It’s an unlikely pair of protégé and mentor that led Matthew Pakkala to go from street-savvy school dropout to focused high-achiever.
It’s a tale of a boy’s childhood overshadowed by addiction and mental illness at home and of a school principal who – as much a guardian angel as educator – helped him survive it.
A social enterprise founded by former gang members has helped to end a 20-year turf war in Birmingham.
The One Mile Away organization is the outcome of a feature-length documentary of the same name, just released nationwide in England.
One of Britain’s youngest Internet entrepreneurs has hit the jackpot after selling his top-selling mobile application Summly to search giant Yahoo.
17-year-old Nick d’Aloisio may be getting several million dollars for his news-summarizing program, if British newspapers are to be believed.
D’Aloisio taught himself to code at age 12 to create products for Apple’s new App Store, according to the Associated Press.
Imagine driving along and seeing someone standing in the road frantically waving their arms. Would you stop?
It’s a good thing Ryan Cornelissen did stop. He was the calm presence needed in a crisis to revive a newborn who was not breathing after a man’s wife had given birth in the car.
The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operations Center responded to Ryan’s 911 call on March 16, 2013.
Dispatcher Steven Kukuk guided Ryan so he could save the newborn’s life.
(LISTEN to the 911 call below, or read the story from the Macomb Patch)
You can still see more than 10,000 coin-operated phones around New York City today. What seems a relic of the past in this age of mobile technology, became a vital link in an emergency for those who had no power to charge their devices during Hurricane Sandy.
Still, many of the phone booths scattered across the city are rotting in disrepair, so Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a design contest in December to “re-own the phone”. He invited designers to submit ideas that might include solar panels, wi-fi, charging station, and information kiosks — anything to give the booths a make-over and bring their communications potential into the 21st century.
You can still see more than 10,000 coin-operated phones around New York City today. What seems a relic of the past in this age of mobile technology, became a vital link in an emergency for those who had no power to charge their devices during Hurricane Sandy.
Still, many of the phone booths scattered across the city are rotting in disrepair, so Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a design contest in December to “re-own the phone”. He invited designers to submit ideas that might include solar panels, wi-fi, charging station, and information kiosks — anything to give the booths a make-over and bring their communications potential into the 21st century.
Billy Ray Harris, the Missouri homeless man who returned the engagement ring dropped in his donation cup by mistake, now has a part-time job, new friends, and tens of thousands of dollars that were donated by admirers. But, he says the best part is reconnecting with his beloved sisters in Texas.
A family reunion was planned for later this year, but the TODAY Show planned a surprise during an interview on Sunday, bringing him into the arms of his family for the first time in 16 years.
(WATCH the video belows)
Billy Ray Harris, the Missouri homeless man who returned the engagement ring dropped in his donation cup by mistake, now has a part-time job, new friends, and tens of thousands of dollars that were donated by admirers. But, he says the best part is reconnecting with his beloved sisters in Texas.
A family reunion was planned for later this year, but the TODAY Show planned a surprise during an interview on Sunday, bringing him into the arms of his family for the first time in 16 years.
(WATCH the video belows)
Harvard pulled off a huge upset to begin the college basketball “March Madness” last week, but all eyes have turned southward to a little school with a load of confidence: No. 15-seed Florida Gulf Coast is in the midst of what could be the greatest Cinderella story in NCAA tournament history.
The FGC University men’s basketball program was formed just 11 years ago in 2002. Their record last year was 15-17, before getting a new coach, Andy Einfield, in April.
And now, in just their second year of postseason eligibility, the FGCU Eagles are headed to the Sweet Sixteen, having defeated No. 2-seed Georgetown and No. 7-seed San Diego State, winning by an average of 10 points per game.
(WATCH the video below, or READ the story from NBC Sports)
Angelight Films is a non-profit production company that gives children with brain and spinal cord tumors the opportunity to express themselves by creating and even starring in their own short film.
Inspired by her sister who died of a brain tumor at age 5, Stephanie Angel founded Angelight Films as a creative outlet that helps children heal and recognize their inner light.
Angelight Films is a non-profit production company that gives children with brain and spinal cord tumors the opportunity to express themselves by creating and even starring in their own short film.
Inspired by her sister who died of a brain tumor at age 5, Stephanie Angel founded Angelight Films as a creative outlet that helps children heal and recognize their inner light.
CBS shared an update to Steve Hartman’s story about the El Paso high school basketball game last month, in which a player threw the ball in the final seconds to a developmentally challenged boy, who was the manager on the opposing team, suited up for the final game of the season. The kindness allowed the boy to score, and the cheers to erupt throughout the entire gymnasium:
“After seeing our story, the chancellor of Texas Tech called Jonathon Montanez and offered him a university scholarship.
A group of Cree youth are beginning the final leg of their walk from Northern Quebec to Parliament Hill.
Six youths and a guide set out in January to snowshoe and walk to Ottawa in support of the Idle No More movement. But the walk now includes hundreds of people.
“It’s helping them deal with personal struggles, including depression and suicidal thoughts,” said an 18 year old, one of the original seven walkers.
There is nothing so contagious as a baby’s uncontrolled laughter.
The Bolivian government recently created the largest protected wetland in the world – an area bigger than the Netherlands and Belgium combined, more than 17 million acres (6.9m hectares).
The Llanos De Moxos wetland is prized for its rich natural diversity, as the home to 131 species of mammals, 568 types of birds, and 625 fish species. Several species – including the giant otter and the Bolivian river dolphin – have been identified as vulnerable, endangered or at critical risk of extinction.
Through her online tutorials, and her role on UK television as the beauty expert for three years on the series ‘Ten Years Younger, make-up artist Lisa Eldridge has become an expert on how to do a really great look for ladies in their 50’s, 60’s and beyond.
“The main questions are usually how to make skin look even and fresh without emphasizing lines and how to get eye definition without a harsh end result.”
Educators say 80 percent of learning depends on a child’s ability to see a blackboard or read a book, but some children in the United States never get the glasses they need, including 40,000 children in Los Angeles alone. Statistics show up to 15 percent of all children in elementary school need glasses.
The solution is clear for a group called Vision to Learn. Their bus-clinic provides free eye exams and glasses to students in low-income communities.
(WATCH the video below, or Read the story at NBC Latino)
Barack Obama talked a lot about peace during his recent trip to Israel and Palestinian cities. Meanwhile, social networks in those countries are actually creating it, reaching into a million homes — and hearts — in the Middle East.
As the drums of war between Israel and Iran grew louder and more menacing last year, Israeli graphic designer Ronny Edry decided to make a poster of himself and his daughter with a bold message: “Iranians … we [heart] you.” He shared it on Facebook and, overnight, dozens of Israelis clamored to create their own posters with the same message of love.
Then, Iranians responded in kind.
Barack Obama talked a lot about peace during his recent trip to Israel and Palestinian cities. Meanwhile, social networks in those countries are actually creating it, reaching into a million homes — and hearts — in the Middle East.
As the drums of war between Israel and Iran grew louder and more menacing last year, Israeli graphic designer Ronny Edry decided to make a poster of himself and his daughter with a bold message: “Iranians … we [heart] you.” He shared it on Facebook and, overnight, dozens of Israelis clamored to create their own posters with the same message of love.
Then, Iranians responded in kind.
Crowdfunding has become to bypass old worn out methods of raising money. Innovators now finance films, video games, inventions, and much more through compelling online campaigns. Get enough people interested and those dreams become reality.
Now there’s a crowdfunding site specifically designed to raise money for personal causes. GoFundMe.com is the answer if you want to fund medical treatment, pay college tuition, or cover your wedding costs.
