Yes, a girl can be president, but a man "has to do the war stuff"   LOS ANGELES, CA (BUSINESS WIRE) - Young girls today believe they can be anything they want to be-- even president of the United States -- according to a survey of more than 400 local girls and boys ages 8-17 organized by the LosAngeles practice office of Deloitte & Touche LLP, ranked the topaccounting firm in the county. Conducted in conjunction with Deloitte & Touche's upcoming "Take Our Daughters To Work Day" on April 24, and the firm's national sponsorship of the event, the study surveyed young people on their feelings about work, role models and future aspirations. Girls who participated in Deloitte & Touche Los Angeles' "Take Our Daughters To Work Day" -- nearly 70 daughters, granddaughters, nieces and friends -- were given the surveys to take to their school classrooms. The completed surveys were returned to the firm for tabulation. "Although we often hear that girls of this age have low self-esteem and name careers that focus on their outward appearance such as a model, our study found that girls are confident about their abilities and chose careers based on their current interests and role models," said Linda Salzman, director of finance and administration for Deloitte & Touche's Los Angeles practice. "With `Take Our Daughters To Work Day,' we will be celebrating girls' self worth and educating them about their wide range of life options." The survey included such questions and responses as the following: What Job Do You Plan to Do When You Are Older? Girls overwhelmingly chose teacher as the most popular response (20 percent), followed by doctor (15 percent), and a tie for third place between veterinarian, nurse and writer. For boys, the top career choice was a sports figure (18 percent), followed by doctor (10 percent), jet pilot, lawyer and actor. If You Were President of Your Own Company, How Much Money Would You Make? Responses were equally diverse among both boys and girls, ranging from minimum wage, $15 to $20 per hour, and $300-$1,000 a week, to annual salaries of $600,000; $70 million; and $3 billion. Notable responses: "3,500 cents per minute," "billions and billions," "$299.99," "enough to support my family," and "in a good month, $60,000." Could a Woman Be President of the United States? The majority of girls (98 percent) and boys (89 percent) answered "yes," because "men and women are equal" and "women have rights." Few girls (2 percent) voted "no," with such reasons as "there's never been a woman president," "they'd want to change too many things" and "women aren't strong enough." A small number of boys (11 percent) said "no," because "they're girls," "they'd panic," "they have to take care of the children" and "men are supposed to do it." Notable responses: "A woman could be president, but a man would have to be vice president to `do the war stuff'" (boy), "yes, our future is ready for one" (girl) and "yes, because some women are smarter than men" (boy). What is Your Favorite School Subject? Math was the favorite subject among both girls (25 percent) and boys (32 percent). Science was picked as a second choice among girls (14 percent) and boys (16 percent). The third favorite subject for girls was reading (12 percent) and physical education for boys (10 percent). Do You Plan to Attend College? The majority of respondents answered affirmatively, with more boys voting "no" (4 percent), than girls (2 percent). What Does It Take To Be A Success? The answers were varied among both girls and boys, and are inspirational to people of all ages. A good education, good grades, being nice, working hard, trying your best and being honest and responsible were among the common responses. Notable responses: "confidence, a Ph.D., and a pencil" (boy), "just mainly believing in yourself" (girl), "knowing your clients and keeping up with technology" (boy) and "a very smart brain and reading a lot" (girl). Who Do You Admire Most? Mom and dad may be pleasantly surprised, but both boys and girls overwhelmingly chose their parents (individually or together) as the people who they most admire. Because their parents believe in them, do things for them and work hard were the common reasons cited. Other family members -- siblings, uncles, aunts and grandparents -- were also mentioned often. Sports figures were boys' second choice and girls chose teachers and actresses next. Notable responses: "My dad, because he always spends time with me, gives me confidence and tells me to do everything I like only if it is good and if I am happy" (girl), "My mom, because she is hard working" (boy), "Bill Gates (4 votes), because he is a computer genius" (boy) and "Harriet Tubman, because she helped over 300 people from slavery" (a girl). Deloitte & Touche has long pursued progressive human resource programs, such as its Initiative for the Advancement of Women established in 1993, taking a leadership position to enhance career opportunities for women, support work/life balance initiatives and flexible work arrangements and promote "collegiality" among men and women. Deloitte & Touche has been named to the list of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" for the past three years, and received the prestigious Catalyst Award in 1995.