![“[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)
On Wednesday, October 5, Austin Whitney spoke in front of Upper School sophomores, juniors and seniors on drunk driving and the importance of a positive attitude.
Whitney, a twenty-two year old paraplegic, was left paralyzed in 2007 while driving drunk a few months after his high-school graduation.
“I was fighting for my life,” said Whitney in a small luncheon prior to the assembly. “I kept hearing the word ‘permanent.’ I had just graduated high school, I had no conception of what permanent meant.”
The assembly included a presentation with pictures of Whitney before the accident in typical high-school scenes, such as at his senior prom, hanging out with friends, and attending a concert. These were followed by large photos of Whitney’s warped, destroyed car following the accident.
Whitney said his goal in speaking to high school students was to communicate his message in a way that teenagers can relate to.
“Whenever anyone spoke at my school about drugs and alcohol, I just couldn’t relate,” he said. “I was always the one throwing the parties, every weekend, just getting smashed. [Now] I’m trying in every possible way to reach me when I was in high-school.”
His main message to students was to simply avoid drunk driving.
“One careless act can wreak so much havoc on your life,” Whitney said. “Take some responsibility. You’re not invincible. The myth of youth immortality is just that: a myth. It doesn’t exist.”
Some students, like junior Andre Jia, questioned the effectiveness of the assembly.
“I think it was a good story, and sets an example of what could happen,” Andre said. “Do I think it was particularly effective? Not really, but that’s my own opinion. I think most people at Harker are on the straight and narrow as it is. The few partiers we have aren’t going to really be swayed by this message.”
Others, like Sarika Asthana (12), felt that Whitney’s presentation shared valuable insights.
“I think [his] talk was cool, because he wasn’t preaching to us or telling us what to do or what not to do,” Sarika said. “I liked his talk a lot, and it really made me think about my decisions.”
In addition to his message on drunk driving, Whitney also spoke on the importance of attitude following his paralysis.
“There was a point where I wish the accident had killed me. I said, ‘What’s the point of going on,’” he said.
He shared with students a quotation that he believes saved his life. The quotation, from Charles Swindoll, includes the statement that life is “10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” Whitney believes the message saved his life.
“I realized that no matter what happened to me, I did have control over my attitude,” he said. “I could take the challenge with a smile and move forward.”
