![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Android Auto
Courtesy of Android
Android Auto is Google’s latest attempt to expand the Android ecosystem. Android Auto allows for seamless integration of Android with modern cars.
Google has recently been working on a new Android feature, dubbed “Android Auto”, which connects seamlessly with the internal controls of a car.
Android Auto essentially allows the phone to power the car’s navigation, wireless-calling, and media streaming. By “beaming” what is displayed on the phone to the car’s internal panels, users can set their phone in Android Auto mode simply by docking their phones in the car. Once this is done, the touch panel display on the car is able to access the phone’s music, contacts and internet services.
Android Auto represents a new way of connecting smartphones with cars and making content and data seamlessly available.
I think it’s a pretty cool idea,” Hemant Kunda (12) said. “I’d rather have access to my music and the internet on my car’s big touch screen than my phone’s smaller one.”
Many automobile manufacturers have started to embrace Android Auto. Notable companies include Honda, Hyundai, Ford and Nissan.
Android Auto conveniently also has a developer package, so that individuals who want to customize their experiences within the car have an opportunity to do so. This is Google’s latest addition to its Android family, which previously had focused on Android Wear, the company’s response to wearable technology.
Android Auto is part of the new revolution to form a “connected world” where devices can interact seamlessly with one another. Other initiatives apart from Android Auto that have been surfacing to promote the connected world include smart thermostats, smart lightbulbs and smart TVs.
Johnny Trinh (11) believes that the Android ecosystem, especially Android Wear, is extremely useful.
“I like the smartwatch because now, you know how a lot of people suffer from phantom pocket vibrations, I don’t get those any more, I have my watch so I know when notifications come in.”
With designs inspired by Android Wear and the phone OS, Android Auto has the potential to incorporate safety features that would help drivers remain focused while on the road.
Vedant Thyagaraj is the Science & Technology Editor for Harker Aquila. He is currently a senior and has been on staff for the past three years. Vedant...