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Former Speaker News
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Student Milestones Highlight a Standout Season for Saint Andrew’s TED Program
Student Milestones Highlight a Standout Season for Saint Andrew’s TED Program
It has been a standout school year for the TEDx and TED-Ed programs at Saint Andrew's School, highlighted by major student milestones on the global stage and the official digital release of this year's presentations.
Recently, Mila Rojas '33 received the distinct honor of delivering her TEDxSaintAndrewsSchool talk at Play@TED, an exclusive event held at the TED World Theatre in New York City. This one-day summit gathered a diverse group of thinkers, creators, educators, and innovators to explore how play serves as a vital catalyst for learning, creativity, and human connection. In her talk, entitled “Why Everyone Needs to Play!”, Mila challenged the traditional boundaries between childhood and adulthood. She encouraged children to remind adults to step away from their schedules and play, while inviting grown-ups to reconnect with their younger selves by asking, "What did you love to do when you were 11 years old?" The presentation resonated deeply with the international audience, moving many attendees to tears and inspiring them to prioritize reconnecting with family members through play.
In tandem with this achievement, Merritt Kanzer ’28 has been awarded a global scholarship to attend the TED Summer School this season. Merritt was selected as one of the top entries from a pool of over 2,000 international students who entered the "Learning to Be Heard" competition. Her submission to the competition was a compelling argument for reducing the stigma around disability and was remarkably distinct, weaving personal anecdote with a takeaway that earned her a place among the top entries worldwide. Building on the foundations of the TED-Ed Student Talks program at Saint Andrew’s, Merritt will join the intensive virtual cohort this summer. This pathway allows her to collaborate with an international network of peers from home while working directly with TED-trained coaches to transition her work from classroom discovery to professional mastery.
These individual achievements underscore the ongoing success of the school's public speaking initiatives. Ultimately, these programs do more than teach presentation skills; they provide Saint Andrew's students with a global platform to articulate their ideas, engage with international peers, and speak with true purpose.
Photo by Jasmina Tomic / TE
daniela dwek, '16, speaks about Finding her authentic voice through animation at pixar
daniela dwek, '16, speaks about Finding her authentic voice through animation at pixar
Watch Avery Stark's '21 TED talk on the second-hand trauma of school shootings
Watch Avery Stark's '21 TED talk on the second-hand trauma of school shootings
2019 Speaker
2019 Speaker
AVERY STARK
AVERY STARK
is CHOSEN TO SPEAK AT TED-Ed weekend!
is CHOSEN TO SPEAK AT TED-Ed weekend!
Avery Stark ’21 was part of a very select group of students chosen to present her talk from the 2019 TEDxSaintAndrewsSchool event to TED-Ed weekend attendees. Avery’s talk provides the perspective of being a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and outlines the trauma and its damaging toll on those involved first hand, second hand, and beyond.
Avery’s talk also offers strategies for moving ahead and beyond trauma. “It was not an easy topic to talk about, yet she delivered it calmly and confidently,” said Mrs. Winer. “Her talk was raw and real...and sadly, very relatable,” said Upper School TED-Ed Teacher and certified TED-Ed Innovative Educator Lisa Winer.
Saint Andrew’s proudly sent Avery with four of her peers to this year’s conference - each of whom gave talks at the 2019 TEDxSaintAndrewsSchool event last April. These students include Jake Goldberg ’21, Jack Rogers ’22, Ashlyn Goila ’21, and Evie Heath ’23.
TED-Ed Weekend showcased and amplified Scots voices as members of the next generation of TED. It was an opportunity for Saint Andrew’s to join youth leaders around the world to explore ideas that will shape their local communities and the global community.
Winer believes that Avery was chosen not just due to the topic of her talk, but also due to her incredible presentation at TEDxSaintAndrewsSchool in 2019.
After Avery gave her talk over the weekend at TED, a lot of people approached her with their stories and how her talk affected them. “This experience truly makes me feel like I am making a difference for people who have experienced some form of trauma. Through this event, I also made a ton of new friends from around the world who inspired me in many ways,” said Avery.
“Giving my TED talk this weekend was an incredible experience,” she added. “Though it was extremely stressful, I am proud of all the work that I put into it and the outcome of it. I learned that speaking in front of a crowd is extremely difficult especially with the subject of my talk.”
Lucia Martin, 2018 speaker,
Lucia Martin, 2018 speaker,
is chosen and featured as a TED-Ed Select
is chosen and featured as a TED-Ed Select
Kristen DeAndrade, 2018 Speaker, publishes her book Little Legs, Big Heart: One Girl's Journey of Acceptance, Perseverance, and Growth
Kristen DeAndrade, 2018 Speaker, publishes her book Little Legs, Big Heart: One Girl's Journey of Acceptance, Perseverance, and Growth
Do you know of a former speaker who made the news? Email lisa.winer@saintandrews.net
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