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This
episode is introduced and closed by General Colin Powell, U.S.
Army (ret.), who served as General Chairman of the Presidents'
Summit on America's Future, which was held in Philadelphia April
27-29, 1997 and aimed to bring America to a new level of
commitment in volunteerism.
Jason DeLee,
a troubled teen, steals a car but is promptly caught by the
police. His mother, Lena can no longer deal with her son and
releases her parental authority. Jason is placed in the custody of
Denver Juvenile Services. Waters, the camp director, runs a tight
ship and is taken aback when Tess arrives, announcing she is a new
facility director and will be overseeing a new experimental work
program. After the boys complete a survey, Monica, the coordinator
for the work program arrives. A handful of the teens volunteer for
the program; Jason is not one of them. Later that day, Lena visits
Jason in Tess' office. He is discouraged when his mother says she
just came to bring him some underwear and car magazines. The angel
informs them that Monica has selected him for the work program,
and Lena urges her son to take whatever chance they give him. He
just glares at them and exits. When he finds out that Rey Estes,
his rival, has volunteered for the program, Jason decides to
participate in it, too. Andrew, a Juvenile Services volunteer,
drives the boys to their destination--the Linwood Children's
Academy, a school for disabled children. Inside, Jason is paired
with Kelly, a girl with cerebral palsy. Her mother, Anita has
reservations about a "gang banger" working with her
daughter.
Jason is
reluctant to bond with Kelly until Monica shows him that the girl
shares his love of cars. Despite a few false starts, the two are
able to forge a relationship. But Jason eventually panics and runs
away. Waters wants to send the police after the boy, but Tess
convinces him to wait. Monica, prompted by a Ferrari photo on
Kelly's gait walker, finds him at an import car dealership. She
reveals herself, urging him to stop trying to outrun God. Jason
returns to the school, where Anita, Lena, and the angels revel in
his progress with Kelly.
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