Ed Reed stands at the epicenter of a storm of more than 500 children turned loose in a field beside Booker T. Washington Middle School on a sunny, humid October morning.
Boys and girls occasionally break ranks to reach the Ravens' Pro Bowl safety, shake his hand, exchange a high-five or just say hello. They embrace him at every opportunity. From all appearances, Reed enjoys the repartee as much as the kids. He smiles often and responds to each request as he roams the field on Fitness Day, a day set up by the NFL to emphasize the merits of exercise and healthy diet.
When he spots one student whose khaki pants are slung low over his hips, Reed intercepts the young boy as if that student were scrambling out of the pocket for a big run. "Pull your pants up, man. What are you doing?" Reed says in a voice more reassuring than scolding.
The young boy dutifully hikes up his pants.
In truth, there are few details that escape Reed when it comes to Booker T. Washington, an inner-city school he adopted after arriving in Baltimore in 2002 as a first-round draft pick. One of his early stops was Booker T., nestled in the historic Marble Hill community of West Baltimore and surrounded by drugs, poverty and prostitution.
Reed, 30, is familiar with the dark corners and don't-cross lines of such neighborhoods. He grew up in one in Shrewsbury, La., in the shadow of New Orleans. He is living proof you can come out with a better life than you imagined, that you don't have to be a victim of circumstance and misfortune just because you have a tough start.
These are among the messages Reed delivers to the student body on any given Tuesday during football season. He will pop up unannounced in a pottery class to talk shop. He'll meet with a group of young boys who need to grasp the importance of respecting elders and peers. He'll introduce businessmen to serve as role models for the next generation. He relates to the kids on their level.
This is what Reed does to repay a favor he received some 15 years ago, and even more because he loves kids.
"In many respects, he is the same child with regard to his background," said Latanya Robinson, executive assistant at Booker T. Washington. "He's done some of the same things they've done. The kids who've really listened to his story understand you don't have to start off as a model student. It's up to you to determine which way you want to go. And he constantly reminds them of that, that success is determined by you."
