News Detail
Growing in Leadership
As Richmond Forum Scholar and Trinity student leader, Layal El-Ayoubi ’23 looks for ways to collaborate, encourage others and grow global awareness
Since its inception in 1987, the Richmond Forum has featured over 200 global leaders in its programs. Its mission is “To present powerful voices so Richmond can learn. To empower local voices so Richmond can lead.” One could make the argument that Layal El-Ayoubi ’23 has set forth on a very similar mission here at Trinity.
El-Ayoubi began her mission to grow global awareness in the first few weeks of her freshman year when she solicited participation in a French Convention, an event she had served on the executive council in eighth grade and wanted to share with Trinity. Her preternatual maturity was on display as she stood in Morning Meeting enumerating the merits of exploring French culture. Her push for global growth has only gained momentum since then.
El-Ayoubi is the Secretary General of Trinity’s Model United Nations and has been a club member since 9th grade. She has won numerous commendations at various Model UN conferences. She is a competition team member on Trinity’s Battle of the Brains team, a Senior staff member of yearbook, and she is a member of Trinity’s Black Alliance Initiative, where she will be on the planning and branding committee next year. She is also a three-year varsity girls cross country athlete, and she spent this fall and winter volunteering at Third Church in their tutoring program for immigrants and refugees. She does all of this while balancing a heavy academic load as an International Baccalaureate diploma candidate, and this year, also serving as a Richmond Forum Scholar.
The Richmond Forum Scholar program is a highly competitive program that selects five high school juniors from the Richmond area to serve in support with each Forum program throughout the season. They interact with the speakers, sponsors, moderators, and staff of the Forum and attend all programs. El-Ayoubi is Trinity’s third Forum Scholar in recent years, following Owen Ayers ’15 and Tolliver Mance ’19.
El-Ayoubi first attended the Richmond Forum through the patron tickets provided to Trinity each year by Baxter Perkinson, and she thoroughly enjoyed the experience. She was thrilled at the opportunity to apply for the Forum Scholar program and appreciated the ways in which the application process pushed her. “The application made you assess your values. A lot of it was about you understanding your role in the community and how you have used the resources around you to engage, and how you have already brought about positive change in supporting others,” explains El-Ayoubi.
This theme resonated strongly to El-Ayoubi, who derives satisfaction in acting as a leader in support of others. “I am very interested in civil law. If I want to create realistic change, I need to know how the law operates and how legislation works and who I need to contact because they have greater expertise in an area.” In March, El-Ayoubi took another step on that journey during her Junior Work Week experience, where she worked with Brack Hill at Merritt Law, PLLC. She loved the experience and said it solidified her desire to pursue law.
As a Forum Scholar, El-Ayoubi has reveled in the opportunity to interact with a variety of community and business leaders both locally and from around the world. Says El-Ayoubi, “I was able to sit down at dinner with a group of women of all different ages and backgrounds. We discussed challenges in the workplace, and it was so meaningful to discuss the common issues and our shared experiences.”
A unique element of this group of Scholars that has resonated with El-Ayoubi is being part of the first female-only group. “In the first meeting I noticed we all have multi-faceted mindsets and experiences. It’s like being in a think tank with four other leaders. We have to devise which skill sets are most effective without stepping on anyone’s toes.”
She appreciates the way in which every Scholar made a commitment to support one another in their future pursuits. “We are all dedicated to making sure that the others have an equally impactful experience. We first told each other our career aspirations and now when we meet professionals, we help one another network and match with individuals that can have the greatest impact for each of us.”
One of El-Ayoubi’s future interests relates to environmental law. In her video essay portion of her application, El-Ayoubi chose Intelligence Squared U.S., a group that hosts Oxford-style debates, as the speaker she felt most excited to see. On Saturday, April 30, Intelligence Squared will be debating climate change at the Forum, and El-Ayoubi will be the Scholar leading the program. She will guide the featured speakers and the moderator, a task she is eager to undertake. During the final program on May 21 with Rhiannon Giddens, she will be in charge of the student room. This means gathering and presenting background information on the speaker, including trivia and questions for discussion.
El-Ayoubi has loved working on different elements of the Forum. “Being part of the behind the scenes team has been an unforgettable experience. We have been able to work with the different tiers of Forum staff to see how it is all coordinated. I hadn’t expected this element, and I’ve really enjoyed it. This, combined with meeting the moderators and speakers, has made the experience even better than I could have imagined.”
As for what role Trinity played in preparing El-Ayoubi to be a Forum Scholar, El-Ayoubi says, “Trinity really encourages students to take on full leadership role while knowing that students are in the process of developing those skills — you don't already have to be proficient to become a leader at Trinity. The school says ‘We have the confidence in you as a leader to grow into that.’ It is safe to grow. As a Scholar, that has allowed me to show poise when I am not totally sure of the next steps to take, but I know that they believe in my ability to exemplify the mission of the Forum.”
And what will she bring back to Trinity after her Scholar experience? One lesson comes from Erik Weihenmayer, a visually-impaired outdoor adventurer. Layal recalls, “He observed that there is always a point on the journey where you are ‘hauling tuna’: you are either pulling the people behind you or you are being pulled and it is important that you take on the role in which you are needed.” For El-Ayoubi, that means “figuring out how to incorporate my own skills sets and those of others in creating effective leadership.”
El-Ayoubi was impassioned in summarizing her goals as a senior leader in 2022-2023: “As I think about leaving Trinity, one of the most important things to me is engagement with the underclassman. I remember being welcomed in and being intentionally invited into activities by upperclassmen and that gave me the confidence to believe I truly belonged in this community. For senior year, I want to focus on setting an example for the students who are rising. Taking time out of your schedule is difficult when you are busy, but it is integral as a senior to take the time to spend with those younger students.”
Given the insight and perspective she has gained as a Richmond Forum Scholar, El-Ayoubi is poised to live the Forum’s mission on Trinity’s campus: presenting her powerful voice so Trinity can learn; empower those around her so Trinity can lead.
More Headlines
List of 15 news stories.
-
Learning to Lead
Class Representatives elected and inducted to 2025-25 Student Leadership TeamRead More -
Winning Attitude
Read MoreLegendary Basketball Coach Inspired Trinity Students at the Richmond Forum -
One Step at a Time
Coach Brian Turnage with Mental Edge Athletics gives students a road map for personal growth and successRead More -
Making Good Choices
Learning from mistakes, open communication spotlighted at Honor Symposium ChapelRead More -
Curious Crew
Higher-level IB science students share results of original research in annual poster sessionRead More -
Tools of the Trade
Seniors in the IB Global Politics class explore the principles of international trade through friendly competitionRead More -
Record Recognition
Trinity Artists and Writers Honored with nearly 50 awards in nation's premiere arts achievement competitionRead More -
History in the Stars
“As someone who wants to pursue a career in STEM, being able to have the opportunity to meet another woman who has made an impressive career for herself in STEM, is an inspiration for me,” said Madison Jewett ‘26Read More -
Fish Music
Internationally renowned musician John-Andrew Wilhite ’09 teams up with marine scientists to help boost Norwegian cod populationRead More -
Home Again
Homecoming Week 2024 unites students, teachers, parents, alumni and friends in a celebration of the best of TrinityRead More -
FIRST Class
Titan Robotics Team 539 Makes History at FIRST Robotics World ChampionshipsRead More -
“I Am, Because We Are”
Rev. Ken Malcolm offers message of neighborly love and cooperation in Eucharist ChapelRead More -
A Boost for Science
Science Teacher John Benson earns STEM grant from Toshiba America FoundationRead More -
Titans in France
Five young alumni send virtual postcards to Trinity from work and study abroad programs in FranceRead More -
Dream Team
Mother-daughter alumni duo explore Chilean heritage and love of the game as Field Hockey Women's World Cup volunteersRead More
Trinity Episcopal School
3850 PITTAWAY DR | RICHMOND VA 23235-1099 | Phone: 804.272.5864 | Fax: 804.272.5865 Email: mail@trinityes.org
