NATION Poll shows teens rank parents as top role models

President Bush was role model to 3 percent.
Parents and teachers top the list of role models identified by teens in a recent Junior Achievement/Harris Interactive Poll. In all, 32 percent identified parents as the best role models for teens, according to national survey of 624 teens between the ages of 13 and 18. Next came teachers at 15 percent, basketball star Kobe Bryant at 5 percent and talk-show host Oprah Winfrey at 3 percent, who tied with President George W. Bush.
"It's apparent that while teens look up to many people in our society, it's those who are involved in their daily lives that have the most profound impact," said David S. Chernow, president and CEO of Junior Achievement.
Divided by gender, 36 percent of males identified parents as their top choice, while they were selected by 28 percent of females.
Also on the list
Other choices included Microsoft founder Bill Gates (2 percent), National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice (2 percent), entertainer Jennifer Lopez (1 percent) and Dell Computer founder Michael Dell (1 percent). An additional 36 percent identified "somebody else" as their role model choice.
The Junior Achievement/Harris Interactive Poll was conducted this spring in conjunction with the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by career site Monster.
Junior Achievement is an organization that aims to educate young people about business, economics and free enterprise. It has 250 offices in the nation and world.