Why do we have schools? This question was posed to a high school faculty and staff. The answer became the foundation of the educational and leadership philosophy of the author, National Principal of the Year, Dr. Akil E. Ross. With a united voice, the teachers, administrators and staff all agreed that schools should "Prepare students for productive lives."

There is growing evidence concerning our children's ability to pass the test of life. With over 6 million American teens suffering from anxiety, countless youth in the grips of depression, substance abuse on the rise, and school discipline out of control, our children are in dire need of something different from the usual school fare.

Empowering the Heart is a testimony to the power education has to strengthen the spirit and unlock the potential of each child. This book encourages school personnel to use an "educational stethoscope" to understand the internal conditions of each child. "...for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (II Corinthians 4:18 King James Version).

Empowering the Heart is a framework for educating the whole child — mind, body and spirit. The spirit is the fuel for the heart. As education empowers the students, the students will empower the educators.