Almost Famous

Girls' Life, April, 2001

Britney was "Lucky" when it came to fame and fortune. Oprah Winfrey talked, acted and published her way to riches. But most girls today can only dream about a mega-successful, superstar lifestye--and they do. According to the 2000 Roper Youth Report, 56 percent of kids 8 to 17 fantasize about being rich--the No.

1 dream among the 1,200 boys and girls polled. Other top-ranked wishes are being famous, beautiful and a talented singer. We at Girls' Life decided to do our own investigating on the subject. Here's what we found out: 35 percent of girls surveyed choose being famous as their first aspiration, followed by helping others (26 percent) and being Moms (20 percent). "Kids care more about changing the world now," says June Wallach, vice president of Roper World Wide. "Most kids have grown up in a good economy, so they're not wanting terribly anymore."