When Don Kumar (10) stepped onto the Ayala campus as a freshman, he noticed something missing. Sure, the academics were top notch, and students were ambitious, but the campus energy? A little lackluster.
“I want Ayala to be more than just a school you go to for grades,” said Kumar. “I want it to feel like a place you look forward to being.”
As the E-Board Secretary for the United Student Body (USB), a dancer, and an active participant in clubs like Future Business Leaders of America, Debate Club, and Mock Trial, Kumar shows what it means to be multifaceted. But what sets him apart isn’t just his packed schedule or flurry of extracurriculars— it’s his unique take on growth and failure.
“I think what drives me most is knowing that I can become something and always grow,” said Kumar. “I’m also mostly driven by my fear of failure, but that fear helps me see my goals come to life and the person I want to become actually develops.”
This mindset comes from his own personal mantra: improving by 1% every day. Whether it’s perfecting a dance move or boosting the campus’ school spirit by that small percentage, Kumar believes that small, consistent efforts lead to growth and even larger self transformations.
“I’ve known Don for the past two years and I feel like I’ve seen him grow way more confident in the time that I’ve known him in a very positive way,” said Integrated Math 3 teacher Mrs. Stephanie Allen.
Close friends of Kumar also point out his hard work ethic and dedication to his craft, two factors that have allowed for even more growth in his personal life.
“Don is very expressive and hardworking, and he’s done great things for our school through USB,” said Cayo Widjaja (9). “He’s actively helping our school and our community in his current role as secretary.”
Outside of his academic and leadership roles, Kumar is very passionate about dance. He views dance as a way to connect with himself and others.
“Dance helps ease my mind and gives me something to work towards outside of academics,” he said.
Through dance, Kumar is able to strike this balance of both discipline and creativity, a skill very much reflective of his approach to life, as emphasized by his teachers.
“Don is the kind of person where, if we’re working something, he will always go out of his way to figure out an answer if he can’t do it himself,” Allen said. “He’s really hard working and overall just such a good person.”
Overall, Kumar draws his main inspiration from the potential he sees in himself, using his fear of failure not as something that deters him but something that drives him to improve. This, along with his dedication to the school, makes him an outstanding member of the community.
As he continues to serve this school, his legacy has already been established in our halls. In building our school spirit to inspiring his peers, he’s proving that leadership is about more than holding a title, but about making every day and every person better.
