Best Dream Team

Once weighed down by hard times, these five women moved on to improve their lives and become an inspiration to the youth of their community.

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Mavis Crawford once lived in a shelter. Ellen Porter witnessed the chaos of the 1963 Birmingham church bombing.

Patricia De'Shazier Hill, Letitia Lewis, and Cheryl Best also have stories of hard times. But these five friends from central Georgia -- ages 38 to 57 -- share a triumph. They graduated from college and became special education teachers, most while raising families. A passion for learning and their close ties (they teach in the same district) inspired them to undertake another challenge: pursuing their PhDs in educational administration and forming a study group. "We're all pretty durable ladies on our own," says Hill. "Together we're a force!" By going after their degrees online at Capella University, the women say they're role models for their students, many of whom think their only option is sports. Says Crawford, "You can go through tough times and still be successful. Don't give up."

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From Reader's Digest - May 2008