4 minute read
TEDx
After facing the adversities of COVID-19, TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool is finally back for the fourth time.
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WORDS by JINLING WANG and ALEXANDRA SIEGEL PHOTOS by BRAD ELLIOTT
On Feb. 2, the fourth annual
TEDxLagunaBlancaSchool event took place on campus, allowing 18 speakers and performers to share their ideas at this day-long conference.
Paul Chiment, Mathematics Department Chair and Instructor, got the idea to bring TEDx to Laguna during his time teaching the Entrepreneurship elective. Chiment saw the value in project-based classes, and wanted to find a way to expand these opportunities at the school.
After doing some research and meeting with local TEDxSantaBarbara organizer, Mark Slyvester, Chiment brought the idea to Laguna teachers and administrators.
The school attained a license to host a TEDx event for the winter of 2018, and, in turn, created the TEDx elective.
Students are actively involved in every aspect of the event, from selecting and training speakers, designing and organizing all visual aspects, creating and managing budgets, and making the event accessible to a vast audience.
“TEDx has three dimensions; it is a win-win-win. First, all the students who participate get real world experience,” Chiment said. “I really appreciate the fact that the program allows for students to gain those skills.”
“Second, dimension is more about the school; the program is a great way to promote Laguna to the broader community. This invites people onto our campus to see our school and see what we are capable of. The third part is for the community. We all come together to share ideas and build that sense of collaboration.”
With the theme “Beneath the Surface,” this year’s event invited audience members to explore the depths of our contemporary world, whether that be the threat to our coral reefs, the future of surgical microscopes, or the hope of making positive change through community-building.
FACULTY GUIDE
Anna Alldredge Q: What was the motivation for starting a TEDx event at Laguna? A: “TEDx aligns with our school mission so beautifully. We are a school that values real world engagement, student leadership, project based learning, informed citizenship, and a balanced approach to both humanities and STEM. TEDx holds all those elements in such a dynamic nutshell. It combines the power of oration and rhetoric with cutting edge technology, innovation, and art. And at the end of the day, TEDx is all about building community, sharing compelling ideas, and making our world a better place. What’s more Laguna than that?”
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Frances Carlson ‘22
Q: How has TEDx helped you grow and what inspired you to join the team? A: As soon as I heard about Laguna’s new TEDx program, I wanted in. The first event took place during my eighth-grade year, so, while I could not be in the actual class, I joined the “Swoop Group.” I immediately fell in love with the atmosphere of creativity and critical thinking. The next year, as a freshman, I joined the actual TEDx class, and I have been in it ever since. TEDx has been invaluable in developing my skills of communication, working with a team, public speaking, problem-solving, email writing, designing, and so much more. I will miss having my TED times next year, but I know that the students and teachers in the class next year will take it in stride and take the program to new levels.
PRESENTER & PERFORMER
Holly Ballenger Q: What is one idea you wish everyone could take away from your talk? A: “I think just the overall gist of what we were trying to say like the title: Create, and to not be scared to create, but knowing that even failing along the way is part of the process, so it’s about a process not necessarily the product. And it’s about being willing to take risks and try something new because I think we are all made with this ability to create. That doesn’t have to look the same or be clay or any traditional style. I just want people to know to not be afraid to create.”
PRESENTER & PERFORMER
Maura Jaye ‘22
Q: How did it feel to be on the TED stage?
A: “Being on the TED stage was simultaneously invigorating and terrifying. Performing my original music is like revealing my most vulnerable self, and to do that in front of hundreds of my peers definitely made me a little nervous. However, when I stepped up on stage, I knew right away that I was standing before a warm and welcoming audience, ready to support me.”
PRESENTER
Molly Morouse ‘23 Q: How would you describe your experience finding a topic your are passionate about and translating that into a speech? A: “For me, my topic sort of presented itself. I talked about growing up with a stutter, something that I haven’t really had the chance to fully address after overcoming it. As far as writing the talk, it also came very naturally. I sat down one day over winter break and wrote the rough draft, which basically ended up being my final draft.”
