The first TEDxFrisco HS Youth event will be held in the auditorium on February 2. The program TEDx was created by TED. It is a local, self-organized event meant to bring people together and share a TED-like experience.
“TEDx is an opportunity for students to participate in sharing new ideas, gaining a new perspective, and being a part of a global community,” said junior Sienna Dierkes, lead organizer of TEDxFrisco HS Youth.
Dierkes is the lead organizer for this event, along with a team of 12 other students who make up the TEDx team.
“I am responsible for overseeing processes in every aspect of the event and bringing them all together to produce a final event,” Dierkes said. “I received a TEDx hosting license this summer and founded the club this school year.”
When Dierkes had the opportunity to bring TED to the school, she knew it was something she had to do.
“I have always loved watching TED Talks and when I got approval from TED to host one of their events I was immediately intrigued,” Dierkes said. “From there, I worked to put together a team of people to help make this goal a reality.”
Many students saw TEDx as an opportunity to spread a message and speak about something they were passionate about. One of these students was Mikaela Ries. She was chosen as one of the speakers for the event.
“I looked around and saw that there needs to be a change,” Ries said. “I decided that I’m going to take action in my life, speak out, and try to make a difference, because we need to keep making changes to improve society.”
Ries will be talking about decreasing discrimination in America.
“I started my writing process by looking at the numbers and the amount of discrimination still taking place in America,” Ries said. “I was shocked by what I saw. Once I started I couldn’t stop. I constantly read, edited, and practiced my speech to find areas that needed to be improved or expanded on.”
Another one of the students picked to speak is senior Trinity Power.
“My talk is called ’17’ and focuses on the topics of TikTok trends, Instagram followers, Sephora 10-year-olds, college admissions and mental health,” Power said.
Over 50 students auditioned to speak. In the audition process, students had to prepare a five-minute speech about a topic they are passionate about. A handful of students were then picked to be in a second audition. Afterwards, the TEDx team chose the most engaging candidates to be the speakers.
The auditioning process was very nerve wracking for me. The first audition was held in a classroom with a few other speakers and the TEDx team. I pushed my fears down because I wanted my message to be heard. Thankfully, the TEDx team saw the value in what I was saying, and they invited me back to a second audition. From there it was a lot more challenging as these were the top speakers who auditioned. Even though this entire process was scary and different, I am glad that I went through with it.” — Mikaela Ries
While many of the students who auditioned were nervous, some were confident that their speeches would move the TEDx team.
“During the whole process I felt confident in my abilities and ideas,” Power said. “Specifically during the audition aspect I wasn’t particularly concerned or worried. Since I didn’t have that burden weighing on me, I had the opportunity to gauge my peers’ talks and identify ways I hoped to improve my own.”
Each speaker will focus on one topic, different from the rest.
“They all discuss a different category and present really interesting perspectives,” Dierkes said. “The talks are going to be very good.”
The students picked as speakers were overwhelmed with excitement, nervousness and a sense of empowerment.
“I am incredibly grateful to have been given this opportunity, and I am glad that I can go on stage and share my message,” Ries said. “I’m very nervous to do this, but I believe that it is my duty to tell the world the change we need to make.”
The other students who were chosen are Tristan Suplis, Ella Miskovsky, Ava Krehbiel and Ishaan Thakur. Along with the six students speaking, teachers Shawn McBrayer and Shayne Coker were invited to give a talk.
“TEDx is an opportunity to communicate with anyone willing to listen,” McBrayer said. “I’m thrilled about this opportunity. It’s not every day that you have the chance to connect with such a large audience. I’m grateful for being considered.”
McBrayer has 25 years of experience in the IT industry and now teaches Computer Science. The TEDx team believed he would have a lot to teach the audience.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” McBrayer said. “There are few instances in life where you have the chance to address such a large and diverse audience about topics that ignite your passion.”
As the day approaches, the TEDx team continues to work toward making the event successful. The audience has a maximum of 100 members; tickets can be reserved at tedxfriscohsyouth.com.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Power said. “The TED team has done a wonderful job organizing posters, flyers, and other advertisements of the event. Hopefully, those who got tickets will have the opportunity to hear some interesting, exciting ideas from students and teachers who have been invited to speak.”
The event is free to attend, IDs will be checked at the door. The first speaker will begin at 6:30 p.m.
“The talks are captivating; we have an extremely intellectually and personally diverse group of speakers,” Power said. “If you’re unsure whether to come out to the event, I can promise that you’ll smile at least once during the night. I promise you won’t want to miss it.”
