My name is Kaya Livnat and I am a Junior attending Freestyle Academy. I am a Film student, and am really enjoying my experience as a freestyle student. I have two older brothers, both of whom studied Film at Freestyle and convinced me to join. I’ve lived in Mountain View, California my whole life, and love to experience and appreciate the beautiful nature and the people in this area. I have a pet dog named Kimchi and enjoy cooking and baking.
Some of my core values are accountability, enthusiasm, and adventure. Accountability is important to me because it creates environments free of underlying tensions and resentment, because if you always have accountability you are not afraid of admitting mistakes and fixing them. This not only helps you avoid those mistakes in the future, but helps you practice the act of forgiving. Enthusiasm and adventure are also both important to me because, in my mind, enjoyment really comes from within. No matter the experience, whether traditionally considered bad, having a good and excited attitude can flip it around.
Currently, I am passionate about my sports water polo and wrestling, half for the sport and half for the friends and memories I make with my teammates. As an extension, I am passionate about staying fit, particularly in nature. Every summer I go on a month-long camp trip, and I try to do shorter ones throughout the year. I am also passionate about reading, and cooking. I often cook and bake meals with my friends, make dinner for my family, and try out new recipes.
I chose to become a Freestyle student because I was interested in what the program had to offer. I also believed it would be beneficial towards my development beyond academics and my mental health. As a high achieving academic student, I believed that Freestyle would give me the mental reprieve from academic stress while challenging and pushing me to grow in new manners. I value that being a Freestyle student makes me very well rounded in practical and creative skills, something that an ordinary high school doesn’t teach.