Luke Carter, 12, is intent on being who he is for himself. He is not afraid and does not worry about how others perceive him because the version of himself that he shows is the only version of him that exists. “I do not try to live a life or project something I am not,” said Carter. There are some people who take the time to curate their lives to be viewed by the public eye, but Carter caters his life simply towards what makes him happy.
Carter is a member of Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), a captain of the mens wrestling team, and a member of the marching band.
His interest in DECA began freshman year when he saw his best friend Eli Korach, 12, wearing a suit during his seventh-period Spanish class. Carter learned that Korach went to Florida for a week to compete in marketing competition, meeting people from around the world and strengthening his communication skills, and knew he had to join. Now, he continues to participate in DECA is because he enjoys the competition and social aspects of the organization. Carter also values DECA because it has taught him to trust himself. As a member of DECA, one piece of advice he has learned to live by is that “there are too many things to do in the day to prepare and perfect everything. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself and go for it,” he said.
Carter also emphasizes the importance of discipline and toughness during the wrestling season, and he highlights that it goes far beyond the sport itself. Wrestling challenges Carter by constantly pushing him to endure discomfort and pressure without giving up. He explains that success comes from staying focused regardless of the pressures around him.
As for the marching band, Carter values unity. He explained that the marching band consists of one hundred people all doing one thing collectively. “A chord cannot sound right without all the parts playing it, and the visual would not look right if some of the people are off,” he said. While Carter mostly participates in individual activities, he finds peace in the togetherness of marching band.
Carter is a well-rounded student. He is a high achiever in academics and a student athlete, all while participating in other activities. “I did a lot of these things because I hold the belief that doing things is fun. Even though [during] each individual day it may seem like a hassle to do the practices and the rehearsals, when you look back, you do not remember all the tedious times, but just the things you did overall,” Carter said.
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