An artist is above all a human being," said Diego Rivera. In his art, Rivera aimed to give everlasting fame to the poor people of Mexico.

"I never painted dreams. I painted my reality." When Frida Kahlo was eighteen years old, her body was crushed in a horrific bus accident. But her fiery spirit could never be broken. During her excruciatingly painful recovery,

Gloria Estefan’s fans just can’t sit still. When she starts to sing, they erupt into a frenzy of movement. Estefan is loved and admired not only for her music but also for her generosity in giving back to the community.

Memory is the raw material for all my writing," says Isabel Allende. Her stories transport readers to another time and place—but where does Allende's memory end and her imagination begin? Allende's enchanting blend of fact and fantasy has made her a best-selling author around the world.

Many people believe that Roberto Clemente was the greatest right-fielder ever to play baseball. He was equally famous for his commitment to helping people in need. "Anytime you have an opportunity to make things better and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on this Earth," he said.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was only fifteen years old when he made up his mind: "I wanted to do something special," he said, "to be recognized as the best."

Bill Gates, co-founder and chairman of Microsoft, is perhaps the most famous name in the PC (personal computer) revolution. This has helped make Gates one of the wealthiest men in the world, having been ranked the richest person on earth for the last thirteen consecutive years according to Forbes magazine.

One of the most visible and recognizable men in America today, Dr. Phillip C. McGraw is a best-selling author, life coach, and the star of "The Dr. Phil Show." Dr. Phil was not always wealthy and successful.

George W. Bush was only eight months into his presidency when terrorists attacked America. Keeping a steady helm in a turbulent world calls for tough decisions. President Bush, like all presidents, meets challenges on every front—from controversy over his war in Iraq to arguments over his Supreme Court nominations at home.

 In 1990, Jo Rowling was sitting on a train when she began to envision the story of a young wizard. She raced home to capture her ideas in a notebook—creating the first few pages of Harry Potter.

I think teachers have a more profound impact on our society and culture than any other profession," says Laura Bush. The little girl who loved dolls and books became a teacher and school librarian.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference." Four-time Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Robert Frost used simple language to describe nature and ordinary life. Frost himself switched paths in 1912, quitting his teaching position to become a full-time poet.