WELCOME
A NOTE FROM THE ORGANIZER
Emerging through several rounds of refinement and elimination, the 12 students you will see onstage tonight represent 7 different conservatories and range from 7th to 12th grade. They are emblematic of the immense diverse talents OCSA attracts, supports, and magnifies through its various creative structures. It has been an informative reward to listen to their interests, research, and insights over the many weeks of preparation.
Key to this event is Abbi Park (CW ‘24), another shining example of the initiative and direction that marks so many OCSA students. Abbi’s dedication to TEDxOrangeCountySchooloftheArts is impressive and involves untold tons of spreadsheets, way too many email exchanges with me, and blurry late night hours of reviewing and editing--so much reviewing and editing. Good job, Abbi.
As always, the Creative Writing Conservatory is proud to support collaborative events such as TEDxOrangeCountySchooloftheArts that bring together various areas of our educational community.
I hope you enjoy!
Josh Wood
Director, Creative Writing Conservatory
Hello everyone my name is Abbi Park and I am a senior in the Creative Writing Conservatory! Welcome to the 2024 TEDxOrangeCountySchooloftheArts event! As the producer and organizer of this event, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to walk alongside our speakers for the past 8 months through multiple rounds of auditions, editing sessions, and rehearsals. This has been a huge endeavor, but incredibly rewarding as I watched our speakers introspect on their life experiences, learning more about themselves and the impacts that they have made in their communities.
The theme “Limitless” was chosen because as teenagers our perspectives are often overshadowed and feel unheard. Being surrounded by creatives for the past four years, I’ve been immersed in collaborative communities fostering voices that the world deserves to hear.
Among our 12 exceptional speakers, we have changemakers, using their voice as poets to encourage self-expression; pioneers, exploring solutions and regulatory frameworks to novel technology; musicians, who’ve undergone hardship, yet still continue to recognize every light in their lives.
And this doesn’t even sum up a fraction of our speaker’s interests, passions, and accomplishments. Throughout our event, I ask that you keep an open mind as our speakers delve into their talks, and I encourage you to find ways to take their life experiences and mold them into something you can learn from too.
Abbi Park (CW ‘24)
PROGRAM OF THE EVENING
Orange County School of the Arts CREATIVE WRITING CONSERVATORY is proud to host
Olivia Le (CW ‘25) - Change is a Whale Fall
ACT 1
Olivia Le spends her time in spoken word, dance, family, crochet, and caring for houseplants. She is a Vietnamese American who loves travel, food, matcha, and coffee and is passionate about environmental justice and marine science. Inspired by her instructor’s research at a marine science summer program, she wrote a poem incorporating it with the ideas of legacy and generational trauma which then shaped her TEDx talk.
Sydney Noelle Haik (PM/CW ‘24) - How My Disability Became my Superpower
Sydney Noelle Haik is an aspiring songwriter and singer of various local bands. She has had the opportunity to play at venues like the Whiskey A Go Go, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and was featured in the children’s choir for the Black Eyed Peas single “Where is the Love.”
Shijoon (David) Bae (CW ‘25) - Modern Male’s Greatest Fear
Shijoon Bae has an undying commitment to spreading awareness on mental health. His unique journey has only fueled his determination to share his story; through his work, he hopes to change the lives of others—acting as a spark of light in a dark yet beautiful world. In his daily life, he loves to read and involve himself with all things nature—from fishing all the way to writing near lakes and forests.
Rebecca Yang (CW ‘27) - Bursting the Bubble
Rebecca Yang loves to explore new things, especially different forms of writing, and is open to trying anything (as long as you include free food in the deal). This translates over to her talk, as she details the dangers of sticking to familiar beliefs and how that forms an echo chamber---a bubble---with its effects in our day to day life. But bubbles are a very common thing and with a few simple steps, Rebecca explains how it’s possible for us to burst them.
Angel Shen (CV ‘25) - Embracing Authenticity: Beyond Labels
and Expectations
Angel Shen enjoys exploring various interests in life, whether it’s the arts, music, or behind-the-scenes production. Coming to the US at the age of 11, she adeptly navigated the challenges of adjusting to a new environment, all the while enthusiastically pursuing her passion for promoting Chinese culture and the arts. As one delves deeper into Angel’s diverse pursuits, they can anticipate an unfolding narrative of creativity, resilience, and cultural celebration.
Kaya Sparnicht (ACT ‘25) - Unlocking Your Inner Poet
Kaya Sparnicht has been a part of 14 productions at OCSA. She especially loves Shakespeare and comedy. She is also a slam poet and part of the Get Lit Players, a competitive slam poetry troupe in Downtown Los Angeles, which promotes teen literacy through performance poetry. For Kaya, writing and performing poetry is a powerful way to process emotions and connect with others. She believes that everyone has an inner poet, they just need the key to unlock it.
***
PROGRAM OF THE EVENING
ACT 2
Eddie Chen (IA/BR ‘24) - Embracing Your Whole Self with Freestyle
Dancing
Eddie Chen is a 2023 National YoungArts Finalist in Hip Hop Dance, current 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts nominee, and president of Two Step Together, his dance community initiative which has impacted over 600 students. He specializes in the dance forms of popping, isolations, and Latin dance, and he enjoys freestyling and training in his backyard. Outside of dance, Eddie advocates for compassion and connection as a United Nations Youth Delegate for an international humanitarian organization.
Yimeng Iris Wang (CW ‘25) - Why Do Women Settle?
Iris Wang is a proud recipient of a Scholastic Silver Key award and spends a good amount of her time competing in speech competitions. Though, in her free time, Iris enjoys staying at home and petting her cats.
Vedant Dayal (CW ‘25) - Techno-Social Impact of Artificial Intelligence
Vedant Dayal enjoys playing the guitar, rewatching “Real Steel,” and walking his white labrador, Fudge. He’s always had a drive for STEM, starting from the humble beginnings of a Lego Ninjago set. Watching “Real Steel” as a child ignited a particular passion for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence that he still carries with him today—one he would like to share with you tonight.
Sarina Marzbani (CW ‘27) - Redefining the Middle Eastern Role in Media
Sarina Marzbani enjoys writing about her experiences through various forms so, hopefully, someone can relate and feel seen. Sarina believes in the power literature and media have on creating social change. When she is not writing or reading, Sarina can be found watching sitcom reruns, journaling, or taking personality quizzes to find out what bread she is. (She is a brioche.)
Lucy Hunter (FTV ‘ 26) - Discovering My Voice as Hollywood’s Youngest Female Director
Lucy Hunter is a sophomore in Film and Television, she has been writing her television show, “You Should Be Dead” for three years. Lucy has been dedicated to filmmaking since her father introduced her to the horror genre when she was six. Alongside filmmaking, she has a passion for learning and public-speaking on topics that involve her creative passions.
Grace Li (CMD ‘29) - What on Earth is a “Clean Girl”?
Grace Li’s favorite styles are contemporary and modern. When she’s not at the dance studio, Grace loves creating art, swimming, building legos, listening to music, and spontaneously redecorating. Lastly, she would like to give a shoutout to her cat, Sesame, her family, and her earbuds.
PRODUCTION CREW
Students of the Production & Design Conservatory
Production Manager: Eric Hamme
Director of Production & Design: Kelly Marie Pate
Director of Creative Writing: Josh Wood
CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Operations Manager – Lori Solomon
Operations Manager Assisant – Alicia Cruz
