When adults-mostly the government- lose all faith in the future generations of the United States, they vote on taking a whole new approach. A more violent one. A brutal program called the "Youth Renewal" program is anything but renewing. Students from 6th grade and beyond fight in hand to hand and weaponry combat against their peers to keep their grades up and their lives as well. Aleina and her friends enter into their final year of middle school and are quickly finding out that this "program" is nothing to play with. Told from their points of view, Aleina and her friends will give "surviving the school year" a whole new meaning.