Greatest Persons 2012: A Look Back (PHOTOS)

Every week, Huffington has profiled a person who has made a difference in his or her community, from the 10-year old Cub Scout who started a charity to the single dad who traveled around the world volunteering with his family. Now, we look back at some of the greatest people we knew this year.

• Hannah Davidson, Jamie Garland and Katie Ribant

  These three high school students created a documentary called <em>Colorblind</em> in order to raise awareness about civil rights and race relations.

• Natalie Blakemore and Victoria Schmitt Babb

  Blakemore and Schmitt Babb run Ultimate Play, an organization that helps design inclusive playgrounds that are accessible for children with or without disabilities.

• Anjali Forber-Pratt

  After a neurological disorder left her paralyzed from the waist down when she was just a baby, Forber-Pratt has accomplished more than most do in a lifetime. She has a Ph.D from the University of Illinois, has won two bronze medals in the Paralympic Games in Beijing and represented Team USA in London at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

• Zach Lederer

  When diagnosed with cancer a second time, Zach Lederer wanted to show the world that he'd defeat it again. The photo of the strong man pose he struck in his hospital bed went viral on the internet, dubbed "Zaching" by well-wishers. Countless others inspired by the story have shared photos of themselves Zaching in support of Lederer and the fight against cancer.

• Dean Allen Smith

  Smith, a former Marine, is the founder and president of Always Brothers, an organization that raises money for the bereaved families of fellow marines who died in combat by organizing 100-mile runs in their honor.

• Megan D'Arcy

  When D'Arcy was 13, she penned a story within the pages of her diary to deal with her father's recent death in a plane crash. Now 18, D'Arcy has published the book, Be Happy, to provide comfort to children who have lost a loved one. All the proceeds go to a foundation for bereaved children.

• J.D. Lewis

  Lewis' son Jackson asked his father what the family could do to make a difference in the world. Inspired, Lewis founded 12in12.org and organized a year-long service project, volunteering in 12 countries in 12 months with his family. 12in12 continues to grow, providing aid to the organizations the family helped while abroad.

• Dr. Michael Good

  Veterinarian Michael Good started the Homeless Pet Foundation in 1998 to find homes for stray animals, many of which he saves from being euthanized.

• Lynda Meeks

  Incensed about the lack of female pilots in the U.S., Meeks started an organization called Girls With Wings to inspire young girls to pursue aviation. GWW also provides scholarships for older female aviation students to aid in funding the cost of a pilot's license.

• Robert Wolniewicz

  After completing a Cub Scout project about tornados, 10-year-old Robert sprung into action when he heard about the destruction by tornados in the midwest this past April. He started a charity called Heping Angel in honor of a baby named Angel Babcock who died of her injuries.

This story appears in the year-end photo issue of our weekly iPad magazine, Huffington, in the iTunes App store, available Friday, Dec. 28.

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/20/greatest-persons-2012-a-l_n_2341791.html

shabazz legion baby found alive in morgue rockies ashley judd second degree murders bobby petrino