The Tenacity to See the Stars

A Legend On and Off the Court.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sold his four championship rings and three MVP trophies for $2.8 million. Then he donated all of the money to support youth education programs

Finding Our Way.
Using the natural elements around her, Kala Baybayan Tanaka navigates the ocean in a canoe for up to three weeks using nothing but observations of the natural elements around her.

The Secret Ingredient to a Good Meal: Family and Friends.
Bernetta McKindra pays tribute to her grandfather, the Barbecue King of Kansas City. A StoryCorps story.

Benny’s Bees.
How a former Marine with PTSD finds solace in service and beekeeping.

Never Too Small to Make a Big Difference.
Georgia “Tiny” Broadwick was the first woman to jump from an airplane using a parachute.

The Simplest Word in our Language Can be the Most Inclusive

Sometimes, Quiet Listening has the Power to Save a Life

Reforesting the Amazon, 100 Million Trees at a Time.
How skydiving legend Luigi Cani’s daring stunt is aimed at breathing new life into our world.

The Life and Influence of John James Audubon

53 Olympic Gold Medals.
How one athlete overcame a genetic disorder and a tragic accident to become a treasure worth more than gold.

Ramping Up to Help those in Need.
How a community came together in a time of tragedy.

Understanding Our Universe.
In a suburban neighborhood, the angst of the world still reaches a group of elementary kids. Bob stares at the stars with them and explains the universe and how there is order to everything.

The Brotherhood in Sports Goes Beyond the Field.
How a men’s rugby team supported one of their own.

The Woman Who Talks to Trees.
Understanding the power of relationships in the natural world will help us heal the people we share our communities with.

Beatrice Shilling
The motorcycle daredevil who became a mechanical engineer and saved the lives of countless pilots in WWll.

Courage To Do

When the World Says You Can’t, Listen to the Inner Voice that Says You Can.
The legacy of Susan La Flesche, the first Native American to earn a medical degree.

Getting 100 on her Final Exam.
Nola Ochs went back to college at 95 years old. At age 100, she had earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and was still taking classes.

Caitlin Clark and the Importance of the Supporting Cast.
The all-time NCAA scoring leader is more than a great shooter.

Love and Healing

To the Coaches of Pint-sized Athletes.
All year round, you’ll find brave dads and moms standing in the rink, on the field and in the gymnasium — surrounded by eager eyes and short attention spans. Here’s to the volunteers in our communities who teach our kids life lessons and never forget the orange slices.

Everyone Needs a Good Teacher. Even Einstein.
Ernst Mach, the forgotten professor who influenced Einstein and developed a method for measuring aircraft velocity.

How Far Would you go for a Friend?
The story of Dindim, the penguin who travels 5,000 miles every year to visit with its rescuer.

Family of 7 Adopts a Grandpa.
Friends come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. But love is universal.

Let the Kids Give it a Try
How 17-year-old Dasia Taylor developed sutures that detect infection.

The Mistakes We Learn From and Build On.
Every year, a handful of students in prisons across America take stock of their lives and make changes. Many earn their diplomas, ensuring better options and choices when they get out.

To All who are Lost: You will be Found Again.
The amazing story of the missing marathon runner who turned up 54 years later.

Not Out of the Way, Along the Way.
Taking the long way to school makes for a long friendship.

Living Alone doesn’t Mean you Have to be Lonely.
How a community in Maine supports those who want to be left alone.

Using the Write Words
How an African American Woman Wrote her Way to Freedom.

The Most Recognizable Voice in the World.
James Earl Jones put away the villainous Darth Vader to enjoy a character more like his real self: the kind Mr. Mertle in Sandlot.

You Can Do This

To Stay or Run?
The courageous story of a collegiate wrestler who fought a grizzly bear to save a friend. With thanks to the Cowboy State Daily.

How One Life Can Change a World

Dream Big.
How a young artist from a remote mountainous tribe came to illustrate one of the most popular books of our time: ‘The Archer,’ by Paulo Coelho

No Matter Who You Are, You Can Always Help.
The day Muhammad Ali rushed to save a stranger who was about to take his own life.

Running to Win isn’t Always Running to Come in First.
Jacqueline Nyetipei Kiplimo demonstrates what really matters in life and in sports.

Listening to the Music Inside.
The long journey of Maria Tallchief from the Osage Nation in Oklahoma to prima ballerina in New York City.

Being There, Being Present

Getting Outside is the Best Way to Get Rid of the Blues

Bear with Me!
The story of Wojtek the bear, who joined the Polish Army in WWll.

Taking Responsibility.
How one high school student supported her family during the pandemic.

How to Honor Your Mother.
Warrick Dunn played in the NFL for 12 seasons. His most impressive stat: He’s built 200 homes for single mothers. And he’s not done.

You’re Never Too Old to Make a Difference.
British WWll veteran Captain Tom Moore raised over $45 million for charity at age 100.

Turning Tough News Into Hope.
How 11-year-old Jordan Phillips raised $120,000 to help fund cancer treatment.

An Impossible Journey.
How John Wesley Powell navigated the Colorado River and Grand Canyon in wooden boats.

It’s Not Your Lifespan, it’s Your Wingspan.
How one girl’s 16 years of life impacts thousands.

If a Man Asks for Bread, Will You Give Him a Stone?
Treating people, even prisoners, with respect is what food service giant Bill Mouskondis is all about.

Mary Anderson, the Woman who Invented the Windshield Wiper

Going Deep to Deliver Kindness.
Free-dive record holder Enzo Maiorca rescues a trapped dolphin, then watches as it gives birth.

Bigger than Life.
How Premier League superstar Sadio Mané is changing the world beyond soccer.

A Voice for Our Time.
The improbable dream journey of singer-songwriter Kodi Lee.

How to Land an Airplane Without Landing Gear.
17-year-old Maggie Taraska landed her airplane without landing gear on her way to flying solo cross-country.

Reach for the Stars…
No Matter How Long it Takes.

Sometimes the Wrong Direction is the Right Way.
How a wrong number, a wrong text and a mix-up led to long-lasting friendships.

Matter In Motion.
How a physics professor is igniting the scientific passions of her female students.

The Little Things that Make the Biggest Difference.
How one man created a forest the size of Central Park by planting one tree a day.

The Last Person you Think of Should Probably be the First.
How a group of high school boys practiced the art of inclusion.

How To Be Free.
Eliza Zenger teaches dance, music and arts to adults with disabilities. Their performance is the most beautiful you will ever see.

Good Food. Good Friends. Good for the Future.
Barron Prize winner Abby Yoon gets her hands dirty in the garden so at-risk kids can get fresh produce for lunch.

Going the Distance.
Why top collegiate and professional athlete Dillon Shije will never stop running for his people.

A Good Father Goes a Long Way.
Ron Howard’s father made a few suggestions to Andy Griffith. The result is an endearing father-and-son relationship that millions still watch today.

Bringing the Moon to your Living Room.
How 14-year-old Philo Farnsworth tinkered his way to the technology that broadcast the moon landing.

Cross Safely.
How one man made sure his retirement years were spent helping kids move safely through life.

Anatomy of a Bestseller.
How “Gray’s Anatomy,” a book of drawings featuring blood vessels, muscles, the nervous system and other squeamish things, came to be one of the world’s most widely read books.

Don’t Let a Bad Day Trick You Into Believing You Have a Bad Life.
Allie Newman not only survived cancer but also helps hospitals better meet the needs of teenage cancer patients.

From First Response to 11 Years of Friendship.
How EMTs saved a life and then enjoyed living it together.

From Homeless to Johns Hopkins.
Life is never fair. But if you work hard enough, and help someone along the way, you give yourself a better chance to make it.

Are You Smarter Than a Seventh-Grade Business Owner?
How Kidpreneur Alejandro Buxton is making money for college and helping others.

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother.
The tender relationship between two brothers is a beacon for us all. A StoryCorps moment that will make your day.

Recognizing the Need.
How a neighbor took a disaffected young man under his wing and taught him how to be a man

Cooking With Sharks.

‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ – How we Discover what Makes us Real … is Love.
Just as Margery Williams’ classic children’s book helps us all through the transition of childhood into adulthood, it helped the author through difficult times.

The Friendship Heard Round the World.
Luz Long and Jesse Owens struck up a friendship at the 1936 Olympics that transcended sport, race and history.

The Art of Doing Good.
How 18-year-old Gloria Barron Prize winner Austin Picinich is saving the salmon of Seattle by painting community murals.

The Art of Pitching.
A little confidence at the right time goes a long way.

A Lesson We Should Never Forget.
The incredible story of American POWs smuggling rations to Russian prisoners at Stalag-B.

Beyond the Moon with an Eye on Mars.
The story of a young woman who dreamed of pushing the boundaries and now designs launch systems for NASA.

The Weight We Carry and the Burdens We Share.
The life of best-selling author Isabelle Allende is a mission to bring relief to the suffering and a call to join the effort.

The Frozen Race to Save Lives.
The 1925 dog sled run to deliver serum across Alaska covered 674 miles with 20 mushers and 150 dogs.

The World Awaits You.
The story of the first woman to circumnavigate the world.

From Russia, With Love.
The incredible story of Russian sculptor Andrey and his mission to bring unity to Ukraine and Russia through art.

Let Gratitude Move You to Action

Overcoming Our Own Worst Mistakes.
Kaelin Clay made an unpardonable error in football. And he owned it.

Never Give Up.
Lessons learned from Preston Tucker, creator of one of the most innovative cars in American history.

Everybody Can Be a Hero.
How window cleaners brightened the day at a children’s hospital.

Finding a New Family at the Mountain Man Rendezvous.
How a Vietnam vet pulled himself out of drug addiction by going back in the past.

Give Peace a Chance.
How a Mexican-American Marine negotiated peace speaking Japanese during WWll.

Trusting Those Who Guide Us Through Life.
The amazing brotherhood of aviation navigators.

A Custom of Respect.
How the Japanese soccer team brings sportsmanship to the game.

Let the Music Move You.
Bob Geldof has spent a lifetime seeking harmony in the world.

Miracle or Magician?
Whoever created the Loretto stairs in Santa Fe was a master craftsman. To do it in 1878 with nothing but hand tools is awe-inspiring.

Harmony in Hardship.
Glenn Miller dropped out of college to become the swingingest band leader in the world.

Milton Wright, Father of Famous Fliers.
The stern man who believed humans were never meant to fly was overcome with emotion when Wilbur took him on his first flight.

Earning Trust

Billy Mills
The story behind America’s first and only 10,000-meter Olympic champion.

A Most Unlikely Friendship.
How the war in Ukraine brought two families together from opposite sides.

Never, Ever Give Up.
The incredible story of the 12-year-old cancer patient who brings joy to half a million children fighting cancer.

Taking Care of the Most Vulnerable.
Pam Tully dedicates 6 months a year to rescuing baby flying foxes alongside the volunteers who help her.

Love Rules.
How Rick Moranis shrunk his role as an actor to be with his kids.

The Curse of Texting and Driving.
How one father turned personal tragedy into triumph for thousands of teenagers by creating the Honor Connor Scholarship Fund.

Will Rogers: A Man of and for the People.

Wax On, Wax Off: The Pat Morita Story.
Known primarily for his role as Mr. Miyagi, Pat Morita is a mentor and a big-hearted friend who endured a difficult childhood to become a voice against racism.

Overcoming Fear Sometimes Requires a Patient Friend.
How a flight attendant took the time to comfort a passenger who was having panic attacks.

Engineering a Better Community.
Barron Prize winner and high schooler Adeline Smith co-founded Growing the STEM, a nonprofit that creates math and science programs for students in 14 underserved Idaho schools.

Playtime is for Everybody.
A dad sells off his business and builds a theme park for disabled kids.

Fix it Yourself.
How one couple moved hundreds of miles from home to run a center for pregnant teenage girls.

Photographs that Changed the World.
How the searing photographs of Walker Evans’ America during the Depression created a national change in attitude toward the poor.

Taking Care.
How one woman turned a life of neglect into a lifetime of taking care of people.

The Last American Explorer.
Norman Vaughan trekked Antarctica with Admiral Byrd, completed the Iditarod 13 times and climbed the 10,000-foot, icy mountain named after him at age 89.

The Calm in the Storm.
Being that one voice of encouragement in a community makes all the difference.

Simone Biles Springs Her Way Into History.
The sprite athlete with the eternal smile is vaulting her way back into the Olympics after overcoming a bad case of the “twisties.”

The Agony, the Ecstasy, and the Redemption that Olympic Competition Brings.
Derek Redmond, the 400-meter record holder from Great Britain, delivered one of the most inspiring moments in athletic history at the Barcelona games in 2012.

How Kids Have Used Their Imagination to Create Some of the Most Beloved Products

Laughter is the Best Medicine.
While filming ‘Schindler’s List,’ weekly calls from Robin Williams helped Steven Spielberg ease the weight of directing such a heavy film.

Finding Slow Purpose in a Fast World

The Future Belongs to Kids.
So far, things look pretty bright.

Education is for Everyone.
Reading and writing are the basics of an education. See why a 90-year-old Kenyan great-grandmother went back to primary school.

The Key to Life.
Father-and-son locksmiths Phil and Philip Mortillaro share the simple wisdom of being happy. From the StoryCorps collection.

Arthur Brooks, the Professor of Happiness.
Being happy in this life doesn’t come easy for any of us. Harvard Professor Arthur Brooks has discovered timeless ways to find fulfillment and happiness, no matter our situation.

Walking and Learning and Appreciating what we Have.
Neil King’s walk from Washington, D.C., to New York City uncovered the gems of slowing down.

Out of the Village and On to Break Records.
The incredible story of Makazole Mapimpi, the first South African to score in a Rugby World Cup Final. Against almost impossible personal odds, Makazole succeeded, a triumph of the human spirit.

Including Everybody Means Everybody.
How Inclusion Films is making movies using crew with developmental disabilities.

The Taming of the West Featuring Diamond Kitty.
It’s time to give cowgirls their due. Kitty Canutt was a bronc rider in the early 1900s who wore a diamond in her tooth that she occasionally removed and pawned when she needed contest entry money.

Extending a Hand Even During Personal Struggle

Lift Your Voice, Use Your Mind, Lift Others.
How a spark plug of a teacher ignites possibilities within her students in classroom 161.

Courage in a New World.
The story of Stagecoach Mary, the first Black woman to deliver mail in the Wild West.

Our Local Heroes in Scrubs.
How health care workers saved the day.

A tradition of kindness on the Appalachian Trail

Road Trip Across America.
A discovery of what unites us.

Being a Mother…
The roundabout journey to a dream fulfilled.

The Road to Appreciation

Real-Life Blue Bloods.

The History of Us.
How a football coach develops young men by teaching them their own history.

The Legacy of Dorothy Vaughan.
The Hidden Figure who Helped Put a man on the Moon.

Respecting Your Customers.
As the Great Depression impoverished the country, many families stretched their budgets by making clothes out of flour and seed sacks. What companies did next may surprise you.

Hope. Dream. Become.
Expressing emotions in a healthy way helps us see the world for what it is and, more importantly, how we choose to engage with it. Check out these young poetry winners from the WPSU poetry contest in Pennsylvania.

The Science of Happiness.
How a high school senior made sure an entire elementary school got Halloween.

Forgiveness Heals Us

For the Cost of a Box of Cereal.
How just noticing makes all the difference in the world.

Friendship Dispels the Darkest Nights in Alaska.
How two men find hope in friendship to prevent suicide.

If You Don’t Know Anything About Orangutans, You Don’t Know Jack.
Meet Jack Dalton, Gloria Barron Prize Winner and the nature conservationist who started by saving the orangutans at age 8.

How a Community of One Grows to Include More

No Strings Attached.
How a 7-year-old girl brings joy to neighbors with her violin.

Believe in Others

Wheels of Good Fortune.
One hundred sixty years ago, a man with a bold mustache and a bicycle with a huge wheel dreamed of pedaling around the world. Meet Thomas Stevens, the first human to circumnavigate the globe on a bike.

All the Right Notes.

The Electric Influence of a Good Mother.
Nikola Tesla was, in many ways, the stereotype of a mad scientist. His mother was kind, curious and loving. She encouraged him to look beyond his humble beginnings to the world stage.

Going the Distance from the Farm to the Record Books.
Cliff Young showed up to the most grueling footrace in Australia — 875 kilometers — in overalls and gumboots. He went on to win in record time.

Everybody Gets on Base.
Measuring the victories of life, one single at a time.

The Power of Just Being There

Go Fast, Go Long.
Carroll Shelby left his name on racetracks and cars all over the world. But it was at Le Mans, teamed up with family carmaker Ford, that Shelby ran the race he’ll be remembered for.

If You Love Dogs, You’ll Love this Story.
A German shepherd slept at his owner’s gravesite.

In the Aftermath of Disaster, Rebuild.
Julie and Ron Lynam lost their dream home in a forest fire, so they got to work dreaming and building again—a StoryCorps story.

Unlikely Friends with Common Roots.
From the StoryCorps archives, a story of two friends from the same side of the tracks, with very different backgrounds.

The Least Likely to Help.
How a bedridden attorney still fights for the rights of others.

Everybody’s Grandma.
Connie might have said there was nothing special about her. Her grandchildren and their friends will tell you a different story.

Something Healthy for All of Us
How 17-year-old Gloria Barron Prize Winners Annie and Shirley Zhu provide fresh food for 1,400 people a year.

Teach Your Children.
How Graham Nash is still leading children into a better future.

Rescuing a Vessel — and a Family’s Memories.
A boat at the bottom of the lake for 30 years and a renewed appreciation for life when it is restored.

Winning at the Game of Life.
College football player gives up his scholarship to make more possible for a teammate.

Steph Curry Keeps Hitting the Shots that Matter.
In his new book for children, the NBA superstar encourages kids to take courage and believe in themselves — something the once-underrated hoop star understands.

Born to Make a Difference.
Kids who are changing their world.

The Long Shot.
Hunter Woodhall won state in the 400 meters with a blistering time of 47.64 seconds — without legs.

Get Up Early and Give Back

A Hero for Accessibility.
How an 8-year-old girl captured the attention of the nation and motivated Congress.

Doubling Back for a Friend.
Two teammates paused their 5K race to help a fellow competitor.

What we Learn About Ourselves from the Boys in the Boat.
Joe Rantz overcame childhood scarlet fever, abandonment and depression to become the oak-strong oarsman of the winning boat that shocked the world in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

A Diamond in the Making.
How an everyday superhero saved the day by taking time to go through the garbage to find a stranger’s wedding ring.

Taking the Fear Out of Surgery.
How one doctor helps children face their hospital fears by dressing them up as superheroes.

Stay Curious.
The remarkable underwater life of Jacques Cousteau.

The Importance of a Good Dinner.
Cowboy chuckwagons were manned by veteran cowboys who cooked, sewed, repaired equipment and acted as mediators when tempers flared.

Climb Higher, Leave Behind what Ails you.
Dr. Rick Nielsen, entrepreneur and founder of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions and the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine in Utah, has climbed Kilimanjaro 10 times. His wife, Jodi, has summited the mountain twice. They have returned to that mountain so others can feel the pain, and the exhilaration of freedom.

Bee Productive.
17-year-old Gloria Barron Prize winner Anna Devolld is helping small things make a difference: Pollinators.

The Enduring Smile of the Mona Lisa Still Calms Us Today.
The mystery and the maternal security of the world’s most famous painting.

The Birth of Superman.
How two awkward teenage boys dreamed up the world’s most popular superhero.

Find the Good in Everybody.
Dolly Parton has made us feel loved and appreciated for decades. The singer/songwriter is a part of each of us who desires to be our best.

Teamwork that Saves Lives.
How a high school baseball team lifted a car off one of their classmates pinned underneath.

More Than Just Dancing
How inclusion helps overcome mental illness.

Laughter is the Best Teacher.
How humor and history go together in this classroom.

Curing Cancer, One Bar of Soap at a Time.
14-year-old Heman Bekele awarded the 3M Young Scientist Award for developing a soap that activates skin cells to fight cancer.

Shakespeare and Love.
The bard speaks of love over 2,500 times in his collected works. He knows a thing or two about the transformative power of our deepest emotion.

For Soccer Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Every Day is Mother’s Day.
Fortune and fame have allowed the soccer great to take care of his mother after all she has done for him.