One by one, ties that held the community together have disappeared. In the 1970s, the disintegration of the neighborhood was accelerated by the construction of a multi-lane highway that split the community in half. By the 1980s, Sandtown-Winchester was one of the poorest and most dangerous sections of Baltimore. This effort at neighborhood transformation is targeted at a broad array of issues, including housing, education, health care, and crime. Almost a decade of active community building has made quite a difference.
Today there are new homes being built, old homes being renovated, and the economy is turning around.
While they may never make it to the professional ranks, each is learning what it takes to succeed in life. Whether they are exercising their newfound skills to judge the arc of a football or to make decisions about their lives, these kids will have the experience and skill necessary to make better decisions. For Jermaine Lewis, that s what football and life is all about.