Who Are Your Heroes, Role Models? Why?

“Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No . . . it’s Superman!”

Heroes--super or not--idols and role models are important in the lives of teen-agers. Everybody needs someone to look to for guidance and to help them develop their own character.

Here are some of the responses to this week’s hot topic: “Who are your heroes and role models and why?”

Bethel Baptist

“I want to base my life on the lives of Jesus’ disciples. They preached the Word they believed in, and some gave their lives for its cause.”

--Shannon Steinbach, 16, junior

Bolsa Grande

“Alexander the Great had the greatest empire in history. He was intelligent, a leader and had the ability to be and was the best.”

--Simon Bang, 17, senior

“Amadeus (Wolfgang Mozart) was a natural at music, and everything he’s done I admire.”

--Rikki Lepule, 17, senior

Capistrano Valley

“Henry Kissinger because of all his accomplishments as secretary of state and ambassador to the United Nations.”

--Tiffany Gill, 18, senior

“My mother is my role model because she’s really strong. She handles a career, a family and a husband. She puts up with me.”

--Becky Tarziale, 16, junior

Cypress

“Andy Warhol for achieving fame without doing much of anything.”

--Bill Jenniches, 16, junior

“I admire Jacques Cousteau for what his purpose in life is--saving our oceans. One day I will join him.”

--Melissa Lokken, 17, senior

El Dorado

“My role model is my grandmother. As long as I can remember, I’ve always looked up to her because she has always been there for me.”

--Beth Carmelline, 16, junior

“My all-time hero is Frank Zappa because he’s an amazing musician and a workaholic.”

--Josh Freese, 15, freshman

Lutheran

“William Shatner (of television’s ‘Star Trek’) because he’s cute and I like the way he commands the ship with a sense of humor and compassion.”

--Kellie Wilson, 17, junior

“Sally Ride (the first woman on the space shuttle) is someone that I look up to. I want to be involved in the remaking of the shuttle and go up in it.”

Michele Hanson, 16, junior

Rosary

“Marilyn Monroe was different, pretty, unique and her own individual.”

--Noelle Nelson, 16, junior

“Jane Fonda because she can work out and I can’t.”

--Stella Richards, 16, junior

University

“I look up to Cher because she has been through so much. She acts, sings, has won a Grammy and is now up for an Oscar. She is a star in every aspect of the word.”

--Nicole Odekirk, 18, senior

“I admire Randle (Patrick) McMurphy, the main character in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,’ because he wasn’t afraid to fight for something he believed strongly in.”

--Darren Turbow, 18, senior

Whittier Christian

“My father is my hero because I think he’s the smartest businessman in the world.”

--David Lee, 18, senior

Next Week’s Hot Topic: Is it OK for a girl to ask a guy out on a date?

Hot Topic responses gathered by Roxane Dyrud, Natalie Smith, Darcy Griffin, Lynda Kim, Cindy O’Hanlon, An Trinh, Krista Imboden, Amy Burke, Rebecca Leung and Lara Voloshin.