Ellen was excited to surprise two of her favorite teachers with a huge gift from Skype. They teach in a Title 1 school, which means more than 50% of students qualify for free lunches. The kids and their classrooms don't have enough money for supplies and other basic needs, so teachers often end up paying out of their own pocket.
For many Americans, the lasting legacy of Dick Clark will be his role as a stroke survivor determined to live a normal life. He had suffered a debilitating stroke in 2004 and had to learn to walk and talk again. He made a comeback on national television, never giving in to the symptoms of that stroke, which included slurred, slowed speech and partial paralysis.
The past few weeks have been hard for 9-year-old Thomas Goodall, who has autism and just lost his grandmother in October. Thomas received a comforting video message from actor Peter Capaldi, who plays Thomas' favorite TV character on "Doctor Who".
After Eve Shepherd, a young Sherlock fan in England, defied doctors' odds for 14 years, actor Benedict Cumberbatch sent his sympathies with a heartfelt note that was read at her funeral.
Hollywood superstar Mark Wahlberg has been quietly finishing high school, after finding a course he could take online. For almost a year, I've been taking classes and studying any chance I could get, (and) I'm happy to report that I am officially a high school graduate, having received my diploma this summer. He's also giving back, helping other teens stay in school.
Martin Sheen commanded the stage with his impassioned portrayal of an attorney arguing for gay-marriage rights; Brad Pitt dazzled as a federal judge. Clooney also performed in the star-studded LA premiere of 8, a play about the court fight against Proposition 8.
Jon Stewart his wife Tracey bought a farm in New Jersey that will soon provide a new home for rescued farm animals.
Lady Gaga, criticized recently for gaining weight, launched a new Body Revolution project on her LittleMonsters website, hoping to help build confidence in people with body-image issues. The pop star revealed she has suffered from bulimia and anorexia since she was 15.
Injured troops and cancer patients were given a massive boost this week after receiving a surprise visit from David Beckham.
Volunteers, including the Royal princes, were out this week, piling sandbags and raising funds for those homeless after some of the worst storms in English history.
Russell Brand has not used drugs for 10 years. He has a job, a house, a cat, good friends. But temptation is never far away. He wants to help other addicts, but first he wants us to feel compassion for those affected -- like Amy Winehouse. It is my belief that if you regard alcoholics and drug addicts not as bad people but as sick people then we can help them to get better.
Hollywood celebrities, political bigwigs and journalists shared dinner and laughs last night at the 2013 White House Correspondents' Dinner. Conan O'Brien hosted the evening but the highlight of the night was the 20 minutes President Obama joked about himself, the second term, Republican leaders, and even Jay-Z.
Aaron Taylor leaves his life of binge drinking -- get this -- and also leaves his life as a well-paid star in television sportscasting to go for a high that comes from helping others.
When you've got Gaga on your side, it's easy to raise lots of money. That's what the MAC AIDS Fund, the philanthropic arm of MAC Cosmetics, discovered during Lady Gaga's tenure as spokesperson over the past year -- and Gaga's 20 million Facebook fans and eight million-plus Twitter followers made the difference.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones is on his way to a starring role in the Super Bowl, but his road to success led through homeless shelters from the time he was born until his freshman year in high school. Now he is helping other kids find their roads to success.
Hometown hero, Will Smith and a long-time friend have come to the aid of West Philadelphia high school, which was targeted by computer thieves in February.
Rapper and clothing entrepreneur Pharrell Williams is a key investor in Bionic Yarn, a highly durable fiber composed of organic cotton wrapped around a core of recycled PET from plastic bottles, which has been woven into shoes, canvas bags, jackets and shirts by such companies as Timberland, and Cole Haan.
Oprah Winfrey has made a career our of surprising people but on Tuesday night, the tables were turned as hundreds of her celebrity friends -- from Maria Shriver to Aretha Franklin to Tom Cruise -- surprised her to say goodbye.
When a 7-year-old learned his friend had cancer, he decded he could help raise money by racing go-karts. One of the boy's heroes, Nascar racer Jeff Gordon, heard about his campaign and decided to help.
Late pop star Michael Jackson was immortalized in cement on Thursday when his three children stamped the Thriller singer's glove and shoe prints in the hallowed concrete courtyard of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Jackson's daughter Paris, 13, imprinted her father's iconic silver sequined glove and scrawled his name into the cement, adding a heart in between Michael and Jackson.
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