I will be talking about how being on social media too much can affect us. Spending lots of time on screens can give us headaches, make our eyes hurt, and even cause us to lose friends. Sometimes, when we are glued to our screens, we miss out on real fun and feeling happy. I want to share why it’s important to spend time away from screens and enjoy life more. Aira Deb Barman is a student at Barayip Primary School. 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

Creating a meaningful idea — whether you’re launching a business or solving a problem — takes more than strategy; it takes love. When you truly love your idea, others will feel it too. In this talk, Abdulrahman shares how he built an idea he deeply cared about: transforming neuroscience education into a fun, accessible experience for children — and the steps anyone can take to build an idea they love. Abdulrahman Abou Dahesh is a Fulbright scholar with an MSc in Neuroscience from The University of Texas at Dallas. He is passionate about communicating neuroscience to the public in an engaging and educational manner.As the founder of Neurochem Lab, an edtech platform, Abdulrahman has developed a unique approach to teaching neuroscience to elementary and middle school students. By blending storytelling and gamification, he makes neuroscience both relatable and enjoyable. Through this immersive educational experience, Abdulrahman aims to foster emotional intelligence, promote healthy lifestyle habits, and enhance science literacy by helping students understand the biological mechanisms of their brains and bodies, with a strong focus on reaching students from disadvantaged backgrounds. 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

Unanswered prayers are something we’ve all experienced—those moments when we desperately want something, but it doesn’t happen. At first, it feels like a door closing, but over time, we often realize it wasn’t a “no,” it was a redirection. These moments teach us patience, resilience, and trust in the process of life. Dr. Nelly Kaakaty is a mother, educator, and writer dedicated to creating a more accessible world, one classroom at a time. She has spent the last 13 years as an educational therapist, researcher, and professor, designing academic programs to support learners across all lines of difference. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Child Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Dallas, a Master’s degree in Psychology from East Texas A&M University, and a doctorate in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Special Education from East Texas A&M University. Her current work is twofold: she is a learning specialist at an independent school, where she provides academic support to high school students and she is a professor at a local community college where she teaches courses in psychology. 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

After being fired over Zoom, Jeanne Collins realized she had become "boring" - prioritizing work so completely that she had lost herself entirely. She shares how she transformed from a burned-out VP of Sales into an Interior Designer by becoming the "interior designer of her own life," using the four stages of home construction (foundation, framing, finish work, and design) as a blueprint for achieving true "life-work" balance instead of the traditional "work-life" approach. Jeanne Collins is the founder of the House of JerMar, a lifestyle brand focusing on wellness starting within: within your home and within yourself.Jeanne is an empowerment coach who helps female executives and entrepreneurs find life balance through mindset shifts and her unique house-building approach. Her life experience, including multiple career pivots in her early 50s after getting fired from her executive position, makes her widely regarded as an expert in achieving life balance at any stage of life.Jeanne is the host of The House of JerMar podcast, a top 10% ranked global podcast and is the author of Two Feet In: Lessons from an All-In Life, in which she chronicles how she overcomes self-doubt and designs a life with an all-in approach to her decisions. Jeanne has written articles for Inner Self and Wellbeing Magazines, to name just a few, and has been featured in Medium and multiple other publications.Jeanne holds an Executive MBA from the University of Connecticut in addition to Interior Design Degrees from Parsons School of Design and The New York Institute of Art and Design. Jeanne lives in Connecticut, has an 18 year old daughter and three dogs. 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

Electrified charcoal “sponges” made from low-cost activated carbon pull CO₂ straight from the air using just a dash of electricity - an efficient, scalable, and affordable way to cut carbon pollution, along with innovative and environmentally friendly ways to productively use the waste product. Leon is a student at Emmanuel College. 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

Social media connects us yet deepens disconnection. Constant comparison to curated lives fuels insecurity and loneliness. We see others’ highlights, not their reality, and lose touch with our own. True connection requires presence, authenticity, and limits — valuing real conversations over digital validation to rediscover genuine belonging in an online world. Kiara is a student at Emmanuel College. 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