By Anne Thompson and Amber Payne
NBC News

Ryan Langston has everything a casting director would want in a child model: charisma, a hip haircut and a knockout smile. This 6-year-old also has Down syndrome -- and it is that fact that has daytime talk shows, international newspapers and news networks all wanting to tell Ryan's story.

His appearance in a Nordstrom catalog this summer, and a Target ad this month created the kind of buzz marketing directors dream of -- because of what the ads do not do. They don't emphasize or point out that Ryan has special needs. He's just a good looking kid in an ad, appearing alongside other good looking kids about the same age.

On the Internet, parents of other special needs children are praising the ads -- and Ryan -- an outpouring that's surprised and overwhelmed his parents, Amanda and Jim Langston.

In the Langstons' first broadcast interview, which aired on Jan. 16 on NBC Nightly News, Ryan's mother Amanda Langston said they are "thrilled" that their son has become an inspiration to so many others.

"He's a beautiful little boy and he does shine, he has a beautiful little light and I think that's what people are seeing," Ryan's mother Amanda said, when she spoke to NBC's Anne Thompson at the Langstons' home in Garwood, N.J.

Ryan is every bit a 6-year-old boy: riding his bike in the back yard, climbing the rock wall on his playground set, and using all sorts of trucks to dig up his mother's garden. He's a bundle of energy who had a very difficult start. Ryan was born with a hole in his heart and had open heart surgery when he was just 3 months old. That hurdle cleared, his parents began early intervention to help Ryan develop muscle tone and communication skills.

Fast forward a few years, and Ryan is a happy, engaged child. A cute kid with blonde hair and blue eyes, he has been modeling ever since he was 3 years old. The now famous Target ad shows Ryan posing next to four other children. He's the only child with Down syndrome, but he blends right in -- and Target didn't attempt to highlight his difference.

"The fact that they are not making a big deal - it's ironic," Ryan's father Jim said. "It's a big deal because they are not making a big deal about it."

Courtesy Amanda and Jim Langston

Ryan Langston.

The Langstons' decision to involve Ryan in modeling was never about the money, Amanda said. "This has just become his own thing," she said. And it's also turned into a confidence booster.

"There are times where his speech is unbelievable, he's speaking full sentences," Amanda said. At other times, the stress of being unable to communicate can have a snowball effect.

"A lot of people with Down syndrome have anxiety, and he does," Jim said. "You see him rubbing his hands in nervousness, or he takes a step back and says, 'OK, OK' because he is trying to reset his mind to thinking what to say."

But when Ryan is on set, surrounded by his family and hamming it up for the photographer, his anxiety seemingly disappears.

"Ryan loves doing it, and when I say this I don't think people understand that he knows it's his thing!" Amanda said. "I joke all the time that after the shoot is over he does not want to leave, I almost have to drag him out from wherever we are."

Despite the attention generated by Ryan's Target spread, ads that feature children with disabilities are not new. According to Target spokesperson Jessica Carlson, the company has included people with disabilities in ads since the early 1990s. And Nordstrom catalogs, where Ryan has also appeared, have been including child models with Down syndrome since 1997.

Most of these print ads have come and gone with little fanfare. Ryan's Target ad might not have been any different if it wasn't for so-called "daddy blogger" Rick Smith, who wrote about Ryan's Target ad on Jan. 2. That posting, and the accompanying ad picture, went viral.

"The response has been overwhelming," Smith said. "Hopefully stories like Ryan, and Noah and the community that is building online will help keep this story going strong." Smith writes about his 11-month-old son Noah on NoahsDad.com. Smith's son also has Down syndrome, and his blog is a platform for the world to see that their life is much more normal then "un-normal."

Courtesy Amanda and Jim Langston

Twins Ryan and Ian Langston.

Every day Smith posts a one-minute video called "Noah's Minute."  These short videos are a glimpse into their everyday life, and range from Noah playing on the swingset to his physical therapy sessions. 

"For so many years people assumed our story was a sad one. We hope that our son can sort of open the book for them, so to speak," Smith said. "We don't live in a sad story. We live in a good one."

The Smiths traveled from Dallas to New York City for a vacation over the weekend and were thrilled to meet Ryan and the Langston family in person for the first time on Monday. 

Ellen Narucki, Ryan's special needs teacher at The Arc of Essex County Stepping Stones School in Roseland, N.J., said the clothing ads are sending a positive message for people with Down syndrome, and show how they can also be accepted as part of society.

"That's a very important point, I think, that in the long term our goal is to have our children be profitable and to be part of society," Narucki said.

As long as Ryan continues to enjoy modeling, the family will continue to support him -- especially his fraternal twin brother.

Amanda says Ian, who does not have Down syndrome, "has probably been the largest part of Ryan's success."

The two boys still sleep in the same room, although they'll eventually be separated. For now, Amanda said, "we feel it's important that bonding is there."

"Ian is his big brother, even though they [were born] one minute apart," Amanda said. "Ian is the big brother, and Ian is taking on that role, and he has that personality. It's just who he is."

His brother's affection is just one of the many ways Ryan knows he's important.

"He looks at the Target ad and goes, 'That's me!'" Jim said. "The fact that Ryan, how he is, can enlighten people and gives his life value, he can be an ambassador in some way, we were thrilled about that."

Additional reporting by msnbc.com's Christina Caron.

By Anne Thompson
NBC News

Laura Pita is a bundle of energy and she needs it. She is the mother of four tireless boys. Like so many moms, her plate is overflowing. Raising four boys is a full-time job on its own, but one of her sons, 8-year-old Josh, has an acute form of leukemia. Last April, as Josh was undergoing intensive chemotherapy, Pita was also comforting her mother, Roberta "Emmy" Burt who was dying from melanoma. That month, on the day Emmy died, a distraught Pita decided she had to do something positive, something that would remind her that there is happiness in life.  

"I lost my mommy. I needed to do something or else I would have gone insane," Pita said.  

So she decided to make a tutu for her niece. That act in a moment of despair was the start of her charity "Emmy's Heart" that is bringing moments of fun and joy in the pediatric wards of Joe DiMaggio Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., and Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Looking at the tutu, Pita thought of all the little girls she saw fighting cancer. The drugs that promise to make them well also take their hair, their glowing complexions, and their energy. But Pita knew they were beautiful and knew her tutus could remind them of their inner beauty. As for the boys, capes would make them feel like superheroes. With the help of friends, Pita started making tutus and capes and taking them to Joe DiMaggio, where Josh is treated. Watch the faces of scared children transform into confident smiles as they put on the capes and tutus and you will see that Pita's creations have magical powers.

Instantly, the children go from the difficult reality of being sick to their world of imagination. They become Captain America, Superman, ballerinas, and princesses. They jump, they twirl and most of all, they laugh. Pita's son, Josh, calls himself the Chemo Kid. He is vanquishing his leukemia, now getting chemo just once a month to keep his illness in check. So far, Pita said, they’ve distributed 250 tutus and about 200 capes.

"I honestly thought here and there I would drop off a tutu for the girls, I had no idea -- no dream ever that this would happen," said Pita, whose family has spent $4000 on the charity since April 2011.  

They call her "The Tutu Lady." I think you'll agree, they can call her a superhero too. 

You can learn more about Emmy's Heart by visiting their website or emailing Laura Pita at laura.pita@emmysheart.org.

By Jay Blackman
NBC News producer

In a nondescript office park in Rockland, Mass., the unemployed can find an oasis. It’s the home of a nonprofit called One Life at a Time, an organization that helps those looking for jobs, but in a different way than the state office of unemployment.  

"We basically do one-on-one, and what that means is that everybody is an individual," said founder Christine Driscoll O’Neill. "Whatever their needs are… whatever they need to get to that place to be able to be employable again – we do."

Driscoll O’Neill believes the one-on-one attention that she and her staff are able to provide free of charge is what makes the difference for her clients.  

O'Neill, who started the organization with the proceeds from a whistleblower lawsuit and hopes to continue supporting it through grants, understands her clients’ pain firsthand.

"I know what it's like to feel unemployed, I didn't like it," she said. "There wasn't anybody there for me, so I want to be there for all the underemployed and unemployed." The organization has two offices in Massachusetts, but it has helped many people who live out of state, too, by phone and by Skype.

With a staff of 12, One Life at a Time offers many regular career services, such as resume polishing and help with cover letters, but it doesn’t stop there. In a conference room with a wall of windows, a makeup artist offers advice on what colors to wear to interviews while applying eye liner on Diane, who is out of work for the first time in her career.

"It's about feeling good about yourself," the makeup artist tells Diane. "Just be yourself. Obviously you want to show some confidence. You know that you're able to do the job, and I think that will go a long way."

Surrounded by an unemployed teacher, a laid-off senior accountant and a nurse struggling to find work, Driscoll O’Neill holds a group discussion about the importance of self-esteem.

In another office, career specialist Russell Abbatiello sets up a small video camera in preparation for a mock interview, which puts clients through the process before they have to do it for real. The interviews are recorded to show people how they performed and what they need to work on.  

Abbatiello is now working with a chemist who has been out of work for more than a year. Not only is he testing her interview skills, but he is also drilling her on everything from how she would deal with an ethical issue to what her advanced degrees would mean to an employer. When the interview is over, they watch the video together, analyzing her performance.

"It's not always the answers that you give," Abbatiello tells the chemist, "it's how you give the answers."

For Ted Burns, 53, and a 20-year veteran in the telecommunications industry, the past year has been challenging. With one child in college and another in high school, he is looking for any edge that will get him back into the workforce.

"I'm  trying to stay as positive as I can, put a smile on and, I know eventually something will come," Burns said. "It's tough, it's a battle, it's a struggle and you just try to stay as positive as you can."

Burns taps on a keyboard in the organization’s computer lab, where classes are offered to help clients leverage the networking power of social media sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn. Burns already has used LinkedIn to make several connections. (UPDATE: Just this week, with One Life's help, Burns started a new job in his field.)

Driscoll ONeill says the organization has helped 5,000 people find work, including people such as Jen Guisti, who was laid off from her job as a television producer. Guisti was surprised at how hard it was to find another job.  

"I  heard it was hard but I didn't think it was going to be like this," she said. "I didn't think I was going to be out of work for so long."

Guisti says she struggled going the traditional route through the state offices, and found she needed the one-on-one attention that One Life at a Time provides.

"They were able to help me see things in a different light, and have me go down different paths, and kind of test my skills and test myself," she said. Guisti is now back at work at MK3 Creative, working on corporate videos.

Even with success stories such as Guisti’s, Driscoll O’Neill knows there is more work to do. To her, the country’s 8.6 percent unemployment rate isn't just a number; it represents millions and millions of people.

By Anne Thompson
NBC News

Patrick Witt's choice comes with no guarantees. If he opts for the Rhodes interview, Witt  might not get the scholarship. If he opts for the game, Yale will be a decided underdog against a Harvard team that has not lost in the Ivy League this season.  

NBC News

NBC's Anne Thompson and her nephew Drew meet Yale quarterback Patrick Witt.

And, if all this wasn't enough, Witt is just a genuinely nice guy. I brought my 11-year-old nephew Drew along on the shoot. Drew is an outstanding athlete (he just ran a 6:17-minute mile) and student. I wanted him to meet someone who excelled in both areas. I hoped Witt could be a role model. As it happens often in sports, the image and the reality can be very different and disappointing.

Not so with Witt. He was gracious to Drew, me, producer Clare Duffy and our crew. He showed Drew that the idea of a student-athlete is no myth. Patrick Witt is the embodiment of both taken to remarkable levels of excellence.

Meet this extraordinary young man tonight on Nightly News. Meanwhile, vote in our poll and let us know what you think Witt should do.

By Anne Thompson
NBC News

He runs a pro style offense for the Yale Bulldogs, but 22-year-old Patrick Witt is, in a real sense, an option quarterback. Or at least a quarterback with options any college senior would envy.

Not only does Witt have a full-time job offer from Boston Consulting Group, but National Football League scouts are closely watching his games. One scouting website even projects Witt, the most accurate passer in Yale University history, will be selected in the sixth or seventh round of the NFL draft.

But on Nov. 19, Witt faces a tough choice: He can lead Yale against arch rival Harvard University in New Haven, Conn., or he can interview for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in his hometown of Atlanta.

On the one hand, the opportunity to be a Rhodes Scholar, Witt says, is tremendous. “And it is a difficult process. There are plenty of excellent candidates every year that aren’t selected, so that’s one part of it,” he said.

On the other, the game against Harvard would be Witt’s last college game. “And I’ve invested a lot of time. This is a sport I’ve been playing since I was a kid.”

Witt is not the first football player to face this dilemma. You might remember former Florida State University safety Myron Rolle, who faced a similar choice in 2008. Rolle, too, was a Rhodes finalist and had to interview for the scholarship in Birmingham, Ala. during the day, and try to make it for a crucial contest against Maryland in College Park, Md. He was able to do both because the Maryland game took place at night, and FSU had a private plane pick him up in Alabama. A police escort delivered Rolle to the game in Maryland. Rolle won the scholarship and FSU won the game.

The timing this year is not in Witt's favor. The kickoff for the 128th meeting between Harvard and Yale is set for noon on Nov. 19. The Rhodes interview could take all day - that same day. Even if Witt got the first interview at 8 a.m. Saturday, he could still be called back in the afternoon for a follow-up conversation.  There have been offers of private planes, but with the possibility of a callback, they wouldn't help.

Witt is a history major with a 3.91 grade point average. "Patrick rocks," said Dr. John Merriman, history professor, who wrote a Rhodes recommendation letter for Witt. Merriman said Witt earned an A plus in one of his courses during football season. 

"Patrick, he's the only guy I've known here that -- male or female -- that's really a great athlete and a great scholar," Merriman said. 

Witt's college career started at the University of Nebraska, where he had a four-year athletic scholarship as a quarterback for the Cornhuskers. While the football was challenging, Witt felt frustrated in the classroom.

"I came [to Yale] as a finance major from Nebraska and completely changed my trajectory,” he said. “I became a history major, focused quite extensively on French history with Professor Merriman. It's those expansions of your horizons that I really sought in coming here and I've been able to do just that."  

Yale does not offer athletic scholarships. Witt’s parents, Gene and Cathy, both commercial airline pilots, pay $55,000 a year for their son’s education.

Witt wants to study international relations at Oxford University in England, in preparation for a career in politics. "At the end of the day, the best advice I've been given is ‘this is your decision and you have to do what's right for you,’” he said.

The choice comes with no guarantees. If Witt opts for the Rhodes interview, he might not get the scholarship. If he opts for the game, Yale will be a decided underdog against a Harvard team that has not lost in the Ivy League this season. 

"It's thrilling," Witt said, "but, again, it's a big dilemma."

Learn more about Patrick Witt on Monday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 ET on Nightly News with Brian Williams.