iSchool’s Most Eligible Bachelors

Dating is hard, especially in high school. You’ve got mountains upon mountains of homework,  zits popping up in less than flattering places, mediocre school lunch, and friend troubles every other week. If you add that with dating, you’ve got an equation for a definite disaster.

But people still do it. If you walk down the halls of the NYC iSchool, most likely you’ll see two or three couples, hand in hand, on their way to their next classes, . which, of course, they took together  because obviously they can’t stand being apart for a class period. Even if it’s history.

Even though the NYC iSchool has its fair share of couples, it still pales in comparison to other high schools in the city. It seems that the dating bug hasn’t completely hit the students here, as there are many fishes still swimming in the sea, lonely and looking for a partner.

It’s not as if students here aren’t trying to get a date – it just seems like a missed connection. However, the girls here appear to know what they want. “Someone who’s loyal, obviously,” says Maria Esposito, an iSchool Sophomore.  “I want someone I can trust, and who can trust me.”  Her friends, Nina Penny and Mollie Zoldan, nod in agreement. “Also, a person  who has goals – like aspirations,” Nina pipes up with a smile.

The criteria for a date here at the iSchool is not too much,  but it seems like people just keep looking for something that is right underneath their noses.  “There aren’t that many… suitable boys here. Not in our grade at least,” says Asha Rossato- Bennett, another sophomore at the iSchool. But is that true? Are there really no ‘suitable’ boys here at the iSchool?

Ryohei Shima, Gideon Burnes Heath, Christopher Bell and Aidan Bianchi may seem like your average high school boys, but as soon as you strike up a conversation with one of them, you quickly learn that they are far from it.

Each boy has their flaws, like anyone, but they testify that they are indeed the ‘suitable’ boys here at the iSchool.

Gideon, Chris, Aidan and Ryohei claim that these “dream” boys the girls are looking for do exist. They just aren’t looking in the right places.

After sitting down and individually speaking to each boy, perhaps these boys aren’t what they seem.

Ryohei Shima is a tenth grader here at the iSchool, but he is certainly not like the rest of his peers. He takes pride in his cutting edge fashion, teaching bilingual classes to children, as well as the sport he has been playing for years: soccer.

Q: What’s your full name?

A: Ryohei Anthony Shima.

Q: How old are you?

A: Fifteen.

Q: What’s your sign?

A: I’m a Libra.

Q: What do you do on a typical weekday?

A: I go to school, I either work or I have soccer.

Q: What do you work as?

A: I help tutor kids in Japanese.

Q: What’s that like?

A:  Fun- though sometimes kids are hard to work with.  But I still think they’re cool.

Q: What’s your typical weekend look like?

A: I have soccer games, I do my homework and I hang out with friends.

Q: Who are your best friends at the iSchool?

A:  I’m friendly with pretty much everyone. But I mainly hang out with Aidan, Theo and Lucas.

Q: Favorite Subject?

A: I like all of my classes.

Q: Favorite teacher?

A: Ms. Guzman.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Film photography, fashion and I paint and draw sometimes.

Q: What’s your relationship with your mom?

A: We’re tight. I love her.

Q: What is most important to you?

A: Time. I wish I had more of it.  

Q: Favorite movie?

A: Batman!

Q:What do you think your greatest strength is?

A: I understand and analyze situations pretty well.

Q:What is your greatest weakness?

A: Not being as flexible as I’d like to be to other people’s agendas.

Q: Are you single?

A: Yes, I am very single.

Q: What do you look for in a partner?

A: Definitely someone who and is able to adapt with my friend group seamlessly. My friends are really important to me. I’m a very busy person – and I want a person who can understand that sometimes it’s difficult for me to commit to solid plans. I need someone who can work around that.  But overall, I want someone who’s loyal, and who can understand that sometimes I find it hard to communicate with others, and help me work through that.

Q: Ideal first date?

A: A walk in Central Park is simplistic and romantic,- so that’s ideal.

Gideon Burnes Heath is the ‘new kid’ at iSchool,  but already he’s garnering a lot of attention.  Gideon’s talkative and charming, yet at times mysterious and aloof – he’s  a two-in-one. 

Q: What’s your full name?

A: Gideon MacGregor Sherman Burnes Heath. (I know, it’s long.)

Q: How old are you?

A: Fifteen.

Q: What’s your sign?

A: I’m a Virgo.

Q: What do you do on a typical weekday?

A: It’s pretty usual. I go to school, I come home, take a nap, do homework, eat dinner, run, maybe play some video games, finish homework and go to sleep.

Q: What do you work as?

A: Over the summer I work at a sailing camp.

Q: What’s your typical weekend look like?

A: I sleep a lot- do my homework, watch TV- then I have band practice.  I play the drums.

Q: Favorite Subject?

A: Math for sure.

Q: Favorite teacher?

A: Mr. Whittaker.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Drums and running.  

Q: What’s your relationship with your mom?

A: We’re homies.

Q: What is most important to you?

A: A lot of things are really important to me, but family will always be my number one.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: Inglourious Basterds  is my favorite by far.

Q:What do you think your greatest strength is?

A: I guess you could say I’m a good leader.

Q:What is your greatest weakness?

A: I’m guilty of maybe spending too much time on my computer.

Q: Are you single?

A:. Single and ready to mingle.

Q: What do you look for in a partner?

A: Funny and caring, but most of all funny and caring.

Q: Ideal first date?

A: Go to a movie and then walk through the park.

Aidan Bianchi is, sensitive, kind, funny and fashionably aware. He- could be dubbed as your classic boy next door, but with a twist.

Q: What’s your full name?

A: Aidan (No Middle Name) Bianchi.

Q: How old are you?

A: Sixteen.

Q: What’s your sign?

A: I’m a Aries.

Q: What do you do on a typical weekday?

A: I work on music, I go to school, do homework. Lately I’ve been really into fashion – I like going on Iinstagram and looking at different types of styles.

Q: What do you work as?

A: I’m a roadie.- I go to weddings, events and set up equipment with my dDad.  

Q: What’s your typical weekend look like?

A: I hang out with my friends in Soho.

Q: Favorite Subject?

A: I like Math.

Q: Favorite teacher?

A: Ms. Guzman.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Music, programming, fashion, photography.  

Q: What’s your relationship with your mom?

A: Strong, really strong.

Q: What is most important to you?

A: Animals.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: Crazy Stupid Love

Q:What do you think your greatest strength is?

A: I work well with others.

Q:What is your greatest weakness?

A: I can’t factor.

Q: Are you single?

A:. I am single.

Q: What do you look for in a partner?

A: Someone who has a nice smile – looks don’t really matter to me. As long as they’re sensitive, and kind. Nobody wants to date a bully.  

Q: Ideal first date?

A: Feeding the geese by the north side pier.  I love geese.

With a freshly shaved head and new attitude, Chris Bell is the iSchool’s Sophomore Class’s certified “Class Clown.”  However,there’s a lot more to him then just funny jokes and one liners. He’s also very empathetic and kind.

Q: What’s your full name?

A: Christopher Darren Bell.

Q: How old are you?

A: Fifteen.

Q: What’s your sign?

A: I’m a Capricorn.

Q: What do you do on a typical weekday?

A:I go to school, fulfill my ego, return to my habitat, feast, hibernate.

Q: What do you work as?

A: I am currently unemployed.

Q: What’s your typical weekend look like?

A: I go on a bike ride (gotta sustain those glutes), hang out with friends, compose music, absorb internet.

Q: Favorite Subject?

A: English.

Q: Favorite teacher?

A: Smolka/Paris.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Composing, playing music, running, biking, writing, jokes.

Q: What’s your relationship with your mom?

A: Unbreakable. Ha.

Q: What is most important to you?

A: Finding humor in the dark.

Q: Favorite movie?

National Lampoon’s Vacation

Q:What do you think your greatest strength is?

A: I think very critically and logically, I advocate reason in times where there is none.

Q:What is your greatest weakness?

My punctuality is questionable.

Q: Are you single?

A:. Yes.

Q: What do you look for in a partner?

A: Funnier than me. Hahhahahaha.

Q: Ideal first date?

A: Something cheap and frugal. If I don’t like you, I’m not investing money in you.

[You can follow the boys on instagram- @ryoheishima, @gideonbh, @biancaidan and @86theworld]

Perhaps true eligibility of the boys around here is up for discussion,  but now we know it isn’t hopeless.

W.S. Merwin once wrote, “Throughout all youth I was looking for you without knowing what I was looking for.”  Maybe the things we’re looking for are the things we aren’t.

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