Drawing Strength from Helping Others: Leena Ambady ’16 reflects on her work with the ACE Center
This article appeared in the 2024 edition of Full Circle, Castilleja's annual magazine.
Leena Ambady ’16, finds joy in community. Whenever she senses pain points around her, she jumps in head on to help.
As an Upper School student at Castilleja, Leena was deeply involved with the ACE Center. She tutored science, writing, and dance to 5th graders from nearby communities and led advisory groups every summer as part of the Peninsula Bridge program. As a senior, she joined the Halford Women’s Leadership Program and continued volunteering with her young students during the school year, ultimately earning Castilleja’s distinguished Arrillaga Service Award.
“Being able to go to school at Castilleja and live in the Bay Area and have a lot of the opportunities and access made it really important for me to do community engagement and authentically help people,” Leena says. “I felt that getting involved with Peninsula Bridge was a good way to do this, given how much the TAs, students, and program directors seemed to love the program. It was really nice to see these girls excited about learning and making new friends, feeling safe and supported. I just felt really lucky to be able to foster that community and to be a part of that.”
While at Castilleja, Leena also played soccer. She still keeps in touch with many former classmates, who inspire her with their community work, Leena says.
After Castilleja, Leena went on to get her undergraduate degree in History & Science, where she wrote for her university newspaper, volunteered at a homeless shelter, and worked as a writing tutor.
Leena initially wanted to become a teacher, but she decided to go into medicine after losing both of her parents to cancer.
Now, as a busy third-year medical student, she makes time for self-care, which, for her, is friendships. “Spending time with friends when I can resets and allows me to destress and relax a little bit,” Leena explains. “If I’m feeling overwhelmed, it helps being around other people, even if that may be taking time away from the other things I have to do.”
Leena encourages current Castilleja students to get involved with the ACE Center and other local organizations and to read up on the history and politics of the area where they live. And, more importantly, to pursue their dreams in spite of obstacles. “Oftentimes, you get advice that if you’re doing something that you really love, it won’t feel like hard work. I think that isn’t always true,” she says. “Even things that I really feel passionate about can feel like a lot of work. But if you believe in the purpose or in the mission of what you’re doing, it’s worth it.”