People Who Made a Difference in Your Community

I co-teach with 7th grade Language Arts. We are doing a research paper on someone who has made a difference and has also overcome obstacles. As I start to brainstorm a list of people who have made a difference in the world and in recent and past history, I start to wonder about the people who have made a difference in one's own community. I am wondering if people have done projects to involve local people--student who have interviewed people in their family or their community who they respect and admire, and have shown how those local people have made a difference.
A friend of mine who teaches in Robbinsdale district does a project every year and they bring people in from the community to be honored. I am curious about any school projects people have done (on any grade level) to honor local heroes and sheroes. World War II vets? Vietnam or any more recent war vets? People who have helped any poor or underpriveleged people? I would love to know!