Parisa discusses how her childhood and hobbies have sparked a passion for geography and world languages. Parisa is a High School senior who loves to immerse herself in different cultures. She plays softball and is the captain of JV volleyball. She is also the treasurer of the NHS! This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Schools prepare us with knowledge—but are they preparing us for life?Kayla and Chima reveal the one thing most classrooms overlook: how to think. They argue that education should be more than memorizing facts—it should be about creating critical thinkers and problem solvers who can tackle real challenges.Watch this talk to see how we can reimagine education for a smarter, more innovative future. Evergreen StudentEvergreen student This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

This talk by the 9 grade student is about empowering students and fostering a culture of tinkering, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Tinker Champs, aims to instill passion and purpose in young individuals, even those from underserved backgrounds, by equipping them with the necessary resources, mentorship, and skills to drive positive change. Entrepreneurship skills should be accessible to all. With right tools, guidance, and resources young minds of our nation can be inspired and guided to achieve their dreams and build a strong nation. Meghana is the cofounder of Tinker Champs, a platform that empowers students to explore their potential through flagship initiatives through Maker Faires, BizBox toolkit, and nationwide digital skilling workshops. She has impacted many students through such initiatives. Tinker Champs’ partners with organizations like Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) , Govt. of India to implement the initiatives. She has mentored students during AIM’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp. Her work has sparked a wave of interest in entrepreneurship and changemaking, with participants going on to launch their own initiatives and projects. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

What if the part of your body you hated most ended up saving your life? In this raw, hilarious, and deeply personal TEDx talk, Francesca Ritter introduces us to Wilbur—her life-saving ileostomy bag. From enduring severe Crohn’s disease to navigating the world of dating with a medical device strapped to her stomach, Francesca dismantles taboos, embraces humor, and finds joy in the unlikeliest of places.With sharp wit and stunning vulnerability, she invites us to see resilience not as perfection, but as messy, human, and often hilarious. This talk isn’t just about guts—it’s about courage, love, and radical self-acceptance.Frankie is an IT specialist and numbers whiz with a passion for sports and comedy. Frankie is also an advocate for those with invisible disabilities. After undergoing surgery for severe Crohn’s disease in 2015, she now lives with a permanent ileostomy and uses her experience to raise awareness and support others. Frankie blends her love for logic, sports, and comedy, bringing energy and authenticity to everything she does. She is a 2020 graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Mathematics.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Brenton Deboef, both a scientist and a man of faith, discusses the significant divide between science and religion. Scientists and deeply faithful individuals often regard each other with suspicion. Brenton reflects on his journey during the COVID pandemic, when he sought to communicate scientific facts about the vaccine to those of faith, sharing his trials and tribulations along the way, and how a bridge was ultimately built along with the lessons learned.Dr. Brenton DeBoef is a Professor of Chemistry and the Dean of the Graduate School at URI. His research focuses on the invention of new chemical reactions and the synthesis of molecular imaging agents. For Brenton, his truth is that he has an unexplained obsession with the element xenon.Outside of the lab, Brenton is an armchair theologian, rocket enthusiast, and avid college football fan. As a practitioner of science and faith, Brenton explores the intersection, or lack thereof of the two fields.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

How we perceive reality is shaped by the interactions between our memories, present sensations, and future expectations. How do our brains distinguish between reality and what we perceive as reality? Once we recognize how much control our brains exert over our beliefs about reality, we can empower ourselves and others to create the best version of it.Aleena is an assistant professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School. She studies how memory regulates the way auditory and visual information interact in the brain to create perception. Her research focuses on how the brain constructs memories and expectations through experience interacting with the world and then decides what it will do with its future, given what it already knows and predicts will happen.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx