Kayla Burns graduated from Citizens Leadership Academy (CLA) in 2015 after attending since Sixth Grade and two things stood out to her most about her time there. The first was a heavy emphasis on college. “The mindset of the teachers was always that we would move on to high school and then college. Instead of a homeroom you would meet with your ‘Crew’ and each room was decorated based on your teachers’ college or alma mater. It was always engrained in me to want to go to college and to strive for that,” said Kayla.

Community was also a big theme that Kayla recalls from her time at CLA. There was a focus on engagement within the community around us. Kayla recalls working in community gardens and volunteering in surrounding neighborhoods. She vividly remembers “Participating in a protest in 6th grade when Treyvon Martin was killed. We learned what it meant to be black. We marched through the neighborhood and made posters. It was very powerful to get actively involved and really amazing to experience at such a young age.”

Two teachers in particular left a lasting impression on Kayla. “My 7th Grade teacher Mrs. Miller and my 6th Grade teacher Mrs. Magan (now Mrs. Sambrook) both saw my potential and really believed in me,” she recalled.

Kayla also remembers the academic environment at CLA and how the rigor and emphasis on academic excellence instilled in her the drive to succeed and see college in her future. She had a passion for writing early on and was able to grow that passion during her time at CLA, where she participated in the Power of the Pen writing contest. “Our teacher always brought us to the competitions and understood our parents were not necessarily available to do so. I participated in Power of the Pen for two years and made it through two rounds of the competition. I was recognized at a CLA assembly for my hard work and effort.”

Even in 6th Grade, Kayla knew she wanted to attend Columbia and worked hard to set that goal for herself – a goal she achieved! “I applied to Hawken for high school but was waitlisted so I attended John Hay for my Freshman year and then re-applied. This time I got in. CLA taught me how to be resilient. I was not going to give up on what I knew I could achieve,” recalled Kayla. 

Kayla just graduated from Barnard College, the women’s school of Columbia University, where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. “My studies were centered around writing and reading, both passions of mine that were born during my time as a CLA student.”

Her Senior year Kayla interned for LinkedIn under its Global Business Organization Program, and upon graduating in May 2023, she landed an internship with the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NACPS), an opportunity Kayla learned about through Beyond Breakthrough, which promoted the internship through our Portal earlier this spring. Kayla will spend the summer collecting stories of charter school success, conducting policy research, and representing the National Alliance at panels and programs put on by other education stakeholders. 

Kayla is also a member of Beyond Breakthrough’s Alumni Leadership Committee (ALC) and likes the work she and her fellow committee members are doing to assist with college and career prep for Breakthrough Alumni. She is also a huge proponent of mentorship and hopes her role on the ALC allows her to get involved in that way. “ I really believe in the power of mentorship and helping students see their potential in themselves.”