Mrs. Olinski might be expected to choose students for the Academic Bowl competition on the basis of book smarts or intellect. However, she does not do this. Although "The Souls" she eventually picks are not her first choice, she has been influenced by how she has been treated by her students since her return to class. Mrs. Olinksi was involved in a serious car accident that left her a paraplegic. Some of the students have been very cruel and inconsiderate toward her, and this has been very upsetting. But not all Mrs. Olinksi's students have been so mean; she observes that a number of them have engaged in acts of kindness toward others. They made a big impression on her, so much so that she wants them to represent the class in the Academic Bowl.