After a year of work, Clarkston’s own TEDxYouth project is ready to roll.
A group of Clarkston High School seniors and juniors organized the TED, Technology, Entertainment, Design, project in response to Superintendent Dr. Rod Rock’s Culture of Thinking.
“We support the educational plan he brought in,” said senior Tyler Dunn.
“The idea of hosting a TED conference began as a simple theory, and it has transformed into an event that involves some of the most impressive students throughout Oakland County,” said Rachel Andes, senior. “As a TEDxYouth conference, our conference is unique in that our speakers are high school students.”
TED talks provide students a forum to share ideas, and hopefully have an impact on educators.
“Their sole purpose is just to spread ideas, not to sell anything or spread an agenda, just 10-20 minutes speaking about it and maybe make an impact on someone,” Dunn said.
They contacted adminintrators at high schools around Oakland County for nomination. They interviewed nominees and narrowed the list down, selecting a wide range of topics and ideas.
“We wanted students who are passionate about education and have unque ideas,” Dunn said.
The event will be this Saturday, April 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the Clarkston Junior High School Performing Arts Center.
The speaker lineup includes Ryan Schildcrout, Berkley High School, Communicating through Music; Daniel Evans, Birmingham Seaholm High School, Competitive Culture; Brendan Greenlee, Clarkston High School, Philosophy & Empathy; Madi McEachern, Holly High School, Teachers are Superheroes; Amit Mizrahi, International Academy, The New Meaning of Literacy; Sharanya Pai, International Academy, The Art of Failure; Alyssa Cardillo, Lake Orion High School, Falling Through The Cracks; Charles Rose, Lake Orion High School, Education Reform; Eshwar Inapuri, Novi High School, Cultured Education; Joseph DeChicchis, Oxford High School, School Culture; Ben Hill, Royal Oak High School, Technology in Education; and Rebecca McDonald, Waterford Mott High School, Effects of Standardized Testing.
Admission is $10. For more information, email tedxyouthatclarkston@gmail.com or call 248- 875-7730.