friend.

The next day, Lottie noticed a girl named Amara sitting alone, looking sad.

“Are you okay?” Lottie asked gently. Amara shook her head. “I miss my mum. She couldn’t come today.”

Lottie sat beside her and held her hand. “My mum couldn’t come either once. It felt really lonely. Want to walk the stage with me?” Amara smiled. “Yes, please.”

Lottie hadn’t been through the exact same thing that day but she understood how it felt to be sad. That’s empathy: feeling what someone else feels, even if your story is a little different. And it made Amara feel a whole lot better.

During dinner, some girls started making fun of another contestant who talked differently.

“That’s not nice,” Lottie said firmly. “We should speak kindly to everyone. That’s what respect means.”

Then she turned to the girl and said, “I love your accent! Can you teach me how to say ‘hello’ in your language?”

The girl laughed and taught Lottie a new word.

Respect isn’t just for grown-ups; it’s for everyone. And Lottie knew being respectful meant treating others the way you want to be treated.

On talent night, Lottie’s music skipped! She stood frozen, her heart pounding.

Some girls whispered, “Oh no, she’s going to cry!”

But Lottie took a deep breath and smiled.

“I can sing without the music!” she said confidently and she did!

The crowd clapped even louder.

Later, her coach said, “Lottie, how did you stay so positive?”

Lottie replied, “I just focused on what could go right, not what could go wrong.” That’s optimism. And Lottie showed it perfectly.