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ALEXANDRA "ALEX" SCOTT

This young girl left her mark by starting a lemonade stand that changed the world.  ... listen >

ERIK WEIHENMAYER

He hasn't let blindness keep him from touching the top of the world.  ... listen >

BEING THERE

One hot summer day I was rushing late to my workplace on the Upper West Side. As I cut through a small park I heard a woman sobbing.  ... read >

A STRANGE EXAMPLE

Is it strange to tell a story about a cat? I know cats don’t have the higher moral capabilities humans are said to posses, but my cat is nothing if not persistent.  ... read >

TEACH THEM IN THE WAY TO GO

My father used some unusual techniques to teach us and rarely spared us from the school of hard lessons. These are the two I cherish most.  ... read >

FINALLY GRADUATING

As my password, I called myself “mountainclimber.” The journey was difficult and every hill seemed higher to climb. I suppose the thing that pulled me through was when I couldn't do it for myself, I could do it to honor my friend!  ... read >

DREAMS DO COME TRUE

Married with two children at thirty-eight, I grew restless. I was unhappy with my job and felt exhausted at the end of the day. I wanted to do something creative with my life. “Life begins at forty” became my mantra.  ... read >

ILLUMINATION

“Spread your light and positive energies as much as you can! Even I battle with the great blows of the wind, be peaceful…tolerant…you are always free to begin again and you’re always free to believe. Your light makes a difference always.”  ... read >

MAKING FRIENDS, LOSING ENEMIES

I didn’t wear make-up, and I didn’t wear those awesome bell-bottom pants. I didn’t exactly look like the coolest girl. But, I kept smiling at her, though she rolled her eyes, and I kept telling her she looked beautiful, even if she sighed in irritation  ... read >

KINDNESS

Before the day of the assembly, I had been trying to better myself by simply being kind to others. After the assembly, I got the idea of just saying thanks to the wonderful staff at my high school.  ... read >

FLICKERS OF HOPE

I know my purpose now, and that is to help. To help anyone I can because I know what it feels like when you need it and the way your heart feels when receive it.  ... read >

FROM SPARK TO FLAME

When my now 19 year old daughter was in Grade 3, all of Mrs. Mathews’ students were given a small pot with a bean seed to plant. Green string beans it seems are pretty hardy and the perfect seed to use when promoting green thumbs in young children. That same plant was also a most unexpected source of understanding and insight for me.  ... read >

GOING TO THE ELEVEN

My family was getting ready to sit down to dinner. My son was hopping on one foot and counting to ten. He had me count three times. 1, 2, 3, ...10. He stayed balanced each time. Then he tried his left foot. 1, 2, 3, ...10. He did it again. Then he paused... "This time Mommy. let's go to the..." He thought about it for a long time, "to the eleven." At first I laughed. What great inspired things kids say.  ... read >

I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GIVE UP ON MY LIFE LONG DREAM

It was an incredibly tough time in my life. A few years ago, I felt as though my world was crumbling. Everything seemed to be going wrong for me.  ... read >

I LIVE INSPIRED

Two years ago my life took a quite unexpected turn. I can remember the exact moment, sitting on the front steps of my apartment listening to an old friend explain his goal to help people in recovery from substance abuse. Little did I know this mission would soon expand to include helping the world live more inspired.   ... read >

LIFE IS LOVE

Life, most people say, is fleeting. It flies right by us and we barely even notice until something horrible happens. My name is Bec and I am sixteen. August 3rd was the fourth anniversary of my mother's death.  ... read >

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

I have come a long way from riding on the back of a donkey as a child in Portugal in the 50's and 60's, where I grew up. My family was poor; in fact, I recall times when my courageous mother had to literally beg for food to feed four hungry boys.  ... read >

THE POWER OF LOVE

Raising my youngest daughter as a single parent, particularly through her teenage years, was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. Not denying that there may be other factors involved, I am convinced that my inept parenting had a significant role to play in the emotional challenges my daughter faces.  ... read >

A SIMPLE LIFE PROJECT

In 9th grade I was assigned a "Life Project." During this project we had to interview a person whom we hoped to be like later in life. Then we had to give an oral presentation to the class about how it went. I wanted to become an entertainment lawyer.  ... read >

MICHAEL AND ST. THERESA

I have been suffering from severe depression for quite a while now, so when my partner suggested we take a day trip to Dublin on the ferry I reluctantly said yes. We arrived in Dublin and while he went to meet a friend I strolled down O'Connell Street just looking at shops and people watching.  ... read >

AN EVENTFUL DAY, A BLUR OF MEMORIES

In some ways I feel this was my late uncle's departing gift to me: his illness and death brought me back to my childhood and my roots, and I walk away grieving but a little more aware and appreciative of what makes me, me.  ... read >

LIFE IS OURS TO LIVE FREELY!

Peter was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when he was 16 years old, and was told that his life expectancy was far shorter then an average 16 year old's, and that he would not live much beyond his twenties.  ... read >

AS LONG AS MABLE'S ABLE

My Grandma was "strong like an ox," just like her own mother who lived to be 90. Referring to herself, she'd say, "As long as Mable's able." That pretty much summed up her philosophy on life.  ... read >

YES WE CAN

I am Amadu Lamrana Bah, from Sierra Leone, and am 20 years old. I suffered a lot during the civil war in my country Sierra Leone.  ... read >

DELIVERING SMILES

My name is Destinee. I am 11 years old. I have a friend name Shelby. Shelby and I have set up a small organization with my Mom. It is called Delivering Smiles.  ... read >

RUNNING THE EMOTIONAL DISTANCE

When my cancer treatment concluded, I set a personal goal to run 10 marathons by my brother's 10th anniversary in 2009, hoping to raise $40,000 for the Boys & Girls Club and the Stephen O'Grady Scholarship Foundation to honor what should be his 40th birthday. Never underestimate what we can do in the name of love, or with the proper inspiration.  ... read >

THE STRANGER

The guy I was with reached into his pocket to give this man a $20 bill. As the other man was extending his hand out to take the money, I put my hand on my new friend's hand and said, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"  ... read >

HOW STRONG IS STRONG?

So, do you want to hear about one tough cookie? Her name is Sylvia, and we are close friends. Despite the age difference (she is about 70 and I am 12) we are two friends that will not ever be broken up. That's why I was so scared when she got cancer.  ... read >

MY JOB

My name is John Ralph. I don't have any stories to tell but what I can say is that your organization has inspired me more to strive harder in my studies.  ... read >

THANK YOU TEAM HOYT

Last year the impossible happened. My husband, Scott, found out he had cancer and passed away six weeks later. I stopped running and didn't go to Philly. Yet, every time I passed by my dining room, I would see the picture of Team Hoyt- "qualify for Boston."  ... read >

A DRUM MAJOR OF TRUE INSPIRATION

In any group or team, there are always leaders that encourage everyone to keep on persevering during difficult times. In the marching band that I am currently in, we have an assistant drum major named Angela, and she is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met.  ... read >

HELPING SOUTH FLORIDA

Helping South Florida's homeless... one bag at a time.   ... read >

ENCOURAGEMENT AND BELIEVING

I just watched Track Coach and it brought back memories of when I was in grade 6. I joined the cross country running club. I hated running but joined because my friends were in the club. I worked hard and no matter how hard I trained, I constantly came in dead last.  ... read >

IMPOSSIBLE THINGS

During a particularly bad moment I emailed my old high school religion teacher that I was in the middle of a crisis of faith and didn't really know how to carry on. His response was simple but so profound, "to believe in the face of it all - that is faith. Impossible things happen every day."   ... read >

MR. AND MRS. POSITIVE

I have two really good friends, Nancy and Richard. They both believe in the power of positive thinking. However, though their personalities are similar, they are totally different in other areas of their lives. The biggest differences are their childhood, career choices, and lifestyles.  ... read >

SUCCESS STORY (ENGLISH)

Some students at the USC Marshall School of Business put together this video as one of their assignments. Check it out!  ... watch >

CU BOULDER CREED AWARD WINNERS

Last year, members of the University of Colorado at Boulder held an awards dinner in honor of students doing exceptional things, both on campus, and around the world. These are their stories.  ... watch >