This book describes the success of mentor programs and of individuals such as Hillary Clinton, Barbara Bush, Bill Cosby, and Arnold Schwarzenegger among many others, who have worked as mentors in public schools. The first section describes the work of Eugene Lang and his "I Have a Dream" program. The second section describes the work of 13 individuals who have worked within the system to improve it. The next section notes the progress of the "adopt-a-school" program. A chapter on starting your own organization describes the achievements of 11 individuals. A section on the work of celebrity mentors and a study titled "Mentors or Merchants?" is followed by a chapter detailing the work of six persons who started their own schools. A section on reform examines the reform initiatives of two authors and an effective statewide organization that has seen its reform activism affect state legislation. A chapter on city-based work describes the Boston (Massachusetts) Compact and the Rochester (New York) experiment. The next chapter examines the work of reformers at the state level in Texas, Kentucky, and South Carolina. "Is Money the Answer?" presents examples of effective and ineffective spending. Another chapter describes the mentorship program that was started to expose at-risk kids to the law as a profession. A final chapter summarizes the book's lessons and discusses how individuals can make a difference. Appendixes contain resources for assistance, a bibliography, additional information on mentors mentioned in the book, and the National Education Goals and Objectives. (JB)