Leila Agil

“Having the ability to explore is very important, which is something Havergal sparked in me,” says Leila of the growth and development she’s made over the years. She felt shy when she started at Havergal in Grade 7, but nonetheless applied for leadership positions that year and every following year. She was finally elected to be a member of House Executive in Grades 10 and 11. “It helped me open up a lot,” she says. “Showing school spirit and inspiring others to find theirs was very fulfilling.”

Performing with the Symphonic Band on the trumpet was another confidence booster for Leila, who enjoyed playing live events and mentoring younger trumpet players in her section. In Grade 12, she was elected to be Prayers Prefect, a role that requires public speaking at least twice a week. Her interest in science was piqued when she had the opportunity to go to Space Camp twice through Havergal’s Forum for Change: first in Grade 8, then again in Grade 12. “It was so cool to be at NASA in Alabama, where they build rockets and train astronauts,” she says. Her experiences at Space Camp have inspired her to study aerospace as a part of her Engineering Science degree at the University of Toronto.