Degrassi/Characters/Graduating Class of Season 7

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Emma Nelson

Emma Nelson (Seasons 1-9)

Played by Miriam McDonald

“I can’t apologize for doing something I believe in.”

The daughter of Spike Nelson and Shane McKay, and step-daughter of Snake, all from Degrassi Junior High. Emma is highly idealistic with strong opinions and a need to help others. She is an staunch environmentalist, and many of her causes correlate with this. Over the years, she went from gangly and awkward to a very attractive young woman (and some would say, a bad attitude). She was also one of the many students affected by the school shooting in season 4, which left her lost and questioning who she was. In season 5, she developed an eating disorder due to her control issues and trouble at home. Her biggest love relationship in the show was with Sean Cameron, a troubled young man and their relationship went through tremendous highs and lows before apparently breaking it off for good in season 6. In season 9, she dropped out of Smithdale University due to stress and to re-evaluate her future goals. She marries Spinner Mason at the end of season 9, after realizing she loved him. No, really.

Manny Santos

Manuella "Manny" Santos (Seasons 1-9)

Played by Cassie Steele

“Remember when you got your period in class and everyone was laughing in class and you just told them to shut up? I feel like that everyday, like everyone's joking about me and I can't get them to shut up.”

Manny is Emma's best friend who's been there for her since the beginning. She has a idealistic view of romance, falling hard for Craig Manning in season 2. In season 3, she decided to start dressing provocatively in order to get attention from boys and eventually she gets Craig's attention and they end up sleeping together...despite Craig having Ashley as a girlfriend. Afterward, she discovered she was pregnant and after much agonizing (and being antagonized), she had an abortion. Much of her insecurity regarding her looks and self-worth are due to her oppressive father and Craig being emotionally distant from her during their relationship. Her biggest dream is to become an actress and in The Movie, she lands a role in Jason Mewes's Mewes-sical High. She now lives in Los Angeles but still has time to see Jay.

J.T. Yorke

James Tiberius "J.T" Yorke (Seasons 1-6)

Played by Ryan Cooley

“If JT's death has taught me anything, it's that the worst mistakes are the ones you never learn from. And to never, ever take your friends for granted.”

Earlier in the show's run, JT was the class clown obsessed with female anatomy and sex. He even grew to be one of Degrassi's more popular students in season 3. Despite his childish and immature antics, he was the apple of Liberty Van Zandt's eye. They eventually get together and in season 5, he accidentally gets Liberty pregnant. Neither he nor Liberty handle the situation very well and Liberty gives up the baby for adoption. In season 6, Mia Jones becomes his girlfriend but he still has lingering feelings for Liberty. But unfortunately, he was fatally stabbed by a Lakehurst student before he could confess that he still loved her.

Toby Isaacs

Toby Isaacs (Seasons 1-8)

Played by Jake Goldsbie

“Toby's a geek. He always has been.”

Toby is J.T.'s best friend, Ashely's step-brother, and nerdy to the extreme. He loves video games, computers, and Anime. When J.T. begins to get more popular, their friendship drifts apart until both characters hit a low in season 4 and season 5. In season 4, his friend Rick shoots Jimmy in the Degrassi hallways and later ends up being accidentally shot and killed by Sean. In season 6, J.T. is killed which pretty much means Toby is unlucky, to say the least. Throughout season 6 and 7, he expressed a lot anger toward Lakehurst High for "killing J.T.," but after time he came to terms with J.T.'s murder. He is one of the more level-headed characters at Degrassi, and doesn't mind the fact he is considered a huge nerd.

Liberty Van Zandt

Liberty Van Zandt (Seasons 1-8)

Played by Sarah Barrable-Tishauer

“Liberty sees an opportunity, she goes for it. She’s like a rabid wolverine.”

A intelligent young girl who skipped a grade [1] and ended up being valedictorian of the class of 2007. Due to her intelligence being higher than her peers, she tends to be socially awkward and pompous of her own achievements. She is very serious-minded and despite this, she falls in love with class clown J.T. Yorke. In season 5, she becomes pregnant by J.T. which caused a lot of strife within their relationship and they ended up splitting. J.T. gained a new girlfriend, but still had feelings for Liberty but was tragically killed before he confessed to Liberty. She ends up attending Smithdale University along with Manny and Emma. Liberty also has a younger brother, Danny.

Sean Cameron

Sean Cameron (Seasons 1-4, 6)

Played by Daniel Clark

“Classic Sean. When going gets tough, the Sean gets going.”

A troubled young man who ends up at Degrassi after being expelled from his old school for a violent incident. He immediately gets the interest of Emma, and in season 2 they become an item. He has a tendency to let his anger get the best of him, resulting in a lot of fights at school. In season 3, he breaks up with Emma due to feeling like a hindrance in her life and starts a relationship with Ellie. When Rick shoots Jimmy then turns the gun to Emma in season 4, Sean protects Emma but inadvertently kills Rick in the process. Shell-shocked, he retreats to Wasega Beach where his parents live. He returns to Degrassi in season 6 and reunites with Emma, only to be thrown in jail for a non-lethal hit and run while street racing Peter Stone. After he gets out of prison, he rekindles his relationship with Emma but later joins the Canadian military despite Emma's wishes.

Damian Hayes

Damian Hayes (Seasons 6-7)

Played by Mazin Elsadig

“This should be a contest between equals. But the truth about Damian Hayes is that his charm is all an act.”

Introduced in season 6, and attended Degrassi in season 7 when his old high school Lakehurst burned down. He was friends with the boy who killed JT, but this is never extrapolated on much. He is a very ambitious guy and is very active in Lakehurst and Degrassi student government. He dates Emma, but later cheats on her with Liberty. He graduates along with the rest of the class of 2007 and attends Banting University.

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  1. ↑ which was seemingly retconned out later
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