Faris Karaman runs into the the dark auditorium with his arms raised. “Faris, Faris,” the senior class stands and begins to chant. He gets to the stage and positions himself in the center, standing confidently in front of the bright lights. It is apparent what is about to happen.  After a long, suspenseful, pause, Jessica Ogulnik relieves the silence: “Molly Kleppin and Faris Karaman!” After stumbling slightly from the overwhelming cheering, Faris accepts his crown while the senior class begins to once again chant his name.

“It feels great having the title,” says Faris. “I have received huge cheers from all my classes and people in the halls.”

Ever since Faris made it onto the Homecoming Court with an overwhelming lead, he had a feeling he would win.

“People all over [voted] for him because he represents the underrepresented,” says senior Rishi Patel who is also a member of the Homecoming Court.

When seeing his name on the ballot for the first time or hearing student running up and down the hallways yelling, “vote for Faris” less than three weeks ago, some students may have wondered what his reason behind running was.

“I thought it would be fun seeing a geek become Homecoming King,” says Faris simply.

Homecoming King may be the title students will use to describe him now, but there is a lot more to this “geek.”

Although academics has been a main focus his first three years in high school, Faris wants to end this year with no regrets, which includes being the NWN’s newest broadcaster, his favorite part of the day.

Every Thursday after school, you may see Faris leading the first of the two clubs he has started in Niles West–Master Jedi Sci Fi Club. Having no luck with starting the club freshman year, Faris took a more aggressive approach. After asking each of his teachers to be a sponsor and being denied each time, he hung a wanted sign at every door and finally got a response. John Hasemeyer answered Faris’s desperate call. Now, the club’s meetings, which end at five, consist of light saber duels, watching science fiction movies, and working on their first film. The plot is based off the storm troopers in Star Wars episode six and the only characters are Legos. The club hopes that many more films will follow the first.

Not only is the movie a first in the club’s three years, but it has also contributed to Faris’s intrigue in the film industry. Looking into Columbia College in Chicago and the American University of Arts, Faris is very interested in pursuing a major in film and eventually becoming a film director. Some of his favorite directors include George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, and Christoper Nolan.

The second club Faris started–Comic and Cartoon Club–was inspired by his love for Anime and Batman comics and his desire to share that interest with others. Faris is looking for more members, but for now, he and the two other members meet each Monday to watch cartoons, present new comics, and hopefully make some in the future.

Faris is also a member of Amnesty International, Save Club, Relay for Life, and the Names Assembly, and each of these clubs have a common theme–helping others. After only speaking to Faris for a short time, it is clear that this is something he is passionate about.

“I want to help make the world a better place, rather than not doing anything at all,” he says.

Amnesty International fund raises for different charities and Relay for Life raises money for the American Cancer Society. Save Club, not to be confused with Go Green Club, does things such as setting up recycling programs to make Niles West more environmentally friendly, something Faris thinks the schools needs badly. Names Assembly, gives students an opportunity to express their feelings, no matter what they may concern, and show their peers who they really are. This is an event that Faris does not take lightly.

“I am glad to be a part of [Names Assembly] to make sure Niles West doesn’t become a horrible place for minorities… all we need to do is have an open mind and get out of our comfort zone,” says Faris.

Getting out of his comfort zone is something that Faris is no stranger to. “Everyone knows me for just being different,” he says, listing dressing up as a gorilla, Darth Vader, Dr. Who, Yoda, and Batman to school as one of his reasons.

Senior Drake Nickell recalls a time when Faris surprised the  junior varsity water polo team by walking into the pool natatorium wearing  his Darth Vader suit. After a long pause, Faris took off the mask, smiled, and left, leaving the team astonished.

“We have come to expect these kind of things from Faris Karaman,” says Nickell, “he’s different, he’s always been different, he’s always been himself, and he’s always been unique.”

Troy Magundayao, Faris’s friend since junior high and a member of the Jedi Sci Fi Club agrees with this statement and describes Faris as a quiet and quirky person.

“The way that he is and what  he likes differs from other people, but that’s a good thing,” says Magundayao,  “there are a lot of people who like the same things as he does and he lets them have a  way to express themselves.”

Another part of Faris’s plan for having no regrets this year was running for the coveted title of Homecoming King, and now that he has won, he can check it off his senior to-do list and enjoy himself at the dance. An added bonus to the title is that he has a new costume, only this one does not relate to characters in his comics or movies; it relates to his real life.