【推荐1】Since the Sydney Story Factory opened in Redfern, my colleagues and I have taken over 8,000 young people aged 7 to 17.

Back in 2011, it seemed a risky decision to leave my job as a journalist to run the Sydney Story Factory. But later every time I see that light go on in a child’s eyes when he understands the power and joy of words, I know I made the right decision.

All our programs end in a publication. This might be an animation (动 画 片 )recorded on a DVD, or a beautiful book, but either way, it’s something the students can take home and proudly show to their family. There is nothing like the smile that spreads across the face of   an eight-year-old when he holds that publication in his hands.

There’s one boy called John, I remember-whose mum almost dragged him through the door when we opened. He hated writing. But our teachers didn’t treat him as a kid who was bad at writing; they were curious to find out how he was going to finish his story and what would happen next. And very slowly John’s ideas came. When he threw one out, our teachers would say, “Yes. And?” Then he’d have another idea. At the end of that first course, he’d worked with a small group to produce a short animated film. Gradually, John came back himself. Nearly four years later he’s still coming.

John is a very different boy from the one who first walked through our door. He’s doing better at school, and he’s far more confident. When younger kids come into the Sydney Story Factory, he welcomes them and shows them around. We don’t claim credit for all of that, of course, but some part of it is because he has become something he never thought would be: a writer.

【推荐1】Julia Morgan was born in 1872 and grew up in Oakland, California. At a time when it was uncommon for women to seek higher education and full-time careers, she became one of the most successful and well-known architects (建筑师) in the United States.

As a child and teenager, Morgan spent most of her time in California, but she also made several trips to New York to visit her extended family. She became close with an older cousin and her cousin’s husband, Pierre LeBrun, who was an architect in New York City. Sensing Morgan’s fascination with engineering and design, LeBrun and his wife encouraged Morgan to continue her education. With her parents’ agreement, Morgan enrolled at the University of California in Berkeley to study civil engineering.

Morgan was the only woman in her engineering program, and she did better than others in her classes. She dreamed of a career in architecture and decided to apply to the Paris School of Fine Arts to continue her studies. Though it took her several years to gain acceptance to this competitive school, she never stopped trying. She was finally admitted and quickly became successful at the institution. In fact, she graduated with her architecture degree in three years instead of the usual five.

Morgan then returned home to California and began her career as an architect in a large design firm. Among her many well-known clients (客户) was newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. He hired Morgan to design several buildings, including his largest estate, Hearst Castle. During these years, Morgan developed her signature architectural style.

Working for Hearst helped Morgan make a name for herself, and she soon had enough clients to open her own architectural practice. Her services were in high demand following the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Thanks to her training as an engineer, Morgan understood how to construct buildings that could resist forceful movement in the event of another earthquake.

But the projects dearest to Morgan’s heart were those that encouraged the education of women. She designed a series of buildings for the YWCA, an organization that provided classes and gathering spaces for young women. She also kept an eye on the master plan of Mills College, a women’s college outside of her hometown of Oakland, and contributed six buildings to its campus.

【推荐2】Five-year-old Willard Wigan couldn’t tell the difference between an M and a W or a 6 and a 9 because of dyslexia, a learning disability. Usually, his mind drifted—to playing outside, to his dog, or to the ants. Willard was especially curious about those ants. He felt like them, small and insignificant. He noticed the ants were coming and going from a hole in the dirt. Gathering pieces of wood, Willard constructed a little building for ants.

At school, Willard had problems, but he knew he could do something special. Willard created tiny furniture for the ant houses. His artistic skill increased, and a love for little things began to grow. At age nine, Willard began carving (雕刻) faces on toothpicks. When he showed his mother the carved faces, she said, “This is what you do well. You must work hard to be the best.” Years later, Willard carves the tiniest artwork in the world! His sculptures are so small that several can fit on a full stop at the end of a sentence.

Willard works best at night when there are few disturbances. He often works for months to complete a sculpture. Willard’s favorite paintbrush is one hair from the back of a dead fly! To move his sculptures, Willard uses an eyelash. But even that can be tough. Once, while moving a microscopic Alice in Wonderland, his cell phone rang. Terrified, Willard took in a quick breath. When he looked back, Alice was gone. After laboring for weeks to carve her, he’d accidentally breathed her in!

Willard sculpts everything from famous people to fictional characters. Because of their beauty and rarity, his sculptures have made Willard a wealthy man. But he says, “Success isn’t about material things like an expensive watch or a costly ring; it’s about persevering and achieving your dreams.” Willard Wigan who felt small as a boy has shown something small can really be big.

【推荐3】A mother of nine who started medical school when her youngest child was 4 years old graduated with her degree and plans to be a neurosurgeon (神经外科医生).

Sarah Merrill, now 41, said her journey to medical school began at age 17. She then met her husband and got married. Merrill first thought about going to school part-time to get a degree, but later she decided to follow her dream of attending medical school. Speaking of her successfully returning to university, Merrill thought it was credited to her family largely. “When I was accepted at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, we moved from Pennsylvania to Arizona,” said Merrill, who is moving to Indiana with her family to begin her residency (实习期) in neurosurgery. “In fact, they volunteered these movements. I know it was tough for all of us.”

Merrill and her children often have “homework parties” where they study for their own courses. Merrill’s choice has given a stimulus to her children. Merrill felt touched knowing her 11-year-old daughter wants to become a surgeon and overhearing her son tell his friends his mom’s going to be a cool brain surgeon, though he doesn’t understand that really.

Merrill’s next step into a neurosurgery residency will take her into a male-controlled field where only 5% of qualified neurosurgeons are women. Dr. Michele Halyard at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine said Merrill was known as a focused student. Halyard said, “If you can deal with nine children and keep your reason, the residency should be a piece of cake because no amount of stress will make you fail.”

Merrill had considered choosing a more family-friendly specialty, but, again, chose to dream big and follow her original pursuit. It’s the same advice she would give to all. “Set the goal that is what you’re really enthusiastic about, and it helps to think small. If you know what your priorities are, focus on the next step. Then you’ll get where you want to go.”