More School Boys and Girls

The following are "Givers" and are known for using their wealth to help others:

Bill Gates - Computer Inventor...The richest person in the world, worth $50 billion...Gives away more money than anyone else in the world, as part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foudation...Attended Harvard University.

Oprah Winfrey - Television Talk Show Host, Producer...One of the richest women in the world...Well known contributor to many causes...Recently paid for the creation of a new school in South Africa with Nelson Mandela...Attended Tennessee State University.

Bill Cosby - Comedian, Producer...Richest and most successful comedian alive... Popular for almost 50 years...Has quietly contibuted to numerous causes...won the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for helping others...Attended Temple University.

Paul Newman - Actor, Director...Movie star for over 40 years...Started the food company “Newman’s Own” almost 30 years ago, which gives away all profits to charities...Has contibuted at least $200 million from sales of Newman’s Own products...Attended Kenyon College.

 

The following are "Winners" and triumphed over some type of physical disability, and went on to become achievers of great things:

Itzhak Perlman - World’s Greatest Violinist...Crippled as a child by polio...Went on to become a childhood star, continuing on into adulthood...Has been recorded hundreds of times...Now the world’s greatest violin teacher...Attended (and now teaches at) Juliard School of Music.

Stevie Wonder - Master Musician...Blind since birth...Signed his first record contract at age 10...Released first album at age 12...Signed the largest recording contract ever (at that time) in the 1970s...Responsible for making Martin Luther King’s birthday a national holiday...Attended Michigan School for the Blind.

Stephen Hawking - World Famous Scientist, Author...Suffered a brain disease in the 1960s...Though unable to move or speak, still went on to become an international authority on the nature of outer space...Attended Oxford University.

Andre Bocceli - Opera Star...Blinded at age 12 due to a soccer injury...Went on to become the most successful classical singer in the world...Sang at the the 2006 Winter Olymics...Was a lawyer for one year before choosing a musical career...Attended University of Pisa

James Earl Jones - Actor, “Famous Voice”...Was not able to speak without stuttering as a child...Took drama and speech classes in high school...Went on to become a star of stage, movies, and television...Probably most famous as the voice of Darth Vader...Also provides the voice for the announcement, “This is CNN”...Attended University of Michigan.

The following are "Warriors" and were in true life-and-death combat, and served heroically:

Dan Tillman - Football Star, War Hero...Won multiple awards in college for academics and athletics...Became a NFL star for the Arizona Cardinals...Turned down a $3.6 million contract to join the army after the September 11 terrorist attacks of 2001...The only professional athlete to do so...Became an Army Ranger with his brother...Was killed in action in Afghanistan...Attended Arizona State University.

Colin Powell - Former Secretary of State, Former General Joint Chief of Staff...Son of Jamaican immigrants...Grew up in the South Bronx section of New York City...Soldier for 35 years...Vietnam Veteran...Four-Star general...Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff (Highest Military Position)...Former Secretary of State...Attended City College of New York.

Jeremy Glick - Fought 9/11 Terrorists...National Collegiate Judo Champion...Was on United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001...After saying goodbye to his wife on his cell phone, rushed the flight cabin with some other passengers, fought four knife-wielding terrorists...Crashed the plane in an open field in Pennsylvania...Almost certainly saved the White House from attack...Attended University of Rochester.

 Writers

J.K. Rolling - Author...Wrote “Harry Potter” books...Former Amnest International worker...Attended Exeter University.

Beverly Cleary - Author...Wrote “Henry Huggins”, “Ramona the Pest”, and dozens of other books...A former librarian...Attended University of California at Berkley.

Amy Tam - Author...Wrote “The Joy Luck Club”, which is now published in 25 different languages...Born in Oakland, where both her father and brother died in the same year...Then moved to Switzerland, where she attended high school...Attended over four different universities, including University of California Santa Cruz.

 

Artists and Entertainers

Wynton Marsalis - Trumpeter and Composer...First person to ever win a grammy for both a classical and a jazz record in the same year...Winner of Pulitzer Prive for “Blood on the Fields”...Has composed music for all varieties of jazz and classical music, including operas and ballet...Frequently conducts music clinics in public schools for free...Father and brothers are also recording artists...Attended Julliard School of Music.

George Lucas - Director, Producer...Creator of all “Star Wars” films...Wanted to be a race car driver...Almost killed in a car accident days before his high school graduation...Has invented new ways to create sound and visual effects in movies...Attended University of Southern California.

Stephen Spielberg - Director, Producer...Most successful movie director alive...Directed many blockbuster movies, including “Jaws”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “E.T.”, “Jurassic Park”, “Schindler’s List”, and “Saving Private Ryan”...Was “knighted” in 2001...Attended University of

Southern California. 

Ruben Blades - Multi-Instrumentalist, Singer, Songwriter, Actor...Living Legend in Salsa music...Has been performing for over 40 years...Appeared in the movies “Milagro Beanfield War” and “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”...Was a lawyer in Panama...Attended University of Panama.

Jimmy Smitts - Movie and TV Actor...Star of “N.Y.P.D. Blue”...Appeared in last two “Star Wars” movies...Attended Brooklyn College.

Halle Berry - Movie Actress...Starred in both “X-Men” movies...Was Miss Teen Ohio in the 1980s...Attended Cuyahoga Community College.

 

Denzel Washington - Movie Actor...Won Academy Award for Best Actor in 2001 for the movie “Training Day”...Attended American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

Salma Hayek - Movie Actress...Starred in “Frida” and “Desperado”...Attended University of Mexico in Mexico City.

Jackie Chan - Movie Actor, Acrobat...Star of “Rush Hour” and “Shanghai Noon”...Was an international movie star before appearing in any American movies...Worked with Bruce Lee...Attended Chinese Opera Research Institute.

Tony Bennett - Multi-Generational Star Singer...Has created hit records for over 50 years...Continues to tour after turning 80 earlier last year...Also a succesful painter, with works hanging in famous art museums...Is managed by his son...Original name “Antonio Benedetto”...Attended New York City School for the Industrial Arts.

Tom Hanks - Movie and TV Actor...Won Academy Award for Best Actor in 1993 for “Philadelphia”...Starred in "Forrest Gump", "Saving Private Ryan", and dozens of other blockbuster movies...Attended California State University at Sacramento.