![“[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)
Project Reboot founder Dino Ambrosi spoke to students about the dangers of excess screen time in LIFE sessions on Thursday.
Ambrosi began his talk with a visualization of an adult lifespan in months, highlighting a striking statistic: the average 18-year-old in the U.S. is on track to spend 312 months out of their remaining 334 months looking at screens.
This statistic left sophomore Kevin He reflecting on his and his friends’ device usage.
“It was definitely an eye-opening experience into how many hours we spend on our devices,” Kevin said. “I never knew that even with the best case possible assumptions, we spend so much time on these devices.”
Describing his own struggles with technology usage during college, Ambrosi recalled a time when he fell into a cycle of stress-driven phone scrolling that hindered his academic performance and social life. He emphasized the importance of being mindful of screen time due to the dual nature of technology.
“Your devices could be weight vests or they can be jet packs,” Ambrosi said in his speech. “They definitely have the power to weigh you down and make life a lot harder than it needs to be, but they really can lift you to new heights. The direction they move you—that is a question of your ability to use them intentionally.”
To help students limit their device usage, Ambrosi suggested several apps like ClearSpace and ScreenZen. He also mentioned Chrome extensions Newsfeed Eradicator and Remove YouTube Shorts, which eliminate distracting recommendations and short-form content.
“The most important thing I think students should take away is about being intentional with your time, and making sure that you have the freedom of choice, that you truly are choosing what to do with your time,” Frosh advisor Zane Moore said. “If I am going to use social media, I’m choosing to do this, and I’m choosing the amount of time I want to put into it.”
Upper School Assistant Division Head Kelly Horan explained her motivations behind inviting Ambrosi and praised the message he passed on to students.
“There’s a law in California now that bans phones in schools, going into effect, I believe, in 2026,” Horan said. “As a private school, we don’t necessarily need to do that, and we don’t necessarily believe that’s the right way to go about things, but we do need to teach you how to use it. We need to educate about being intentional. I liked his message because he’s not saying ‘Don’t do it’, he’s saying ‘Be aware of why you’re doing it.’”
