A high school student is chosen to write a paper each year. This year the student, for the first time, is a young lady. The three older gentlemen that help each student discover through family papers and journals a common link to her subject. In her youth and idealism she decides to write on influence peddling through the political system. She is assisted by one teacher that had researched the subject years before while attending college. Through the cooperation of all parties each discovers how their own families have had a connection to the final outcome.