Fourteen year old freshmen, Neena Dejesus and Kiera Jones, engage in a hallway brawl at Zora Neale Hurston High School for Creative Expression. The conflict between the two is all about the boy they like. The girls and a couple of schoolmates who come to their aid, along with other witnesses, are summoned to the dean's office. Senior mediator, Cinamin Thomas, the product of a "down home" spiritual upbringing, intervenes with sprinkles of academic advice. Eventually, the pugnacious pair decide that Jamal is not worthy of their affections. After the fight, amazing friendships emerge. The girls are further enlightened when English teacher, Myra Warren, suggests the girls coordinate a program for Women's History Month. The girls open up to each other on a personal level, sharing experiences involving family, school, relationships and more. Cinamin, raised by her paternal grandparents since she was a baby, dwells on her grandmother's advice (truths) as she struggles with a moral issue of her own. Moments of triumph and times of despair permeate this drama of passion and pain as five high school girls sort through the intricacies of their challenging lives. They reveal their vices, share their woes, and ultimately develop a positive, spiritual, and sisterly connection. A PEARL OF A GIRL COMPLETE LIST OF CHARACTERS CINAMIN THOMAS (protagonist, focused on goals) age 17 - leads and protects her younger schoolmates, role model, school mediator, raised by her spiritual paternal grandparents NEENA DEJESUS (foster child, writes & recites rap) age 14 - enjoys rapping rap, foster child, bounced from home to home, mother on drugs even during the time of her birth, not too serious about school, wants very much to be part of a real family PETAL TAYLOR (antagonist, loves fashion) age 16 - likes attention, enjoys attention, likes fashion, a bit narcissistic, boys love her, resides with her father, mother left to pursue career in entertainment, dad gives her everything she asks for out of guilt, mirror and lip gloss--her favorite things, excels in English SCARLA HUNTER (learning challenged, sings) - age 15 -strives to be accepted, has speech impediment, learning challenged, low self-esteem, father is abusive to her and her mom, wants to fit in so she hangs with Petal to feel important KIERA JONES (avid reader, from low income environment) age 14 -creates drama, loud talking, gum popping product of a strict upbringing by her mom and Caribbean maternal grandmother, recognizes the importance of an education, enjoys writing, resides in public housing MAMA REEN (Cinamin's spiritual paternal grandmother) is raising her granddaughter based on biblical principles ****************************************************************************** CHARACTER VOICES DEAN HAYES (Middle-aged man, head dean at Zora Neale Hurston High School) SAFETY OFFICER (Works alongside Dean Haynes) MAMA REEN (Cinamin's paternal grandmother) OMAR (Cinamin's boyfriend) SYDNEY (Cinamin's estranged father)"