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ALEXANDRA "ALEX" SCOTT

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

THE ONLY "ENABLER" IN MY LIFE

The end result of this distorted belief system, was that for the next 30 years, I kept myself in bondage to addictions and long-term incarcerations. Up until about 15 years ago, I found myself arrested and incarcerated.  ... read >

THE JUDGE

I was hired after my very first interview. I would be wearing a suit and tie every day. Well, I was flat broke and had no clothes suitable.  ... read >

FAITH

My sister was lost but my father never gave up on her. She may not have even known it but his prayers and faith in her may have been the very thing she needed.  ... read >

UNEXPECTED GRACE

My destiny changed when the high school librarian took an interest in me and began to influence my life.  ... read >

NEW KID ON THE WARD

I was a scared 10-year-old girl in the hospital having reconstructive surgery.  ... read >

THE DAY WE BECAME FRIENDS

She was new to my school and we despised each other for the first year.  ... read >

TOUCHING ONE LIFE

I volunteered with the Challenger League, a baseball team for young adults with physical disabilities. One day, a young man hit a home run and we ran around the bases - nothing unusual.  ... read >

A CUP OF COFFEE

I'm a youth worker now; far away from the life I had ten years ago. My job is simple, I buy kids coffee. Bill taught me how to do that.  ... read >

SUNSHINE ON A RAINY DAY

I expressed my downcast state to my mother, hoping for some pity. Instead, she said, "I heard Jamie was having a difficult day too. Why don't you make her some cookies and we'll take them to her this afternoon?"  ... read >

SAY A KIND WORD TO SOMEONE ELSE AT LEAST ONCE A DAY

My mom would tell me to say at least one kind word to someone every day. I will admit that it wasn’t always very easy to do. But as soon as you see the look of gratitude in that person’s eyes you just want to do as much as you possibly can.  ... read >

A SMALL GIFT

As a teenager, I worked at a grocery store as a cashier in a local mall. There was a young man who walked around the mall and it didn't look like he had any friends or family.  ... read >

A TEACHER'S LESSON

We stood there on the corridor of our classroom talking with our English teacher, not on academic matters but on general issues.  ... read >

MISLEADING APPEARANCE

That was an unusually dark winter night. I was on my way home from work on the ghastly quiet road of my hometown.  ... read >

FOOD IN THE WORLD OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Nearly a year ago now, I had been unemployed for 3 months, No income, no food! Mother and 11 year old daughter. My landlady to whom i could not pay rent either decided to make a commitment to us. She said "I will not let you go without until you are settled again!".   ... 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 >

MOTHER HEN

I remember that hot summer afternoon when I was finally taken to the hospital to get a glimpse of my much-awaited sibling. I had a baby sister and in my five-year-old mind what was of utmost importance was that now I had my very own playmate at home.  ... read >

THE TWO FAILURES

My sister and I have been a trial for my mother. We were a pair of monkeys and the stories of our escapades are part of the family folklore. My father being in the army was not around too often during our growing up years so my mother brought us up almost single handedly and it must have taken some strength of mind to bring up two such naughty and stubborn children who got out from one trouble only to get into another.  ... read >

WHY DO I STUTTER?

I stutter. When I was younger, I didn't know what it was and I was often ashamed of it. I even was home-schooled because of it. I had no friends and thought no one liked me ‘cause I was different.  ... read >

TRUE FRIEND

There is a boy I know who used to always get picked on. He was insulted, he was pushed around, and he was taunted by bullies.  ... read >

FINE EXAMPLES

My mother through her fine example instilled within me the desire to help others. She taught me to notice those whom others ignore  ... read >

KINDNESS

The whole time we were catching up, I was just stunned that he still remembered me.  ... read >

SUNDAYS WITH JESSE

The principal had put me down for watching over Jesse. Jesse was like any other 4th grade boy except for one thing: He was profoundly autistic.   ... read >

2XTREME

John told me that if I could get good grades, have no negative police contact, do at least 60 hours of community service, and stay sober, he would take me on the "2Xtreme Dream" trip. The “2Xtreme Dream” was a trip to southern Russia to climb Europe's tallest mountain, Mt. Elbrus, standing at 18,510 feet.   ... read >

GUESTS FROM THE CLUB

Despite our financial hardship, though, every year during the holidays the best memories were made. Most of those grand memories take me back to December 25th, when Dad would announce to us after breakfast that he was going downtown to bring home guests for dinner.  ... read >

A TRUE FRIEND

My friend is now working on her Master's and needed a good friend to write a short paper on her integrity. She asked me, and this is the story I told in that paper. When she read it, she had no idea how much her efforts had meant to me then, or how much they still mean in my life. To me, that is what a true friend is.  ... read >

A GIFT TO ALL - BUT THE GIFT WAS IN THE GIVING

In 1994, the year after my father-in-law died, I planned a surprise for my husband on our anniversary. My husband didn't know where we were going, only that we were flying to see someone he loved.  ... 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 >

BECOMMING WHOLE AGAIN

We all have our own story filled with chapters about people and events unique to us and I will never forget where my life story took a sudden change of course and brought about my most life altering events with people I’ll never forget.   ... read >

FITTING IN

My experience as a first year camp counselor held many things I was expecting, but also a number of things I was not expecting, with my group of 6th graders. My campers came from lower income neighborhoods and schools for an 8 week summer day camp.  ... read >

SHARING IS CARING

So working at camp has taught me so many, many things—especially working at a camp for kids coming from low-income families and neighborhoods. One thing it has taught me is that these kids are not short of kindness and happiness, they just show it differently.  ... 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 >

CHURCH FRIENDS

One day, as I was settling into my seat at church (by myself again) I heard a call from the front. Barely audible, but loud enough to get my attention: "Hey, come sit up here." I pointed to myself and mouthed "me?" The girl nodded. I grabbed my stuff, and slowly walked to where she was. I sat down uncomfortably, thinking that an adult probably made her do it. I was wrong.  ... read >

LIFE IS NOT WORTH WASTING

I was riding in the middle of a field on my ATV when it flipped over on me leaving me paralyzed from the chest down. I lay out in the field for a really long time before going to the hospital, helpless.  ... read >

TWO AMAZING PEOPLE

I recently read a wonderful account of an incredible act of kindness. It involved the country singer, Jan Howard, and it occurred back in the early or mid 1950's.  ... 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 >

MY PARENTS' LOVE

I lived in Dallas, Texas nearly all my life with my mom, dad and older sister. We were raised to respect others, value education, and get all that we could out of life. "You can be anything you want to be," my parents always say. "Work hard and the world is yours," is often quoted in my house. My parents are never without a helpful word of advice or a bit of encouragement when life gets tough.  ... read >

SURGERY

When I was about 13 years old I cut my spleen while I was snowboarding with my friends. It was a bad accident—I was just snowboarding the way I usually do but I caught an edge. I was out of school for a month and couldn’t do anything for 3 months. I couldn’t even get in a car for 2 weeks because it hurt so badly!  ... read >

AN UNKNOWN FRIEND

Twelve years ago my family, pets and I were homeless, working day labor to get a meal and a motel room. Day labor pays a state’s minimum wage so if one of us was not working we ate lightly or slept under a tree in one of the parks.  ... read >

SEBASTOPOL FFA

The FFA (Future Farmers of America) of Sebastopol, California has changed my life so much since freshman year. During Middle School and even before that, I felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere. But through FFA I have met a lot of new friends.  ... read >

SERVING THE UNDERSERVED

My story is about an individual who truly represents servant leadership and community betterment. As a college student, I was fortunate to be hired as an intern for an international community development organization.  ... 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 >

JUST GIVE

A few years ago, I was the single mom of two kids, aged 12 and 14. Times, as always for us, were very hard. I spent 85% of my pay for rent  ... 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 >

KINDNESS CHAIN

It is amazing how kind acts can be catching...  ... 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 >

REMOVING SNOW

I know it doesn't seem like much, but yesterday my neighbor (who is now on crutches) was trying to clean the snow off his truck with a broom. I went across the street and helped him.  ... read >

TARA WHEELER-MISS VIRGINA 2008

It's very common to hold a "beauty queen" stereotype, but Tara Wheeler is dedicated to debunking stereotypes - she's founded her own nonprofit, was the starting ice hockey goalie for Penn State University, and an Air Force cadet. Story posted with permission from WUSA-TV Washington, DC. Originally broadcast July 16, 2008.   ... 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 >