This paper explores whether potential school leaders can be identified and encouraged earlier in their lives. The story of Judy, a teacher who became the leader of an innovative technology project, provides clues to her development as a professional and her creation of the vision that inspired the project. The numerous markers in Judy's life that seem to denote school leadership qualities form a framework for the analysis of the lives of other school leaders for similar indications in a second study. A third study examines the life stories of graduate students in educational administration in an attempt to determine if these markers are universal, or at least generic. The seven themes that emerge--childhood experiences with leadership, college experiences with leadership or nontraditional college experiences, high parental expectations of leadership, support of spouse or friends for leadership, strong ego or personality characteristics, and an inquisitive approach to situations and people--may mark the path taken by potential school leaders and help provide insights into improving educational leadership programs. (Contains 4 figures and 22 references.) (MKW)