In the last ten years, many thousands of people have read the story of Joe Davis in the Townsend Press books Everyday Heroes and Ten Skills You Really Need to Succeed in School and Voices and Values. After many lost years as a drug addict, dealer, and petty criminal, Joe became the victim of a street shooting that left him paralyzed from the chest down. He returned to drug dealing until overwhelming despair caused him to try to kill himself.
After recovering from his attempted suicide, Joe Davis turned his life around. He went to college, eventually earning his associate’s degree, his bachelor’s degree, and his master’s degree in social work. He married and with his wife established a stable and loving home. He became a counselor to spinal-cord injury patients at the same hospital where he recovered from his shooting, reached out to at-risk youths at every turn, and dedicated himself to regaining the trust of his friends and family. Today Joe is a licensed social worker with a specialty in addictions.
Since the publication of Everyday Heroes, countless readers have contacted Townsend Press to ask, “What happened to Joe Davis? What is he doing now?” TP would like to offer readers the opportunity to ask those questions of Joe himself. Joe, who now coordinates Magee Rehabilitation Hospital of Philadelphia’s “Think First” program, has agreed to serve as a sort of Ambassador at Large for Townsend Press, speaking with school and community groups about his own life and encouraging young men and women to make the most of theirs. Joe has an unparalleled ability to connect with young people, speaking with them in a way that is never less than genuine and passionately concerned. His “street cred” is unmistakable, giving him an authentic voice that troubled kids are willing to listen to.
Here are accounts of recent visits by Joe:
1. Visit to a school in Austin, Texas:
Dear Townsend Press:
Let me begin by saying how much the students and faculty of Kealing Middle School are enjoying the Bluford Series. We absolutely love these short and highly interesting paperbacks! Most of the students, and even I, can relate to some of the issues that are raised in the Bluford stores. Students who are not usually motivated to read have found themselves totally immersed in these books. Thanks to you and Joe Davis, we are taking some of our "less than average" and "virtual non-readers" to new heights. Students are reading about issues that they themselves are experiencing.
Let me go back to October 7, 2009. Using Beth Johnson’s Everyday Heroes, I introduced the story of Joe Davis to my English Language Arts students. Since we were studying non-fiction, I told the children that if Joe’s story was actually non-fiction, then we should be able to verify what we had read. "Let’s see what has happened to Joe Davis in the years since this book was first published," I told them. So my students and I went on the Internet to see what we could learn about Joe. We began our search by sending an email to Think First in Philadelphia. A quick response from one of the staff at Think First quickly linked us to Joe, who called us in a short time and set a chain of events into motion. During a phone conversation, Joe told me, "One day I am going to come to see your students." Since we did not have a means of financing Joe’s trip, I did not dream that we would actually get to meet Joe during this school year.
When I was certain that Joe was going to visit Kealing, I began to meet with the various teaching teams on our campus to spread the word about Joe Davis, and to discuss ways that we could make Joe’s story known to our student body at large. When the story of Joe Davis was introduced to the students, they were very interested for several reasons, and I will give two of those reasons here. (1) Joe’s story is either their story or the story of someone close to them; (2) Joe has persevered; he has risen above his circumstances. For many of the students in this East Austin community at large, Joe Davis’s story is one of change and hope. That Joe was actually going to visit our school was almost too much for the student body, and for us as faculty, to comprehend. Yes, our students have met famous writers and the like on previous occasions, but never (in my 21 years on this campus) have I seen them respond in the way that they did when they knew that Joe Davis was coming to our school. The most exciting thing for me was that Joe wanted to come to our school; he wanted to meet our students up close and personal. Joe Davis’s message is one they wanted to hear and many of them had good reasons for listening to what Joe had to say.
By the time we were leaving for Christmas vacation, Joe Davis’s name was ringing throughout our school. Finally, on January 13, 2010, Joe and Terri Davis arrived and found us celebrating JOE DAVIS DAY. I am still reeling with emotion as I reflect on our students’ overwhelming reaction to Joe Davis. They greeted Joe like they were meeting an old friend. Our school has not been the same since that day. As Joe toured our school, children began to get a bird’s eye view of him through the glass panels in the doors. They began to leap from their classroom doors yelling, "Joe Davis, Joe Davis! Hi, Mr. Davis!"
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Later, Joe spoke in two separate assemblies in which he brought home the importance of literacy and the consequences of delving into a life of crime. The response from the audience (students, parents, faculty, school board members alike) was awesome. I must add that at the conclusion of each of his two presentations, Kealing students asked Joe some pretty poignant questions, and Joe had good and definite answers for every question. Following each assembly it seemed that every child pulled out a cell phone and began clickety, clickety, click, each wanting to pose with Joe Davis. Every girl and boy (especially the girls!) wanted to take a picture with Joe. Getting Joe through the hallway and back to the library could be likened to, with just a little exaggeration, the aftermath of a Michael Jackson concert. 
Children are still stopping me in the halls to talk about Joe Davis. They will not forget this man. I will not forget this man, who transformed himself from just a guy we read about in a book to a real-life figure, right here before our very eyes. Speaking from a teacher’s perspective, I must tell you that taking a lesson to this height is the ultimate experience.
I will let Joe tell you about the posters and banners bearing his name posted throughout the building. I will let Joe tell you about collard greens, cornbread and candied yams, brisket of beef, barbecued spareribs, barbecued chicken and more.
Currently, I am in the process of putting together a scrapbook for Mr. Davis. The scrapbook will be comprised of pictures and other memorabilia that are representative of Joe Davis’ visit to Kealing. I hope that Joe will share it with you.
Now we know Joe as a fellow Kealing Hornet and a friend.
Sincerely,
Bonita W. Middleton
Kealing Middle School
2. Visit to a school in Virginia:
Joe arrived on Wednesday afternoon in time to meet with the after-school group (made up of parents and administrators) who had invited him. He listened to their concerns and talked with them about ideas for reaching troubled students. On Thursday, Joe spent much of the day talking with a group of young people that teachers had identified as “problem students.” On Friday during the lunch period, Joe sat in the back of the cafeteria and had one-on-one conversations with students who wanted to talk with him. He exchanged e-mail addresses with students who were eager to keep in touch with someone who had shown such positive interest in them. As Joe noted after the trip, “It was an unforgettable experience. I need to believe that I was able to do some good and was able to touch some students in a positive way. I would love to save them all. Unfortunately, that is not possible. So I try to help them, one student at a time. I think some of them may actually have listened.”
3. Visit to a school in Florida:
Here is a personal account by Townsend Press author Beth Johnson, who visited the school along with Joe Davis and Maria Cardenas. Both Joe and Maria are featured in the book Everyday Heroes:
“Wow, what a great, amazing time we had. To begin with, the people of Wauchula were overwhelmingly hospitable. Martha Shiver, the Hardee High School literacy coach who set all this up, met us at the motel Wednesday night with a home-cooked meal. We all were presented with gift baskets of local products — honey, hot peppers, etc. I was interested and impressed with how our visit had been funded. The school service groups ( the Lionettes and Sweethearts) had raised money to buy copies of the book for everyone in the school. The funds that were left over will be dedicated to future literacy projects at the school. Mrs. Shiver wanted the money the kids has raised to be used exclusively for books, so she appealed to the local business community to help with our travel and lodging expenses. Local merchants and companies contributed generously. On Thursday night we were guests of honor at a meal at a local church, attended by the superintendent of schools, school board, the local judge, and those local contributors. The meal was served by the members of the Lionettes and the Sweethearts. It was wonderful to see how the community had come together to support the project. The students were rightfully very pleased and proud at having made the day possible!
We did two ninety-minute assemblies on Thursday — the first with the sophomores and seniors, the second with the freshmen and juniors. I talked briefly about how Everyday Heroes had come to exist and some of the characteristics I’d observed in people who were crushed by circumstances versus people who rose above them. Then Maria spoke, primarily about the power of perseverance, explaining that once you establish a reputation as someone who is determined to succeed, you will attract positive people who want to support you. The audience was warm and attentive. Then Joe came on. What can I say? The guy is a rock star. Mrs. Shiver and the principal had expressed some apprehension about how the students would behave, but no worries. They were riveted. Oh, there were a couple of knuckleheads who tried to divert the crowd’s attention, but Joe knew exactly how to handle them. Click here for a photo of Joe speaking to the students.
Between the morning and afternoon assemblies, we sat in the library in case anyone wanted to have their books autographed over the students’ lunch periods. Mrs. Shiver wasn’t sure if the kids would show up. Hah! Throughout the ninety-minute period, the line snaked out the library door and down the sidewalk. Not only did hundreds and hundreds of kids come, but they all had remembered to bring their books to school that day, a fact that blew their teachers away. Click here for a photo of Joe at the book signing. Again, Joe was tremendous. I heard him over and over asking kids what they were planning to do after high school, what their grades were like, etc. If they didn’t have a good answer for him he grilled them further. Why didn’t they have a plan? What did they think happened to people who didn’t have a plan? If they said something vague like “I dunno — maybe college” he’d say “Great. Have you taken your SATs? When are you going to take them? What college? What scholarships are you applying for? You don’t know? Why not? You want to be like me, 52 and still in school?”
The next day Joe visited a juvenile detention center in Ocala. He later told me one anecdote that will stick with me. A 17-year-old there cockily told him that he (the kid) didn’t need to learn anything from Joe; that he already knew more about drugs and how to be a successful dealer than Joe ever would. Joe listened politely and said, ‘Wow, I guess you’re right. Only thing is, when this assembly is over, I’m going home.’”
If you are interested in having Joe Davis visit your school or organization, e-mail us at programs@townsendpress.com.