They're extraordinary in a way. The members of The League of Aspiring Gentlemen of Eau Clair Memorial High School in Eau Clair, Wisconsin want to turn into gentlemen. Their activites are designed to develop gentlemanly qualities:
"We wanted a reason to dress up every week," said club founder Alec Baca, noting the league's members meet most Wednesday's after class in the school's jazz band room dressed in their best attire.
But Baca added they do much more than just dress up. For example, he said, club members have practiced a variety of sports and leisure activities, learned about culture and fashion and have organized school events.
Meanwhile, its members certainly do embrace formal fashion, eschewing jeans and T-shirts for bow ties and sport jackets, cardigans and dress slacks.
But why are they called "aspiring gentlemen" instead of "gentlemen"?
The name of the club is important, Baca said, noting members are "aspiring" gentlemen. At no one point do members graduate to a level of gentlemen, but rather always remain aspiring. To declare oneself a gentlemen would be rather ungentlemanly, Baca said.
(Photo: The League of Aspiring Gentlemen)
They called themselves LGBT Club.