Recently in My hero Category

Anderson's characters combine humor, drama

As a teen, I find myself having many heroes and role models, but I think my biggest would have to be director Wes Anderson. His films might not make a lot of money, but that's not really important.

He has directed and co-written five films and has a sixth one on the way. Anderson's first movie, "Bottle Rocket", was released in 1996. Since then, he has created "Rushmore," "The Royal Tenenbaums," "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou", and "The Darjeeling Limited." His sixth film, "The Fantastic Mr. Fox," is set to come out later this year.

One thing I really enjoy about Anderson's movies is the characters. There are always a lot of major characters in his movies and I find myself liking and caring about each one. What makes the characters even more interesting is the actors he chooses. Anderson takes comedic actors like Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson and Bill Murray and places them in roles that are still funny, also dramatic and emotional.

Now, I myself might not want to be a director in the future, but I do want to be a comic book artist or writer. Whatever career I go into, I'd like to be able to make people laugh and create characters that are likable, yet vulnerable at the same time.

I think it's amazing how people like Anderson can be fairly unknown by most people, but he can still consistently deliver greatness and never give up on his fans. I recommend that everyone watch his films and experience something wonderfully funny and touching.

- By RYAN RUSER, Dallastown Area High School

George Washington, Thomas Paine, Ben Franklin, Albert Einstein, Ralph Waldo Emerson, the Abolitionists, muckrakers from the 1920s, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X, Ralph Nader, Noam Chompsky, Ron Paul and Mike Gravel.

These people are/were BAMFs. They are/were heroes and rebels against the status quo, and they helped shape my beliefs that I hold today.

Everyone should study these people. They are worth your time.

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel inspires me.

The world knows this woman as Coco Chanel. But I do not admire her international label. I admire the courageous way Chanel created that label.

Raised in a French orphanage until age 17, Chanel experienced a childhood in stark contrast with her adult life. After leaving the orphanage, she entered the world of fashion as an amateur milliner, opening a small boutique on a busy Paris street. With fashion innovations redesigning the couture world, the "double C" logo became increasingly popular with European women. By age 33, Chanel was a financially independent business owner, an unlikely situation for a young woman living in World War II-era France. Despite fierce competition among designers, Chanel made a name for herself, a name that people still recognize across the globe.

Chanel's life demonstrates that hard work, talent, and determination can overcome a bleak beginning. She continued to make her mark on fashion and society for 70 years despite struggles in her professional and private lives.

At times, I doubt my own dreams of becoming a successful writer; the world of journalism is highly competitive. But if I develop the same motivation and passion for my work as Chanel did, I hope similar success will come my way. I look to Chanel as my example that it does not matter how you start -- what counts is the way you finish.

Arabesque. Grand jete. Develope. Chasse. For dance instructor Charlee Zamudio-Fidler these are just a few words that have become part of her vocabulary because of how often she uses them.
Zamudio-Fidler works at the well-regarded York Area Repertoire of Dance where she is a valued dance instructor.
At the age of 30, she is well-versed in many forms of dance, from ballet to jazz.
She has a strong passion for contemporary, modern and lyrical dancing as well. She's loved dancing since she was 5 years old.
"Dancing is all I've ever loved," said Zamudio-Fidler. "It's all I've ever done because I love music and moving, nothing else."
She started dancing as a student at the School of Music and Dance in Hanover, then moved to Chicago in 2001 to further her dancing experience. She began seriously instructing in 2005.
As a teen, she attended Hanover High School, but also took dance classes in the magnet program at William Penn Senior High School. She continued her education at Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois where she got her Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a concentration in ballet and modern dance. Besides instructing at the York Area Repertoire of Dance, she also teaches dance at William Penn. Her favorite part of teaching at William Penn is the challenge of getting students who know nothing about dance to love it.
"I love getting students to appreciate the art of dance, and then helping them learn and better themselves," said Zamudio-Fidler
She draws inspiration from her students, the fun of choreographing the musicals for William Penn, and from attending dance conventions. Some of her role models are famous dance instructors Mia Michaels, Chris Judd and Rudolf Nureyev (Sue: these names are all CQ).
Michaels and Judd are dancers who headline The Pulse Dance Convention at which dancers from all over the nation come to work with the greats of the dance world. Rudolf Nureyev was like a god in the world of ballet and Zamudio-Fidler highly regards and admires him.
In the future, she would like to go back to college and achieve her master's in dance History. She believes that dance is always evolving, and it is important to reinvent oneself.
Her advice to anyone who aspires to dance is, "Learn every form you can, step outside yourself, try them all and stay well-rounded. Also, stay in school."

Phil Scott is a teacher I greatly admire but never had a chance to thank for how wonderful he was to me.

Mr. Scott has probably been teaching for more than 20 years, and this year is his last. I've known him since seventh grade. He was not only my history teacher at Christian School of York, but he was also my favorite.

His quirkiness and unique teaching style always grabbed my attention. He was a great example to look up to spiritually. He was not afraid to tell us that he messed up, but he told us ways to avoid problems and was an excellent source of wisdom and knowledge.

As a history teacher, he always had new and fun ways to teach us things about the past. He actually made history fun and somewhat enjoyable. He didn't just read out of the textbook but told us stories of his past and what it meant to him.

I remember every day, at the beginning of class, he would grab clippings from the York Daily Record and read us the latest current events. Or, during a big test or exam, he would randomly burp or make some sort of strange sound that made us all laugh.

I felt comfortable around him. If I had a problem, he would be one of the first people I'd go to, which is the way a teacher should be. He is probably one of the best teachers I've ever had, and I will miss him dearly. I'm sure after all the things he has taught me ---- and probably taught hundreds of other students -- no one can complain or forget about dear, old, Mr. Scott.

-- CORINNE ELLIOTT, Central York High School

The word "hero" means something different to everyone. To me, a hero is someone who can be looked upon as a role model because of their actions, words and overall morals.

As a soccer and volleyball player, I have encountered many influential coaches. But in my mind only two exemplify the qualities necessary to be my heroes.

Author Barbara Alpert writes, "She is your mirror, shining back at you
with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst
and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight
companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your
teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink."

The road we're on, i don't want it to end.
There isn't an exit, only wide open lanes to fill.
I'll be your passenger, if you'll take me to places I've never been.
I don't care how we get there, or how long it takes.
i just care that it's with you...for all the miles we last.
Nothing will make me abandon us, or get off at the wrong moment.
You'll always be my first whirlwind drive, speeding off into the sunset.
No sign, no light, no one, no map will make us part.
Nothing exists that can take me away from you, for I am on a one way road to the rest of my life.
And I want you along for the ride=]

High school is a time for students to discover what is important to them and where their lives will take them next.
This can often be a difficult discovery and requires assistance from others.
For me, this assistance came from the Susquehannock High School English department's outstanding teaching staff.
The following five influential educators taught me the fundamentals of being a successful writer and continuously encouraged me to improve my English skills.

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I know that it might sound corny, but the No. 1 hero and role model in my life is my mom.

Throughout the years she has been there for me no matter what I do. She has always encouraged me. If there was something I needed done, she would drop everything just for me. Of course, as any teenager, I fought with her, yelled and took advantage. I did not fully comprehend how much she loved me, or how she exerted patience and forgiveness every day.