>>>
>>> WITH
>>> WITH THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR READY TO KICK INTO HIGH GEAR IT
SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TIME TO CHECK
IN WITH SOME FRIENDS OF OURS.
>> FIVE YEARS AGO A GROUP OF
FIVE BOYS SENT A MESSAGE TO THE
BULLIES AT THEIR SCHOOL AND
THEY DID SO IN THE KINDEST WAY
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE. TONIGHT AN UPDATE ON THE BOYS
WHO CAME TO BE KNOWN AS THE
JAMES GANG BUT FIRST BOYD
HUPPERT SHARES THE STORY.
>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE
FABRIC, THE FLAG
>> Reporter: ALL STUDENTS AT
FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY START THE
DAY WITH THE PLEDGE.
THE JUSTICE FOR ALL PART
BELONGS TO FIVE FIFTH-GRADE
BOYS.
BOYS.
BOYS. >>
BOYS. >> WHY PICK ON SOMEONE WHO HAS
SPECIAL NEEDS?
SPECIAL NEEDS? >> Reporter: THEY ARE TALKING
ABOUT JAMES WILKES.
HE LEARNS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY
THAN MOST OF THE OTHER FIFTH-
GRADERS.
GRADERS.
GRADERS. >> THEY ARE ABUSING HIM AND
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF HIM.
>> Reporter: WHICH TURNS OUT
CAN GET A GUY TEASED.
>> HE'S EASY TO PICK ON AND
THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
>> Reporter: WHICH IS WHY GUS,
TYLER, LANDON, JAKE AND --
DECIDED THIS YEAR TO HAVE JAMES
IS BACK.
IS BACK.
IS BACK. >> REALLY IT KIND OF MAKES YOU
PROUD TO BE THERE TO HER.
>> Reporter: MALLORY SAYS THE
SCHOOL'S ANTI-BULLYING LESSONS
MUST HAVE STRUCK A CHORD BUT
THIS HAS GONE BEYOND EVEN HER
EXPECTATIONS.
EXPECTATIONS. JAMES'S MOM'S ALSO.
>> HE USED DO NOT WANT TO GO
OUT FOR RECESS, IT WOULD BE
LIKE A STRUGGLE.
NOW HE CAN BARELY EAT HIS LUNCH
TO GET OUTSIDE TO PLAY WITH
THOSE GUYS.
THOSE GUYS. >> Reporter: PLAY AND LEARN.
>> HE HAS A NOTEBOOK
>> WITH 600 TEAMS OF COLLEGE.
>> THAT'S HOW MUCH HE LIKES
SPORTS.
SPORTS.
SPORTS. >> Reporter: THEY LEARNED, TOO,
THAT JAMES WAS ADOPTED FROM AN
ORPHANAGE IN COLUMBIA AND THAT
SIX YEARS LATER HE LOST HIS NEW
FATHER IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT.
>> WE JUST GOT A BASKETBALL
HOOP LAST WEEK BECAUSE HE NOW
LOVES BASKETBALL.
LOVES BASKETBALL. I MEAN THEY ARE CHANGING HIM.
>> Reporter: AND THEY ARE STILL
NOT DONE.
NOT DONE.
NOT DONE. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY SPORTS GAMES
AND HE WAS LIKE NO I DON'T HAVE
ANY VIDEOGAME SYSTEMS.
THAT'S WHEN I CAME UP WITH THE
IDEA.
IDEA.
IDEA. >>
IDEA. >> Reporter: WITH SOME OF THEIR
OWN MONEY AND SOME FROM THEIR
PARENTS THE BOYS RECENTLY
DELIVERED TO JAMES VIDEO GAMES
AND A PLAYSTATION.
>> EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS
SMILING LIKE CRAZY.
>> Reporter: THE FIRST TIME
FRIENDS HAD EVER COME TO PLAY
WITH JAMES.
WITH JAMES. >> I WILL NEVER FORGET IT.
NEVER.
NEVER.
NEVER. >>
NEVER. >> JACK WILL YOU TIE MY SHOE ?
>> YEP.
>> YEP.
>> YEP. >> Reporter: INDIVISIBLE.
>> HE'S AN AWESOME KID TO HANG
OUT
>>
>> ALL
>> ALL OF
>> ALL OF THESE GUYS ARE THE BEST FRIENDS ANYBODY COULD ASK
FOR.
FOR.
FOR. >>
FOR. >> Reporter: FRANKLIN FIFTH-
GRADE FRIENDS HAVE NEVER
PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE LIKE THE
JAMES GANG.
JAMES GANG. >> IT'S MY 12th TOUCHDOWN.
>> Reporter: KARE11 NEWS,
MANKATO.
MANKATO.
MANKATO. >> I LOVE YOU GUYS.
>> SINCE THIS FIRST AIRED FIVE
YEARS AGO THE JAMES GANG STORY
HAS BEEN VIEWED MILLIONS OF
TIMES ONLINE.
TIMES ONLINE. FOR THEIR KINDNESS THE BOYS
WERE GUESTS OF BOTH THE
MINNESOTA TWINS AND THE VIKINGS
AND DURING A VISIT TO THE MALL
OF AMERICA EACH OF THEM GOT A
BRAND-NEW XBOX FROM MICROSOFT,
THAT IN THIS PAST WEEK THE BOYS
ALL IN TOWN GOT TOGETHER FOR
THIS PHOTO.
THIS PHOTO. THEY ARE ALL HIGH SCHOOL
SOPHOMORES NOW AT DIFFERENT
SCHOOLS THAN JAMES BUT THEY ARE
ALL STILL FRIENDS.
JAMES MOM SAYS HE CAN'T WAIT
FOR SCHOOL TO START THIS FALL,
HE WILL BE THE STUDENT MANAGER
FOR THE MANKATO WEST BOYS CROSS
COUNTRY TEAM.
COUNTRY TEAM. GOOD LUCK TO YOU JAMES.
>> THEY GOT A LOT OF VIDEO
GAMES.
GAMES.
GAMES. HE
GAMES. HE GOT A PLAYSTATION.
>> THEY DESERVE EVERY BIT OF IT.
>> I LOVE THE STORY SO MUCH FOR
A PARTICULAR REASON, I THINK
TEENS AND YOUNG STUDENTS, WHEN
THEY ARE ABLE TO STICK UP FOR