Two well-known television personalities and authors shared words of wisdom and encouragement with teachers and students at Forum 2007 events. Emmy Award-winning sportscaster Bob Costas and astrophysicist and PBS host Neil deGrasse Tyson brought humor and inspiration to audiences in New York, sharing stories from their career paths and urging teachers and students to take advantage of opportunities to do extraordinary things.

Costas came to honor teachers who had won grants for their creative work in the teaching of writing. Six winners were chosen because of the engaging ideas they use to help students learn to write well. The grants were created in 2002 and named for Costas to thank him for his generous public service on behalf of the National Commission on Writing.

Costas spoke of how he loved sports and was inspired by broadcasters who showed a great command of language. He also fondly recalled his teachers and their care for words and for him.

"I remember many of my teachers and stay in touch with some of them," Costas said. "The best of them have an ability to connect personally with students."

Tyson treated the audience at the Inspiration Awards breakfast to entertaining vignettes from his boyhood and more serious anecdotes about overcoming stereotypes to become a renowned scientist.

When he was a boy, his parents took him to the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, sparking a curiosity and love for the world beyond the sky. But he faced obstacles on his road to success.

"I noticed that the people in charge seemed to have issues with the ambition I was expressing. It's probably not their fault," he said. "None of them had seen a scientist with my skin color. They had a list of things for me to do, none of which had any relation to my life's interest. My first love was the universe."

"When I see efforts put forth by the College Board to go out of their way to ensure that access to opportunity goes to everybody, I wonder who in my time might have become the medical doctors, the scientists, the authors, but for want of opportunity that is now being provided," he said.

Tyson, who is now director of the planetarium that inspired him, told students to avoid living in a multiple-choice mentality.

"It's the fresh thoughts that move the world," he said.