Sylvia Mendez was just like any other third grader in 1946. She liked to learn. She enjoyed recess. But her school was in terrible shape. She wanted to go to the 17th Street School. This was the school that the white children in her city of Westminster attended. But it had a whites-only policy that kept Mexican American children like Sylvia out. Sylvia and her family did not think this policy was fair, so they decided to sue the school district. Their...

Some people might say that uploading videos of cover songs to social media sites is a waste of time. After all, what are the chances that a person could become famous this way? Just ask Shawn Mendes. After posting his versions of different songs to Vine in 2013, he was discovered. A short time later, the young singer and guitarist signed a record deal with Island Records. He now has two full-length albums under his belt, along with an EP that shot...

Jake Owen did not grow up with dreams of becoming a country music star. Instead, he thought he would become a professional golfer. He started winning tournaments in the sport when he was just 15. But an injury to his shoulder changed the course of his life when it ruled out playing golf for a living. Jake dealt with this disappointment by picking up a guitar. In the process, he discovered that he had an equally abundant talent for writing songs and...

Few people would have thought that Ileana Ros-Lehtinen would grow up to become one of the longest serving members of the United States House of Representatives. Throughout her career, this groundbreaking congress woman has worked to advocate for women, education for all, veterans, LGBTQ rights, and marriage equality. She was the first Latina, the first female Florida Republican, and the first Cuban-born person to serve in the United States Congress....

Charlie Puth did not grow up dreaming of being a pop star. Instead, he wanted to do what he loved most: write music. This young man who learned to play the piano at the age of four, had a clear talent for writing and composing, which led him to study jazz and classical music during his school years. He later earned a degree in music production and engineering. After graduating from the Berklee School of Music, he thought he would make his living helping...

Brett Eldredge has been a singer most of his life. As a little boy, he would agree to sing at family parties in exchange for candy bars. But it took him a while longer to realize that he wanted to become a country music artist. A trip to Nashville to see his cousin play a show there opened his eyes to the music career that awaited him in the Tennessee city. Shortly after moving there, Brett began working as a songwriter. Soon he landed the opportunity...

To many people it may seem that Chris Stapleton was an overnight success. One day he had a respectable fan base; the next his country music album had rocketed to the number one spot in all music genres. But he had actually been working in the country music business for many years as a songwriter before his performance with Justin Timberlake on the CMAs turned him into a household name. As a devoted fan of classic country music, Chris has a unique...

Mario Molina knew at a young age that he wanted to grow up to become a scientist. He studied chemistry in his native Mexico before heading off to other countries to learn and prepare for the wondrous career that awaited him in the field. He soon put his curiosity and knowledge to work as a research chemist. In the early 1970s, he made a startling discovery which led him to an upsetting theory. Chemicals that industrial companies were releasing into...

The English called him Charles I. The Germans referred to him as Karl der Grosse. In Latin he was known as Carolus Magnus. Today he is best known by his French name-Charlemagne. It means Charles the Great, which is no surprise, for this Frankish king went down in history as the ruler who united the European continent. Charlemagne's passion for Christianity along with his skill as a military leader set him apart from the other leaders of his era. By...

British superstar Harry Styles rocketed to fame around the world as a member of the pop music group One Direction. The band had formed in 2010 while its members were competing on the televised talent competition The X Factor. After ruling the pop music charts for several years and selling out nearly every concert they played, the group decided to call it quits in 2015. But Harry was far from done with the music business. He wanted to pursue a rock...