Amy Juergens

Amy Juergens (Shailene Woodley) is the fifteen year old daughter of George and Anne Juergens, the elder sister of Ashley Juergens, and the mother of John Juergens. She is in the ninth grade at Ulysses S. Grant High School where she plays the French horn in the school marching band. [1] The summer before her freshman year Amy attended band camp where she lost her virginity in a one night stand with band mate Ricky Underwood. In the show's premiere episode, Amy discovers she has become pregnant from this encounter. Actress Shailene Woodley describes Amy as "a go-getter. She's excited for life, she wants to go to Juilliard, she has all these amazing goals. Then she finds out she's pregnant, and her world kind of comes crashing down, and her sense of optimism turns to pessimism".[2] Upon returning to school, Amy begins a relationship with Ben Boykewich, a highly supportive classmate with whom she falls in love.

Amy struggles to balance a teenage life with pregnancy and to find a way to provide the best possible life for her child once it is born. After she was unable to follow through with an abortion, Amy planned to move in with her grandmother and attend school while "Mimsy" took care of the child. When it was discovered that Mimsy had Alzheimer's disease, Amy hoped that her mother would take care of the baby, but Anne refused. Amy then attempted to marry Ben and raise the child together, but the couple's parents intervened.

Around this time, Amy and Ben's relationship became strained after Amy refused to consider allowing Ben at doctor's appointments, birthing classes, or the baby's birth. Although Amy originally wanted Ben to be involved with the baby, she becomes angry and frustrated with Ben's attempts to control her and Ricky's decisions about raising the child together, causing Ben to tell her he needed space. With encouragement from her mother, Amy agrees to consider adoption so that she can pursue a relationship with Ben without worrying about creating a family for her child. Amy learns she will have a boy and agrees to give her son to family friends Donovan and Leon, a gay couple, but the adoption is sabotaged by Ricky who desires to form his own family with Amy and their son. Finally, with encouragement from her friends and family Amy decides to keep her son in episode 20, "Maybe Baby".[3] In "And Unto Us, A Child Is Born" Amy gives birth to her and Ricky's son whom Ashley names John Juergens. [4]

In season 2, Amy will have responsibility for raising John. She plans to leave her son at the church daycare center during school hours and work there after school to pay for his care. To earn extra money Amy will give the children music lessons. As a church employee, she will be given insurance. [3]