Up the hill was an elementary school, a run-down school with 1980s orange paint and so few students the school board was days from a vote to shutter it.

Betti’s son Roman was just a toddler at the time, the early days of 2006, and she knew she had only one chance to make her wish come true: save Daniel Webster Elementary School.

Keeping it open would be the first step. Really saving it, well, that was something else altogether.