High Life / A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : If Possible, What Would You Buy for Someone Special?

‘Tis the season to go shopping.

And while most begin the seasonal pilgrimage to the malls with a tight budget in mind, wouldn’t it be nice to not have to think about money and instead concentrate on purchasing the perfect gift?

Hot Topics wonders: “If you had unlimited resources, what would you most like to give as a Christmas gift and to whom?”

“The gift of healing to all cancer patients.”

Rina Yano, 16,

junior, Corona del Mar

“Unlimited amounts of food to starving people around the world.”

Greg Brown, 16,

junior, Corona del Mar

“Food and shelter for all the homeless people in America.”

Becky Smith, 16,

junior, Corona del Mar

“I’d like to give everyone in the world a Megadeth and Slayer tape so they could listen to real music.”

Tim Picart, 16,

junior, Corona del Mar

“I would buy my parents a new house and provide them with all the things they needed. But this would not even come close to how much I love them.

Karen Clark, 17,

senior, Costa Mesa

“I would buy everything my mother ever needed. I would donate the rest of my money to charity.”

Alicia Romo, 15,

sophomore, Costa Mesa

“All the sporting equipment my father ever wanted.”

Angela Tonavanik, 15,

sophomore, Costa Mesa

“I would buy my parents a brand-new house on the beach. I would also hire a housekeeper to look after the house while they are on a second honeymoon, which I would pay for.”

Dai Vu, 16,

junior, Costa Mesa

“Education to deprived children in schools in bad neighborhoods, who want to learn but cannot because of their environment.”

Nick Gray, 14,

freshman, Costa Mesa

“A cat for my mom and dad.”

Shannon Okura, 14,

freshman, El Toro

“A set of Encyclopaedia Britannica for my friend’s new son, because it has the most information.”

Kurt Henning, 17,

senior, El Toro

“I’d look for the most needy organization and give them whatever they needed.”

Amanda Ankenbrandg, 17,

senior, El Toro

“Housing for the homeless and give a better house to my own family.”

Nancy Thompson, 14,

freshman, El Toro

“I’ll give everyone who deals with me a bunch of tolerance.”

Jennie Vassar, 17,

senior, Garden Grove

“I’d give my best friend a Mustang.”

Mike Knee, 15,

sophomore, Garden Grove

“If I had my way, I’d grant Jerry Falwell a double hernia.”

Joe Horton, 18,

senior, Garden Grove

“I’d give my best friend her father back.”

Dawn Marshall, 14,

freshman, Garden Grove

“I would give homeless people a place to live.”

Kasey Ogle, 15,

sophomore, Garden Grove

“I would buy all the guns and weapons from all the armies, so that we could have peace on earth.”

Paul Roesler, 17,

senior, La Habra

“I’d buy a turbo BMW for our principal, so that he could drive to school in holiday style.”

Tish Williams, 17,

senior, La Habra

“I would use my funds to pay off the national debt; then the president would have less stress and be able to work without frustration. The United States would have less tension this way and would be better off.”

Brian Gunnarson, 16,

junior, La Habra

“I’d buy the grain surplus the government keeps hoarding and give it to the hungry.”

Stephen Archer, 17,

senior, La Habra

“Anaheim Stadium for myself; that way I could own the California Angels.”

Tiffany Leverenz, 17,

senior, Mater Dei

“A mansion for my parents to live in for the rest of their lives.”

Mike Maiocco, 17,

senior, Mater Dei

“I would give my mom her wish--I would buy her a house.”

Monica Ankenbran, 14,

freshman, Mater Dei

“I would give my boyfriend the drum set he really wants.”

Chantell Sims, 14,

freshman, Mater Dei

“I would give my mom a plane ticket to see her family in South America, which she hasn’t seen in 20 years.”

Kim Maddox, 14,

freshman, Mater Dei

“Money and food to the people who seriously need it.”

Veronica Virgen, 16,

junior, Saddleback

“I would buy my parents a new house somewhere in El Toro.”

Ninh Tu, 17,

senior, Saddleback

“Intelligence and good looks for my future children.”

Dina Nguyen, 16,

junior, Saddleback

“I would buy my parents a new personality.”

Melissa Nguyen, 16,

junior, Saddleback

“I would give the world another chance to start on the right foot.”

K.C., 16,

junior, Saddleback

“A home and a job for every homeless family in America.”

Scott Crosby, 17,

senior, Santa Ana Valley

“Housing and an education for the starving people in Ethiopia and other places in the world.”

Yesenia Pineda, 16,

junior, Santa Ana Valley

“Love to all my friends and family.”

Ivan Dang, 18,

senior, Santa Ana Valley

“Money for scholarships to hard-working students.”

Kim Lasamay, 17,

senior, Santa Ana Valley

“Health and happiness to all the sick people in the world.”

Ana Rios, 14,

freshman, Santa Ana Valley

“I would like to give my friend enough credits to graduate.”

Steve Madden, 17,

senior, Woodbridge

“I would buy everyone who doesn’t have food a meal.”

Justin Fisher, 17,

senior, Woodbridge

“I would give my friend Mary a tan for Christmas.”

Alesa Nelson, 17,

senior, Woodbridge

“I would give Dan Quayle brains.”

Charlie Cook, 17,

senior, Woodbridge

Next Week’s Hot Topic:

If you could start a class in anything at your school, what would it be and why?

Hot Topic responses gathered by Dean Camaras (Corona del Mar), Blythe Latimer (Costa Mesa), Dawn Stone (El Toro), Duncan Delt (Garden Grove), Jennifer O’Brien (La Habra), Debbie Maddox (Mater Dei), Nguyen-Hong Hoang (Saddleback), Hang Nguyen (Santa Ana Valley) and Tomarra Wilds (Woodbridge).

DR, JORGE AYALA