These hero stories are from Mr. Baker's freshman College & Career Planning course. Students focus on real individuals who exemplify their own values and aspirations for the future.
“Movies are like an expensive form of therapy for me.”
James E. Allard
By: Jacob from Mission Viejo
"Tonight I'm here to tell you about a new product that's inspired by the creative power of the individual and driven by the passion of a worldwide community."
Karen Jones Mason
By: Haley from Mission Viejo
“ If you are going to fight; fight to win.”
Georginne Mercado
By: Jessica from Mission Viejo
“The only things people remember about you when you are gone are the things that you’ve done in your life; and I want to be remembered for good things.” - Georginne Mercado
Steve Irwin
By: Ryan from Mission Viejo
Derek Jeter
By: Aaron from Mission Viejo
"If you're going to play at all, you're out to win. Baseball, board games, playing Jeopardy, I hate to lose."
"Hollywood has always been a cage, a cage to catch our dreams." -John Huston
Bryce Avary
By: Kiley from Mission VIejo
"I don't believe in forgive and forget. We're not wired to forget but wired to remember so we'll be challenged to keep loving and forgiving. Wired to remember how we've been forgiven."
Jim Fowler
By: Anthony from Mission Viejo
"I don't think we're going to save anything if we go around talking about saving plants and animals only; we've got to translate that into what's in it for us."
Alexa Chung
By: Kelli from Mission Viejo
“I don't do fashion, I am fashion.” ~ Coco Chanel
Jonathan Goldsmith
By: Dana from San Juan Capistrano
“He once had an awkward moment just to see what it felt like”
Bobby Flay
By: Dorian from Mission Viejo
Thomas T. Nguyen
By: Bryan from Mission Viejo
“Gardening requires lots of water -- most of it in the form of perspiration.” By Lou Erickson
“The excitement of learning separates youth from old age. As long as you're learning you're not old.”
Shaun White
By: Ryan from Mission Viejo
“What's really good is I'm riding really badly today. It's actually great because when I have a bad day it means I'm going to have a good day tomorrow.” – Shaun White
Torii Hunter – Personal Career Hero "I'd rather save a home run than hit one. I've always been like that. Defense is what I pride myself on."
Sarah Dessen
By: Kayla from Mission Viejo
"There comes a time when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you'd better learn the sound of it. Otherwise you'll never understand what it's saying."
Anna Wintour
By: Katherine from Mission Viejo
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening” (Coco Chanel).
Betsey Johnson
By: Kayla from Mission Viejo
“Fashion is so close in revealing a person's inner feelings and everybody seems to have to lay claim to vanity so people tend to push it away."
Christina Aguilera
By: Tiffany from Mission Viejo
"I love trying new things in my music and in fashion,” says Christina.
Frank Owen Gehry
By: Rachel from Mission Viejo
''Take what comes your way. Do the best with it. Be responsible as you can and something good will happen, and it has.''
Selena Marie Gomez
By: Crystal from Mission Viejo
"I was never the girl who thought I need to make sure I look like all the other girls. I think you look best when you stand out."-Selena Gomez
When I was young, I also realized I wanted to invent things. I became really interested in technology and business. So probably from when I was 12 I knew I was going to start a company eventually,
"I've just sort of gone with the flow and I ended up here. Crazy. I'm not going to start planning anything, my life is way better than anybody could have planned it." -Rachael D. Ray
Ashley Rhodes-Courter
By: Giselle from Mission Viejo
Rick Howe
By: Nick from Mission Veijo
“The ability to share my knowledge with others, and help people when they need me.”
"It’s not just global warming, it’s not just a loss of biodiversity, it’s not just the pollution of our oceans and the clearing of our rainforests and all these complicated systems."
Martha Ojeda
By: Nora from Mission Viejo
"Here I can fight for the dreams of my people," she explains, "for freedom, for a better living standard, for democracy and our rights."
Tenzin Gyatso
By: Teddy from Mission Viejo
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."-Tenzin Gyatso
Dr. John Brimhall
By: Kelsey from Mission Viejo
General Schwarzkopf
By: Taylor from Mission Viejo
“It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.”
James Andrews
By: Matt from Mission Viejo
"'Never give up your hopes and your dreams, because until you fulfill 'em, you'll always be wondering and wishing what you might have done if you'd kept going.'"
Manan S. Mehta
By: Anjulie from Mission Viejo
“This is an exciting time for us and we are so honored with the ability to expand our services in Los Angeles to help those in need of specialized medical assistance.” Dr. Richy Agajan
Marie Peets
By: Dominique from Mission Viejo
“When you're a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.” ~Anonymous
"I don't believe in forgive and forget. We're not wired to forget but wired to remember so we'll be challenged to keep loving and forgiving. Wired to remember how we've been forgiven."
Christofer Drew
By: Kimiya from Mission Viejo
"In this world of hate there has to be a light Be that light and spread some love Maybe this day the youth can make a difference, No more hate!"-Christofer Drew
Regina Spektor
By: Lydia from Mission Viejo
"Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought." - E.Y. Harburg - American lyricist
Mike Melvill
By: Josh from Mission Viejo
“The flight was spectacular. Looking out that window, seeing the white clouds in the LA Basin, it looked like snow on the ground.”
Alex Rodriguez
By: Tyler from Mission Viejo
"I want to step forward. I don't want to step on anyone's toes doing it. If I do, too bad."
Brian Deegan
By: Shawn from Mission Viejo
he's really cool with everything and he's really good at what he does
Cristiano Ronaldo
By: Nick from Mission Viejo
“I’m living a dream I never want to wake up from.”
"We came here to meet and play volleyball to show the world that we are one body and we can create friendship between all the youth all over the World through the sport." USA Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon after a World Championship match against Iran
“You have to believe in every aspect of the job and the organization and your ability to stay and do the job the right way, with your whole heart and your whole soul."
"We've begun to raise daughters more like sons... but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters. "
Ann Shoket
By: Seline from Ladera Ranch
“There were a few times when I was younger that I burned bridges...and the people in this business are going to be in it for a long time. Just remember, life is long and the world is small
