48 Hours

Class of 2000: Too Much Too Soon (13x12)

Air date: Dec 16, 1999

Being a teen-ager can be difficult. Teetering between childhood and adulthood, teens are often saddled with myriad responsibilities and can feel pulled in a thousand different directions. To find out what being a teen in contemporary America is really like, 48 Hours spent the last year reporting on extraordinary members of the Class of 2000. 48 Hours introduces several teens dealing with daunting obstacles - challenges that would be difficult for anyone, of any age. Find out how they muster the requisite courage and drive, and what they are able to accomplish. Correspondent Peter Van Sant reports on Cayla Sutton and Brandy Jones, two North Carolina teen-agers who confront a devastating flood their senior year of high school. Fort Worth, Texas, high school senior Jacque Steinmetz thought that her church was just about the safest place she could be. She was wrong. Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports how Jacque copes with the emotional aftermath of a deadly shooting. Correspondent Bill Lagattuta reports on 17-year-old Californian Mae Lin Schultz, who has spent the past two years rebuilding her life after a mudslide destroyed her family's house. Correspondent Harold Dow spends time with Jennifer Bell, a Maryland teen who earlier this year suffered a stroke. After coming out of a coma, she is determined to return to school and graduate on time with her high school class. Five years ago, Rachel Hubnik of Plano, Texas, began experimenting with drugs, eventually moving to heroin. Now 16, Rachel is struggling to stay off drugs and rebuild her life. Troy Roberts reports.