Kaila Scott '21

When did you start attending FRA?
Third grade

What have you been involved in at FRA and what was your favorite?
I’ve been involved in basketball, volleyball, soccer, track, Student Ambassadors, National Honor Society, Student Alumni Association, Best Buddies, 4680, Student Diversity Leadership Team, Service Club, and Turner Fellowship program.

The Student Diversity Leadership Team is probably my favorite, and I learned a lot from my Turner Fellowship experience this summer also. The Student Diversity Leadership Team started when I was a sophomore. It was a group of nine students, and we all went to the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Nashville. From students all across the country, we learned how to facilitate conversations about diversity at FRA and other important conversations no one really wants to have. That was my favorite thing because I've been able to see many different improvements and progress that FRA has made regarding diversity. I love connecting on a deeper level with my peers because now we can have those hard conversations without feeling like we're offending each other or crossing lines. It definitely has built our emotional connections.

What is the most important thing FRA has taught you?
Definitely to be myself. FRA has taught me that I have just as much power to make a difference as the next person. Being confident in myself, no matter what other people are thinking, is important to me. I have an unique perspective because it's not as easy for someone like me, as a Black girl, to be confident compared to my peers. The unknown is always nerve wracking, but I do think FRA does a great job preparing us to be ourselves in the future, whatever that may be, and encouraging us to stay true to who we are.

Who is someone at FRA who has taught you a lot?
Coach Hart, Ms. Cascarano, and Mr. Climer have all played a role. Basketball is one of the biggest things in my life, and Coach Hart has taught me persistence and hard work. Mr. Climer has been my French III and AP French teacher. Those classes challenged me, but he encouraged me to stick with it, and now he’s writing my college recommendation letters. Ms. Cascarano is my college counselor, and she has been with me since my freshman year. I've been consistently meeting with her this year, and she has always been there for me at any time of the day.

What has been one of your biggest accomplishments during your time at FRA?
I have two. First, when I won Homecoming queen—that was extremely unexpected. I was standing there as they were announcing it and hyping it up a little bit, and they were like, “Now we're announcing our queen.” I wasn't even paying attention. Then they said my name, and literally the world was spinning. My mother was running up and down the sidelines of the football field. My dad was jumping and going crazy. Everyone was crying. All the things. My family was on FaceTime. It was the most magical thing. The whole upper school voted for that, so I feel honored they chose me as someone they look up to and cherish.

Second, ever since being in lower school and getting the yearbooks, I’ve always wanted to be a superlative. I didn't know which one, I just knew I wanted to be one. Being voted “most likely to succeed” is cool because I know my classmates have so much faith and confidence in me. They've seen what I do in school and outside of school, and they consider me to be someone who's well prepared to succeed. I think that's special, and it makes me want to push myself to get there. Everyone knows I have crazy high expectations for myself, and I push myself to extremes often, so it's nice to be recognized in that way.

Do you have an idea of what career you want to pursue?
I'm definitely going to study political science and government with a minor in history. It depends on the school I attend which focus I will take, but I ultimately want to become a human rights attorney. I'm going to go to law school, and FRA has prepared me well for that. I have started an independent study for myself in AP government, so that's also helping me. That's just another example of FRA being flexible enough to cater to what we need as students. It’s just me and

Ms. Black, so it's nice to have it personalized because I'm learning what I'm going to need to know for the goals I have for the future. I want to use the privilege of becoming an attorney to fight for those who may not be able to represent themselves.

Why do you love FRA?
There are so many opportunities for leadership at FRA. You can step up and make an impact no matter how old you are. It's cool to see how everyone's voice is heard at a school this size. The faculty and staff make sure everyone is heard no matter what the topic is. It feels empowering.

What are three words you would use to describe yourself?
Confident, ambitious, and vivacious