Don'tjudgeabookfromitscover

　　Somepeoplearejustdoomedtobefailures.That'sthewaysomeadultslookattroubledkids.Maybeyou'veheardthesaying,"Abirdwithabrokenwingwillneverflyashigh."I'msurethatT.J.Warewasmadetofeelthiswayalmosteverydayinschool.

　　Byhighschool,T.J.wasthemostcelebratedtroublemakerinhistown.Teachersliterallycringedwhentheysawhisnamepostedontheirclassroomlistsforthenextsemester.Hewasn'tverytalkative,didn'tanswerquestionsandgotintolotsoffights.Hehadflunkedalmosteveryclassbythetimeheenteredhissenioryear,yetwasbeingpassedoneachyeartoahighergradelevel.Teachersdidn'twanttohavehimagainthefollowingyear.T.J.wasmovingon,butdefinitelynotmovingup.

　　ImetT.J.forthefirsttimeataweekendleadershipretreat.AllthestudentsatschoolhadbeeninvitedtosignupforACEtraining,aprogramdesignedtohavestudentsbecomemoreinvolvedintheircommunities.T.J.wasoneof405studentswhosignedup.WhenIshoweduptoleadtheirfirstretreat,thecommunityleadersgavemethisoverviewoftheattendingstudents:"Wehaveatotalspectrumrepresentedtoday,fromthestudentbodypresidenttoT.J.Ware,theboywiththelongestarrestrecordinthehistoryoftown."Somehow,IknewthatIwasn'tthefirsttohearaboutT.J.'sdarkersideasthefirstwordsofintroduction.

　　Atthestartoftheretreat,T.J.wasliterallystandingoutsidethecircleofstudents,againstthebackwall,withthat"goahead,impressme"lookonhisface.Hedidn'treadilyjointhediscussiongroups,didn'tseemtohavemuchtosay.Butslowly,theinteractivegamesdrewhimin.Theicereallymeltedwhenthegroupsstartedbuildingalistofpositiveandnegativethingsthathadoccurredatschoolthatyear.T.J.hadsomedefinitethoughtsonthosesituations.TheotherstudentsinT.J.'sgroupwelcomedhiscomments.AllofasuddenT.J.feltlikeapartofthegroup,andbeforelonghewasbeingtreatedlikealeader.Hewassayingthingsthatmadealotofsense,andeveryonewaslistening.T.J.wasasmartguy,andhehadsomegreatideas.

　　Thenextday,T.J.wasveryactiveinallthesessions.Bytheendoftheretreat,hehadjoinedtheHomelessProjectteam.Heknewsomethingaboutpoverty,hungerandhopelessness.Theotherstudentsontheteamwereimpressedwithhispassionateconcernandideas.TheyelectedT.J.co-chairmanoftheteam.ThestudentcouncilpresidentwouldbetakinghisinstructionfromT.J.Ware.

　　WhenT.J.showedupatschoolonMondaymorning,hearrivedtoafirestorm.Agroupofteacherswereprotestingtotheschoolprincipalabouthisbeingelectedco-chairman.Theveryfirstcommunitywideserviceprojectwastobeagiantfooddrive,organizedbytheHomelessProjectteam.Theseteacherscouldn'tbelievethattheprincipalwouldallowthiscrucialbeginningtoaprestigious,three-yearactionplantostayintheincapablehandsofT.J.Ware.

　　Theyremindedtheprincipal,"Hehasanarrestrecordaslongasyourarm.He'llprobablystealhalfthefood."Mr.CoggshallremindedthemthatthepurposeoftheACEprogramwastouncoveranypositivepassionthatastudenthadandreinforceitspracticeuntiltruechangecantakeplace.Theteachersleftthemeetingshakingtheirheadsindisgust,firmlyconvincedthatfailurewasimminent.

　　Twoweekslater,T.J.andhisfriendsledagroupof70studentsinadrivetocollectfood.Theycoll