On the wintry day of June 23rd, Naomi, a sixteen-year old school student at Ballarat Secondary College was interviewed about her heroes.

The first questions she tackled were surrounding the qualities she believed a hero has to have to deserve the name. She replied that a hero be thoughtful, friendly, responsible and a true individual. Also required was a great strength of personality.

She went on to say that maybe a hero doesn't have to do anything for a large mass of people but for an individual. You can be held just as highly by that one person and be their hero, because heroism is in the eye of the beholder.

Human rights was a big area of heroism as far as Naomi was concerned. She believes that anyone who stands up for what they believe in is committing a heroic act in someone's eyes. Sports people can be considered heroes to people interested in their field but not to her. But when a suffragette from the 1920's contributed to society in an outstanding and compassionate way to society, the same can not be said for a sportsperson Naomi said.

To be a real hero was to think about the people around you before you think about yourself. "The last person you should try to please is yourself" she exclaimed. A hero has to be subject to ridicule and still stand by beliefs.

When Naomi was asked about who her hero was, she claimed not to have one, but did feel that one group in particular, single mothers, were not as recognised as they should be. "To bring up children by yourself with some type of moral standing in today's society is definitely something to admire." She finds these women extremely inspiring, although she hopes that she is never in the same situation.

The reason she claimed for not having a hero is because "every human in imperfect". She thought that is was foolish to want to follow someone's exact way in life because the same or similar mistakes would be made. She said that instead of following someone else's heroic life was to create our own, and discover our own paths. But she agreed that learning the stories of the heroes that have come before us, that their actions can teach us to aim and strive high, and do this not only for our own benefit.

Naomi may have had trouble identifying her specific heroes but you may not. We would like to offer you the opportunity to share with others your heroes and why they deserve this title.