{"id":8,"date":"2026-10-26T19:50:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T19:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2026-11-07T07:06:19","modified_gmt":"2026-11-07T07:06:19","slug":"about-me","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/","title":{"rendered":"About Me"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"428\" height=\"623\" src=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/IMG_0341-edited.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-76\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.6870147064085591;width:313px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/IMG_0341-edited.jpeg 428w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/IMG_0341-edited-206x300.jpeg 206w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 428px) 100vw, 428px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-stretch is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-33ccc8b1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-eac511c3 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hi, my name is Layla and I\u2019m a student at Mountain View High School exploring my creative interests through Freestyle Academy. I\u2019m passionate about architectural design, wildlife conservation, and poetry, which allow me to explore the world around me and express my perspective in different ways. I\u2019m especially interested in how architecture shapes our everyday experiences and can create more sustainable spaces. Making art projects and designing new things to help people is what drives me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I value empathy and curiosity, and I believe everyone has a unique lived experience that is worth sharing. Curiousity is the backbone to every designer and staying curious is what allows me to gain new perspectives and fuel my creative writing. I crave learning peoples stories as well as sharing my own, and having empathy for everyone creates a judgement free zone where we can appreciate eachothers authenticity. By learning from peoples different backgrounds, I hope to better piece together the world around me. My dream is to travel the world and have a job that not only allows me to record different community issues, but help design ways to solve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I chose to become a Freestyle student because I want to explore my endless itch to create beyond traditional learning. My current life obsessions are playing and coaching tennis, babysitting kids in my community, painting, and writing poetry. I\u2019m excited to continue developing my creative skills\u00a0at Freestyle Academy and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-layout-flex wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><br><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Affiliations<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator aligncenter has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Celebrating Writers and Writing in Our Communities: An Anthology of the Winning Entries of the Redwood Writing Contest 2026<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1962081613?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-04-at-7.33.18-PM-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.675015197568389;width:142px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-04-at-7.33.18-PM-1.png 540w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-04-at-7.33.18-PM-1-203x300.png 203w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Click image to purchase book on Amazon!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Published Poet and 1st-place winner<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Poem title: &#8220;Put Yourself in Someone Else&#8217;s Boots&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator aligncenter has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgeink.org\/volume-ten-issue-four\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"264\" height=\"132\" src=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-05-at-8.56.32-PM-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-210\" style=\"width:144px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Click to visit 10.4 Bridge Ink Issue!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Published Honorable Mention<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Put Yourself in Someone Else\u2019s Boots&#8221; was featured in Issue 10.4 Bridge Ink and won Honorable Mention for the 2026 PWN Teen Voice and Verse Writing Contest. Judge\u2019s Note: \u201cPut Yourself in Someone Else\u2019s Boots\u201d allows itself to take up space and demand that its voice be heard. Using rhythm and power in each verse, the poem is invigorating for a reader and serves as a call to action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator aligncenter has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/binthere.org\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1014\" height=\"615\" src=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Bin-There-Logo-Design-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-97 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Bin-There-Logo-Design-1.jpg 1014w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Bin-There-Logo-Design-1-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Bin-There-Logo-Design-1-767x465.jpg 767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1014px) 100vw, 1014px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am the creator of Binthere.org, an environmental education initiative designed to make sustainability more accessible to children through simple explanations of news on sustainability innovations, illustrations on recycling, and interactive resources to better understand sustainable concepts. I hope to motivate younger generations to make environmentally conscious choices and make environmentalism more accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click the image to visit the site!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jammatennis.com\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"192\" src=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-03-at-2.31.07-PM-edited-1024x192.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-105\" style=\"aspect-ratio:3.953813341178201;width:822px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-03-at-2.31.07-PM-edited-1024x192.png 1024w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-03-at-2.31.07-PM-edited-300x56.png 300w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-03-at-2.31.07-PM-edited-768x144.png 768w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-03-at-2.31.07-PM-edited.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Click the image to visit the site!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/TennisGirlsVar18-Copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-99\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.6662684529396706;width:132px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/TennisGirlsVar18-Copy-2.jpg 533w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/TennisGirlsVar18-Copy-2-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"359\" height=\"468\" src=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LaylaSimoneVadhan-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7671380471380471;width:170px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LaylaSimoneVadhan-1.png 359w, https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LaylaSimoneVadhan-1-230x300.png 230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The JAMMA Impact<\/strong>&#8211; $100000 raised for the MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION, 500 students, 50 coaches, 25 classes (public and private) in 6 Locations,  Awards: MVP for the Michael J. Fox Foundation 2023, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"68\" height=\"68\" src=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/channels4_profile.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-102\" style=\"width:46px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">JAMMA is a nonprofit Tennis Coaching Organization in the Bay Area that is led by high school tennis players. I became a JAMMA tennis coach my sophomore year, the same year I made the Mountain View High School Girls Varsity Tennis Team. I&#8217;ve coached at JAMMA for 3 years and love being part of the tennis community in my town. Coaching tennis not only improved my skills as a player, but working with young children also taught me that patience and positivity are crucial to maintaining a strong work ethic and connecting with people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-site-tagline\">Let your dreams be your wings <\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Affiliations Celebrating Writers and Writing in Our Communities: An Anthology of the Winning Entries of the Redwood Writing Contest 2026&hellip; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8"}],"version-history":[{"count":85,"href":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":238,"href":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions\/238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LaylaV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}