The Great Greene Heist

Preferring a ponytail and basketball sneakers to high heels and fancy dresses, Gaby de la Cruz defies all stereotypes as she proves a girl can be both beautiful and athletic, popular and kind, and fiercely competitive yet compassionately empathetic. While her friends are prattling about makeup and boys, Gaby is strategizing funding for school organizations and reforming the school nutrition system. Yet just when she seems too good to be true, the author reveals Gaby’s vulnerability through her internal monologue. Aside from her anxieties over running for Student Council president, Gaby laments her broken relationship with Jackson Greene. When she thinks of him kissing another girl, her confidence wavers and she doubts her worth. She struggles to even find words for her emotions. “She wanted to say more, to say something, to say anything, but the words got lost between her brain and her mouth” (86). Gaby’s benevolence and maturity are leveraged by her realistic struggle with her burgeoning adolescent romance. The onset of attraction leaves her feeling overwhelmed and confused, especially when the attraction involves her friend.

Despite her romantic entanglement, Gaby displays resilience as she puts aside her problems and focuses on running an ethical and fair campaign against Keith Sinclair. Gaby’s run for president teaches her about leadership, handling conflict, making difficult decisions, and prioritizing communication. Though she hinted earlier in the narrative that she picked up some heist skills along the way, on election day, Gaby acts quickly to rescue Jackson’s covert mission with a bold and risky move that impresses everyone. She emerges victorious in the Student Council election and the hearts of her friends. Gaby’s Latina heritage adds another layer to her vibrant character but is not the definition of who she is.

Keith Sinclair is Maplewood Middle School’s chief oppressor and the antagonist of the novel. Still bitter after his embarrassment on the basketball court when Jackson and Gaby beat him by 15 points, Keith decides to use the upcoming Student Council election to exact his revenge. Knowing he cannot outsmart Jackson, Keith goes after Gaby instead, promising to defeat her in the election and use his power to defund all the student organizations other than his Gamer Club. In contrast to Gaby, Keith is smug and sees himself as better than everyone else. His run for president is purely selfish. Where Jackson and his friends use their brains and creativity to solve problems, Keith relies on his elitist father’s wealth and power for advancement and allies with a corrupt Dr. Kelsey to steal the election instead of winning it fairly.

Despite his villainous behavior, the author reveals Keith’s vulnerability through his internal monologue. Worried he will not live up to his father’s expectations, Keith maintains a tough exterior, but inside he wrestles with low self-esteem and a fear of failure. Seeing the students’ admiration for Jackson and his legendary capers, Keith thinks, “Idiot. Even he was using those stupid nicknames. Jackson Greene ruined everything, even his private thoughts” (47). Sensing his enemy’s weakness, Jackson uses it to his advantage causing Keith to make a critical error. Unlike Jackson with his strong moral code, Keith acts impulsively, operating out of a sense of self-preservation. When Dr. Kelsey opens the closet door and finds Keith clutching the falsified ballots, the reader sees not a villain, but a sad, scared teenager. His poor choices not only led to a crushing defeat in the election, but a permanent ban from Student Council participation. Through Keith’s character, the author reveals a teenager corrupted by his father, who longs for distinction amongst his peers, but whose choices leave him on the outside in the end.

As a cheerleader who runs the Tech Club and is also unashamedly a Trekkie, Megan defies stereotypes. However, much like most teenagers, Megan grapples with the type of person she wants to be. When first introduced, Keith says, “Megan is cool and all, but she has no business being president of the Tech Club. They only elected her because she’s pretty” (13). Later, Hashemi is angry that Megan ditched them after Tech Club to hang out with her friends. Jackson knows she would be a great addition to his crew, but he cannot trust her due to her history as a gossip. Though others doubt her, Hashemi sees and respects her intellect saying, “Chemistry, electronics, programming—she can do it all. She’s like the Thomas Edison of middle school. Except, you know pretty. And not dead” (18). Once Megan passes Jackson’s test of character, she becomes an integral part of the election heist. Through her evolution, the author shows that a person is not defined by their one mistake and, if given the opportunity, can change for the better.

Megan exemplifies the idea that a person should not have to shed parts of their personality to be accepted into a group. Megan can be a cheerleader and still love science and Star Trek; she can be both beautiful and intelligent. The author shows the reader that no one single characteristic should define a person, and people should respect the nuances of a person’s personality. When Megan reveals she is also a Trekkie, Hashemi feels free to be himself and reveals his love of the sci-fi world. They both speak Klingon, a language symbolizing a shared interest and the discovery of a kindred spirit.