Derrius Quarles received more than $1 million in college scholarships

We have heard horrific news about young people in Chicago as of late. Derrion Albert, an honors student who was gunned down, has become the “face” of the violence. If I may, I would like to present another representation of the story. Derrius Quarles represents the strength, hope and determination of young Chicago.

Derrius could have been a statistic. His father was killed when he was 4 years old. His mother was a drug addict. Instead of getting caught up in the life that destroyed his parents, Derrius moved to break the cycle.

He graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA and more than $1 million in scholarships ($1,150,000, to be precise) with acceptance into dozens of colleges. He stood up to the image he saw plaguing his city and said, “I can be all the things I was told I could never be.” He now attends Morehouse College and hopes to pursue a career in medicine. Ultimately, he has his sights set on being the Surgeon General, so that he can shape the public health policy.

Morasha Winokur, 11, is the author of 'My Invisible World.'

Morasha’s mother describes her daughter as “an old soul.” She’s 11 years old but has the sharp sense of awareness and honesty of someone many times her age. In her new book, "My Invisible World – Life with a Brother, His Disability and His Service Dog," Morasha discusses a rarely talked about condition, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

Morasha and her brother Iyal were both adopted from different Russian orphanages when they were babies. When Iyal was 4 years old, he was diagnosed with FAS. The disorder, along with its similar conditions, affects 1 out of 100 infants each year. That's more than autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida and sudden infant death syndrome combined. Growing up with Iyal has been challenging, dealing with his outbursts and behavioral issues. To help make it easier, the family brought home an FAS-trained dog named Chancer, the first-ever in the U.S.

Morasha’s uses her book to blatantly and poignantly express what her life is like having someone with FAS in the family. With her youthful voice, she has raised awareness for FAS and touched other families who are going through the same thing. She writes, “When my mother and I go out shopping, I usually get asked, ‘What’s the matter?’ because people think something is wrong with me. They just can’t get it into their head that it’s okay for people to all be different and some people need to wear glasses, or use a wheelchair for better abilities. I reply, ‘Nothing, the service dog is for my brother, but we just wanted to take him for a walk. My brother is not here right now.’ The person who asks that question responds, ‘Oh,’ or nothing at all and turns away. I get that a lot. It’s really quite annoying.’”

Update: Watch the CNN.com Live interview

Carolina Correa, 19, is the first Latina to win the award.

Carolina Correa is poised beyond her years. When I meet her, she is fresh- faced and enthusiastic. She walks with an entourage for the first time in her life, but it’s well-deserved. The 19-year-old is the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year, representing 4.5 million young people in clubs throughout the country.

The fact that she is the first Latina named in the award’s 63-year history, isn’t something that’s lost on her. She came to the States when she was 12 years old from Colombia. Her dad was sick with kidney failure and her mom worked two jobs, so there was no one to take care of her. So, she joined the local Boys & Girls Club, where they taught her English and instilled the importance of education.

Carolina never stopped being active in the club. Over the last seven years, she has dedicated hundreds of hours to tutoring other immigrants. Her award gives her tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship money that allows her to go to college and a platform to speak her mind. “Get involved, get involved, get involved. Always strive to be your best and always believe in yourself because no one else will do it for you,” Carolina says.

Update: Watch the CNN.com Live interview

Justin Bieber, 15, is a YouTube singing sensation.

He has the soul of a seasoned artist. And a legion of fans to make him legit. Justin Bieber, at 15, is a singing wunderkind.

Raised by a single mom in Stratford, Canada, Justin entered a local “American Idol”-esque competition just for fun. With no formal musical training, he dazzled the crowd with his voice, not to mention his mastery of the drums, guitar, piano and trumpet. The musical autodidact came in second at age 12.

Soon afterward, he started uploading his jams on YouTube. He’s racked up more than 10 million views so far. Even Justin Timberlake and Usher started noticing him. They actually got into a bidding war to sign with him! Usher won. But, Justin Bieber is the big winner with his single “One Time” just going Platinum in his native Canada.

Update: Watch the CNN.com Live interview