School Life
Community Engagement

Growing in Leadership

By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
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. 
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About “Connections”

Connections is a regular online column, written from the first-person perspective of Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement:

In this space, I have the privilege of sharing stories of Trinity students, alumni, and faculty and staff who are carrying our mission beyond the boundaries of campus. Many of these stories might not make the headlines, but they will illustrate how every member of the Trinity community has a unique path to discover, and the ability to make an impact on both the Trinity community and the world beyond.

I am fortunate to have been a part of this community since my own adolescence. I have been a student, a teacher, a coach, and an administrator, and in these roles I have witnessed the school’s growth and evolution through the years. We have grown in size as well as spirit.

Stories here will capture how seeds planted at Trinity have taken root and flourished into full-grown passions. You’ll also read stories of those in our community who bring their gifts from outside to help us learn. At Trinity, we seek to develop lifelong learners, and stories here will illustrate real-life examples of that beautiful symbiosis.

Read more "Connections"

List of 10 news stories.

  • Paying it Forward

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Drawing strength from personal challenges, Rosie Williams ’26 works to inspire and mentor hearing impaired youth
    Read More
  • Wider Exposure

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    From the photography darkroom to the rapids of the James River, Thomas Clarkson ’24 finds finds creative ways to view and explore the world
    Read More
  • Independent Streak

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Sam Aisenberg ’24 is riding high in the saddle both in the equestrian ring and in her school community
    Read More
  • Balancing Act

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Olivia Rodenhaver ’26 makes time for competitive gymnastics — and sticks the landing
    Read More
  • photo courtesy of jshfoto

    Team First

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    With trademark unselfish play, Colin Flood ’23 leads Titan Soccer to historic highs 
    Read More
  • In Her Own Voice

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Sadie Holloway ’24 steps into the spotlight as both a singer and a leader
    Read More
  • Hanging Tough

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Reaching beyond challenges, Van Malkie ’24 pulls himself up to the next level
    Read More
  • Growing in Leadership

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    As Richmond Forum Scholar and Trinity student leader, Layal El-Ayoubi ’23 looks for ways to collaborate, encourage others and grow global awareness
    Read More
  • Odds on Favorites

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Two Trinity seniors rise to the top of national youth investment and finance competition
    Read More
  • Three Months, Two Thousand Miles, One Path

    By Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement
    Pushing herself through the entire Appalachian Trail, Perry ’17 discovers more than just beautiful wilderness
    Read More
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