The three-year-long transformation of Lawrence Heights Middle School from an underachieving, gang-ridden school with a high teacher attrition rate to a thriving, diverse school whose reading, writing, and math scores rated above average in the province is described in this personal account by the school`s agent of change: the principal. Anecdotal stories of students throwing library books out the window during the principal`s first tour of the school accompany inspiring stories of students who excelled beyond the expectations of a community dominated by public-housing complexes. Practical theories and real-life applications from a leading expert on inner-city revitalization offer hope and strategies for instilling pride and dignity in at-risk students.