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Ask a fifth-grader who his hero is, and chances are he'll mention a famous basketball player, maybe a policeman or perhaps even an entertainer. But students at Goose Bay Elementary School will tell you a hero sits at the desk right beside them.

Michael Hansen and Alex Levchenko, both 11-year-old fifth-graders at Goose Bay Elementary School, are being hailed as heroes after the way they responded during a fire in their neighborhood on the morning of March 19. Levchenko called 911 and got the fire department headed in the right direction, while Hansen -- who was home alone at the time -- managed to get into the crawl space, dig out hoses, string them together and save his own house from the fire.

"I don't think we are heroes," Hansen said. "It doesn't change anything."

The boys were presented trophies by Central Mat-Su Fire Department service area asisstant Michael Keenan at a school assembly recently.

"He told me it was a good thing I called 911 and that I should be proud of myself," Levchenko said.

The fire began around 7:30 a.m. on Phenix Drive, off Vine Road, and it didn't take long for the young students to jump to action and take control of the situation.

"I smelled smoke in the house and looked out the window and saw a small fire that was getting bigger pretty quick," Levchenko said. "I called 911. I was scared because there was a Quonset hut that was destroyed and people were living in it."

Nobody was injured in the blaze, and thanks to the quick thinking of Hansen, his house was saved.

"I heard something and looked out and saw the fire. I called my dad and called the fire station and went outside. My next-door neighbor told me to get some hoses," Hansen said.

Hansen had to go into the crawl space of his house to get the hoses. When he finally got them hooked up, he said he sprayed the area around his house, trying to establish a fire-safe perimeter.

"The fire got put out five feet from my house," Hansen said.

A Goose Bay Elementary School employee, Linda Wilbur, said the school is very proud of the work the two boys did.

"They did exactly what they should have done in an emergency, even as the fire was getting out of control," Wilbur said. "We're proud of them, and I know their parents are proud of them, too."

The boys said their actions weren't heroic, and getting the award in front of the entire school "was embarrassing," Hansen said.

Hansen's trophy reads "Courage Award. Presented to Michael Hansen for demonstrating bravery and courage in an emergency," while Levchenko's trophy reads "Outstanding Citizen Award. Presented to Aleksandr Levchenko for demonstrating quick and cool thinking in an emergency."

Despite their fireman-like responses, neither boy said they want to become a fireman when they grow up.

Hansen said he wants to be a fisherman, while Levchenko said he'd like to become an electrician.