The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth

Danielle from Illinois struggles to find connection with her fellow students, which hinders her progress at school. She is bullied for her independent taste, even by Tabitha, who is supposedly her closest friend. Through Robbins’ challenge, Danielle begins to forge new social connections and make genuine friends with whom she truly connects, including two less-abled sisters, Emily and Viv. She gains confidence and subsequently a job, which helps pay for her college. She also excels in snowboarding.

Mark Laurent (known as “Blue”) from Hawaii struggles with his identity at school. He socializes with a group of gamers but is bullied. His effort to organize a fundraising gaming party is thwarted, and he is derided by fellow students, including his friends. Blue’s grades have dropped, and his mother refuses to pay for college, threatening him with military service. Blue feels isolated, and his motivation dips further when his application is rejected by the University of Hawaii. Yet he helps his school win at the Simulated Congressional Hearings championship, where he makes new, genuine friends. One of them, Michael, “comes out” to Blue, and they kiss. Blue’s motivation improves until he is bullied once again for being gay. Blue writes the valedictorian commencement address and is congratulated by his friends and family at his graduation. Blue resolves to work hard at community college so that he can transfer to the University of Hawaii.

Whitney is part of a popular group at a high school in New York. To remain in the group, she must follow rigorously conformist social rules, including bullying “unpopular” students. She is made treasurer in the senior class elections for the sixth year running. Whitney becomes close to Luke, a punk whom her clique excludes. Her friends abandon her while she is sick and can’t attend a party. Whitney loses her virginity to Luke. She is forced by the popular group to exclude and bully two twins, who are new at the school and whom she likes. She accepts Robbins’ challenge of socializing more widely and is accepted at her first-choice college. Whitney discovers that the punks are just as much of a clique as the popular group. She engages with students whom she formally would’ve bullied and feels more comfortable in her own skin than ever after broadening her social circle. Whitney secures an advertising internship.

Regan’s girlfriend Crystal attends her Georgia high school assembly. When Regan first arrived from Vermont, she dated Wyatt, a popular jock who dumped her via text message nine months later. Then Regan learned that he cheated on her with Mandy, and the two became a couple. Regan is excluded at school and bullied by Mandy. Regan only feels at home at the community theatre, where she does not have to hide her sexuality. It is not just sexuality but race for which people are bullied at the school. Regan, Mandy, and Wyatt are all teachers. Regan comes out to her students but is later reprimanded by the principal for being “out” at school. She decides to leave and teach English at a school in Bangladesh, although her students value her. Before she leaves, she accepts Robbins’ challenge to establish a Gay-Straight alliance at the school. Regan meets with resistance when she pitches this to the Diversity Committee. Regan takes her support for the LGBT community online, helping many. Regan gets a tattoo to signify her commitment to a “straight edge” lifestyle, without smoking, drinking, or drugs. When she is excluded from a class trip for being white, she lobbies for her class to attend in her absence. Wyatt continues to gossip, but this time it is to Regan. He tells Regan that he and Mandy broke up. When Mandy tells staff that Regan should be fired, Regan complains to Mandy’s administrator. Regan tearfully reads thank you cards from her grateful students.

Noah has been chosen to drive the float in his Pennsylvania school’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. At school he is pigeonholed as a band geek and an Asian. Students deride his Chinese heritage, while at home, his grandmother is sick. He and his girlfriend Leigh started going out in Noah’s freshman year. When Leigh breaks up with Noah, he is devastated and struggles with anxiety attacks. When his dad is supportive, Noah resolves to focus on the parade and running for a position in the student government. Despite Noah’s superior level of effort, he is beaten to the position again by a popular boy. Though he is bullied, Noah wins first place in the annual speech competition. He and Leigh get back together. For Noah’s challenge, he and Leigh start a recycling drive at the school. Noah outdoes himself in swimming but fails to qualify for the state tournament. After his persistence with the recycling drive, the principal asks Noah to sit on the Senior Advisory Council. 

Eli feels awkward because he doesn’t fit in at his school in Virginia, where other students ignore him. He loves the Academic Bowl, Model UN, and Spanish, but he rarely goes out at weekends. His only friend, a mildly autistic student from a different school, is even more severely bullied than Eli. The more awkward Eli feels, the more he is bullied. Eli makes new friends at Spanish camp, but both they and his mother pressurize him to become more “normal.” The prestigious colleges Eli applies to are located as far away as possible from his life in Virginia. He learns that he has earned a 101 grade in Chinese, but on a weekend shopping trip, his new friends ignore him. Although he is excited for college, Eli is worried that his loneliness will persist. He declines Robbins’ challenge to socialize more widely because he doubts that improving his social life is possible. Yet at Westcoast University’s freshman orientation, Eli steps out of his comfort zone and befriends Lindsey. This gives him more hope for his social future.