Theme: Against the Flow

At TEDxYouth@Issaquah we celebrate youth. We want to inspire curiosity and show the world that Issaquah has amazing young talent. This event is organized by and for the youth of the community.

Our humble goal is to inspire critical thinking and shine light on brave, edgy, inspirational and authentic stories that empower people. Hopefully, you will leave the event with a different state of mind. Maybe a little crazier. A little fearless. A little foolish. Just a little different.

This is our first event and we hope it will be one to remember!

Microsoft Issaquah Campus
21930 SE 51st St
Issaquah, Washington, 98029
United States

Amrit Krishnan

Student

Amrit Krishnan is a junior at Skyline High School. When not studying for the next day’s test, he can be found studying foreign languages or listening to his favorite album: The College Dropout by Kanye West. To relieve stress, Amrit often goes for runs in Sammamish and Issaquah’s local trails. He is on Skyline’s cross country and track team, and hopes to run at state on the varsity cross country team next year. Currently, Amrit has achieved a level of fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, Arabic, and Hindi, and is committed to mastering these languages as well as Swahili, Farsi, and many more.

Brandon Hadi

Health Advocate

Suicide. A chilling word. Brandon received a startling wake up call when his friend died. Seeking to understand why people take their lives, and more importantly, how we can prevent them from doing so, Brandon has set out on a new path. Brandon is passionate about cultivating a healthier society, one which understands that our mental and emotional wellbeing is as vital as our physical health. He challenges you to examine how you answer “how are you doing today?” – a question he believes can save a life, if we see the value of it.

Brandon Hendrickson

Teacher

Brandon helps people who hate math fall in love with it… and get really, really good at it. He teaches SAT and ACT classes with The Learning Professionals, and has studied learning theory in his master’s degree at UW. He’s also taught world religions, philosophy, economics, and the psychology of happiness. In his spare time, he teaches biochemistry to six-year-olds.

Emily Tang

Student

Emily Tang is a 16-year-old sophomore at Skyline High School. She was born and raised in Washington and grew up to love the rain. She spends most of her days studying, but when she has time, she enjoys watching shows on Netflix and playing the viola. Emily loves taking her camera on walks through the park or out on nights in the city. Capturing beautiful scenes of everyday life gives her joy and takes away the stress of school. While she is invested in both musical and visual arts, her future is focused on becoming a pediatrician. But, before Emily can grow up, she hopes to project her voice and speak for those who cannot.

Ian Slater

Student

Ian is a charismatic and charming individual who dedicates himself to every task, whether it be fitness or education. An incredible student, Ian works well with others and produces quality work. He has a passion for mountain biking and snowboarding, teaching students his crafts on the side. Ian loves his family, and is awesomely compassionate. In his curious nature, he wanted to look at the way his friends and classmates thought about the life around them. He hopes to study medicine in college.

John LaMunyon

Pastor

A native of the Pacific Northwest, John LaMunyon has worked with youth for over forty years as wilderness guide, pastor, coach, and community leader. During the past twenty+ years he has been working through the ups and downs of a kidney transplant. With a diverse array of interests, he holds degrees and certificates ranging from music and theology to international certifications in paddlesports coaching. Over the years he has been privileged to work with a variety of youth and adults seeking to figure out what their deepest calling might be and how to live it out in their everyday lives.

Kent Godfrey

Teacher

After spending his early childhood in Boone Iowa, Kent grew up in Freehold, New Jersey. His education includes training from Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College and an MA in special education from Converse College. While pursuing a BA in theatre at the University of Iowa Kent also described performances to blind audience members and developed a method of presenting theatre to blind people using multiple senses. Additionally, he has performed in a deaf theatre company and taught special education. These experiences have helped him realize that everything can be experienced through multiple senses. As a Peace Corps volunteer on the island of St. Lucia, Kent taught the performing arts to disabled children. In particular, while teaching creative movement to deaf and autistic students he noticed that he was actually teaching music through vision, movement, and touch. His classroom served as a laboratory for developing his teaching methods and theories related to multi

Manasvi Karia

Student

Manasvi Karia, 18, is a current Senior in high school through the Running Start program. Through a fully Math and Science based curriculum, she plans to attend college in hopes of achieving a Doctorate of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Being an instructor at STEM Innovation Paths, putting together a project to determine effects of a Microsoft campus going fully solar, and an academic mentor for young children, she has developed a love for critical thinking. Manasvi has always strived to inspire by using her award winning public speaking background in efforts to make a difference. On top of her numerous academic endeavors, Manasvi is also an accomplished athlete, Indian classical dancer, and avid writer of poems that portray the various challenges teenagers face growing up.

Sanket Katta

Student

After being raised in India and the United States, Sanket Katta has been brought up with the mentality of always being compassionate to people, no matter who they are and where they’re from. Currently, he is a senior at Skyline High School. In his final year, he received the opportunity to work with and understand the students with disabilities, and their mindsets. Each day, he is amazed by the care and compassion that they show to their fellow peers, teachers, and family. Not only that, but they have become his closest friends, and have changed his perspectives of the world.

Shayna Swanson

Student

Shayna is a stellar student, teammate, and knowledgeable, worldly individual. She has played competitive softball throughout her schooling, and loves the energizing and encouraging spirit of the team sport. Friendly, self-assured and comfortable in herself, Shayna always seeks the most out of everything she is a part of. Whether helping those around her inside or outside of school, or encouraging her friends and teammates to follow their passions, she puts herself second to their needs. Shayna plans to continue her softball career in college while studying to become a teacher.