Ashley Juergens:
Ashley is Amy Juergens’ sister. She happens to be the only “normal” one in the family. When she finds out Amy gets pregnant, Ashley is the only one that really knows how to take care of her. Her life gets placed in the back seat for her parents and she gets lost in the shuffle with all of life’s woes. It’s sad to see since she’s so talented and deserves so much more.
When she meets Griffin, he becomes her best friend. Although Griffin is gay, he’s more Best Friend without the Gay. His sexuality is important to him, but what he wants is what everyone else wants, and that’s to be loved and taken care of by someone who loves him.
After being neglected by her family, and watching the people around her make so many mistakes, Ashley makes a pact with Griffin to not date in high school. Griffin ruins the pact and sets Ashley up with his cousin Grant.
Grant turns out to be a great guy, but finds Ashley playing games so he takes his charm elsewhere. Ashley being Ashley gets over it and decides on a new way of doing things, and starts homeschooling. Homeschooling becomes her life savior, since everything else just seems to be too much, and she gets set up with a study-buddy, Toby.
Toby and Ashley become boyfriend and girlfriend. When she tells her Dad that she passed the GED and wants to travel America with him, things again go awry. Then when her mother gets involved things get more out of hand. In the end Ashley and Toby get what they want and leave.
After being there for her family through all the hardships, Ashley finally decides she’s had enough. She finally sleeps with Toby, and then finds out from her mom that she was accepted into a culinary school in Italy. Ashley hopes Toby will come with her, but when he puts up a fight she decides to leave with the $10,000 check her grandmother gave her with only letters to say goodbye.
After five seasons, it’s sad not to see her return for the series finale. Though, the reality of the final episode makes it clear that wherever anyone ended up, it’s where they were supposed to be. (Probably owning her own bakery in the heart of Rome.)
Joe Hampton was the school rebel. He knew a lot about everything. He was friends with everyone and could get around the system no matter the cost. He helped the gang with getting fake ID’s, in Season 1 episode 12, The Secret Wedding of the American Teenager. Who knows where he went or what he went on to do. He probably got snatched up by the CIA and is being utilized for some secret mission in the Middle East.
The Counselors
Marc Malina – the new school counselor in Amy’s freshman year, his work ethic was too personal, though he was the favorite since he made everything personal. Adrian was always flirting with him. I think Ben gave Marc more advice then what should have been the other way around. Ben was always going on and on about his Amy fantasy. Marc said he left to be with his wife and kid, but it sounded more like he just had enough of the drama and needed stability from all the crazy.
Dr. Wilameena Bink – becomes counselor after Coach steps in for Marc. Supposedly Wilameena took a student from her last school to prom, but she really only accepted the invitation because she loved to dance. She was kooky and off the wall, and decided to have a Mother Daughter Dance at Grant. It was actually a turning point for all the girls; it created a bond between the mothers and daughters even though it was mandatory and none of them really wanted to be there.
Kaetlyn O’Malley – is very open, friendly, perky; but firm when she has to be. She really took over where the previous counselors lacked. She knew how to do her job without making everyone crazy, and only wanted the best.