Lincoln is a popular seventh-grade athlete living in Chokecherry, Colorado. After his father removes him from the soccer team as a punishment for a prank, he feels frustrated and directionless. The sudden appearance of hate symbols at his school coincides with a surprising revelation about his family's religious heritage. He decides to prepare for a bar mitzvah and throws his energy into a school memorial project to honor his newly discovered roots.

Dana is a seventh-grade student and the daughter of visiting paleontologists. Having lived in the small town for less than a year, she already feels isolated before becoming the focal point of her peers' reactions to the hate symbols. As the only openly Jewish student in school, she struggles with the weight of her community's ignorance and the spotlight suddenly placed on her.

Michael is a Dominican American seventh grader and the president of the school's art club. He is the first person to discover the vandalism in the atrium, which unfortunately makes him an initial suspect in the eyes of the custodian and local police. Insightful and deeply affected by the community's tension, he initiates a massive, school-wide paper chain memorial project to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

Caroline is the ambitious seventh-grade class president at Chokecherry Middle School. Desperate to find a unifying cause for the student government, she eagerly seizes upon the paper chain idea. She is a natural leader who excels at rallying her peers, though her dedication intertwines with a desire to secure her own political future at the school.

Adam is an opportunistic video blogger who thrives on internet controversy. He travels to Chokecherry specifically to exploit the town's crisis, using his platform to publicly criticize the community and stir up drama. He views the local students and residents not as people, but as content to drive his own viewership and internet fame.

Pamela is a seventh-grade student who belongs to the popular crowd at Chokecherry Middle School. She is an early volunteer for the paper chain project and appears to support her peers' efforts to combat intolerance. However, her superficial support masks more complicated attitudes tied to her family's historical presence in the region.

Jordie is a seventh grader whose father works as a local roofer. He is part of the popular group of boys at school and often uses humor to deflect serious situations. As the town's crisis deepens, Jordie faces difficult questions from the school administration while handling changing dynamics within his friend group.

Clayton is a cynical seventh-grade student who uses a dismissive attitude to cope with his family's dark reputation. Aware that his grandfather has ties to local hate groups, he actively tries to distance himself from his relatives. Despite his initial belief that the school's memorial project is stupid, he gradually finds himself drawn into the community effort.

George is Lincoln's father and a local real estate agent with grand ambitions for Chokecherry. He views the visiting paleontologists as the key to turning the town into a lucrative tourist destination. He is deeply frustrated by the negative media attention surrounding the hate symbols, preferring to ignore the town's history rather than confront it.

Mr. Brademas is the principal of Chokecherry Middle School. He attempts to manage the escalating crisis by implementing a tolerance education unit and overseeing student responses. He is a pragmatic administrator who must balance the students' ambitious memorial project against the school board's practical limitations.

Bennett is the local sheriff of Chokecherry. He leads the investigation into the vandalism while defending the town's broader community against sweeping media accusations. He is committed to finding the culprit while publicly supporting the students' positive initiatives.

Rabbi Gold leads a synagogue located a hundred miles away from Chokecherry. He designs a virtual crash course to help a determined student connect with his Jewish heritage. He acts as a gentle, encouraging mentor who emphasizes the importance of taking personal responsibility.

Mrs. Rowley is Lincoln's mother. The sudden appearance of hate symbols in Chokecherry deeply upsets her, prompting her to share a tightly held secret about her own mother's survival during World War II.

Lincoln's grandmother is a woman who was given to an orphanage by her parents in 1941 to protect her from the Holocaust. Raised Catholic, she only learned of her Jewish heritage late in life, and she bonds with her grandson over his decision to explore their shared history.

Dr. Levinson is Dana's father and a visiting paleontologist working on a major dinosaur dig in Chokecherry. He closely monitors his daughter's well-being during the town's crisis, balancing his scientific work with his concern for his family's safety.

Mrs. Babbitt is a teacher at Chokecherry Middle School. She leads the initial tolerance education unit, guiding discussions about World War II and introducing the students to the historical context needed to understand the gravity of the hate symbols.

Andrew is a middle school student whose mother works as a paleontologist on the local dinosaur dig. He is a supportive classmate to Dana who tries to reassure her that the controversy will quickly blow over, reflecting the initial optimism of the student body.

Mr. Kennedy is a custodian at Chokecherry Middle School. He is the first adult on the scene after the initial hate symbol is discovered and immediately alerts the police, placing the first student he sees under suspicion.