deal with his past. Shelby Merrick (portrayed by A. J. Cook) The daughter of a neglectful and indifferent mother and sexually abusive step-father, Shelby began running away from home at the age of 15. Living on the streets and always on the run, Shelby turned to prostitution as means of survival, and began abusing drugs. Regardless of Shelby's lengths, her mother eventually located her and took her home. However, upon finding that she could no longer control Shelby, nor help her with her emotional problems, Shelby's mother sent her daughter to Mount Horizon. At Horizon, Shelby has a bitter and sarcastic attitude, taking her pain out on others and creating several negative relationships with many students. As the series progresses, Shelby slowly starts opening up to Scott, Daisy, and the counselors. Katherine Ann "Kat" Cabot (portrayed by Kandyse McClure) Katherine is an adopted African American child of white parents. Even though she was always aware of her adoption, a sense of alienation set in as she grew older, and Katherine felt she didn't fit in or belong. That confusion caused her grades to slip and for her to withdraw from her talents as a gifted athlete. The accidental death of Katherine's sister, Shannon, the biological daughter of her adoptive parents, traumatized her and contributed to her lapse into depression. Sent by her parents to Horizon, Katherine is the oldest of the Cliffhangers, often acting as a mother-figure and form of guidance to her younger classmates. However, Katherine learns that she cannot always have the Cliffhangers leaning on her for support, and that she sometimes needs to rely on others for help. Augusto "Auggie" Ciceros (portrayed by Jorgito Vargas Jr.) Auggie came to Horizon to avoid a Youth Authority lockup. The youngest of five children, Auggie grew up in a middle-class home on the fringe of the barrio. Although not a gang member, he was a tagger and had gained an impressive reputation. Eventually he was busted, but the court took mercy on Auggie who, at 16, could barely read or write. All through school, he was placed in educable mentally handicapped classes despite being very intelligent. Adjudicated to Horizon, Auggie's teachers there realized the real problem: profound dyslexia. Although good-natured, Auggie often finds himself in bouts of anger and conflict with both himself and other students at Horizon. Auggie struggles with self-confidence, regularly believing himself to be stupid and a