Christina Milano, Hartley High's young new English and history teacher, has difficulties gaining control of her first class until a brawl in the schoolyard gives her the opportunity to win the respect of her students. New student Jodie Cooper catches the eye of Nick Poulos.

The banning of Jodie's incendiary rap song sparks a freedom-of-speech revolt among the students. Nick, Rose and Jodie lead their fellow students in a strike and Deloraine counters with the threat of suspensions for all those involved. The dispute is amicably settled with everyone getting their demands met — except for Con who doesn't get the soccer team he wanted, he does however get Danielle and Steve back together in time for Valentine's Day.

Christina gets approval for a school soccer team by volunteering to be its coach. Con borrows an amplifier from his uncle to allow Jodie to make a demo tape of her songs. Danielle creates some controversy when she asks to try out for the new soccer team. Rumours about Nick and Jodie's relationship make their way through the school.

Nick spends the night with Jodie, causing his parents to worry about his absence. Southgate helps Rivers deal with the cops when they want to question him about a stolen car. Chaka worries about her presence in the stolen vehicle being revealed to the police.

After leaving home following an argument with his father, Nick moves in with Jodie and begins looking for a job so that he can drop out of school. A record company executive takes an interest in Jodie and offers her a job with a rock band in Melbourne. Christina reproaches Marco for his constant unannounced and inconsiderate drop-ins, reminding him that she lives with Yola, not him.

The burden of her family responsibilities cause Chaka to behave erratically at school but attract the attention of her friends who rally to support her. Marco presses Christina to set a wedding date.

Low morale threatens to destroy the school's poorly performing soccer team until Christina seeks help from George, a former professional player, who is reluctant to become involved. Hartley's new debating team, composed of Rose, Con, and Chaka, debate another school on the merits of Australia becoming a republic.

George, Nick, and Effie are devastated by Ireni's sudden and tragic death. Steve's disclosure to Nick of information regarding his mother's car accident leads Nick down a path that ends with him assaulting a police officer.

Con tries to get new uniforms for the soccer team in time for their last match while his mother arranges for a woman to help out at the Poulos' home. Steve is forced to miss rugby training to sit an exam, a decision that upsets Southgate and threatens Steve's spot on the team.

Nick hits Jodie after she confesses to a romantic fling in Melbourne. Christina's future with Marco is thrown into doubt when he announces a promotion that will take him to Perth. A new drama teacher arrives at Hartley and quickly attracts the attentions of his female students.

Phil confides a secret about his past to Rose, who has a crush on him. Stella quits as the Poulos's housekeeper after getting in an argument with George in which he questions her decision to leave her failed marriage. Steve and Rivers are forced to work together when they are given the task of cleaning up the school yard when Deloraine catches them fighting.

Yola's attempt to advise a pregnant Nicole causes a professional crisis when the girl's condition is revealed. Rose spots Christina and Phil cavorting on the beach. On their first date, Rivers takes Chaka to an expensive restaurant.

After learning about Phil's past relationship with a student, Christina decides they can have no future together and Phil makes the decision to resign. Jodie rallies her fellow students to save the school's music programme. Nick's father invites Jodie to stay at the Poulos home while her rowdy sister is in town.

Verbal and physical harassment over a misconstrued encounter with a young student causes Graham to have doubts about continuing to teach at Hartley. Chaka's father speaks to the students about oppression and violence. Chaka makes the difficult decision about whether to remain at Hartley or move north to Darwin with her family.

Their friends try to get Rose and Jack together for the school dance. Yola and Southgate are locked in a storage cupboard. Con arranges for Jodie to perform at the dance.

Stella's daughter Katerina shows up unexpectedly and starts making life uncomfortable for both Nick and her mother. Rose's father forbids her to continue dating Jack.

Southgate decides to resign after he reacts violently during a confrontation with Katerina. Yola's involvement with a married man bothers Christina. Con heads up the effort to make a video clip for Jodie's latest song.

The head gardener at the nursery where Nick and Danielle are participating in a work experience programme has a heart attack. Con arranges for Jodie and himself to work at a recording studio and lands her a job singing jingles. A lack of attention from their respective partners helps to bring Nick and Dani together.

While trying to earn some extra money, Rivers unknowingly buys some stolen car parts through Con, then refuses to name his supplier when the police charge him.

While serving as acting principal, Southgate institutes a series of strict policy changes as a means of preventing the possible closing of the school. Steve learns of Nick and Danielle's blossoming relationship while on a school trip and lands in hospital after a scuffle with Nick.

A phantom blader plays a cat-and-mouse game with Southgate after the acting principal bans inline skating at Hartley; tensions are palpable among members of the gang. Jack's grades earn him an invitation to attend a selective highschool.

After Rose announces that she is pregnant, she moves in at the Poulos's until her father, who does not want her to keep the baby, allows her to come back home. Stella teaches George to dance when he agrees to accompany her to a party. Jodie's producer tries to move Con out of the way as he makes his move on her.

Con pressures Jodie into entering a televised rising stars ""StarQuest"" contest but then must come up with a new act when she refuses to perform. A bet with Steve drives Rivers to break in to the school to steal an exam. Danielle applies for a job at a gym hoping to please Nick.

Nick's election as class captain puts him in direct conflict with Southgate when he is made to come down on his friends for violations of school policies. Con discovers that the new woman in his life has a child. Sides form up when the issue of installing condom machines in the school bathrooms is raised.

Danielle's first foray into modelling goes awry when the photographer manipulates her into posing nude. Con's relationship with Greta comes to an end.

Hurt by his parents' divorce and their apparent disregard for him, Steve decides to move out and get an apartment with Rivers and Jodie. Christina makes a decision about Mack's invitation to join him in working overseas.

Steve, angry after learning that he was adopted, is caught stealing from his employer and the police are called. Danielle and Jodie fight over Nick. George quits his job at the factory.

Steve wants to keep a stray dog that he befriends but Deloraine and Rivers have other ideas. Stella invites Katerina to go with her to Greece.

George is hurt by Nick and Effie's less than enthusiastic reaction to his announcement about an impending move. New teacher Sam Robinson arrives at Hartley High to fill a staffing vacancy created by Christina's departure. Effie runs away from home and winds up wandering the streets in King's Cross.

A wealthy girl hires Helen to cater a dinner party for her parents. George lends the Bordinos the money Roberto needs for his business. Deloraine suspends Rivers when he sees him harassing Sam.

Roberto and Helen are upset when Rocco, their eldest son, returns to town without contacting them. Lucy offers to help Steve find his birth parents. Southgate agrees to help Nick with his boxing training. Sam tries to get Rivers back in school.

Lucy encourages Steve to continue searching for his birth mother even though contact is prohibited by law. Rivers' father convinces him to return to school. Effie contemplates dating an unpopular classmate. Nick accepts a rematch against Tony.

Rose's pregnancy complicates Hartley's plans to host the prestigious Education Awards. Con confronts his father when he lends Rocco money to help get the Shark Pool up and running rather than paying for the audio engineering programme Con is interested in.

Steve discovers that the person who has been following him is his birth mother. Rocco offers Con a job at the pool hall but then hires Jodie. Rivers' pursuit of Sam continues as he takes it upon himself to fix her motorcycle.

Con is discovered to have drugs in his possession when the police raid a party at the warehouse. Rivers' relationship with Sam moves into dangerous territory. Nick makes his amateur boxing debut against Tony at the Shark Pool and wins by knockout. Con's friends try to prove his innocence.

Sam and Rivers continue their affair despite warnings from Yola and must eventually pay the price when their romance is made public. Nick agrees to let Leo Fine manage him as a professional boxer but he loses Jody when she calls an end to their relationship. Sam is forced to leave her job at Hartley.

Nick refuses to believe that his relationship with Jodie is over. Deloraine's office is trashed and Rivers is quickly picked as the likely suspect.

Nick sets out to win Jodie back before she leaves for the States. To no avail, Roberto tries to get Nick to drop out of his forthcoming professional bout. After his talk with Yola, Rose's father agrees to let Jack be involved in his daughter's life.

With the class dealing with a major loss life seems to be difficult for a new student and a new teacher

The boys basketball team is struggling without a coach so they all turn to Vic who has some reservations about stepping up

The basketball team need to learn the meaning of team work after a shock defeat. And Con's grandmother arrives to live at the Bordino's

Both Vic and Matt face ghosts from their past leaving an uncertainty about their future at Hartley

Matt sets up his uncle on a blind date and makes plans to move out. Danielle contemplates dropping out of school when she is asked to audition as a reporter. Yola questions Joe's commitment to their relationship when he starts spending time with an old girlfriend and her son. Con and Rose get closer as they work on a science project together.

As Southgate and Danielle's mother get close Rivers feels a bit lonely with his birthday approaching and no one seems to remember

Southgate's relationship causes big problems within the Miller household While Deloraine tries to lure Matt back home

Yola has some excellent news for Joe Yet Lucy finds herself in a bad situation involving her mothers fiancée

Jack and Rose rekindle their love and make plans for their future while Yola worries about motherhood Joe runs into trouble at work

Jodie and her sister Karen feud over Matt while Jack and Rose go through some bumps toward their big day

Rivers receives a surprise visitor as well as the Bordino's in the form of Jodie's sister Karen

Southgate encourages the students to join the surf club which is met with some resistance by some of them

Southgate has taken up a new job running his own school which leaves Rivers less than happy and Yola with a big decision to make

The class as well as Deloraine are in shock with the return of Sam Robinson but Rivers might be the last to know

Another face from the past Katerina is back in Australia and moves straight toward Rivers

Steve receives a revelation while visiting his biological mother And Katerina has declared war on Sam

Andrew Bell the new Hartley science teacher arrives and aims to push the students to their academic limits some even past that

Shakespeare is in the air as Rivers gets the chance to direct the classic Romeo and Juliet but with a Rivers twist

The school play causes tensions all around while worry and concern over Roberto's health consume the Bordino's household

A simple science project leads an unenthusiastic Matt from simple school work to corporate cover up

After an unpleasant altercation with the police Matt strongly urges the class to a documentary on police and how they work

Rivers faces making a difficult decision when he learns that his father is back in town. Steve and Danielle get back together while working on his photography exhibit. As Matt and Jodie are breaking up, Con and Katerina begin a relationship.

Jodie's infatuation with singer/songerwriter Tim Beckett is shaken when the self-confessed alcoholic starts drinking again. Katerina convinces Deloraine to let her sell healthier food to the students but her upstart effort is challenged by competition from Con's hot dog stand. Andrew confronts Sam about her past affair with Peter and confesses his own jealousy. Allie feels like she's being shut out by her friends because of her involvement with Matt.

Tim gets Jodie a record deal but Con is left on the outside looking in when the company assigns her a new manager. Katerina pushes herself in preparation for her audition for a national dance company. Steve gets an opportunity to work at a local newspaper but his first assignment goes badly forcing his editor to use his damning pictures of Tim as part of a story on the fallen singer. As his friends fill out their university forms, Matt contemplates what he wants to do with his life. Rivers tries using Katerina to make Sam jealous.

A state-wide teachers strike, Con's parents leaving to attend a wedding, and Katerina's reluctance to be alone with Con all combine to provide the perfect opportunity for a pool party at the Bordino's. Rivers' attempt to liven up the party with a game of Truth or Dare results in hurt feelings, animosity, and conflicts among all those who participate. The gang hurries to clean up before Con's parents make their early return but only so much can be done to cover up the fact that your furniture has been in the pool!

Radio Hartley takes to the airwaves but when Con and Matt broadcast their signal over that of a commercial station to promote Jodie's struggling first single, Deloraine quickly pulls the plug on the fledgling operation. Katerina has difficulty telling Con how she feels about him. Andrew surprises Sam by first purchasing a motorcycle for himself and then proposing to her. Interest in Jodie's song increases as a result of the airplay and plans are made for her to go on a promotional tour. Allie is given the go ahead to move into the warehouse.

A decline in enrolment applications threatens to permanently close the doors of Hartley High unless the additional students can be found. Deloraine suffers has a mild heart attack and is admitted to hospital. Meanwhile, Sam turns down Andrew's proposal and soon finds herself back with Peter and the two run away together. The kids launch a campaign to save school and just when it appears they have failed, Jodie returns and delivers a passionate speech that pushes the campaign over the top.

Matt's comfortable existence at Hartley High is threatened when his past comes back to haunt him. Paul - Matt's competitive, over-achieving father - wants his son to return home to his family and a more settled existence. Paul is convinced that Deloraine has let Matthew run wild - a belief that is confirmed when he sees Matt's less than impressive school results. Paul's worst fears about his son become reality when - angered by his father's domineering approach - Matt uncharacteristically lashes out on the basketball court, punching teacher, Andrew. It looks like Steve is also in trouble. Everyone needs him: Con needs photographs for the school magazine, Allie needs help with finding a new flatmate, and Danielle wants to go to the movies with him. But Steve is missing. Everyone is angry and puzzled: it's just not like Steve to go disappear without a word. Where is he? The answer will change Hartley High and its students forever.

When Steve's death is investigated for a Coronial Report, the question arises of how well his sister, Allie, and friends actually knew him. Allie is convinced his death was an accident - a terrible tragedy - but Danielle is not so sure. Their different points of view inevitably lead to conflict especially when Allie allows Matt to move into Steve's old room. They're not the only ones having difficulty coming to terms with Steve's death. Con just can't face putting together the school paper which is to be a tribute to Steve. But that's because he has a secret. It is only the intervention of new teacher, Ronnie Brooks, that helps bring the gang together again, and resolve their feelings of grief over Steve's death.

It looks like time is up for Athol Pike Hartley's maths teacher. When the senior students should be learning linear progression and binomial theorem, Athol is more intent on teaching them how to win on the third race at Hawkesbury. Led by Matt, the students campaign to have Athol thrown out. One student who does appreciate Athol's practical approach to punting-as-mathematics is Katerina. She has just dented Con's car and is anxious to get some cash in a hurry. With Bolton's help, Katerina embarks on a gambling career. For once, Bolton is a man in demand. Danielle also needs money, and she turns to him for help. Unbeknownst to Bolton, Danielle wants the money to feed a burgeoning drug habit.

Allie and Bolton try to save Danielle from the lure of the drug dealer, Bunka, but not before Ronnie discovers drugs in her locker. Matt's elusive behaviour is explained when he breaks a promise to Deloraine and takes Allie to his hospital bed. Together they urge Ms Dyson to keep Danielle at Hartley High. Meanwhile, Katerina tries to revamp her image for Con's impending return with a new hair colour.

Bolton can hardly contain his excitement. Not only is he about to break his own blade-skating speed record, but he and the gang are about to go on the excursion of the century until things go horribly wrong. Bolton collides with the Principal June ""The Terminator"" Dyson, knocking her to the ground. Dyson confiscates Bolton's blades and the situation escalates when Bolton gets banned from the excursion and the other kids protest. It's the students vs Dyson. Who will win? Con is revamping the Shark Pool. He has hired a new manager, Antonio and business is booming. However, his paradise soon disappears when Con discovers that ""Ant"" wants Katerina and the Shark Pool for himself.

A dream comes true for Con when he is accepted as a student exchange in America. However, this causes problems with Katerina who, after taking a gamble on the relationship in the first place, now feels betrayed. Will Con actually leave Hartley High and Katerina, or will she be able to convince him to stay? Ronnie and Andrew have their first disagreement over teaching methods when Andrew lends Allie a lap top to help her with her work. Some of the other kids view it as favouritism, including Matt who allows his feelings to put another dent in his and Allie's already fragile relationship.

With Declan's past haunting him he has a huge chip on his shoulder and proves to be a menacing presence in the school. Could it be that Declan's attitude is the consequence of his bad reputation or is he indeed a bad apple that can't be disciplined? When Bolton decides to challenge Declan in an attempt to mark his territory he is surprised, and somewhat relieved, to find that Declan isn't interested in fighting him. Instead, Declan stands up for him when the teachers accuse him of stealing. Unfortunately, Declan is about to find out that the teachers have good reason to suspect Bolton. Meanwhile, Katerina is more determined than ever to be a successful dancer and, after a difficult clash of wills, Ronnie helps her understand that to be a successful dancer, she has to find some discipline and commitment. When Matt and Allie enlist Roberto's help to train them for the annual school cross country both Roberto and Allie have something to prove - Allie needs to show Matt and Roberto t

Her name is Stassy and she is an enigma. Stassy has no friends at Hartley and does not seem to want any. After school, she does not hang out with the gang, instead she is whisked away by her father in a tow truck - ""the beast"". The mystery around Stassy heightens when she accuses Andrew of sexually harassing her. Will one of Hartley's best teachers have to leave the school? Meanwhile, Katerina is doing her best to know Declan. Trying to talk to him doesn't work, so Katerina takes matters into her own hands when she swipes his wallet. Will Declan be charmed by this romantic gambit or will he kill Katerina? It seems the latter is the more likely reponse!

Ronnie has set her English class a Friday the 13th assignment; they are to watch tonight's horror movie - Frankenstein - and write an essay on confronting fear. The kids get in the mood for the spooky night by scaring the cleaner, a simple man by the name of Damien. However, when he is consoled by Danielle, he takes a liking to her that is threatening. Danielle is left at home alone to watch the movie while Allie and Matt head off to a party. Strange occurrences start - phones ringing with no one on the other end, doors banging, blackouts, etc. Could this be Bolton's idea of a joke, or is someone really out to get Danielle? Meanwhile, at the party, Matt is finds himself in a precarious situation when, driven by spontaneous lust, he kisses Stassy.

Danielle is disgusted when she and Declan stumble upon Matt and Stassy secretly kissing in the school gym. She wrestles with her conscience - she should tell her best friend Allie but is stopped by Declan who thinks they should mind their own business. Stassy has come to the bitter realisation that her moment with Matt was simply a diversion for him and that he is still in love with Allie. She is even more humiliated when she is asked to interpret Shakespeare's ""Much Ado About Nothing"" which reflects with bitter irony her own life. With pressure coming from all angles Stassy is bound to crack, but where will that leave Matt & Allie? When June Dyson's son Gary makes an unexpected visit he and Bolton forge an unlikely friendship. However, Bolton finds himself in the middle of a family feud and it seems that he could be the one to fix it.

Stassy borrows Allie's essay and copies it to hand in as her own but when Ronnie confronts her about the matching papers,

The senior class is participating in a work experience programme. Katerina is eager to go to work at an advertising agency but is disappointed to learn she has been given the job of receptionist.

An old flame from Andrew's past visits him en route to her new research job in Antarctica. While Katerina spends the evening managing the Shark Pool on her own, the rest of the gang works on a science project at the warehouse. Their work however comes to an abrupt end when Matt is electrocuted. Andrew accepts Dana's offer to join her research team and announces his departure from Hartley.

Bolton costs Hartley the first round of a debating competition by agreeing with his opponent, a girl from St. Catherine's Girl School [Allie's former school] whom he has a crush on. Bolton asks Linda out on a date but after his dinner with her parents, they forbid Linda to see him again. Hartley wins the second debate on the strength of Bolton's inspired concluding argument on the topic of racism, but afterwards Linda tells him that she will be moving back to Taiwan with her family. Stassy's home life interferes with her school work. Katerina flirts with Internet dating.

New teacher Tom Summers, son of school Superintendent James Summers, arrives at Hartley as Dyson begins a programme to teach the girls auto mechanics and the boys cooking.

After Danielle discovers the body of her deceased neighbour, Danielle and Allie decide to volunteer their time to an organisation that provides companions for senior citizens.

Mr. Summers announces a new Creative Marketing Project which sees the kids pair up to create and market environmentally friendly products from their original ideas. While Matt and Bolton push their ""Bolton's Beads"", Danielle markets Declan's repackaged musical talents, while Katerina's perfume endeavour fizzles. Meanwhile, Stassy and Allie's project is threatened by Stassy's father's steadfast refusal to allow his daughter to work after school or go to the final presentations at the Shark Pool. Stassy goes behind her father's back to attend the presentations but when he finds out (her picture was in the newspaper), their heated argument culminates in Stassy leaving home.

It's the day of the school's cross country race. Tom's girlfriend, book editor Vicki Hodge, looks at Allie's work and asks her to skip the race so they can work on the book together.

Rocco returns from America (Con is doing well) and consults Roberto about the possibility of selling the Shark Pool.

Charlie approaches Matt to ask for his help in becoming ""cool"". After the make-over, the girls's fawn all over the ""new"" Charlie, and a superficial Katerina quickly changes her mind about the former nerd, and despite her failed attempt to change his personality as well, the predestined couple finally hook up. A former bandmate from Declan's days in ""Rapscallion"" arrives with an offer to cut him in on her impending record deal. Unfortunately, their fateful partnership falls apart when it is revealed that she is only interested in using his songwriting talents to further her struggling career. Bolton helps Stassy through her first runway modelling session and the pair succeed in bringing down the house, quite literally in fact. Afterwards, Stassy admits to Bolton that she never wanted to model but was only looking for a way to earn money, and when her financial assistance comes through, she is able to give it up. Tom helps Allie finish her novel, entitled ""Clouds in the Water"", and annou

Stassy enraptures Bolton with her new-found mysticism but only manages to enrage the Petty Tyrant that is Katerina with displays of her so-called psychic abilities.

Dyson announces that Allie has won the state literary fellowship but Allie decides to turn down the award after having just learned that she is pregnant.

Bolton surprises everyone when he wins the prestigious Henry Lawson poetry contest.

Bolton goes to great lengths to prevent the closing of his uncle's bowling alley but receives little help from his friends. Dani and Declan win the school elections and want no part in Bolton's plan to create a school bowling programme and instead, Declan proposes fencing as an alternative sport for the school. Katerina accuses Stassy of stealing a lottery ticket the group bought in hopes of giving the prize money to Bolton's uncle and challenges her to a dual during Declan's fencing exhibition. June sits in on Ronnie's blind date with Roger, a real ""blue algae"" of a guy. When Bolton learns from his uncle that the Hartley Council is taking money from a developer interested in redeveloping his uncle's property, Bolton informs Dyson who convinces Roger to obtain the evidence needed to reveal the Council's corruption and save the bowling alley. A 50's gala is held at the bowling alley to celebrate. Matt decides to move in with Stassy at the warehouse.

With his parents making plans to divorce, Charlie falls into the clutches of a cult, the ""Deliverance Movement"". Katerina asks Stassy for her help (she was very briefly involved with them) to get Charlie out, and along with Matt, Bolton, and Declan, they rescue Charlie from the cult's commune. Helen is irked by Roberto's laissez-faire attitude towards their impending 20th anniversary and petty jealousies about one another's coworkers only add to the Bordino's domestic dilemmas. Feeling squeezed out by Matt's arrival at the warehouse, Danielle asks Declan about the possibility of moving in with him and his mother. Declan turns her down stating that his mother would feel embarrassed but Danielle quickly realises that Declan is not telling her the truth.

With HSC exams just a few short days away, Bolton rallies his classmates to make their Muck-Up Day an event to remember. Events however go horribly wrong when a fire breaks out in the school computer lab and Dyson eyes Matt as her prime suspect — and threatens to withdraw the entire class's HSC eligibility unless the culprit comes forward. Fortunately, while reviewing the video Charlie made of the days events, Katerina spots the real perpetrator (he's an old friend of Matt's who was kicked out of school and returned to settle the score) and Matt is exonerated. Charlie proposes to Katerina, but after her acceptance, they both begin to have second thoughts about the commitment and decide to put off their nuptials — much to Roberto's delight. The gang decide to create a time capsule to mark the year's end, and after burying it, Danielle announces to her friends that she's decided to take a reporter's job offered to her by a television station in Wollongong.