By Nancy Arcayna Shannon Wong didn't grow up with the expectation of "beauty queen" status in her future. Other neighborhood kids regarded her as an ugly duckling, calling her names like "scar face" and "split lip."
By Nancy Arcayna Helping others is good for the soul, allowing us to live happier, more productive lives.
By Nancy Arcayna Charissa Potrafka shed tears of joy when she no longer needed to request a seat belt extender on an airplane. It's that type of success that's kept her going for the past year and a half, during which she managed to shed 125 pounds.
By Nancy Arcayna Serafina Gangemi Smith drives a car, lives alone, prepares her own meals from scratch and serves on community boards. That might not sound like much, until you discover that Smith is 91 and exhibits the energy of someone half her age.
By Nancy Arcayna Rachael Wong didn't have a typical college experience. While other students were hitting the books and going to parties, she was dealing with blood disorders, chemotherapy, a brain infection and dialysis after being diagnosed with lupus during her first month at Princeton University.