The trials facing campus administrators are overwhelming. Public schools face continued budget deficits, resource restrictions and higher government accountability while campus administrators are being requested to do amazing things with fewer sources. At the same time, Barth-Farkas and Vera contended the best and sharpest teachers are being recruited into local industry or to higher paying school districts in other states. With increases in federal mandates and concerns over changing community standards resulting in higher turnover in the principalship school districts are looking for the model candidate for a Title I campus. This has been difficult during a period where the pool of qualified, available applicants is shrinking. The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological narrative study was to study Marzano's 21 Leadership Characteristics with successful Title I schools. Ten Title I Principals were interviewed to gain an understanding of the characteristics that guide their daily experiences. Implications for practice were communicating, creating a positive culture, maintain discipline, building relationships and being a visible leader.