The Daily Nightly began on May 31, 2005. As Brian wrote in his first post it aims to provide a narrative of the broadcast day and a window into the editorial process at NBC Nightly News. Brian weighs in every weekday and NBC News correspondents and producers post regularly.
Brian Williams became the seventh anchor and managing editor in the history of NBC Nightly News on December 2, 2004. Read his full biography.
 |
|
 |
|
 |
advertisement
About the broadcast | Biographies
RSS is an easy way to get the news you want as it is updated even if you are not on MSNBC.com. More information about MSNBC.com's RSS feeds.
Podcasting brings you audio and video from each weekday broadcast on your iPod or other portable MP3 player anytime, anywhere. More information about MSNBC.com's podcasts.
Sign-up for our daily e-mail newsletter. It offers a preview of the stories and special reports featured on each weekday broadcast.
Editor's note: This profile will air tonight, Fri., Nov. 24, so I'm elevating Al's post from last week.
Every so often while I'm out on a story someone will ask me, "Who are the best people to interview?" I've done thousands of interviews, with people from all stations and stages of life. I have a special place in my heart for "ordinary" people, the folks who live off the beaten path, anonymously for the most part, because they usually don't hide their passions from anyone.
Once in a while, you find a real gem. Don Teague and I will bring you one such story tonight.
Deep in the piney woods of east Texas, we found Betty Lewing in Lufkin. Through a frankly horrible set of circumstances, she teaches remedial reading to those students who fell through the cracks of our education system. Seven years ago, her daughter was kidnapped and raped. While dealing with the pain and hurt, Betty was offered a job teaching reading to inmates in the Texas prison system. She took it, and soon discovered that many of the issues that put people in prison could be traced back to their lack of reading skills.
She was then offered a job at Lufkin High School, and has made it her mission to help those kids who really need it. "I believe that God led me on this direction," she told us. "This is where I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to do, because without his strength I could not make a difference. I would not have the patience that it takes."
Betty Lewing is very humble about her work. She says she's not doing anything that millions of other teachers aren't doing everyday, all over the world. But she is making a huge difference in the lives of students who truly need it.
"You love them unconditionally, and you accept them as they are, and if you truly can do that in your heart, then you can make a difference."
Read more from Al Henkel
EMAIL THIS
TRACKBACKS
Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451b0aa69e200d83500e21669e2
Civil War?
Al! Greetings from the past - Nancy Hein Atwater checking in from Minneapolis. I googled your name as I was thinking about you and there you were - famous! Get back to me - my address is below...
Nancy Atwater, Minneapolis, MN (Sent May 12, 2007 9:30:26 PM)
Dear Mr. Williams, You are blessed with the gift of making a difference in the world. I am a simple pastors wife who may or may not ever see my dreams come true. But I am over joyed when I hear of a man who is blessed enough to have a wife that supports him to no end. She must be a remarkable wife. We strive very hard to maintain and teach supportive households and family structure and its nice to see that your celebrity has not gone to your head. Integrity is important. I will continue to keep up on your reports because you do a great job.
Thanks for your time, Mrs. Tina Woodworth
Tina Woodworth, Ontario, Oregon (Sent Nov 26, 2006 8:44:58 PM)
I don't understand how anyone can be cruel to kids. They are small, and so impreshonable(excuse the bad spelling...). Every child, whether infant or older deserves to be happy and healthy. Without them, we would not survive. It makes me sick when I read stories about child abuse. If you honestly hate yourself that much that you feel its right to hurt a child, then you need help. (by the way this is not directed at anyone in the blogs at all, just banter.)
Jessica Fraser, BC (Sent Nov 24, 2006 8:44:54 PM)
I have been watching your "Making a Differance" section on the MSNBC Nightly News with Bryan Williams and want to thank your programing for bring the positive side of the news forward.
I was featuered on KSDK Channel 5 News Your sister stating with a Making a Differance Sover Story. You can still see it playing at http://ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=99878 and see my page at http://www.colorimageart.com/ronh.htm Have alst been featured in a two page in the Kansas City Star news paper about 4 weeks ago. It is on their site.
Please take a few moments to see what my stor and project is , I think this is a truly great way for someone like myself to pay back what WE have been blessed with and Thankfull for .
Thank you for takung the time and Happy Trails,
Ron Hauser
Ron Hauser,St. Charles, Missouri (Sent Nov 24, 2006 7:54:20 PM)
It is always great to hear stories of teachers touching kids life's. Positive stories in the media have such an uplifting effect on all. They inspire the parents, community and teachers alike.
Templeton USD, Templeton, Ca (Sent Nov 17, 2006 3:45:38 PM)
Carl's story brought tears to my eyes. Pity he perhaps never knew supportive people whose kindness towards him would have far outweighed the emotional damage that teacher did to him when he was at such an impressionable age. Obviously he is deeply wounded--I hope there's some way he can get help that could make him feel better.
(Sent Nov 17, 2006 3:28:06 PM)
It is great to hear stories like this, as I know there must be more teachers like her out there too. Unfortunately for me my school experience was with the opposite. My 4th grade (and then again the same teacher for 6th grade) teacher was cruel and affected the rest of my school days and life. I was a day dreamer and small, she labeled me a vegetable and told the rest of the class I would not amount to anything. When she asked a question of me and I did not respond how she thought I should, she made sure the class knew that I was a loser.
This chased me all through school, even when it no longer was an issue, and kids tacked on more (with her permission it seemed). So I became the little “gay” boy (I wasn’t gay), would could not do anything right. I could not get a date due to this too. My life since school and college has been trying to prove myself over and over and trying to stand up for the little guy, including people who worked under me, problem was People took advantage of this and after a third child was born with a disability (first meningitis, then an Autism diagnosis), my wife had a nervous break down and a person I should not have trusted, came into her, and took advantage of her and my daughter, we since have add to leave California for both there sakes.
Not that all this is the teachers fault, but I do no for a fact that I would have taken a much different course in life that probably would have never ended where it has had it not been for her. I could also go on about my own kids experience, but I will leave it at that.
Carl Strohmeyer, Grants Pass, Oregon (Sent Nov 17, 2006 1:55:40 PM)
SEND A COMMENT
PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to this post, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.