Madeline Cartwright, born into a family of thirteen children in a rural Pennsylvania town, remembers how it felt to be a child singled out in school for her messy hair and her hand-me-down clothes. She can still recall her frustration when she couldn't read in third grade and the alphabet seemed hopelessly twisted beyond her comprehension. It was those memories, interwoven with her inherent innovation and generosity, that Cartwright brought to the run-down Blaine Elementary School in North Philadelphia's Strawberry Mansion District. This dynamic woman took over the troubled inner-city school and brought her teachers and students to a stunning victory. Test scores increased, attendance grew to 92 percent, and a community where 63 percent of families receive public assistance was inspired to overcome the apathy and the stereotype of despair endemic to the urban landscape. - from Amzon