Whether huddled around a whiteboard with friends, coaching younger volleyball players, or singing karaoke with siblings, Layla ’28 thrives “when we’re all squished together.” A sophomore from Cambridge, Layla creates paths to connection in every corner of her life, filling her free hours with opportunities to deepen her understanding of the world around her and share her own wisdom in return. Read on to discover a bit of that insight for yourself…

Getting to Know You

What is bringing you joy right now?

I’m currently enjoying getting out and around the city. Though it's only a small act, getting to walk down Commonwealth Mall with a good song playing on my headphones is honestly so relieving, and it’s a great way to take a break from intense work.

What is your favorite book (or a book you’ve re-read)?

My favorite book I’ve ever read is We Are Not Free by Traci Chee. It’s a historical fiction about teens living in Japanese Internment Camps following the attack on Pearl Harbor. It’s such a sad story, and the author did a great job at capturing the way xenophobia affects individuals overall. The author writes, “We are not free. But we are not alone.” At this time and day, I find this to be so powerful, and it stands as a reminder that we should all live united, and that together, we hold enough power to make differences.

What are your favorite comfort foods?

My favorite food is a Haitian dish called diri ak legume. It's made up of rice and vegetable stew that's typically mixed in with a variety of meats. It’s one of those meals that’ll make you smile just smelling it. I can almost taste it now!

What was/is your favorite class (at Commonwealth or elsewhere)?

My favorite class has probably been Ancient History. It’s super intriguing to me, as there’s such a wide variety of topics covered. I was particularly interested in comparisons between ancient foreign religions, as well as how gender roles developed over time. There’s just so much to learn, and it feels awesome to be able to compare what you're learning to something modern.

When do you feel the most enjoyably challenged?

I feel the most enjoyably challenged when group studying before a test. It’s always stressful in the moment, but it really does bring everyone together, and thinking back I really enjoy all the times my classmates and I have spent spewing information on whiteboards.

What never fails to make you laugh?

My family members have to be the funniest people I know. I'll never back down from karaoke with my siblings, intense board games with my cousins, and movies with my parents. I’m the happiest when I'm with them, and each and every person truly brings me so much joy.

What are people most surprised to learn about you?

I think people are more surprised to learn that I wasn’t very talkative before attending Commonwealth. I really had to push myself out of my comfort zone when approaching people, especially having been the only person to transfer from my middle school. I'm grateful that I put myself out there, however, because it’s caused me to learn so much about myself and the people around me. You really do need to step out of your own comfy box to grow.

Pen or pencil?

Pens all the way! Your handwriting looks so much more uniform when writing with ink, and I can’t deal with another mechanical pencil running out of lead when I need it most.

Coffee or tea?

America runs on Dunkin’, and rightfully so. Nothing is better than an iced latte—even in the middle of winter.

Fall, winter, spring, or summer?

Who wouldn't enjoy a time full of sun, vacation, and relaxation? Summer is the best season by far, in my opinion, and I really enjoy getting outside and spending time with loved ones without having to worry about when the next assignments are due.

Life at Commonwealth (and Beyond)

What was your first impression of Commonwealth and how has it mapped to your experience?

When I first visited Commonwealth, I was a bit nervous about how small it was, because the community is so much smaller and denser than what I'm used to. When orientation came around, however, I was reassured that everyone was super friendly and that there was nothing to be scared of. I'm glad I went into the year rather open-minded, as it really allowed me to form deep bonds with those around me.

Using metrics besides grades, how do you define “success” in your classes?

A huge part of the Commonwealth experience for me was learning that it’s more important to truly know the information you're learning, in comparison to just having it memorized to pass an exam. Understanding when you’re genuinely confused and reaching out to get help is so important at a rigorous school like the one we’re in, and so I’d say success is being able to properly identify your problem spots and being able to notice improvement through practice.

How do you spend your time outside of Commonwealth?

Outside of Commonwealth, I really enjoy playing sports. I participate in volleyball clinics year-round, and I get to help out with coaching elementary schoolers as well. It’s such an exciting experience to share with my close teammates, and it brings me so much joy to see younger kids grow to love the sport as much as I do! Apart from that, I like having my weekends packed with activities. I am a part of Harvard's Du Bois Society, where we come together every Saturday to study African American history and the ways racism is embedded into our modern society. I also take piano lessons on Sundays, and though I'm not very skilled at it yet, I'm eager to continue to learn more music theory and to grow as a musician overall.

Can you tell us a bit about your experience translating Kreyol in the Caribbean Reading Group (a club during the 2024–2025 school year, now turned into an elective class)?

Translating Kreyol in the Caribbean Reading Group was incredibly exciting and interesting for me, because it was both a learning and a teaching experience. I grew up speaking English in my household and Kreyol with other close family members, so I knew a pretty solid amount having regularly been around relatives who didn’t speak very much English. As I grew older, however, I found myself losing a lot of that fluency as I became exposed to it less. At the moment, I’d say I can understand pretty well, but my speech formulation has definitely gotten worse. I was really happy to get the opportunity to attempt to translate for the group, as it allowed me to not only look at things I was familiar with but also challenged me with vocabulary I had never seen before. Getting to explain interpretations that may have not been drawn out through the English translation was so exciting, and I felt a lot of pride in getting to teach others about mythology that correlated with the texts we were exploring.

When do you feel most connected to other students (or teachers/staff members) in our community?

I feel the most connected to others in our community when we’re all squished together. Whether that be in the stuffy freshman cubbies—or maybe crowded around the piano in LA before a music concert—the small space really forces you into speaking with and forming connections with everyone. Although it can be tough at times, it’s really pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I've built friendships that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

How has your Commonwealth experience colored the way you look at the world? How you plan for your future?

Commonwealth has such a diverse collection of personalities and characters, and it’s really made me cherish individuality. It has made me a lot more proud of the person I am currently, and I know that I'll learn so much more about myself within my next years of high school.

What’s your advice for prospective students considering Commonwealth?

For anyone considering Commonwealth, my major warning is to not underestimate the time commitment here. For many days out of the year, school ends with a few hours of sports, mounds of homework, and ages on the MBTA. Spacing out time can be really overwhelming when you’re first getting into the groove of things. Know that things do get easier and that you’ll get the hang of it; however, you shouldn’t beat yourself up about falling behind once or twice. It’s all part of the learning experience, and the time-management skills you learn in the building really help you in all aspects of your productivity.

What would you tell your ninth-grade self?

I'd tell myself to map out more free time to do the things I like. I personally thrive on being busy, but I think I've grown to learn that everyone has their limits. I would encourage myself to focus on my work, but also make sure that I've planned out times to be unproductive and unbooked. Rest is super important, and we should all make the most of it.

What is it like going to school in Boston?

Going to school in the heart of the city is genuinely amazing. I’m quite familiar with our neighbors across the bridge, but I never really knew too much about what Boston itself held. Being here now, it’s wild to think that I get to drive out to such a popular tourist location every morning to pursue my education. At times it’s difficult to remember what a great spot we’re in because of how busy everyone's schedules are, but when we finally step out and look around us, there's so much to do, and it’s such a great privilege to be here. Getting to walk down Newbury before a late-night game or getting celebratory lunch after difficult tests brings so much light to my days, and I'm so grateful to get to experience my four years of high school in a city full of possibilities!

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