From Street Smart to School Smart: The Unmaking of the Sisters of the Streets

This non-fiction story is about 17-year-old Jewels Odom and 13 other ex-teen prostitutes, drug dealers and gang bangers, a story that is now still being relived by thousands of girls throughout our inner cities and towns. There are an estimated 900,000 girls, ages from 10 and older, nationwide and 20 million worldwide who are involved in prostitution and sex trafficking, This story gives Jewels and her 13 "sisters" a pulpit to speak to other lost girls looking for an escape from what they call “streets of hell.” What separates Jewels from her “street sisters” is her ability to survive and succeed -- actually going to college to return as a teacher at “juvie.” This true story ends with a mixture of successes and failures, but as always, Jewels is the one who has the final say when she tries to connect with Maya Angelou, the famous poet, to be the graduation speaker.