Diamond Girls.
Nearly half of the young men in America — 16.5 million Americans — served in World War II. They left behind a lot of work to be done in fields and factories. And when families wanted to relax and enjoy a game of baseball, many of the clubs couldn’t field a full team. Read Story
GET OUT AND PLAY
The Autobiography of a Horse that Changed the World.
Anna Sewell wrote “Black Beauty” toward the end of her life. It was her homage to the beautiful animals that carted her around when ailments prevented her from walking. She died shortly after the book was published, not seeing the international success and sales of over 50 million copies. Read Story
BEAUTY
On the Wings of Angels.
Angel Flight has picked up 7-year-old Itzy in her home in a small Kansas town and flown her to Colorado to see cancer specialists over 60 times — at no cost to Itzy and her family.
Drive into the parking lot of any major cancer hospital, and you will be greeted by a small village of RVs. Families bring their siblings and children to the hospitals for weeks-long treatments. Read Story
TAKE FLIGHT
Challenge, Change and Complexity: The Big 3 Cs.
The three Cs seem to make us miserable, but they ultimately lead to greater life fulfillment and happiness. Dr. Taryn Marie, a leading expert in resiliency, teaches us that the hard things in life are not to be avoided, but to be embraced for what they teach us.
Dr. Taryn Marie was a determined 8-year-old. Early on, she struggled to read, but instead of letting her failing grades detour her, she allowed them to motivate her to do better. That’s the first life lesson: Never let anyone else tell you that you can’t do it. Read Story
RESILIENCE
Capturing Determination and Strength.
John Singer Sargent is noted for his ability to capture the essence of a person’s character. In his portrait of Elizabeth Winthrop Chanler, we discover the strength of a woman who has suffered tragedy, borne heavy responsibility and developed great character.
John Singer Sargent was born in the mid-1850s in Florence, Italy, to American parents. His elevated position in society allowed him to pursue the arts, not as merely a decorator, but as a painter determined to capture the essence of his subjects. Read Story
EMBRACE LIFE
A Whale of a Story.
How Moko the dolphin led a disoriented mother whale and her calf through a treacherous channel and back out to sea.
Dolphins have long been recognized for their good deeds in the ocean, often rescuing stranded sailors or playfully surfing the waves behind fishing boats. Many cultures view dolphins as symbols of good luck and protection. Read Story
BE TRUSTWORTHY
The Long Walk.
In rural Sierra Leone, where distance often stands between children and their dreams, Mustapha's journey from shoeless schoolboy to education pioneer began with a two-mile walk to school. Decades later, he's still moving forward.
As a young boy, Mustapha’s father gave him a choice: The little money they had could go to a pair of shoes or to school fees. Mustapha chose school, and every day he walked two miles to class, barefoot. Read Story
KNOWLEDGE
The Cellist of Sarajevo.
In the grips of war, the people of Sarajevo waited anxiously for some kind of resolution. Much of the city had been reduced to rubble. Life hung by a thread. The notes of hope cut through the air for 22 days straight as cellist Vedran Smailović risked death to fill the air with music.
In 1992, the country of Yugoslavia was being torn apart. Warring factions created chaos in this otherwise beautiful city. Read Story
THE PEACE OF MUSIC
From Humble Dishwasher to Mega-star.
Without the help of an elderly waiter, Sidney Poitier might never have become the actor that he is.
Sydney Poitier, the charismatic actor with the smooth-toned voice and intense gaze, rose to stardom in the 1960s. Honored by the Screen Actors Guild, winner of an Academy Award and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Poitier became a household name. But he got his start as a dishwasher. Read Story
MENTOR A TEENAGER
It’s Okay to Admit When You are Wrong.
A cancer survivor and his best friend live through an avalanche and preserve their friendship. A StoryCorps story.
Longtime friends Alex Lewis and Matt Koch hiked into the Colorado backcountry in December of 2016, planning to spend four days in the wilderness, miles away from the nearest town. Read Story
FORGIVENESS
The Bison are Back!
With the reintroduction of the iconic beast by Native American tribes, something else returned: the environment, creatures and culture.
“Anyone can love the mountains, but it takes a soul to love the prairie,” wrote Willa Cather, author of “O Pioneers!,” the saga of early westward struggles and the kind of character it took to appreciate the harsh and immense beauty of the plains. Read Story
GET BACK TO BEAUTIFUL
The Janitor who Changed the World of Science.
What would you do with your free time if you were a janitor at a university? How about becoming the inspiration for the movie “Good Will Hunting”?
James Croll was born into abject poverty in 1821. From birth, a slight deformity on the front of his skull made him the target of mocking children and adults alike. As a result, he developed a withdrawn personality that he eventually turned into an advantage — and an inspiration for us even today. Read Story
READ A BOOK
Pull Up for a Stranger in Need.
How the trucker community pulled off an impromptu maneuver that saved a man’s life.
The road can be a lonely place. Perhaps that’s why truckers have created a set of unwritten rules, a code for the road, that most live by. Read Story
PULL UP FOR A FRIEND
Changing Course in the Middle of Life’s Journey.
Peter Pretorius was stranded in Mozambique during the country’s worst famine. Rather than find a way out, he designed a way to give back.
Mozambique sits on the southeast coast of Africa. Its beautiful beaches and climate belie the challenges of poverty and growing pains associated with its independence, gained in 1975. Read Story
CHANGE YOUR COURSE. CHANGE A LIFE.
The Language of Love and Inclusion.
Barron Prize Winner Mia Lee founded LingoX, a nonprofit that provides free language classes for refugees, when she was 18 years old. LingoX now serves 136 countries.
Mia Lee is a confident teenager with a sharp mind and a big heart. She also lives in a world where massive geopolitical transitions drive people from their homes, requiring them to learn new languages and new life skills to survive. Read Story
