Laurie Saunders
A senior at Gordon High School and editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, The Gordon Grapevine. She is very popular and gets excellent grades. She dates David Collins, a football player.
Ben Ross
A young, enthusiastic history teacher. He is extremely passionate about his job and loves taking on new projects. However, he easily becomes obsessed by his projects and does not always recognize their consequences for the people around him.
Amy Smith
Laurie's best friend. Although she is very pretty and gets good grades just like Laurie, the two often compete with one another for grades, for boys, and for popularity.
Mr. Gabondi
The dull French teacher at Gordon High.
Christy Ross
Ben Ross’s wife. She teaches music and choir at Gordon High.
Brian Ammon
The quarterback on the football team. He is intelligent but unmotivated, and gets poor grades in school.
Robert Billings
The ‘class loser,’ Robert gets bad grades and dresses sloppily. Mr. Ross believes Robert doesn't try hard because he is afraid of failing to live up to the example set by his overachieving brother, Jeff.
David Collins
A running back on the football team and Laurie’s boyfriend. They have been dating since their sophomore year.
Brad
A handsome bully who sometimes picks on Robert.
Eric
An African-American student who believes he would never have allowed the Nazis to take power. He plays on the football team with David and Brian.
Jeff Billings
Robert’s older brother. Jeff graduated from high school a few years ago and was always a popular, straight-A student. He now attends medical school and is training to play baseball for the Baltimore Orioles.
Coach Schiller
The biology teacher and football coach at Gordon High. He is bitter about the football team’s constant losses, so he is happy when The Wave seems like it will help the team win.
Principal Owens
The principal of Gordon High. He becomes aggravated when parents start to get upset about The Wave.
Carl Block
The investigative reporter for The Gordon Grapevine. He is good friends with Alex and is among the first students to become uncomfortable with The Wave.
Alex Cooper
The music reviewer for The Grapevine and class clown.
Betty Lewis
Christy Ross’s tennis partner.
Deutsch
A junior on the football team. He is Brian Ammon’s rival, and wants to take Brian’s place as first-string quarterback.
Mr. Saunders
Laurie’s father. He manages a division of “a large semiconductor company” (48) and plays golf as a hobby.
Mrs. Saunders
Laurie’s mother. She is very intelligent and knowledgeable about politics.
George Snyder
A senior in Mr. Ross's history class who stands up spontaneously to say how much he likes The Wave.
