George is a Puerto Rican-American middle school student who serves as the group's primary English speaker and translator. He is a gifted student who feels immense pressure to maintain his grades and secure a recommendation for the prestigious Porter High. Secretly dealing with his family's recent move to a smaller apartment, he hides his financial situation to preserve his academic standing.

Sara is a reserved and soft-spoken student who recently immigrated from Mexico. Living with her papi while awaiting the rest of her family's arrival, she frequently feels invisible and unheard by her peers. Despite being misjudged as a loner, she demonstrates quiet empathy and maturity beyond her years.

Dayara is a recent immigrant from Cuba who struggles significantly with learning English. Her frustration with academic barriers often manifests as anger and stubbornness, and teachers unfairly label her a problem kid. Beneath her tough exterior, she is fiercely protective and desperately wants to succeed without worrying her parents.

Miguel is a Dominican student balancing a talent for art with his father's strict expectation that he focus solely on baseball. He often uses humor and a slightly mean streak as a defense mechanism, which initially annoys his peers. He carries unspoken pressures from home regarding his future college prospects.

Nico is a recent immigrant from Venezuela whose wealthy background causes others to stereotype him as arrogant and selfish. Currently living with his aunt in a retirement community, he deals with daily anxiety regarding his parents' safety and delayed arrival. He masks his deep fears and isolation with defensive confidence and occasional bullying.

Mrs. Grouser is the grumpy cafeteria worker tasked with supervising the students' morning community service. She is highly prejudiced, treating the students as a monolithic problem group and assuming the worst of their intentions. Her strict enforcement of minor rules frequently puts her at odds with the students' efforts to help others.

Principal Powell oversees Conrad Middle School with a stern focus on maintaining the institution's reputation. He assigns the students to their early-morning cafeteria duties. While he holds stereotypical views of the Latinx students, he generally wants them to succeed academically.

Celeste is a mother temporarily living in a van with her young daughter, Lisa. Feeling invisible to society and ashamed of her current poverty, she initially rejects the middle schoolers' help out of fear. She is deeply grateful for the quiet assistance the students provide.

Lisa is Celeste's young, friendly daughter. Despite living in a van, she remains eager for social interaction and initiates contact with the middle school students, drawing their attention to her family's plight.

Aunt Miriam is Nico's aunt, who lives in a child-free retirement community. She provides a temporary home for Nico while they await his parents' arrival from Venezuela, despite facing complaints from her neighbors about his prolonged stay.

Sara's father works hard to build a life in the United States while separated from his wife and other children in Mexico. He provides a warm, loving home environment for Sara amid the difficulties of their separation.

Dayara's mother works hard to support her family in their new life in the United States. She expects Dayara to learn English and do well in school, unaware of the immense academic struggles her daughter faces daily.

Dayara's father works hard at the airport to support his family after their recent immigration from Cuba. His demanding work schedule adds to the broader pressure Dayara feels to succeed.

Miguel's father is highly focused on his son's future success, firmly believing that baseball is the only path to a college scholarship. He frequently pressures Miguel to abandon his passion for drawing in favor of sports.

Miguel's younger sister is the inspiration for his secret cartooning hobby. His affection for her influences his empathetic response to young Lisa.

George's mother handles the logistics of the family's recent move and financial struggles. She supports George by agreeing to drive him to school early for his mandatory community service.

George's younger sister is rambunctious and talkative. She travels with George as they navigate their new route to the family's current apartment.

The unnamed interviewer is a white American man who comes to the school to investigate the students' actions. He speaks no Spanish and frequently makes broad, inaccurate assumptions about the students' diverse cultural backgrounds.