Good-news stories you may have missed in 2021

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<p>Wally Funk tried for decades to become an astronaut, at a time before NASA allowed women into orbit. This year she finally flew to space at age 82. The <a href="https://apple.news/AkQm2hFtzR1ujvPk85mpcQQ?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Atlantic</a> shares her remarkable story.</p> <p>Two women broke barriers in football in 2021. <a href="https://apple.news/AWKWKxCANR0OAXdoZV0GdAg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Sports Illustrated</a> has what you should know about Sarah Thomas, the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl. And <a href="https://apple.news/A4nbB1JOQSO-GiHc0ss3IPA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> introduces Maia Chaka, the first Black woman to officiate an NFL game.</p> <p>It started with a few kids biking to school together for safety. It turned into a mass movement that touched hearts around the world, <a href="https://apple.news/ALLXA-RYvR4OUw9BTZ0eywA?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">NPR</a> reports.</p> <p>Two fierce rivals were neck-and-neck for Olympic gold. <a href="https://apple.news/A2XRubsABRjG_YxrYvoYzPg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Sports Illustrated</a> shows what happened next: Instead of going on to a tie-breaking round, they made the surprising decision to share victory.</p> <p>Zaila Avant-garde captured the nation&rsquo;s attention as the first African American winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. But <a href="https://apple.news/AuiA-sHIWQ1yvKqIHKQ9Mlg?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Variety</a> found there was much more to her.</p> <p>In a year with its share of dark times, goofy moments on social media helped give us all a lift. <a href="https://apple.news/Akoiw8PeVROOc3-Z7z1WZNw?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Wall Street Journal</a> columnist Jason Gay lists some favorites.</p> <p><a href="https://apple.news/A-5J9EXoATzOu_DyXqzLh7w?campaign_id=applenewstoday_shownotes">Apple News Spotlight</a> editors put together a special collection of the best good-news stories of the year.</p>