On the morning of a team photo shoot in 1992, the boys on the south Sacramento Raiders Junior Midgets did not yet realize the years ahead would be their toughest opponent. Bee reporter Jocelyn Wiener tracked down 31 of 35 members of the team to find out how they fared in life. This virtual gallery incorporates clippings and photos that tell the stories of the players' lives. Also included are video interviews with the players, their parents, and their coach. Enter the gallery

In May 2005, Bee photographer Renée C. Byer met Cyndie French, whose 10-year-old son, Derek Madsen, was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer. In the following year, Byer and reporter Cynthia Hubert documented the highs and lows of Derek's fight for life. It was a story Cyndi wanted others to learn from. Read project

In the fall of 2005, 72 teenagers enrolled at the nation's first weight loss boarding school, the Academy of the Sierras, in Reedley, where the curriculum includes not just history and English, but calorie counting, exercise, group therapy, and regular weigh-ins. Link to project page