Flying, shooting webs, using super strength, and defeating evil are all things we see in the average superhero. As children, the image of superman, batman, and wonder woman are put in the lime light; those fictional characters are exactly what kids want to grow up to be. However, as children grow into young adults, role models aren’t just in comic books and cartoons; the role models this generation looks up to are leading examples of what they want to, and will become in the future. Instead of looking up to a hero who uses his powers to fight evil, they start to look up to a hero who uses their personal strengths to achieve the best possible outcome from life.

“My mom has sacrificed so much for me and my sister, and that makes her a hero to me,” junior Jordan Alvarez said. “It makes me want to be just like her.”

Whether it’s a celebrity, co-worker or parent, the hero in one’s life can determine many aspects of what their future will look like. A hero leads by example, and the fans will follow in their footsteps. When someone has the features of a real hero, it attracts others to want to be just like them; which is why a hero is so important to the development to one’s future.

“The one thing I admire most about my mom is that she always seems to have everything under control,” sophomore Alyssa Schmidt said. “She’s always very calm, and I look up to her because of that. I want to be able to have those qualities when I’m older.”

The decision to chase after a dream is usually made when someone knows it’s truly possible to achieve it. Heroes give people hope that they can achieve anything they set their mind to, because heroes make it obvious that it can happen.

‘‘My dad is the man I want to be,” junior Lance Kay said. “He’s my hero because I look up to the way he has lived his life.”

No matter how big or how small, anyone can be a hero if they set the right example and prove the right points. Every dream starts from somewhere, and even the greatest heroes started off looking up to someone else.

“A great role model in my eyes would be my dad, because not only is he the kind of person I want to be, but he pushes me to be the best I can be as well,” junior Cynthia Ramirez said. “I try to be a better person because I know that’s what he would want me to do.”