Halo Whitelight gets funny looks and questions, such as Were your parents hippies? about her unique name.
But the Ohio University student takes it all in stride. Born Teeya Mills and originally from Ravenswood, W. Va., Whitelight came to Athens because of the skate park and decided to attend OU. She will graduate with an associate degree in arts and humanities and is working to receive a bachelor's degree in specialized studies. When asked her age, she says she is an Aquarius.
For the past four and a half years, Whitelight has devoted countless hours to her love of skateboarding, a sport growing in popularity for women.
After watching skateboarding on television, Whitelight went to a skate park with some friends and witnessed the life of a skateboarder. Once I saw it in real life
I knew I could do it - and that was the beginning of the end of my life she said.
Whitelight got her start with help from professional skater Brewce Martin, who runs Skatopia, a skate park in Meigs County. Martin said Whitelight was clumsy at first, but she tried so hard that she learned faster than most people and most girls.
Skateboarding hurts and most girls get discouraged because they don't like the pain; but after working with her a lot
I had to let her go her own way so she could do it on her own
Martin said.
In addition to her training, the source of Whitelight's name also came from Martin.
I'm so light-skinned that he said if I was in a dark room I would glow
Whitelight said.
Whitelight legally changed her name five years ago and said it fits her better.
When a child is born
the parents name them for who they think they are
but I think when they are older
they should get a new name that they can identify themselves with
she said.
Whitelight's name is not the only thing that sets her apart from the crowd. She also has a 15-month-old daughter named Amity. I love playing and watching my daughter learn new things and grow
she said. Every day is a new adventure with her.
Whitelight also was responsible for helping to get a lactation room in the new student center for mothers to breast-feed their children.
It was during her pregnancy that Whitelight realized she would not be able to skate much longer, and she started a skateboarding organization to teach others. Created as an outlet for women skateboarders, it later became coed. The group, called the OU Skateboarding Association, started during Fall Quarter 2004 and skates regularly at the Athens Skate Park and takes trips to other parks as well.
I like skateboarding so much not because it's a sport
