"I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance.  It overcomes almost everything, even nature." John D. Rockefeller 

Betty Anne Waters was an unemployed single mother from New England who, with the help of attorney Barry Scheck from the Innocence Project, exonerated her wrongfully convicted brother thanks to DNA testing.  In order to do this she earned her GED, then her bachelor's, a master's in education, and eventually a law degree from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island.  She accomplished this while raising two boys alone and working as a part-time waitress. While in law school, she began investigating her brother's case. Kenneth "Kenny" Waters, her brother, was convicted in 1983 of murdering Katharina Brow in Ayer, Massachusetts in 1980.

Betty Anne located biological evidence and then worked with the Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization devoted to overturning wrongful convictions, to obtain DNA testing on the evidence-proving Waters' innocence and leading to his exoneration on June 19, 2001.  Her story was told in the 2009 movie Conviction.

As a woman Waters' story is a remarkable testament to strength and courage combined with an ability to stay focused against many odds.  Watch any of the videos on the Conviction web site and answer the following questions:

• How does her story demonstrate the ability to exhibit courageous behavior?
• What is most impressive about this story?
• How does this story demonstrate the ability to believe in yourself when others do not?
• What specific goal did Betty Anne have during those 18 years?
• As you seek to further your personal and professional development, what lesson/s can you take from this story and apply it to your ability to exhibit courageous behavior, believe in yourself when others do not and define a specific goal.