You may have heard of Naveli Singh’s passionate love for all types of drinks or her insane debate skills. Or maybe you’ve heard of how she changed a last-minute GIT rescheduling into one of the greatest experiences of her life. Regardless, Singh has made her mark on the Castilleja community and is an inspiration to all of us.
Singh is extremely passionate about the law in many different contexts and has utilized the opportunities provided by Castilleja to understand it further: “I definitely [try] to engage in the history and the English classes here.” One of the biggest ways she’s pursued law has been through Mock Trial. “I really wanted to work on my persuasion and debate and be able to actually convince people of things,” Singh said.
Starting on the team in freshman year with little knowledge of how it worked, Singh blossomed from a sharp witness to a calculated captain. “The reason I joined was because I thought that the juniors and the seniors who were leading it seemed super cool,” she said with a laugh. “[I actually] had a lot of fun with it, [and] so I was like ‘I’m just going to keep going and try it out.’” For her, the experience helped her get to know people outside of her grade and develop skills with her teammates.
Outside of Castilleja, Singh is a fervent singer and has been since she was four years old. “It’s been around ten years, which is crazy. I really love it, I’ve been able to meet so many people because of it,” she said. Over the years, she has learned how to both read and write music as well as explore different cultures through their arts: “I love singing in different languages [and] singing different types of folk songs.”
Additionally, Singh had the formative experience to go on tour with her choir throughout Eastern Europe when she was a sophomore, singing in six countries in eight different languages: “We met people at local choirs who were in Europe and talked to them and sang with them at their concerts. That experience really changed [my perspective].”
Alongside singing, Singh also has a love of listening to music. “My Spotify is my biggest pride,” Singh said. “I have so many playlists for so many vibes and I really enjoy bonding with people over music.” Her music taste is a little all over the place, but she loves it that way. Whether it’s SZA or Sabrina Carpenter, Future or old 90’s hits, she has everything sorted in her playlists. Her family has truly influenced her taste: “I have an older brother, so I was able to get a lot more into rap, R&B and hip-hop to bond with him.”
Beyond just her interests, Singh carries a deep love for the school and what it’s brought her. “When entering, here’s so many things [about Casti] that are new that no one knows about until [they] experience it. Like global week or watching ringing and rivalry, stuff that’s going to change your life,” she said. “Go into it head first, and be ready.” For her, appreciating the day-to-day of school has given her the greatest experience: “I’m really sad to be leaving Castilleja. The small moments at the school, the conversations with my friends in class or the memories from GIT, [they] make up a greater experience.”
If she could give her younger self one point of advice, Singh would say to “be excited and be ready for everything.” Starting at Casti, she was very introverted and struggled to break out of her comfort zone. However, her grade and the support from her friends has allowed her to build her confidence and be willing to take risks. “I really have grown that way. Now [that] I’m going into college, I feel really excited to go meet new people and make connections,” she said.
After she graduates, Singh will be going to Washington University in St. Louis and plans to major in political science. This decision wasn’t exactly easy, with her core interests changing drastically from when she first started (i.e., dermatologist to judge). However, her experiences here have shaped her choices and given her the confidence and security she needs: “Through trying different things that I didn’t expect to like, I actually fell in love with something completely different, which goes back to my greatest piece of advice: [Do new] things —- you never know what you’re going to [love].”
