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鈥淭oday,鈥� said Mr Barlow, 鈥渨e鈥檙e going to talk about role models. Does anyone know what a role model is?鈥�

Alesha put her hand up. The whole class had just been doing gymnastics in PE and she was sure she knew the answer.

鈥淎 role model is someone who鈥檚 really good at forward and backward rolls,鈥� she told the class proudly. 鈥淪o I think Jasmine must be a role model!鈥�

Jasmine was Alesha鈥檚 friend and she was brilliant at gymnastics. Jasmine blushed and smiled.

鈥淕ood try,鈥� Mr Barlow said kindly. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 not quite right. A role model is usually somebody who鈥檚 a bit older than you, who you look up to and want to be like.鈥�

听But Alesha was so embarrassed at getting the answer wrong that she wasn鈥檛 listening.

鈥淪o now I鈥檇 like you to draw a picture of your role model,鈥� Mr Barlow finished.

Alesha thought carefully. All she could remember was Mr Barlow saying that role models were older. Well, the oldest person she could think of was Mrs Fosdyke who lived on Alesha鈥檚 road. She was 101 years old, with 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren!听Alesha started to draw Mrs Fosdyke, with her purple coat and big glasses and her little dog called Roly.

After a while, Mr Barlow came round to see how everyone was getting on.

鈥淲ho are you drawing, Alesha?鈥� he asked.

鈥淭his is Mrs Fosdyke,鈥� Alesha said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 101 years old, you know!鈥�

鈥淕oodness,鈥� said Mr Barlow. 鈥淎nd why is she your role model?鈥�

Alesha stared at him, puzzled. Wasn鈥檛 it obvious? 鈥淲ell, she鈥檚 the oldest person I could think of,鈥� she replied. 鈥淵ou did say role models were old!鈥�

鈥淎hh,鈥� Mr Barlow said kindly. 鈥淚鈥檓 afraid that鈥檚 not quite right. I said a role model is usually somebody who鈥檚 a bit older than you 鈥� and somebody you look up to, as well.鈥�

鈥淥h,鈥� said Alesha, feeling embarrassed again.

She took another piece of paper and thought carefully. If you had to look up to a role model, that must mean they were tall. She tried to think of the tallest person she knew. Aha! Mr Harris in the bakery. He was really tall. Everyone had to look up to him!听Alesha started to draw Mr Harris. She drew him with a big baker鈥檚 hat, flour on his hands, and long, long legs that stretched all the way down the paper.

鈥淭ime鈥檚 up, everyone!鈥� Mr Barlow called after a while. 鈥淲ho wants to tell me about their role model?鈥�

鈥淢y role model is my uncle Freddie,鈥� said Danny Jones, showing everyone his picture. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a firefighter, and he鈥檚 really brave. He saves people鈥檚 lives!鈥�

鈥淢y role model is my cousin Sunita,鈥� said Priya, showing everyone her picture. 鈥淪he practises running every day, even when it鈥檚 raining, and has just been picked for the county athletics team!鈥�

鈥淗ow about you, Alesha?鈥� Mr Barlow said. 鈥淲ho鈥檚 your role model?鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 Mr Harris from the bakery,鈥� Alesha replied, showing everyone her picture. 鈥淏ecause he鈥檚 really really tall, and everyone has to look up to him!鈥�

Somebody sniggered. Mr Barlow looked a bit cross and Alesha felt confused.

鈥淵ou said our role models had to be someone we look up to, so I thought鈥︹��

Now lots of people were giggling. Alesha鈥檚 face felt hot. Why were they laughing at her?

Mr Barlow sighed. 鈥淎lesha, you鈥檝e got to listen more carefully when I鈥檓 explaining something. A role model isn鈥檛 necessarily old or tall. It鈥檚 a person who does good things, things that you admire. A role model inspires you to try hard and be a better person, to be more like them. Do you understand?鈥�

鈥淵es,鈥� Alesha said, feeling silly. This time she had listened properly and at last she understood what a role model was鈥� but she still didn鈥檛 know who her role model might be. She knew now that it wasn鈥檛 Jasmine, Mrs Fosdyke or Mr Harris. But she didn鈥檛 have any brave uncles or super-sporty cousins to admire, like Danny and Priya. So who could it be?

She was still thinking about role models at lunchtime, when she opened up her lunch box. Inside there was a cheese sandwich, a juicy apple, a yogurt and a homemade fairy cake. There was a little note too which said, 鈥淗ope you are having a great day, Alesha! Love Mum鈥�

Alesha smiled. Her mum always managed to make her feel better. Alesha hoped she鈥檇 be as kind as her mum when she grew up 鈥� and as good at baking cakes, too!听Then she realised something. What was it Mr Barlow had said? 鈥淎 role model is someone you admire, who inspires you to try hard and be a better person.鈥澨鼳lesha thought about her mum鈥檚 squeezy hugs, the way she read stories to Alesha every night and the way she always looked after her. Now Alesha knew exactly who her role model was. Not a firefighting hero like Danny鈥檚 uncle. Not a super-sporty athlete like Priya鈥檚 cousin. But her role model was definitely the nicest, kindest person in the whole world: her mum!听Alesha ate her lunch and felt very happy.

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