The year is 1968, the height of the national civil-rights movement. Paula Crisostomo (Alexa Vega) is an idealistic honor student who refuses to "play it safe" in a school system that discriminates against Mexican-Americans. Together with thousands of supporters, she coordinates a multi-school walkout of students to protest academic prejudices. Mentored by her charismatic teacher Sal Castro (Michael Pena), and with the help of her friend Bobby (Efran Ramirez), Paula learns that sometimes the price of progress is high -- but it's ultimately worth paying.