Garret “Gart” Darley sprawls on the grass, his back against the side wall of Mount Douglas Secondary, the school he soon leaves for the last time. At 17, he’s seems caught in the flux between gangly youth and a together 20-something. His future seems almost as fluid.

Lunch hour is barely over and already that day Darley has attended an early morning breakfast for Mt. Doug’s 275 grads. He also had a grad rehearsal at the University of Victoria Centre followed by gown fittings back at the school for that night’s ceremony. Squeezed in among all this was his world history class plus time in the darkroom developing his black and white photos from the school New York trip the previous week.

“Everybody knows Gart,” says grad committee co-chair Paige Brar. Both she and Darley are part of the school’s leadership group, responsible for organizing everything from dances to community food drives.

He does a lot for the school, mostly using his still, digital and video cameras to promote school events, according to Brar. When business teacher Donna Parkinson needed a video advertising school merchandise, Darley volunteered.

“It’s hard to find a student to take these on,” Parkinson says.

Darley is also known for his theme days such as sweater vest Fridays when students dress accordingly. Even teachers took part in his animal shirt day. Before the year ends, he’ll promote a Harry Potter Tuesday and a temporary tattoo Tuesday.

“I can’t think of anyone else who plans them and everybody goes along with it,” Brar says. “He just rocks.”

Still, on non-theme days, his mode of dress is “quirky,” according to Brar. “He doesn’t go to the fancy stores and wear what everybody else is wearing.”

Only a friend’s straw cowboy hat seems somewhat quirky on the urban teen as he talks about school and his future. Otherwise, it’s black jeans, black runners and a turquoise golf shirt with a Pegasus logo. The shirt is a Value Village find when visiting sister Sarah at university in Kamloops.

Mostly he buys second-hand, but not his “first suit” parents Linda and Mark bought him for graduation. He opted for it over the standard grad dance garb — a rented tuxedo.

“You can use it for many more events,” the teen says.

He’s equally pragmatic as an entrepreneurial video maker. Last fall, he co-organized and filmed an Achilles heel-clicking contest at the Gordon Head skateboard park. The contest involved skateboard tricks — sans board — punctuated by heel clicks. He sold 50 copies of his 50-minute DVD, Heel Bruise, at $5 each, enough for a slight profit.

“I bought all bulk,” he says, explaining how he kept costs down.

Darley lives with his mother in the Hillside Mall area. His parents divorced early.

“It never really affected me much. I was only three,” he says. He regularly sees his dad.

Darley could have gone to Vic High or Oak Bay, but chose Mt. Doug probably because his sister went and so were friends from his Lansdowne Middle School. He has no regrets, liking the school so much he catches the 6:40 a.m. bus, arriving 90-minutes before classes start. The halls are quiet then, ideal for reading and homework, he says.

The Mount Doug staff is always friendly, he continues. “They’ll be there for me. For everyone, really.”

His grade 11 math teacher Chris Dixon told interesting stories, he says.

“In his old life, he was like a punk rocker,” Darley says. Dixon now does Ironman competitions. “He’s a good source of inspiration. He’s so committed to so many things.”

This last school year, Darley branched out from his theme day and camera-wielding profiles. He was in the school musical and joined the Leadership club. He also helped with the school’s Darfur dinner, a conflict he knew nothing about initially. What current events he absorbs are the MSN news briefs from the Internet.

There’s not much now he would change about himself. Perhaps one, he decides. “I wish I had smaller feet. They’re size 12. It’s hard to find big shoes.”

Darley’s plans for the summer are loose. There’s likely a stint at a youth camp and time in Tofino. He’ll continue with his part-time pizza job, but doubts he’ll gain many hours. Pizza consumption dips in the summer, he’s been told.

In September, he’ll start the university transfer program at Camosun College. UVic could be next for a bachelor of arts.

“I’m not really sure yet. It’s pretty much up in the air,” the C-plus-to-B student hedges on academic and career plans.

Despite his many videos — often posted on YouTube — he can’t see being a movie-maker.

“It’s hard to become one,” he says. “You spend years being a little Joe boy. Once you do [make it], you don’t have much of a life.”

He finds being a letter carrier more appealing — it’s outdoors and people-oriented. Besides, he could make movies on the side, Darley says.