Youth@Hewitt
x = independently organized TED event

Theme: Made in the Future

This event occurred on
January 30, 2016
10:00am - 3:00pm EST
(UTC -5hrs)
New York, New York
United States

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

The Hewitt School at St. Jean's Theater
184 E. 76th St.
New York, New York, 10021
United States
Event type:
Youth (What is this?)
See more ­T­E­Dx­Youth@­Hewitt events

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check event website for more information.

The Bright Side

Musicians
Lexi G. (The Hewitt School ‘16), Julia G. (The Hewitt School ‘18), and Madeline W. (The Hewitt School ‘16) just started playing music seriously together last year; however, they have been close since Middle School at The Hewitt School in NYC. Sisters, Lexi and Julia G., have grown up singing together and have been involved in theater and music at school for a number of years. Madeline W. started singing and playing piano with Lexi in the 8th grade. Passionate about music, they have performed in the talent shows, at faculty meetings, and in the choir at The Hewitt School. The three of them have created their own music club, and as a result, have formed their own group. Patrick Kochyan is a Middle and Upper School French Teacher at The Hewitt School with a very strong interest in piano, singing, and songwriting. Patrick is always working on new solo material and he makes up one half of The Soloists, a band started in his home state of Michigan.

Allyson Ahlstrom

Founder Threads for Teens
Allyson Ahlstrom, a Junior at the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, created a full-service clothing boutique that has allowed over 2,700 girls in need to each pick out two brand-new outfits for free over the past five years. Her “Threads for Teens” nonprofit also has also provided 130 girls with backpacks filled with school supplies, and has given out 100 prom dresses. Allyson got her inspiration from a book she received as a Christmas present, which told the stories of teens who had undertaken remarkable service projects. Realizing how important clothes can be to a teenage girl’s self-esteem and dignity, Allyson decided that she would try to make a difference by making new, fashionable clothing available to girls in foster care or other situations of poverty. She immediately sent letters and email notes to more than 300 companies and stores, asking for clothing donations.

Amanda Sabater

Co-Founder NextRound Productions
A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Amanda Sabater is the co-founder of NextRound Productions, a full-service video production company based in New York City. A writer, director, and producer, she combined her professional skills and schooling with her entrepreneurial spirit to form NextRound in 2013. Through her company, Amanda has worked with clients such as Time Inc., The Partnership for a Healthier NYC, The Rogosin Institute, Chicken of the Sea, DailyWorth, and more. Amanda is especially passionate about NextRound’s work with nonprofit and female entrepreneurs. She has found a specialty in working with women stepping out on their own to build businesses and empowering them to tell their stories. Inspired by her own journey from student to business owner, Amanda co-created "Living the Dream," a nine-episode Web series featuring interviews with young creatives and entrepreneurs figuring out how to make a living following their dreams.

Chelsea Gardner

TEDxYouth@Hewitt Host
Chelsea is a current senior at The Hewitt School. She is the Upper School Student Council President and Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Hewitt Times, Hewitt’s online newspaper. At Hewitt, Chelsea also participates in ACTION, a social justice and advocacy club, and Spectrum, a discussion-based club on LGBTQ+ issues. On Saturdays, Chelsea tutors 5th graders in accelerated English Language Arts and Math at a public school in the East Village. She likes to engage herself and the rest of the Upper School at Hewitt in conversation surrounding social and political challenges in the United States to raise awareness and to empower Hewitt girls and young women. She also enjoys photography, taking long walks, and dancing in her room.

Jenni Luke

CEO Step Up
Jenni Luke is CEO of Step Up, a nonprofit membership organization inspiring women to inspire girls. In this role, she leads one of the nation’s most sought-after women’s groups in its second decade of service. Overseeing Step Up’s offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, Jenni directs the organization’s objective of propelling girls from under-resourced communities to fulfill their potential. Under her leadership, Step Up empowers girls to become confident, college-bound, career-focused and ready to join the next generation of professional women. Jenni and Step Up recently announced the organization’s expansion to Dallas and Atlanta, slated to occur by 2017. Jenni has been featured in numerous media outlets, including The Nonprofit Times, Inc., InStyle, Real Simple, W, CBS Moneywatch, Yahoo! Hot Jobs, The Huffington Post and Cosmopolitan. In 2014, she was named to Marie Claire’s list of 20 Women Changing the Ratio.

Jessica Abo

Journalist
Jessica Abo is a journalist by day and social entrepreneur by choice. You may have seen her on NY1 covering everything from breaking news to Fashion Week or spotted her playing herself in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Delivery Man, Girl Most Likely, Gossip Girl and Nurse Jackie. Jessica recently launched her own media startup to empower kids, teenagers and college students. Her YouTube channel “JaboTV” was featured in Forbes as a place millennials are going to be inspired; and, she was invited to speak at the United Nations about how her channel is giving today’s youth the tools they need to power through their personal challenges. Jessica's videos appear on several media platforms including Entrepreneur.com. She recently appeared on "The Meredith Vieira Show" sharing tips for parents and kids on How to Confront Bullying.

Michele McKeone

Founder Autism Expressed
Michele is an award winning thought leader and pioneer in the autism education community and was featured on MSNBC, WHYY and TECHCRUNCH. Recently named a Woman of Distinction by the Philadelphia Business Journal, Michele has won grants from the University of Pennsylvania and The Corzo Center for the Creative Economy to bring her vision of empowering individuals with disabilities to life. Michele earned a BS in Digital Media from University of the Arts, where she studied development of streaming media and social networking sites before the launch of YouTube and Facebook. Earning a Master’s of Special Education, she studied how technology could circumvent learning disabilities. As a high school teacher, Michele led her students to compete (and win) at Philadelphia’s Regional Computer Fair. Her specialized background in digital literacy and autism education led to consulting/training for The New Teacher Project and the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Specialized Services, desi

Noa Mintz

Founder Nannies by Noa
Noa Mintz is the 15-year old founder of Nannies By Noa, a full-service childcare agency, serving families in New York City and the Hamptons. With its large network of highly experienced sitters and nannies who are passionate about caring for kids, Nannies by Noa is a leading destination for reliable, engaging and educated childcare providers. Noa has appeared on national television shows including “The Steve Harvey Show,” “The Today Show,” CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” and “Money with Melissa Francis” on FOX Business. She has been interviewed by Ryan Seacrest and BBC Radio. Her entrepreneurial journey has been covered by publications and websites including The New York Post, New York Magazine, TIME Magazine, Seventeen Magazine, Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, and Mashable. Noa was most recently named to Crain’s New York Business inaugural 20 Under 20.

Philo Cohen

Founder SpeciWomen
Philo Cohen is a 17 years old junior in high school at the Professional Children’s School on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She moved from Paris to New York City a year and a half ago and now lives in Brooklyn. Philo is the creator and artistic director of the website SPECIWOMEN, which she first imagined after realizing how minor the representation of female artists was. SPECIWOMEN’s goal is to put forward young women from all around the world to prove how the next generation of artists could shape a world of equality and power. Philo’s goal is to help creative women to make it in History and become big. Philo’s parents being filmmakers, she grew up on movie sets and has therefore always been familiar with an artistic environment. She draws, paints and has been in the Advanced Art Studio classes of the different schools she went to. She worked on several of her dad’s movies as an actress and a set photographer. She did internships at the Gagosian Gallery in New York City.

Valerie Weisler

Founder The Validation Project
At 14, Valerie was bullied for being shy. One day, she saw a boy getting called, "Fattie!". She went up to him and told him, "You matter." That moment led her to a journey to validate young people globally. What started out as a makeshift website at her kitchen table is now an award-winning organization. Now a a senior in high school, Valerie is the founder and CEO of The Validation Project. She now works with 6000 teenagers in 100 countries, solving global issues using media, community service and mentoring. Valerie's entrepreneurial curriculum has replaced government anti-bullying curriculum in 970 schools. Valerie also serves as an ambassador to the UN with A World At School, Human Rights Campaign, GLSEN and was newly appointed to the Harvard Advisory Board of Graduate Education, where she will make sure every student at Harvard utilizes their degree to make a difference.

Organizing team

Stephanie
Dore

Organizer