Leila Idrissi (Class of 2020)

4/2/2020

will attend the University of Michigan in the fall, where she plans to major in biomedical engineering or computer science.

Q. How did you enjoy spending your time outside of class at The Leffell School?

A. I was on the girls varsity soccer team and the robotics team. These teams allowed me to continue my passions outside the classroom, while interacting with students across grade levels. As a result, I became friends with people who I probably would not have had the chance to talk to before.

Q. What has your involvement in robotics been like?

A. Robotics allowed me to explore my interest in STEAM. It taught me programming and machinery, but also expanded my creativity, leadership, and teamwork abilities. The most important lessons I was able to take away from the program were to learn from failure and that you can take any idea and make it into a reality. As the previous captain, it excites me to see how much the team has grown from when we started. I am truly going to miss my teammates and coaches.

Q. What are you planning to study at the University of Michigan?

A. I plan to study biomedical engineering or computer science. I have always been interested in science and math. The E² (Engineering and Entrepreneurship) program sparked my interest in engineering because of its hands-on approach to STEAM. Biomedical engineering will allow me to develop my interest in biology and make medical devices, which is very interesting to me.

Q. What do you think you want to do professionally?

A. I would like to work as a technician in a hospital or work for a company that makes medical devices. [The spread of coronavirus] has fueled my passion to help make whatever medical supplies are needed and I was upset at how unprepared our country was.

Q. What did you create for this year’s TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) event?

A. I worked with a college-aged student who could not reach the bag on the back of her wheelchair on her own. My team and I engineered a way for her to retrieve her bag from behind her to the side by pulling it on a track herself. There is no way to describe [her reaction]. It was amazing to see that our work could have such an impact on someone.

Q. What is your favorite memory as a student at The Leffell School?

A. Lev V’Nefesh is an unforgettable experience at Leffell. Traveling to Poland and Israel, I was able to gain a fuller and tangible understanding of what we learned in the classroom. Not only was I able to develop a better connection to Judaism, but I was also able to create and strengthen connections with my classmates. You see people’s personalities that you do not always see at school. From hiking, to swimming in the Dead Sea, to playing board games at Agron, to embarking on a culinary tour, to navigating through Machaneh Yehuda, there are countless memories to take away from the trip.

Q. What will you miss most about being a Leffell School student?

A. Definitely the people, the kehilah. Everyone is so supportive and I’ll miss creating close-knit relationships with both my peers and my teachers.

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