Mrs. Olinski decided that Hamilton Knapp was not right for the academic team when she realized that he was behind the cruel taunting that occurred during the Annie play. She "had a great tolerance for mischief, but she had no patience for malice", and Ham's stunt in instigating the chanting proved to her that he was not just naughty, but "terribly mean" (Ch. 5).
Mrs. Olinski did not know herself exactly what qualities she was looking for in her team members in the beginning. She chose Noah first after reading his essay on the First Amendment (Ch. 5), and was drawn to Nadia when the young girl, after being so "cautious about being friendly" over the first month of school, broke out of her shell and began to greet Mrs. Olinski each morning with a bright smile and a "Hey" (Ch. 2). Ethan was chosen next because of his positive attitude; he was one of the rare sixth graders who asked "Now what?" instead of "So what?" (Ch. 3). Mrs. Olinski did not at first consider Julian, the last member chosen, to be on the team because he seemed so much "an island unto himself, definitely not a team player", but she changed her mind after visiting Sillington House. There she discovered that Julian, along with Noah, Nadia, and Ethan, were exceptionally creative, loving, and kind individuals, and she realized that "kindness" was the essential quality she wanted in a team member (Chapter 11).
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