As a criminal lawyer whose specialty was representing kids, Sheila Joseph knew better than anyone just how bad the education system in low-income communities could be. Hearing about New York's Teaching Fellow's program, Sheila decided to take a couple of years off from law and try to make a difference in kids lives before they needed a lawyer. She went to work in East Jamaica, Queens at a school that was about to close. That year an inspiring principal turned it around, requiring students to go to school 12 months a year and raising their test scores as a result. But the next year, under a new principal, the school tumbled back to the lowest-performance in the borough. Through the Fellows Program, she learned about starting a charter school. It was a long and complicated process, but because of her perseverance and commitment, East New York Prep was created. On September 5, 2006, the school opened its doors for the first time to 110 kids who comprise the class of 2014. Their principal, Sheila Joseph, and the dedicated teachers she's recruited, intend to see each one live up to their full potential. Go to www.eastnyprep.org to learn more.