Transcripts For CNNW CNN 20240702

evening. i'm jim acosta. have a good night. meantime, celebrities helping make the world a better place coming up next. have a good night. >> tonony y hawk provividing underresourced showing safe places to skate and connect. >> the best thing i could do is provide more state parks. >> soccer superstar alex morgan bringing opportunities to girls on and off the fieield. >> i i'm so happppy to be hehere . ♪ this is "cnn heroes: sharing the spotlight." i'm anderson cooper. for 17 years we've recognized hundreds of impressive individuals as cnn heroes. these passionate men and women work tirelessly, often without a lot of money or attention, to solve problems that they see in their communities. tomorrow night we're going to be honoring the top ten cnn heroes of 2023 and naming a new cnn hero of the year on "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute" from the museum of natural history in new york. tonight we're doing something different. for the next hour, we're going to share the stories of sports figures who are channeling their energy into solving problems they see in the world. whether working to improve childhood literacy or connect kids in foster care with an adult they can count on. they're using their access and power to help those in need. kicking us off is iconic skateboarder tony hawk. pioneer, modern skater, his gravity defying moves inspired generations of skaters, earning him the nickname the bird man. for more than two decades he's given others the opportunity to fly through his nonprofit, a skate park project with his help, millions now have a safe place to practice and share their passion for skateboarding. coy wire caught up with hawk to find out how his work helps others soar. tony hawk is the face of skateboarding. a world champion for 12 years in a row, winner of 73 titles, inventntor of dodozens of skateboardrding moves.s. he turned pro o at agege 14, an within two years he was considered one of the best competitive skaters on earth. before his media york rise, he -- meteoric rise, he was an energetic 9-year-old who needed an o outlet, something he foundn skateboarding. >> it spoke to me in a wayay th other acactivities a and sports didn't. it just fefelt like thisis open book, and that you couldld do i in anyny fashionon, in any styl yoyou didn't h have to r rely o team, , didn't havave to listeta coacach. and ththere was definitely a daredevil aspect that was probably rose to the top for me because i was kind a daredevil kid even though i was pretty scrawny. the first time i went to a a ske park i i saw peoplple flyiying poolols. i was s like, ththat's for me. i wawant to do thahat t at alll. > how a about accesessibilit you were first getting out andn trying t to do this ththing you loveved to do?o? >> thehere were vevery few facilitities. and d i got very l lucky i in t was from san diego, anand one o ththe last skakate parks in the. was in san diego. >> del mar. >> del mar, that was my home away from home. at some point i figured out which bus route from school went closest to the skate park so i didn't have to go home first. i just spepent all my y not wak moments inin school and that place. it wasn't just about the training grounds of it. it was more the community of it. like i fouound my peoplele. i founund my t tribe there. and i found my support group. that was my salvation. > reporter:r: after goioing totony realilized how lulucky h. many kidids arouound thehe coun didn't have access to a skate park. so they resorted to skating in public areas where they wewere often n viewed as a nuisisance.. tonyny wanted toto helelp give place of their own w where they could skate legally and safelyl. >> so when i hadad some e sort susuccess or a a voice t that k resonateted beyond skateboardin the best thing i could do with it, i thought, was to provide more skate parks. >> tony, right herere. >> reporteter: in 2002 he found the tony hawk foundation, now known as the skate park project. since then his nonprofit has granted almomost $13 milillion help build nearly 700 skate parks in all 5 50 states. more than nine million visitors annually have e a sasafe place skate bebecause of tony's effor. >> thehe mission is to p provid more s skate parksks in ununder areas,s, and to prprovide that salvation n and that s sense of belongining and community to ki who feel disenfranchised and kids whoho h have found a sporte skateboardrding but don't havev ananywhere to do it. that is dedesignated. itit's been ththe most r reward thing i i could dodo with my success.s. >> reporter: you've helped fund projecects for skate parks in rural areas, on nanative amerir rereservationsns, inner cicitie. why is thahat imimportant toto offefer such diversese g groups communities? >> i think skateboarding in and of i itself is o one o of the m inclususive acactivities that'sr exisisted, espececially now.w. and d i think this is whwhat is unique abobout skateboarding. if you g go to in i i skate par any skskate park r right now, t are momost likely peoplele of a races, allll gendeders, all l a all enenjoying it equally, and someme of the best in the world willll be there e with absbsolu beginners.s. i can't t think of a any other t whwhere that collectivive exist. to be able to provide more of ththose facilitities to places kids w who maybe would havave n had accecess to sosomething g l that, esespecially i inner c ci indigenousus lands, ththat's th bestst thing we cacan do with i. i i mean, ththe cities thahat c afford thehese f facilities and more affffluent areaeas, for t mostst part theyey're taken n c. you u know, we c can help p guim soso that we c can help the des prprocess betttter, but our eff are muchch more e to underprivid areas. >> reporter: y you recentltly created a fellowowship progrgra. tell me e a littlele a about th. >> w we wanted t to hehelp -- i wawant to say kids, i'i'm alleg so, 18 to o 24 -- >> reporteter: kid at t heart. >> i havave kidsds that age. but yoyouth to advocate for ska parks in their area and d to he with the desesign process. we have e a trainingng program, it's b been hugelyly effffectiv becaususe they a are o on the g. they'r're right therere in that cicity. we c can sit herere e in califo and d go, oh, it would be greato have a a skate park this that tn and that towown, andnd let's tao the city c council memembers. these fefellows are on the gror in that area knowiwing exactlyl what it't's going to take, and it's way more effective that way and way more e efficient. it's impmportant to include e b fellows s because ththat is s t ststate of skateboboarding. it's hugelely diverse.e. we w want to havave e everyone represented. and have it be very inclusive. and to be someone that you can identify with. and so i'm really proud d of th program. >> reporteter: what's the wilde trtrick you evever p pulled off? >> probabably the railil bacack. >> repororter: i metet up witht of t the fellowsws at the hihis skatate papark i in n atlanta a part b by tony's nonprofofit. 2424-year-old jordanan patteter currenently learnining how to o, advocacate, and crcreate prograg fofor skate paparks in his commununity. what have skate e parks memeant you in y your r liv? >> i i always founund d a skata as someone thahat i -- s somewh thatat i w wanted to be atat, , to grow w up at.t. >> reporteter: what hahas the s park p project felellowship prp memeant to you?? >> i wasas excitited t to see i mamake the chahange that i wanto see in morore skskate parks bei developed. i've got a lot out of the fellowshship. >> r reporter: t the fellowsws flflown to san d diego f for tr and to visit other parksks arou the countrtry. >> thihink about h how thihis f with eveverything elsese -- >> repeporter: soon, jordan hop to worork k with thehe localal governmentnt to o create more p acrossss atlanta. hehe's alreadydy got a vision os perfrfect skate e park.. >> havining g it offset t from l is notot too loud.d. not goining to cut d down trees. being susustainable.e. definitetely having g public trt so we can get toto it, whehethe people w walking, train, bikike haveve multiple e ways of f get therere e beside a car.. i fefeel it's a grgrowing sporo especialally in atlantnta. to m make e sure we hahave acce. >> reporter: as sosomeone who adadvocates fofor skate parks, what's s something thahat you w others to knowow abobout these spaces? >> really y the frfriendships y can dedevelop herere. like i it's not t just a skatet spspace. it's's where you can m meet t p you can n develop as a pererson. nonot about reallyly like your r or w whatever you'rere i into. you can just come and skatate. >> reporteter: while tony's foundation is working to train the next generation of skate park advocates, he's not done yet. the bird man has big plans ahead. >> i feeeel like we e are in a striride witith our founundatio withth our projejects, and w we gigiven away o over $1$11 milli the lastst 20 0 yearars. more imporortantly, that money s gone to raisise much more in matching funds and other donations. and i feel like there arare sti plenty of f towns that couould benefifit from a skakate park, plenty o of indidigenous c comms that couould benefitit frorom m park. bubut i think what's next t in s of the more e lofty y goals is internatational facicilities.. > an absolulute legend on a skateboard a and doing so much r communities across the country and the world. what do you want your legacycy be? >> i hope someone that raised the profile of skateboboarding as many y ways as popossible.. more i importantlyly, , provide facililities for k kids to do od not feel left out. >> tony hawk's organization says they plan to expand internationally next year. if you want to donate to the skate park project, go to cnnheroes.com. join us s tomorrow nightht f fo heroes: : an allll-star trtribu lilive at 8:8:00 p.m. eaststern. next, sosoccer s superstar morgan s shares how she'e's s g girls the e opportunitities the deserve.e. >> thihis empowermenent camp wa helping girls understand what they're capable of and using sport as a vehicle for that. later, gymnastics legend simone biles is on a mission to help vulnerable young people rise above their challenges. nice footwork. man, you're lucky, watching live sports never used to be this easy. now you can stream all your games like it's nothing. yes! [ cheers ] yeah! woho! running up and down that field looks tough. it's a pitch. get way more into what you're into when you stream on the xfinity 10g network. she's been a fierce advocate for women's rights and gender equity. and she decided to channel that passion into a fond profferity of her own. -- nonprofit of her own. erica hill found out how she's helping empower women and girls on and off the field. >> reporter: alex morgan is one of the most celebrated players in women's soccer history. a two-timeme world c cup champi and olympic gold medalist, she is the highest paid female player in the game today. her impact transcends soccer. she's also a children's book auththor, entrepreneneur, and ss icon who in 2022 had more endorsement deals than any other female athlete in the world. she's also a fierce advocate for women and girls, both on and off the field. the passion that recently inspired her to start her own charity in her hometown of san diego.o. earlier r you started the alexe morgan fououndation. tell me ababout that. whwhat's the focus? >> s sports equiuity is a bibig. growing coconfidence and opportunities s for girls s and giving supupport to moms, especialally new moms. > reporter:r: i was strtruck that lasast one.e. support for moms. >> the mom piece i was really passionate about having a 3-year-old daughter. >> mommy -- >> i think the burdeden fafalls the mom m a lot more in a famil and so i wanted to provide as much support as possible. >> repororter: her f foundation papartnered wiwith a local nonpt to support their work helping low-income women become community advocates. alex has also teamed one nike to provide essential kits to new mothers. >> thank you, alex. >> i think with a lot t of momo sometitimes all ththey need d i little e extra suppoport here o there e to help their family an help themselves, too. >> reporter: also, here you are as a working mom, right? >> it is so truly difficult. so lending any support i want to prprovide thatat to o other mom. >> repororter: it's not just mo. alex has long been focused on creating more opportunities for girls. [ cheers ] one of her newest efforts, alex's home break, brings girls' soccer teams to see her professional team, the san diego wave, play in person. >> defefense! >> some e of them haven't had a opportunity to come watch a a profofessional women's's soccere inin a packed stadium. something i think like changes when you go to that first game. >> reporter: it's also an experience that alex didn't have in her early years. [ cheers ] when you were 7 you said you wanted to be a profefessional soccer player.r. you didndn't have e necessarili alex morgagan toto look upup to that point. now young girls can point to you and say, that's exactly what i want to do when i grow up. >> when i was 7 years old, i i couldn't turn on tv and see women's soccer let alone women's sports. >> reporter: that changed in 1999 when 10-year-old alex watched u.s. women's national team win the women's world cup. >> i was just completely inspired by that. [ chants ] i knew that was s my callingng, that's whahat i wawanted to dod. i was so competitive, and it just brought something out of me. >> reporter: ultimatately, theh drive e and tatalent made alex morgan one of the most successful female players in the sport. in 2015 she helped the u.s. women win the world cup once again in a final that was, at the time, the most-watched soccer game in u.s. history. [ chants ] the victory helped usher in a new era for women's sports. the u.s. -- >> you guys are the best. honestly the best in the world. you guys are j just t awesome. >> reporter: last june, alex's group p partnered d with anothe lolocal nonprorofit, let's g go bay, to host a girls empowerment camp foror young sococcer playe. >> the bigiggest reasoson why i so excited was that it wasn't all jujust about s soccer. it was also just getting in groups and talking through really difficult things. mental health, situations at home, hohow sport can giveve yo confidence, opportunity, a sense of communinity. i i really l leaned onon spoporg up to provide soso much more t me, anand i knknow that this empowewerment campmp was helpin them undererstand d what thehey actutually capapable of and usi sporort as a vehicle for that.t. >> r reporter: 13-yearar-old ni was thrilled to be a part of it. >> i've been playing soccer since i was 3 yeyears old.d. for as lonong as i c can rememb alex morgan's beenen my idol. and d you know, she's a huge inspiriration to g girls likike. not ononly o on ththe fifield b the field. she'e's suppororting girls in spororts. it w was great t to o hang out girls who stand for the same thing i stand for and admire alex just as much. >> reporter: and even though alex was away at the world cup -- >> i'm so happy to be here. >> reporter: -- she zoomed in fofor a virtuaual visisit. > it was a breathtataking mo. i i was s freaking out, fan gir a little bit. >> reporter: nina's experience at the camp also inspired her to make a difference. as a girl scout, nina is working on a project about girls and sports and wants t to helplp le the playing field for all femame athletetes. >> everyrybody, alexex morgan. [ cheers ] >> reporter: in october, at the alex morgan foundation's celebration of confidence event, nina was honored with a leadership award. she finally got to meet her idol and is excited to help alex continue to advocate for girirl. >> empowermement in this case means supporting girls and having them fight for what they believe in. >> reporter: girls like nina helped motivate alex to take on her biggest fight -- a battle against the u.s. soccer federation for equal pay. the women's national team had always been paid substantially less than the men's team for international play despite all of their wins. alex and other team leaders first filed a complaint in 2016 followed by a lawsuit. when the u.s. team won the women's world cup again in 2019, the crowd voiced their support. [ chants ] finally in 2022, the end of a six-year-long legal battle, equal rate of pay going forward, that includes lucrative world cup bonuses. [ cheers ] that $24 million settlement was a victory for the team and for all women. >> i've always played team sportsts. i completetely buy into the ide that you can do so much more together than alone. as much as i can continue using my voice a and my platatform t speak out for women in situations where they are didiscriminateted against,t, i o so. rarainbows arere like my favavo. >> me, too. > reporter:r: alex hopes heh foundatition will enenable her o even more e in t the y years to helping to build an equitable future for all women and girls, including her 3-year-old dadaughter, charlie. how has s being charlie's s mom changed your focus? >> i want to create the best future possible for her. i want her to be able to be proud of her mom. i i want herer t to know t that has reallyly chahanged a lot of lives for the better. and i think that i'm on the right path. in the coming years, alex morgan hopes to expand her work to reach girls and women nationwide. if you want to support her efforts, go to cnnheroes.com. and join me tomorrow for the 17th annual "cnn heroes: an all-starar tributete" lilive on. coming up -- >> ready f for a ridide? >> he e helped make nascar paraf popular culture.e. > stop p -- jeff! >> how he's now steering cancer research in new directions. anand later, gymnastics ico simone biles shares her deeply personal reasons for helping kids in the foster care system. welcome back. nearly 10,000 american kids are diagnosed with cancer each year. the impact of the disease is devastating. while survival rates have improved in recent decades, many of the treatments that help these kids survive can lead to health problems later in life. when nascar legend jeff gordon watched a close friend's young son battle cancer the experience moved him deeply and propelled him to take action. alisyn camerota caught up with gordon to find out how he's driving new research to find better options for kids with cancer. >> reporter: legendary nascar hall of famer jeff gordon took the race car world mainstream in the 1990s, becoming a household name. what's less well-known about this four-time nascar cup series champion and three-time daytona 500 winner is his dededication findnding cures for childhood cancers. what statarted y your connectit pepediatric cancer? >> yeah, it sort of began here, here at hendryk motor sports. my crew chief at the time, we were both young and new to nascar. his son was diagnosed with leukemia at 1-year-old. it was just a shock toto him, shock k to e everybody. anand it was thehe firstst timi that hadad really y hit home fo somebobody close t to meme.. thatat was 1993. in 199999 i decideded to start own foundation and really focus everythingng on pepediatric can. >> reporter: most of gordon's financial l contributitions go toward resesearch. > that kindnd of goes back t racing for me. you know, my experience as being a part of a race team is when we go and find ways to make the car go faster, find ways to win raraces -- [ [ cheers ] -- find d ways t to get anan edr our cocompetition,n, it's usual through research and development. when i go into a lab and i'm around researchers, it remind me of t these engineers that are finding and seararching and creatingng ways toto revolution hohow we look k at cancer and d better l long-term t treatments it. and so i've seen the resulults that on the racece t track, anae seenen the resulults of f it in reresearch lab, , as well. > this s onone. > is thisis t the one? > yes. >> that one looks fast. i like it. >> reporteter: while s survival rates for r pediatric c cancer improved drastically over the last few decades, as many as two-thirds of those survivors will struggle with l long-term side effects f from m treatmene. something g jeff is workining t changege. if youou're not t in this s woru thinink, okay, it's awful a chi isis diagnosed with cancer, but then they'rere cureded. > right. >> reporteter: you donon't know of thehe repercucussions. >> it's s great ththat t there been huge adadvancementsts on t curere rate siside o of cecerta ofof cancers, and yet wewe d do focus as m much on the rare one. we d don't -- to y your poinint focucus on w what are the secoc efeffects and d the longng-term effects anand how toxixic many these trtreatments are. and whilile you u might -- may curered of the typype e of canct you were diagnososed witith, th dodon't alalways pick upup o on happens beyondnd that. and thatat's not alwayays a a p ththe statisistics. >> two thihings i i really liki dogs and the manned d lalaurean. >> repororter: childldren like n who's battling a rare type of cancer, inspireded jeff to keee fighting for less toxixic treatmentsts. >> we'e're c constantly toldld s longng-term effefects to thehe . coululd this havave been prerev withth some e -- with a trtreat thatat wasn't 3030, hah4040 yea? ththere wasn't't the optptions and toto have morere would havan fantasastic. i dodon't want a anybody else e feel t the wayay that we felt t these e past few months. having t the funding foror rese lilike these c clinical trials futurere clilinical trials, , i going to chahange thesese kids' liveves one day. >> to help advancece pediatrtri cancer r research ---- >> reporter: jeff's foundation has granted more than $22 million for research for l less toxic,c, more e effective e tres fofor childhooood cacancers. one of his biggest annual fundraiserers is the corvetttte a a cure program which over the years has raised more than $151 millioion. > ready foror a a ride?e? >> repeporter: i g got the oppoportunity toto ride in this year's carar with the woworld-fs rarace car driver r himself. >> donon't forgeget to buckle u. >> r reporter: o oh, y yes.. doeses it come with a a helmet? >> not t today. >> reporteter: oh, my gosh. oh, nono. jeff -- ththese e guys are -- j! so somomebody's s going to win car, y your cacar. somebobody's goingng to win you car,r, and then n you're going takeke them for a ride. > absolutelely. this i is a prograram we've bee doing for r about 18 y years no. this is reallyly our biggestst fundraiserer that we h have eve year. ththis car meaeans a lotot to o foundatition and to pepediatric cancncer. it repreresents a lot, n not jus it fast anand cool l looking an goes fast, butut t the amomount money ththat's been raisised thh our corvetette for a cure e pro has s really - -- - it's's chan people's's l lives.. >> r reporter: so ---- s stop. stop. stop. ah! oh, my -- i'm alive. that wasas insane.e. and d so fun. >> i i had to tatake the jefeffn expresessway becauause i f figu wouldn't't get a ticket there. i don't wawant to say how fast it -- it was fast. >> reporter: it felt about 200. that's what i think it was. >> as long as it felt like 200. >> reporter: jeff has dedicated the last 20 years of his life to finding cures and improving the lives of childldren cwithth can. the fight is as personal as the day he statarted. >> i have a 16-year-r-old daugughter, a 13-year-r-old son. and d because of my experienenc and being in hospipitals, i realizize evevery day that that could be u us, t that could beb walkining into a doctotor's off with my y daughter or my son. so i guessss what i wawant is fo parentnt ever to have to go through h that becauause i can' imagagine that.. i think k that wouldld be terrifyingng. i knowow it's realal. i dodon't take i it for grgrant becacause i haveve seen it too times. it doesn't discriminate. it can happen to anybody. and yoyou knknow, , that's my g justst to mamake sure that n not ever has to hear their child is diagnosed with cancer. >> you can help jeff gordon at cnnheroes.com. find out who will be named the hero of the yeyear tomorrorow n on "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute." coming up, figure skater kristi yamaguchi shares how her gold medal win helped her find a new mission. >> it's pretty crazy after an olympics, feeling that support like, yeah, there's something more i can do. and later find out why simone biles is using her star power to help kids in need. welcome back. in 1992, american figure skater kristi unanymously gucci won the gold medal -- yamaguchi won the gold medal in france. she was the first woman in 16 years and first asian american to win gold in the winter olympics. her victory inspired a generation of skaters. for nearly three decades, this olympic champion has championed children through her nonprofit, always dream. today her group provides 1,000 students in underresourced communities with life-changing access to books each year. erica hill sat down with yamaguchi to find out how she's striving to improve childhood d liteteracy by helplping kidsds n love witith reading. kristi! >> reporter: kristi yamaguchi is a figure skating legend. [ cheers ] with an olympic gold medal, a long pro skating career, even a "dancing with the stars" victory. her athlet sim and artistry have kept her in the public eye for more than three decades. she was also widely respected for her charity work, especially with her literacy nonprofit always dream. >> poppy was a pig who dreamed big -- >> reporter: it's work she found after achieving her dream of olympic gold in 1992. kristi returned home a celebrity and quickly realized she could use her fame to help others. >> set goals for yourself, have a dream out there, don't be afraid to go f forward.. >> r reporter: t there was s so exexcitement w when n you won td memedal. i was readading at one pointnt mom saidid, okokay, so kriristi that you've done this, what are you going to do to give back? >> i think it was really a grert quesestion. itit's pretty crazy after anan olympics. people -- recognize you or say, oh, i was cheering for you, and you feel like, wow, feeling that support just like, yeah, there's something more i can do. >> reporter: performing with stars on ice gave her that opportrtunity. > the tour r benefited the make-a-a-wish foundation. so we worked closely with families, and that really inspired me. >> reporter: san francisco 49ers star ronny lott who started a nonprofit to help kikids urged kristi t to do the same. >> he was like, there's no other female athlete doing this here. i really think you should do it. and was just an incredible role model. always dream was e establishede 1996, and 27 years later, you know, here we are. the name always dream, how did you choose that? >> so always dream was actually how i used to sign off when i would do autographs. >> reporter: a signoff inspired by something another olympic gold medalalist, b brian boitat hahad writitten to her. >> he e said follow your d drea brian boitano. i was like, oh, that's so good. i i can't copypy him. so i wouould wririte, you know, always dream, kristi yamaguchi. so when -- what should w we cac this orgrganization,n, it justs of fell into place. in the early years, we did a variety of different things. we did a camp in hawaii with able-bodied kids who are paired with kids wiwith disabilitities. and it was allll about inclusivity. so it t was realally powererful we were able to work with the cicity of f fremont, which is m hometown, and built an all abilities playground. it's all about making every child feel like they're worthy. the greaeatest reward one daday dad came up to m me and said, o my son loves your playground. thank you so much for builildin that.. he is autistic, and it's's a ple wewe take him every week. so moments like those motivate you to do it even more. >> reporter: in 2011, kristi published her first children's book, and soon "always dream" began to focus on childhood literacy. >> when you look at the chance of a a child's success in life, education is really the foundation for that. and being a mom with two daughters, i just saw w with my owown eyes h how criritical tho early literacy skills and the interest just in books and reading really are. i love hockey, and i can give you a play by play of the games. >> reporter: in 2012, kristi launched the always reading program which partners with schools in low-income areas making books accessible to stududents in cacalifornia a an hahawaii. yoyou were earlyly adopters of tablets. where did that decision come from? >> having it on n a didigital platatform, you u have s so muc access. we did get a lot of pushback in 2012. they were like, you're going to put a tablet in a 5-year-old's hand? like, are you crazy? but our tablets are locked d do, so thehey're realllly rereading devivices for ththe kidsds. they cannot access the internet. it's literally just an electronic book. >> reporter: those free tablets allow studenents to chchoose fr more than 40,000 titles. families receive training, and those who need it also get a free wi-fi data plan. the gogoal --- >> yes! you read with your momom?? >> repeporter: -- to encourarag adulults to reread with ththeir for at leaeast 15 minunutes s e day. >> w we're not an in-school prprogram, butut more afteter s and getting the parents the power to realllly be t that all-imimportant fifirst teacheh home which is hugege. >> so i'm so glad d that youou toto my officece hoursrs -- >> we do have the support of a book coach for each of the families, and they receive text messages twice a week. anand a lot of timeses they'rer rereading g strategieses or rer there's s ten new books s in t cocollection o on n the tatable. > reporter:r: the digitital platform allows s the book c cos to monititor eacach fafamily's progressss. > reporter:r: thehe book coa- >> thehe book cocoaches are e s who hahasn't picked up thehe ta, and if there's a little dip, then there are some text messages that they will send o t like, hey, d do you need any assistancece? >> repeporter: thehere's a real importanant window t that t if are not at a a certatain level third, f fourth grade, we reala see the gaps s start to widen. >> unfortutunately onene of the scary statatistics is onlyly one-third d of fourth graders s our cocountry are rereading ata above gradade level. it's indicatative ofof whether they'll graduate f from high school and how far behind they get. so yes, that's why it's so important to get kids interested in books. >> there you go. good job. >> reporter: students who read for 15 minutes a day are honored as star readers. and three times a year, all studenents are giviven harard d ofof booksks to keep. >> we e know hard d copy b book not t going away, , and there's sosomething ababout turning g t page. soso we encourage bothth. but you u know, we arere able t just trackck better on the tabl. > reporter:r: and you h have that youou collect.. whatat have e you found?d? >> last t school yeaear we had 0 stududents in n the program,m, ovover 108,000 books were reada last year'r's schoolol year. and d you know, , for a lot ofo families thehe books thahat t te reading togegether are t the on books inin thehe housese. > reporter:r: what abouout t anecdotal l stories? what d do you hear from m famil? >> therere was a a mother and daughterer who had h housing ininsecurity d during the pande and they didn't know night by night wherere they would be. and the momom m said her d daug said to heher, mom, i'm grgrad had the e always reaeading tabl becaususe no matteter whwhere w you're s still able e to read bebedtime storory to me. and d you knowow, it was -- it hohome becausese there wasas a bit of stability maybe that we were offering beyond just the books. >> reporter: k kristi's prprogr has alalso helpeped ststudents substatantial acadademic progrg espepecially onene young boyoy emilioio. >> a pre-k, he enterered the program nonverbabal. and d he was on an indndividual educatioion plan, but t his mam his grandmotheher, took advanta of the resources and the coachihing. > the book coach is alwayays there to ask questioions, give support,t, g give e adadvice. so whehen they g gave the rerea tatablet, he l loved it. he loved it. it was a place where he could esescape and could learn, anand would jujust soak itit up like spononge. >> i i c can r read this one. it has f five trucksks a and dinosasaurs. >> i actually y started rereadio him and getting involved w with the program. he started asking questions because he was interested in the things they were reading together. and by the end of his pre-k year, hihis teachersrs dececide mainstream him, and he became one of the top readers in his class as far as number of books read. >> reporter: more than 30 years after achieving her dream, kristi yamaguchi is focused on giving kids the chance to find and pursue their own. ththe access t that you provovi ththese books,s, how much dodo think k that encouourages the e chchildren andnd the famililies this progrgram t to creaeam? >> i really fefeel - -- - to dr? >> i really feel books unlock the imimageations in children, d i think that's where dreams are born. other worlds are opened up to you when you read a book. so yes, i really do feel like tryingng to instill and promote kids to dream is what we're all about. over the next four years, yamaguchi hopes to expand her work and quadruple the number of students she serves. to support her efforts go to cnnheroes.com. please join me tomorrow for the 17th annual "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute" live here on cnn. when we come back, simone biles,s, a gymnaststics lelegen tells alalisyn camererota how h childhood d led d her to helelp childrdren in fostster care. >> i know some o of those hardshships that those kids go through. it's a part of who i am, and i wouldn't be here without that part. the power goes out, and we still have wifi to do our homework. and that's a good thing? great in my book. who are you? no power? no problem. introducing storm-ready wifi. now you can stay reliably connected through power outages with unlimited cellular data and up to 4 hours of battery back-up. plus, now through december 31st, eligible xfinity rewards members can get 25% off a storm ready wifi device. welcome back. simone biles has dominated women's gymnastics more than a decade and she now has 37 medals in global competition making her the most decorated gymnast in history. she is truly the greatest of all time for many. while her athletic feats are legendary, her fans have been inspired by the difficulties she's overcome. one of those challenges led her to work with friends of the children, a nonprofit that provides mentors to vulnerable young people, many in the foster care system. here's why she believes it c ca have life changing impact. >> reporter: over the last ten years, gymnast simone biles has become a legend. she's flown higher, pushed farther and achieved feats unmatched by any other woman in the sport. her name is synonymous with excellence. >> simone fricking biles. >> reporter: yet this full fledged superstar has always kept it real. >> hi, guys. i'm simone biles. >> reporter: her openness about the issues that have impacted her and her advocacy on their behalf have earned her more recognition and resespect. personal expxperience isis what drdrives her worork withth frie the chilildren, a nonpnprofit t helplps vulnerable young peoeop ininclude mananage who have bee or a are at risk of enentering foster carare system. . tell us s why the organization so close to your heart. >> i actually was a foster kid, so i know some of those hardships that those kids go through. when my sisiblings andnd i entn fofoster care,e, it was because biological mom was struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. i was 3 years old. i just rememember like u us as being so hungrgry and then i i remember this cat that would get fed and not like quitete us and so w we wewere t taken and thankfully, we actually got to stay in one foster home and we were all together. >> reporter: simone spent three years in foster care, during which time her grand parents were frequent visitors. >> it was like some of the best times ever. we were just so excited. >> reporter: when she was 6, they officially adopted heher. thisis newew lifife soon led 6 - olold simonene to didiscover he passioion. werere you on a class field tri when you w went toto a g gym? whatat happened d there? >> i never even heard of gymnastics before. i was just like oh, i bet i could do that. i was just playing around, copying someme of the girls in the back and they did end upup sesending a leletter home and m paparents were l like oh, this perfrfect. itit will get t her enerergy o we'll sesee whatat happens. i don't think anybybody thought anything of it. >> reporter: so basically you were just a natural born gymnast. >> yes. >> reporter: and the rest is history. still without constant support through foster care and adoption, simone's life could have been very differentnt. you gogot lucky. >> havining my pararents and th supporort made me who i i am t soso once i heard of this s for childrenen, i was lilike t that amamazing. >> reporteter: tell m me about frfriends of the childreren and servrvice they provide for kids >> it't's a paid professional mementor and t that friendnd st wiwith that chchild for r 12 p yearars and kind of is thahat constantnt in their life so the can attend like dance recicital scschool, difffferent outitings gives s them love and d support to have e ththat one constant m ththe woworld to them. hi, i'm m simonene. nice t to memeet you. > you've beenen mentotoring for eieight years?s? >> 8 1/2, 9 yearars. >> t that's awesesome. whwhat's your favoririte thing about shambria? is she like an older sister? >> yes. . and my b best friend. >> repeporter: this apppproach woworks. ththe group says 92% of f progr graduates avoid the criminal justice system and go on to college, get jobs or join the military. some stay in touch with their mentors the rest of their lives. simone has embraced the group's mission, writing an op ed in usa today and doing zoom calls with kids from the g group. > always susuper cute. . i usually lead a stretch, talk, do a q and a. it's really special i get to at least talk to these kids. >> reporter: and last january -- >> let's start out with just a warm friends of the children welcome to simone biles. >> reporter: when she was featured on a cereal box, she shared that spotlight with the group. >> representation matters and me being a former foster kid, we kind of integrated that in so that people could get a deeper look inside of what i hold very near and dear to my heart, which is obviously working with foster kids. >> reporter: the event also celebrated the organization's expansion to simone's own town. >> we're here today with you t celebrbrate friendnds of the childrenen houston. . >> repororter: you started the houston chapter. am i r right? >> yes. we worked together to open this houston chapter because i think the kids of houston deserve that. >> reporter: and the kidsds ar ulultimately w what motivavates >> youou see their eyes light u and it's super exciting because they realize i was in their exact position, interacting with them. obviously they have so many questions. >> did you have a mentor growing up before? >> i was adopted at a younger age. so my mentors were my parents and then as i got older it, became like my coaches, my teammates. >> have you did a backflip before? >> have i did a backflip before? i've done several, yeah. i probably have done millions by now. >> reporter: she'll be doing more at the biles ininvitationa a competition where she's also promoting the nonprofit. >> so we are raising fundsds wi a spspecial adaddition gk simon biles friends of the chihildren leleo as w well as a turtle and these prproceeds g go to friene the children so we c can hopefulllly open newew c chapte hire more e friends and d mento >> reporter: friendnds ofof th children is now w inin 36 citit natitionwide. it hopes t to expandnd to 50 locations and eventually reduce the number of young kids entering foster care in the u.s. simone is proud to support ththis work. ultimatetely she wants allll vulnerable k kids to reaeach th potential.l. why dodo you talk k abouout tht paininful timeme in your life? >> because it't's a papart of w am a and i i wouldn'n't be here wiwithout thatat part t and hop ththose kids out there listenin get toto be like wow, i can be sosomebody and this s doesesn't to h hold me back.k. you can still dream big and do amazing things. >> to support simone biles work with friends of the children, go to cnnheroes.com where you can learn more about everyone you've seen ni

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