Something To Push Against Summary and Analysis

Cedric Jennings and Delante Coleman ("Head") are both students at Frank W. Ballou Senior High School, an all-black public institution in one of the worst sections of Washington, D.C. Delante runs one of the large school gangs, The Trenton Park Crew, has a thriving drug business, cruises in a Lexus, and is clearly driven. Cedric is just as driven. A young man who isolates himself from all of the "gangsters" so prevalent and disruptive at his school and who appears to be "ashamed" of his 4.02 grade point average, but who, nevertheless, is driven to academic achievement and to getting "out" of his violent, depressed environment. Of the 1,389 students at Ballou High School, 79 are on the honor roll, having achieved at least a "B" (3.0) grade point average. These kids are the subjects of ridicule -...