Teenagers show their ‘Degrassi’ devotion

Darleene Barrientos

Stepping away from the table where she had just met two of the stars

of “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” 17-year-old Monrovia resident

Tricia Olbribge needed a moment to collect herself and look at some

of the pictures her mom had taken of the encounter.

“I’m, like, shaking so bad right now,” Tricia said, wringing her

hands. “I’m, like, speechless right now.”

Tricia, along with nearly 4,000 other teenagers from all over

Southern California, clamored to meet Stacey Farber and Aubrey

Graham, who play Ellie Nash and Jimmy Brooks, respectively, on

“Degrassi,” a cable TV drama. The celebrity appearance was part of

“The Scene,” a touring back-to-school event that arrived at the

Glendale Galleria Saturday.

Samantha Wallo, 11, of Arcadia, was one of the lucky ones -- she

got her autograph by 3:30 p.m. and still had time to get blue streaks

in her hair at the Spiker Colorz booth outside the JCPenney entrance

to the mall, where a serpentine queue of teenagers snaked down the

sidewalk. Other merchants -- including the CosmoGirl Boutique, the

Ford Motor Company, Joico and Pepsi -- also set up temporary booths

to give makeovers or hand out free products.

At least 3,800 teenagers had lined up, some arriving as early as

4:30 a.m. Saturday, said Janet LeFevre, senior marketing manager of

the Glendale Galleria. The Galleria for years has hosted a

back-to-school promotional event, but the stars of “Degrassi” made

this year’s the biggest one yet.

“It’s been a great event -- everyone has been so patient and

understanding,” LeFevre said. “They all know that not everyone will

get a chance to meet the ‘Degrassi’ stars.”

But for those in line who made it inside the mall by 4 p.m., the

long-awaited target was just 30 feet away, beyond a few security

guards and other teenagers jockeying for a chance to score an

autograph and pose for a picture.

“I love ‘Degrassi,’” said 14-year-old Krystal Rodriguez, of

Cerritos, who had waited in line for five hours.

“I fell in love with its real-ness. Plus, the male characters are

so hot.”