Matthew Gerhardt is the face of Argo.  

Being Jason isn’t just about playing the part. It’s also about becoming Jason and what he stands for in our school.  

Recently Gerhardt has been interviewed to see what being Jason is all about. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

When did you start being Jason? 

I started being Jason at the beginning of my junior year. 

How did you get to be Jason? 

My best friend David Hernandez recommended me to Ms. Gutierrez who’s in charge of Jason aka my boss. 

How do you keep the energy to be Jason? 

Confidence and it’s all in the character. 

Can you elaborate more on that? 

It’s just the character you got to keep the crowd happy. You must know what they want.  

How do you tackle everything, being Jason and living through your senior year? 

You must stay focused, but it does take a toll on my mental health. Just keep the energy up and live like nobody’s watching. Stay on top of homework and your social life, and I just have to live my last year to the best of my abilities. 

What’s your favorite part about being Jason? 

The fame, but mainly supporting and representing a strong independent Argonaut. I love being able to represent the school and the people knowing who I am.  

What’s your least favorite part about being Jason? 

My least favorite part about being Jason is constantly sweating. The suit is so heavy and hot I’ve come back from being Jason and my clothes underneath are absolutely soaked. It also gets annoying when people try to hold the sword. As Jason, it’s my responsibility to keep all the pieces of the outfit together and I can’t really do that when everybody is constantly trying to hold the sword.   

What’s your favorite memory while you were Jason? 

Probably the most recent inside pep assembly. I got to see the entire school all around me considering it was in the Swanson. Everybody was around me instead of just the bleachers outside. 

How do you prepare for the role of Jason? 

I listen to a lot of music to get hyped up and ready to put on a show for the crowd. 

Are there certain things you can’t do because you represent the school as Jason? 

I must be a good student and not get into any arguments or anything. I represent Argo which would not look good if I was constantly getting in trouble. 

 Thank you Matthew, and have a great rest of your senior year!