Layonnie Kendrick (she/her) is a 16-year-old high school junior who recently transferred from Santee Education Complex to Augustus F. Hawkins. In her free time, Layonnie enjoys writing poetry, often drawing inspiration from her own life experiences that have shaped who she is today. She also writes about the lives of others, as she’s a keen observer of the world around her.

When she’s not writing, you’ll likely find her staying active—whether it’s taking college courses at USC, spending time with friends and family, or participating in a variety of sports. Layonnie has a passion for physical activity, playing sports like cheerleading, softball, and most recently, flag football—a sport she’s picked up again after a long break.

When she’s relaxing, Layonnie enjoys unwinding to music, especially R&B artists like Summer Walker, Brent Faiyaz, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill.