What Amelia Earhart Left Behind

Soon enough, it's likely that women everywhere will find inspiration from the legendary Amelia Earhart—no matter their name. Not only is Hilary Swank starring in a new movie based on her life, but many historians believe her lost plane could soon be found. "I don't think there's any question that the plane is somewhere around Howland Island," Butler says. "The problem is that the island is in a part of the pacific where the ocean floor is 1,700 feet deep. But technology is catching up, and I think the plane will probably be found within the next five years."

Butler hopes that once Earhart's plane is finally discovered, the public's concentration can shift from how she died to how she lived. And Amelia Earhart's modern-day namesake couldn't agree more.

"She was such a compelling person. I want kids to see her up there with other major historical figures," Earhart says. "There are so many legacies from her because she had so many sides, but really she left this idea that no matter what your goal is, you just have to set your mind to it and get it done. I wanted to be a reporter, and now I'm in Los Angeles and I'm on television every single day in this beautiful helicopter. Just this little girl from Kansas…just like she was."