Hero. Heroism. Heroics. All of these words are used all of the time, but does anyone know the weight they carry? When someone simply says, "Oh my gosh! Superman is such a hero!" do they really know what that title endows?

Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman are all of America's most-watched and read heroes/heroines (Dale Carnegie of Orange County). They fight to protect Metropolis and Gotham City. Many superheroes are described with a lot of overdone goals that men and women want to look like. Superman and Batman have defined biceps and abs and a small waist. Wonder Woman is the "right" height for a woman and her features are those that were popular at the time when she was created ("Superhero Values & Virtues").

But what do ODS students want their heroes to be like? In a recently published poll, students were asked questions about what they would want their hero to look like, be like, and what powers they would possess, along with an animal sidekick! Well firstly, the fan-favorite superhero was Spiderman! Spiderman is a wonderful superhero with the motto ‘be human’ and ‘take responsibility’ slung across his back.

On the other end of the scale, we have the favorite supervillain, which by popular vote is Loki! Loki is everything clever in a supervillain. He is the conniving villain in the movies and, by popular demand, the villain trait is clever!

What morals and ideals should be expected of a modern-day superhero? Firstly, superheroes should have a can-do attitude. They should be optimistic and always believe in the best in people. They should view that glass as half-full and think, I can make a difference.

Next, superheroes should have integrity. They should do what’s right even when no one asks them anything. They should be honest and have a kind of transparency to them. Also, a hero should be empathetic. they should be able to connect on an emotional level with people and be able to understand how their actions affect others.

Finally, a modern-day hero should be driven. They should never give up, give everything their 100% effort, look on the bright side, and keep going even when everyone else has given up.

Out of all of that, the thing all of you at ODS think makes a hero a hero is that they do what they think is right and go by the motto, "mistakes are what makes us human." The power chosen for an ODS superhero is telekinesis. Telekinesis is the power to move things with the mind. Literally and figuratively describing the saying mind over matter which is what this school is all about, using your brain to get ahead in the world and not your brawns.

So, the next time you use the term "hero," you know what weight that word actually carries.