I'm curious about this one, although I'm not sure what "colorful characters" means with regard to bullies and how they play into the story of the main character. Does they eventually befriend him?

This idea has a solid foundation. There are plenty of resources about Hamilton and Burr, and the basis for their duel should be easy to re-spin as a high school drama. Plus, there's the whole Hamilton-Reynolds sex scandal to keep things juicy (properly toned down for the intended reader, of course).