Surely, you’ve seen fliers throughout the school on the TEDx Morris Knolls event that took place in the auditorium on Friday, February 23rd. It consisted of student speakers who discussed topics they were strongly passionate about to listeners, in hopes that they might, agree, relate to, or find the topic intriguing.
Organized by Stuti Desai and Serena Lombardi as part of their IB curriculum, this free event allowed attendees to indulge in vast intellectual topics including youth activism, insecurity, censorship and education, gender equity, AI, beauty standards, and empathy. It was an incredible opportunity to experience an event that promised to expand horizons and leave a lasting impact, and it did just that. Here is the breakdown of the speakers and what they talked about:
TEDx SPEAKERS
Carolyn He
“Navel Warfare” and “Youth Activism”
Carolyn is a junior in the Academy of Math, Science, and Engineering and is deeply engaged and active with speech and debate. In her speech, she discusses topics such as naval warfare and youth activism. No matter the circumstances she never hesitates to raise her voice on issues that are crucial to her.
Sakshini Ganesh
“What it Means to be Intelligent in the Age of AI”
Sakshini is a junior in the Academy of Math, Science, and Engineering. After dedicating four years to researching and learning artificial intelligence and data science, she earned her Amazon web service certification in machine learning. She speaks on what truly defines being smart in the age of AI. Her speech goes against conventional beliefs, suggesting a symbiotic bond between humanity and technology rather than a competitive one.
Isabel (Sage) Underwood Pozzobon
“Harnessing Insecurity”
Isabel is a freshman at the Academy of Math, Science, and Engineering in Morris Hill. Her speech focuses on the significance of goals we set for ourselves and the motives and intentions behind those goals.
Sakshini Ganesh
“What it Means to be Intelligent in the Age of AI”
Sakshini is a junior in the Academy of Math, Science, and Engineering. After dedicating four years to researching and learning artificial intelligence and data science, she earned her Amazon web service certification in machine learning. She speaks on what truly defines being smart in the age of AI. Her speech goes against conventional beliefs, suggesting a symbiotic bond between humanity and technology rather than a competitive one.
Veer Gupta
“Can AI Outsmart a Doctor?”
Veer is a junior at Morris Hills High School and is enrolled in the magnet program for math and science. He is very enthusiastic and passionate when it comes to machine research and artificial intelligence. His speech discusses the execution of AI in healthcare health and its general implications on the world.
Ezra Thiel
“The War on Education”
Ezra is a junior at Morris Knolls and is currently enrolled in the Academy of Performing Arts. Her speech focuses on censorship, specifically in educational institutions, and details the history of censorship. It also recalls how censorship occurs today and its impacts on children.
Abril Rodríguez Calle
“Mirror Mirror on the Wall”
Abril is a junior at Morris Knolls. She has a lifelong interest in public speaking and speech, and when given the opportunity to join Morris Knolls’ Speech and Debate Team during her freshman year she happily accepted. As a junior, she is vice president of the speech and debate team and participates in events such as impromptu, original oratory, and informative speeches. In her TED Talk, she addresses the concerns of beauty standards in history and the future.
Alia Duab
“Gender Equity vs Equality”
Alia is a senior at Morris Knolls. She plans to spend her future in college majoring in a stem-based field. In her speech, she uses science to address the similarities and contrasts in gender equity.
Yash Gupta
“Unleashing the Power of Data Science and AI in Sports”
Yash is a junior at Morris Hills enrolled in the magnet program. He is also an avid tennis player. Yash holds a deep passion for computer science. His speech explores how data science and AI are altering sports and its promised benefits as well as the risks surrounding dehumanization.
Angelika Brzyzek
“The Decline in Empathy”
Angelika is a senior at Morris Knolls and is in the magnet program pursuing her passion for engineering. She is interested in exploring the human effects of stem development and technologies. She speaks on the recent decrease in empathy as a society and how we can improve our compassion and mutual understanding.
Attendees’ Thoughts
Many of the attendees thought the Tedx Morris Knolls event was wonderful and some even would like to experience it again. Andrew Sklar, MK senior, didn’t have a specific favorite speaker, but he thought the event in general was excellent and that it included a good selection of really interesting and unique topics. Morris Knoll’s ninth-grader Julien Riera’s favorite Ted Talk was Ezra Thiel because she passionately discussed the damaging effects of censoring and banning books, particularly those addressing sexuality while utilizing empathetic storytelling. Ultimately, this event was a success and many hope it occurs again next year.
