Everyone has role models they look up to. We follow their careers and strive to be more like them.

Students and, indeed, youth across America base their wardrobes, hairstyles and even professions on their role models and perceptions of them.

But what about these individuals makes them so special, and who do we choose to look up to?

I was watching the Super Bowl last Sunday, and at the end of it, the trophy was presented to the Patriots. As the camera swept around the stadium, showing the fans, I noticed the cheering masses included children.

These young impressionable individuals were having the time of their lives, and I’m sure more than one were thinking “I want to be a football player someday, too!”

I recall having similar thoughts during my childhood. I wanted to be a GI Joe and rid the world of “bad guys.”

But who do kids, teens and even college students look up to in today’s society?

We have evolved from a society that used to look up to social activists and politicians. Now, we are seeing our generation idolizing Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and other Hollywood and sports icons.

I admit I have my favorite movie stars and sports celebrities, but I’m not one to change my appearance because one of them got a new haircut.

Does anyone remember the Jennifer Aniston haircut every girl seemed to need? Or the Eminem rap clothes phase where guys had their pants down to their knees? I’ll admit I was one of those people who wore my pants like that for a very brief period in high school.

One of the ads shown during the Super Bowl is a perfect example of how we follow celebrities.

Puff Daddy was seen driving a Diet Pepsi truck to an awards show and all of a sudden Carson Daly and other celebs followed in his footsteps.

If this actually had happened, this week we would have seen people all over trade in their SUVs, Harleys and other vehicles so they would be perceived as cool, like Puff Daddy.

In our middle schools and high schools across the nation, we see teenagers dressing like Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan, because they want to be just like them.

But why? How did these people become such icons to our generation?

The commercial starring Darryl Hannah hit the nail on the head when she asked two simple questions: Name one star from a recent movie, and then name one character from a novel your child has read in English class.

We, as a collective society, have placed such high value on what the current popular stars are doing in their everyday lives that we are losing sight of what other, ordinary people around the world are doing. They are much more important.

What about survivors of the recent tsunami now trying to rebuild their lives or the single parent who works full time to raise his or her children? Who looks at these people as role models?

What makes Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods or other sports icons more important than them? What Hilary Duff, Johnny Depp and the Olsen twins do, eat and wear suddenly are headlining our newspapers and news broadcasts, while the brave men and women in the Armed Forces rarely were remembered, until recently.

Can someone explain to me why an ordinary citizen cannot be a role model to our youth? Why a teacher, police officer or a leader in business can’t be on the cover of “People” magazine?

These are individuals to really look up to and strive to be more like.

Our grandparents were children of the Great Depression, and I cannot fathom why they wouldn’t be more likely candidates for us?

Ellen MacArthur just completed the quickest non-stop solo sail around the world in 71 days and is a role model for all. Yet, how many teenagers or even college students knew that?

I’ll bet you more people knew “Desperate Housewives” scored high at the Screen Actors Guild Awards or that New England wide receiver Deion Branch was voted MVP of the Super Bowl.

Ashlee Simpson just got a Caf‚ Latte at Star Bucks! Quick, everybody rush out to get one to be cool just like her!

We, as a civilization, need to take a step back and really review our perception of what a role model is.

Do we want our children and peers to strive to be more like people trying to make a difference for others, or do we want them to dress, shop and act like the cast of “Friends?”

Werlein is a junior print journalism major and a copy editor for The Spectator.