The Geek

When asked about his favorite quote, sophomore Ryan Ayres hesitated for a moment then remembered a saying he came across in his online Latin course during freshman year. “Labor ipse veluptas,” meaning work itself is a pleasure. And for those who have met Ayres, they wouldn’t be surprised.

It would be difficult to describe Ayres as just another “normal kid” because, stereotypes aside, he pushes himself to be more than just that. Since an early age, his sole focus has been on doing well in school, and so far he has succeeded.

“I went to Lowell for [elementary school] and they put me in the equivalent of a G.A.T.E. ways class called WINGS in third grade.” Ayres said. “In second grade I’m sure they were completely clueless [to my intelligence] because they wouldn’t even let me take the high level spelling list.”

From Honors English to advanced placement US History to Probability and Discreet Mathematics and Latin all as a sophomore, anyone could see that he’s a typical overachiever, but what Ayres doesn’t understand is why his achievements have placed him in a stereotypical category that isn’t well received. Geek, nerd, call it what you will, but the fact is that Ayres, like many of us, is subject to stereotyping simply for being himself.

One might also be reminded of a certain Breakfast Club character by the name of Brian Johnson, whose perfectionist attitude towards grades also landed him a spot as one of Hollywood’s most lovable nerds.

“I’m sure I fit the stereotype and I’m sure everyone else would tell me that I do.” Ayres said. “I mean I know [being a geek] is perceived as a bad thing, but just because you get good grades and you want to get into a decent college, I really don’t see how that’s bad.”

Like the stereotypical geek, Ayres spends most of his time on homework, and focuses his attention on his grades.

“I guess it just kind of bugs me when I don’t do well,” Ayres said. “Because I can do well, and it bugs me when I don’t.”

While others might take offense, Ayres takes it in stride, not paying much attention to what others say.

“Honestly, I don’t really care. I mean [being a “geek”] is not a bad thing I don’t think. If it was someone I didn’t really know [who called me a geek], it doesn’t matter,” Ayres said. “I don’t think it would offend me.”

The Rebel

There are no high-speed chases, no all night parties, and no morning fixes. There are no studded belts and black leather, no stolen car. No, there is nothing like that at all. Senior Alec Klungle wakes up in the morning, takes a shower, eats breakfast and goes to school. Just like everyone else. Unlike everyone else, however, Klungle could care less.

“I don’t care what people think about me,” Klungle said with a confident grin. “I actually think it’s pretty funny the things they come up with.”

Klungle, a PDM and AP stats student, insists he is a perfectly normal kid, with perfectly normal hobbies, and perfectly normal habits.

“People always think that I do all of these bad things,” Klungle said. “Like partying and drugs. I don’t actually do these things. I live a normal life. I’m a normal kid.”

A fan of the outdoors, Klungle enjoys fishing and hunting. He insists that he is nothing like his Breakfast Club counter part, the notorious criminal Bender.

“Bender likes to brag about being bad, which I definitely do not. I’m pretty stubborn, I guess,” Klungle admits. “But that’s about it.”

Sophomore and little sister Megan Klungle wholeheartedly stands behind big brothers’ claims. Besides her brother’s recklessness as kids, she says he has turned out pretty level headed.

“He’s mostly seen as cocky,” Megan said. “But he’s not really. I mean, he has his moments.”

Even with swirling rumors and misconceptions, Klungle is determined not to let whispers and tall tales stand in his way of life. Naturally intelligent, and up for anything, Klungle has no inhibitions about his future, or about his outside perceptions.

“As long as my image is good with me,” Klungle said. “than I am fine with how other people see me.”

The Princess

Senior Mary Lamberts readily admits that she has the princess routine down pat. She is pretty, popular, and has a closet teeming with high end clothing, purses and shoes; however, living up to the persona has clearly taken a personal toll on her.

“Some people just make me out to be a stupid blonde,” Lamberts said. “And since I have really nice things and I like the material things in life, people automatically think I’m spoiled. People just assume that if you have nice things or if you care a lot about what you wear you’re a snob.”

Lamberts asserts that her self-labeled reputation as “high maintenance” precedes her in most cases.

“People view your personality through how you carry yourself,” Lamberts said. “Since I do come off materialistic, people who I don’t even know just believe that I am the horrible stereotypical princess.”

Friend and fellow senior Katie Turkawski recognizes the way peers view Lamberts, and maintains that Mary is unlike the presumed label people have given her.

“It’s obvious why people would be intimidated by Mary,” Turkawski said. “She’s gorgeous, she’s got fantastic things, and she’s funny and outgoing.”

With all the talk about reputation, Lamberts confesses that she in fact cares about what people think of her.

“I really hope that people around school don’t think I’m a huge stuck-up brat, “ Lamberts said. “Princess-types are usually perceived as being really cliquey, but I’m definitely not like that all. I branch off and I talk to all different types of people, not just the people like me.”

Based on observations of her friend, Turkawski has some words of advice.

“Since people perceive her a certain way, she has to kind of be careful not to be too much of a princess,” Turkawski said. “She can’t look like she cares too much about what she looks like, and she does have to make sure that she’s talking to different people.”

Lamberts feels that she is slightly misunderstood, but has elements of her character that are similar to Claire Standish in “The Breakfast Club.”

“ I just want people to know that I’m not completely selfish.” Lamberts said. “The princess stereotype is known as being unhelpful or conceited, but it’s not like that. Yes, I do love nice things, but I’m not greedy and obsessive about it. I really do like helping others, and I know it’s not just about material things.”

The Jock

In his Nikes and athletic shorts, senior Joey Saladino looks himself up and down and grins.

“I guess I’m like [the stereotype] because I dress like a jock and I play all the sports and stuff like that and I hang out with all of the other athletes,” Saladino said. “I’m not like [the typical jock] because I listen to country.”

Saladino has fit the jock label since before he could read and write. He first started playing sports before he was even in kindergarten.

While Saladino says he can be a jerk sometimes like the stereotypical jock, he also admits to being a nice guy, that is when he is not entirely focused on sports.

“I’m in the weight room every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, before school, sometimes after school,” Saladino said. “I like to weight lift.”

While in basketball season, his routine is even more filled with sports related activities.

“During basketball season, I’ll come in, I’ll work out in the morning and then go to school and then I will go to practice after that. Sometimes after that I’ll go back to the gym and lift again or shoot hoops.”

Unlike anything typical, Saladino has made his diet very healthy.

“I’ve cut out all sugars. I eat no more candy or pop. I try to eat all good stuff.”

And if someone did dare to call him a typical jock? He would not be offended.

“It’s always about sports,” he said. “Always.”

The Outcast

Senior Jo Storm is not a pathological liar. Not to herself, not to others. There are no sports jocks—that she is aware of—that are enamored by her mysterious and hesitant individuality. She loves art, and people, and colorful clothing. Her connection to a detention attendee and dark, peculiar teen does not reach far past her physical appearance. In fact, it does not extend much farther than her shoulders.

“Well, we both have short hair,” Storm said in reference to the character Alison of The Breakfast Club. “She is obviously creative and I would like to think I am too. The other people in The Breakfast Club thought she was pretty strange; I must say, I am a little strange too.”

Storm is an enthusiast of painting. She was in possession of her first art set at the age of four, and spent her elementary days doodling with her friends for fun. Freshman year she took Intro To Art, and soon decided that she would not take another art class because there were too many rules. After sets and schedules of other classes, and a seasonal experience with drawing, Storm has a different view on art.

“I decided to take art classes again because I got a puppy in the summer before sophomore year,” Storm said. “We had to keep her in the kitchen while we were house training her and I had to stay home with her most of the time so I passed the time drawing. So a summer of drawing pretty much reignited my love of art.”

The dissimilarity between Storm and Alison is also her shameless school record. Not having been a resident of the detention room in three years, Storm would not be a suitable member of a guild of confined students.

“I haven’t had detention since I was a freshman so I probably wouldn’t be in The Breakfast Club to begin with, oh wait, she didn’t have to be there either I guess,” Storm said. “But I actually haven’t seen the movie in a while, so it’s hard for me to remember the details. I do remember that she liked to where a lot of black. I love color way too much to wear mostly black all the time.”

The stereotypical outcast does not fit the creative personality of Jo Storm; her love of art and band and parks and knitting pull her far from that magnet. Storm, like any person, whether outcast or in, strives to be only her. Jo Storm.

“Well I like everyone, I have a desire to be liked,” Storm said. “But the only way I can do that and stay happy and myself is to be myself truly and fearlessly. If I don’t stay that way I become just a zombie or a middle schooler, just kidding about the middle schooler [laughs].”