 The film's title comes from the school principal's last name, but also the director's belief that a heart of stone was needed to face the difficult challenge of earning the respect of the school's students, many of whom are gang members.Stone's strategy was not to confront the gang bangers but to make use of their "natural leadership abilities" and to use their skills to help improve themselves and their school and to help end the pattern of violence in the school building.The film premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award, won the Jury Award for Best Documentary at Cinequest Film Festival, and received the Kaiser Permanente Thrive Award for telling a story of thriving in the face of adversity.