Under the Monocle: Cambria Khayat changing the world one step at a time
Photo courtesy of Cambria Khayat
Cambria Khayat smiles with one of her english students at an orphanage in Chiapas, Mexico.
Ranging from international volunteering to working with the United Nations, senior Cambria Khayat is the epitome of a jack of all trades.
As a member of multiple clubs and activities, including Young Politicians, Empower, Model United Nations, Speech Team, National Honors Society, and PRIDE, Khayat has a lot to show for her four years at York Community High School.
Currently, Khayat is on the board of PRIDE and is president of Young Politicians and Model United Nations.
“Cambria certainly is a leader,” said Mr. Riskus, the teacher sponsor for Young Politicians. “Her interest in politics, combined with her intelligence and kindness make her ideally suited for such a role. Young Politicians is fortunate to have her.”
In addition to activities inside of school, Khayat is also involved in activities outside of school. For example, over the past summer, Khayat traveled to Chiapas, which is a state right on the border between Mexico and Guatemala.
During her time in Chiapas, Mexico, Khayat visited Pelenque Mayan Ruins over the summer of 2017.
However, this was no ordinary trip. Chiapas is the poorest state in Mexico with a poverty rate of 74.7% from 2012. Khayat traveled there with her father to scope out opportunities to help the people of Chiapas.
Students huddle around Khayat as she helps them learn English in Chiapas, Mexico.
“I spent a month there, and I didn’t know what I was doing before I went down, but I just got a ticket going down and another ticket a month later coming back,” said Khayat. “From there, I found an orphanage that had 33 kids. For food, they would just see what got dropped off at their front door that day for the kids to eat.”
Cambria Khayat spends time outside with kids at an orphanage in Chiapas, Mexico
During her time at the orphanage, Khayat taught English lessons to the children for a month. She was the first American to ever visit the orphanage in Chiapas.
Cambria Khayat and English students gather together in Chiapas, Mexico.
Along with her time at the orphanage, Khayat also studied climate change with the United Nations over the summer in New York.
In correlation with her time in Chiapas, her presidency of Model United Nations, and her time spent working alongside the United Nations on climate change, international relations is a passion of Khayat. After high school, she plans to double major in industrial engineering and international relations.
A hope of Khayat’s for the future is to help change the world for the better.
“A long term goal would be to work for the UN not necessarily as an ambassador but to be involved with that organization or a nonprofit that works with the UN,” said Khayat. “I just like the idea that countries are coming together for the sole reason of making the world better.”
Additionally, Khayat’s hopes for the future are supported by her peers.
“I could definitely see Cambria working with the UN in the future,” said sophomore Steve Chornij. “She’s a great leader, and she has a lot of drive.”
Whatever the future holds for Cambria Khayat after high school, it is destined to be a great one.
“I know that I care about politics and the fact that I want them to be better than they are right now, and I want them to actually change what’s going on,” said Khayat. “If I can use politics to influence the things that I really care about in this world, then that would be ideal. I think it’s a good way to access a lot of things.”
Cambria Khayat stands outside of Aya Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey.
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